ACTION ALERT - WISCONSIN WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE!
YOUR LETTERS AND CALLS NEEDS ASAP! PLAN TO ATTEND THE OCTOBER 26-27 NATURAL RESOURCE BOARD MEETING.
Please take a few minutes to tell the Wisconsin governor and Board of Natural Resources (BNR) members your concerns about the Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan! Some of you may have already sent comments on earlier versions of the plan, but the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now working on the fourth draft of the plan, and each version of the plan has gotten worse. Changes in the third and upcoming fourth drafts include removing core management areas where the wolf is fully protected, placing a cap on wolf numbers, and rapidly moving towards allowing the hunting of wolf in Wisconsin. Furthermore, public involvement is being undercut. Currently the DNR has only posted the second draft on their website and the e-mail address it lists for comments is closed.
Public pressure is needed more than ever. Four important points to make are discussed below:
1) In all four drafts of the plan, wolves are managed under differently in four separate zones. In the second draft, Zone 1, which includes the largest and best wolf habitat, had core areas in which, "Wolves would be controlled only to protect human health and safety." The third and forth drafts eliminate these core areas, allowing livetrapping, translocation and lethal control. ASK THE BOARD TO REINSTATE THE CORE AREAS INTO THE PLAN.
2) In the second draft, hunting wolves was to be considered five years after the plan's approval, and only if the population was over 350. In the third draft, the plan recommends the DNR, "begin the process of obtaining legislative authority for a controlled public harvest" two years prior to the population reaching 350. The BNR has since moved to "have a trigger at 350 for control" of the wolves, and a review of DNR literature has shown that they are already working on a proposal to open up a hunting season on wolves, including allowing the use of dog pack hunting. ASK THAT THE PROVISIONS FOR A PUBLIC HUNT BE REMOVED ENTIRELY.
3) The second draft reduced numbers needed for state delisting from 300 to 250 but set a goal of at least 350 wolves. The third draft stated that 350 wolves would not mandate a wolf hunt. Now the board is moving towards making a population of 350 the cap on wolves in the state. ASK THAT THERE BE NO CAP ON THE WOLF POPULATION.
4) Scientists are still debating the minimum number needed for a viable and sustainable wolf population. Currently the BNR is leaning towards the lowest figures available, apparently caving in to pressure from the agricultural and ranching communities to delist the wolf. Any decision to down-list the wolf from endangered to threatened, or delist the wolf entirely must be made with caution, using high population estimates that guarantee continuous viable population. The still-prevalent public attitudes against the wolf make it clear that Wisconsin is not socially ready to remove them from the endangered list. ASK THE WOLF BE KEPT ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.
WRITE OR CALL:
Trygve Solberg, Chair
Natural Resource Board
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
(608) 267-7420
Gov. Tommy G. Thompson
1 State Capital Bldg.
Box 7863
Madison, WI 53707-7863
(608) 266-1212IF WRITING FROM OUT OF STATE, ALSO SEND COMMENTS TO:
Moose Speros, Secretary
Wisconsin Department of Tourism
Box 7976
Madison, WI 53707-7976
(608) 266-2345Remind him that the delisting or hunting of wolves will tarnish Wisconsin's image.
The schedule for the October 26-27 Board of Natural Resources meeting has not yet been finalized. When it is available, we will send a follow-up alert with the specific date and time and encouraging people to attend.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
There was reference here to Billy Stern (who sent ALL the alerts and instructed this to be posted), GREEN, bstern@defenders.org; HOWEVER, when Jeanne Holler from the Sherborne National Wildlife Refuge wrote a complaint about the "truth" posted regarding the trapping within the refuge, Billy Stern threatened me with having Lycos remove my pages if I did not remove the post and any reference to him. I can't help but wonder if that's why my entire site disappeared. Well it's back and will be moving to a domain where no one can touch it. Until then - the truth remains on my site. There are trapping reports to "back up and support" these words.
Tom Hershalman
Superior Wilderness Action Network
Ecosystem Defense Coordinator
920-467-8311
tombwca@tcbi.comWisconsin's Dept. of Natural Resourses
Please visit this site to see posted plans. Read of the "Proposed Wolf HARVEST".
Visitors:
