Not all, fortunately, but enough to put our fish and wildlife resources in jeopardy.

First, »»]]> Why do Washington’s politicians (of both parties) hate the Department of Fish and Wildlife?

Not all, fortunately, but enough to put our fish and wildlife resources in jeopardy.

First, the legislature slashed the WDFW budget by 30 percent last year. Everything from enforcement to salmon recovery suffered from that budget bashing. Then, this year, the legislature tried to completely dissolve the agency by “merging” it (along with the State Parks Department) into the Department of Natural Resources.

Putting recreation-focused interests under the management of an agency whose core responsibility is resource extraction makes no sense at all. Nor does it make sense to put fish and wildlife management in the hands of a single elected official who has no training in wildlife management issues. Preventing that type of mismanagement is exactly why the voters of Washington put substantial decision making responsibility in the hands of a Fish and Wildlife Commission representing all stakeholders.

Fortunately the public outcry over the proposed merger legislation (Senate Bill 6813) effectively killed the bill (at least the portion pertaining to the dissolution of WDFW). But now, those same bi-partisan legislators who were blocked from axing the department have turned their axes on to the department’s budget.

Last year, the general fund allocations to the department were slashed from $110 million to just $80 million. Now, the backers of the recently killed SB 6813 want to cut upwards of $10.8 million more from the already decimated WDFW budget. That means we’d see nearly 40 percent budget cuts for the department in the last biennium.

According to the Department, these additional cuts will jeopardize future salmon production with the closure of up to 5 hatcheries, impacting Grays Harbor, Coastal and Puget Sound fisheries. In addition, the number of enforcement officers will be reduced and staffing levels for important salmon recovery efforts will be lower. Many department facilities and public lands would be closed, popular lakes wouldn’t get stocked with trout, and youth education efforts would be reduced.

Bottom line: NO other state agency has seen cuts this deep, or this aggressive. The Senate cuts will cripple the Department’s ability to successfully manage our fish and wildlife resources and will have a long-term negative impact on all endangered species recovery efforts in our State.

If you care about public lands, wildlife and fisheries, now is the time to take action. Call, email or write your local state senator and/or representative and tell them you oppose these draconian cuts to our state’s wild resources.

Use this link to contact your elected officials:

“The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has published a Draft »»]]> Gray Wolf Conservation and Management | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) titled: Wolf Conservation and Management Plan for Washington. This is a non-project review proposal. Non-project review allows agencies and the public to focus on issues that are ready for decision.

Gray wolves were classified as endangered in Washington at the federal level in 1973 and at the state level in 1980. They were delisted under federal law in 2009 in the eastern third of Washington, and remain federally listed in the western two-thirds of the state; they continue to be state listed throughout Washington. Expansion of a currently small breeding population of wolves in Washington is expected as a result of increased dispersal of wolves from recovering populations in Idaho and Montana, and dispersers from British Columbia.

In response to this, and in anticipation of the eventual return of all wolf management to the state, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife initiated development of a state wolf conservation and management plan. A determination of significance and request for comments on scope of an environmental impact statement (EIS) was issued August 1, 2007. WDFW appointed an advisory Wolf Working Group comprised of 17 citizens to provide recommendations on the plan to WDFW. The draft plan establishes conservation/recovery objectives for downlisting and delisting the species, and identifies strategies to address conflicts and achieve recovery. This draft plan and DEIS incorporate recommendations and suggestions from public scoping comments, peer review comments, WDFW reviews and the Wolf Working Group recommendations.

Gray Wolf Conservation and Management | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representative’s Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee »»]]> It seems Utahns may get what they want, despite the stonewalling behavior their own congressional delegation.

Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representative’s Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands heard testimony concerning America’s Red Rocks Wilderness Act. This comprehensive wilderness designation package would protect sensitive wild areas of Utah from perennial threats of oil and gas drilling, hard rock mining, and other development sprawl.

The Red Rocks Wilderness Act would protect buffer areas around four national park units in Utah through the creation of officially designated wilderness. In short, this would prevent actions like those allowed under the Bush Administration (and later overturned in Federal Court) that would have allowed oil drilling on the boundaries of Arches National Park, with drill rigs in clear site of park visitors viewing iconic park features such as Delicate Arch. The act as written today would designate roughly 9 million acres of wilderness around  Canyonlands, Arches, and Capitol Reef National Parks, as well as around Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Recent non-partisan polling shows more than 60 percent of Utah’s population supports the Red Rocks Wilderness proposal, yet,  Utah’s entire congressional delegation opposed the bill, as did Utah’s Lt. Governor Greg Bell.  Ironically, those same congressmen acknowledged the importance of protecting wilderness – just not this wilderness (or any wilderness that the oil industry has its eye on!)

Countering the Utah congressional delegations nay-saying was a broad range of speakers representing the people of Utah, the business community in Utah, and several political entities in Utah.  Perhaps most vocal and persuasive  was Peter Metcalf, the CEO of Utah-based Black Diamond Equipment. Metcalf has established himself as a politically savvy hard-hitter, frequently using his influence in the outdoor industry (he is currently Vice President of the well-respected Outdoor Industry Association) to affect legislation and policies related to wilderness and wilderness recreation.

The Red Rocks Wilderness Act was first proposed 20 years ago by Utah Representative Wayne Owens. Today, The bill currently has 137 sponsors in the House, and 20 in the Senate.

Read more here

In the intervening years, more than 100 million acres of public land in the United »»]]> On September 3, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law.

In the intervening years, more than 100 million acres of public land in the United States have been protected from development and natural resource exploitation. In honor of this history event, President Obama issued this statement on September 3, 2009, applauding the  Wilderness Act and proclaiming September as National Wilderness Month – he then took off on a family vacation that included stops at some of the premiere National Parks in the western states.

Making the designation of September as National Wilderness Month, Obama said:

Forty-five years ago, the United States achieved a landmark success in protecting these magnificent wild spaces. The Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act, which sought to secure “for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.” The Act has been widely recognized as one of our Nation’s most important conservation laws. This law and the National Wilderness Preservation System it established have served as a model for wilderness protection laws in many of our States and in countries around the world.

The vision and structure established in the Wilderness Act continue to receive broad support. This pioneering law created a framework for bringing Federal public lands under additional protection. Over the past 45 years, the Congress has enacted numerous laws extending wilderness protection to vast swaths of public lands. These laws have enjoyed bipartisan support. Ranchers and anglers, small-business owners and conservationists, and Americans of diverse backgrounds have come together to preserve many of our Nation’s most cherished public spaces.

My Administration has already demonstrated a commitment to protecting our wilderness heritage. On March 30, 2009, I signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which established the most recent additions to our Wilderness System. As my Administration continues to prioritize wilderness protection, we will work closely with the Congress, organizations, and private citizens to ensure that all stakeholders can make their voices heard. United by a common purpose of preserving our precious natural spaces and our wilderness heritage, we will ensure that future generations inherit the unique gift of knowing nature’s peace.

The 2-mile trek up to the scenic and historic High Rock Lookout yielded »»]]> A short hike in the South Cascades today revealed an array of wildflowers in bloom.

The 2-mile trek up to the scenic and historic High Rock Lookout yielded unmatched views of the South Cascades range, from an in-your-face view of Mount Rainier, to shimmering-on-the-horizon Mount Hood. The high, rugged Goat Rocks still maintain a heavy mantle of snow, while the jagged teeth of the Tatoosh Range is nearly snow-free. Most of the trails in the central South Cascade – such as those that meander through the Dark Divide region, and rolling through Indian Heaven Wilderness, the William O. Douglas Wilderness and the routes around Mount St. Helens –  are open and generally snowfree. The Forest Service trail crews, though, note that there are plenty of downed trees blocking roads and trails throughout the region and the shortage of funds means many won’t be logged out for several weeks.

That said, the High Rock Trail was logged out today but a trail worker out the Cowlitz Ranger District. So nothing will prevent you from enjoying the on-going bloom of wildflowers on this route. What’s blooming this weekend? Here’s what I can remember:

• Beargrass
• Trillium
• Glacier Lilies
• Avalanche Lilies
• Paintbrush
• Lupine
• Wild Strawberries
• Penstemon
• Phlox
• Tiger lily
• Golden Daily
• 

A relatively new website, Outdoorzy.com – launched in January 2007 – offers outdoore enthusiasts a place to share stories, »»]]> Here’s a chance to make your gear opinions heard!

A relatively new website, Outdoorzy.com – launched in January 2007 – offers outdoore enthusiasts a place to share stories, compare adventures, plan trips, and talk gear.

This week, the folks behind Outdoorzy want to know what you think about gear. Specifically, who do you think makes the best outdoor gear? Cast your vote in the Gearzy Awards on Outdoorzy.com starting today.

http://www.outdoorzy.com/

The press Release at pitchengine.com – Outdoorzy.com – People Cast their Vote in the Gearzy Awards.