http://www.vernal.com/feb5/fr.wolf.TXT.html

 

Over the weekend, Utah representative Mike Styler (R, District 56) introduced a House Resolution (HJR012 ¤ Resolution Providing Management of Wolves in Utah) that would urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act. Delisting would transfer the authority to manage wolves to the states. The resolution also urges the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to begin drafting a wolf management plan for Utah. The plan would include a compensation fund for livestock lost to wolves. The resolution has drawn "cautious support" by the Utah Wolf Forum.

"We are encouraged by the resolution's call for a responsible and timely wolf recovery and management plan for Utah," explained Allison Jones, biologist and spokesperson for the Utah Wolf Forum. "The Utah Wolf Forum, the Legislature and the Division of Wildlife Resources are all in agreement that a state plan for wolves is something that needs to happen fairly soon.ΠAccording to their news release, The Utah Wolf Forum is a network of scientists, educators, conservationists, hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts who are assisting Utahns in the assimilation of naturally recolonizing wolves, through the use of science and education.

Representative Styler said that his resolution "asks the Federal Fish and Wildlife to downlist ¤ and ultimately delist" wolves from the endangered species act. We instruct the state Fish and Game to come up with a management plan, treating them as a protected predator, like cougars or bears." He is also driving to have Utah be treated as a single recovery area for Northern wolves ¤ and not be split as a partial recovery area for Mexican wolves. If the actions occur as Styler hopes, DWR officials would be provided with more latitude for managing wolves.

While the Utah Wolf Forum (UWF) conditionally endorses Styler¡s wolf resolution, they reject the strong emphasis on using DWR Regional Advisory Councils in the creation of a wolf management plan for Utah. The UWF points to the recent report written by a group from Utah State University to explain their reluctance. The report states, "Utah's existing wildlife management institutions, especially the Wildlife Board and Regional Advisory Councils remain largely invisible to the general public, and are weighted heavily in favor of hunting and agricultural interests." The five Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) across the state are comprised of citizen representatives. They meet periodically to review wildlife program, management and regulations and take public comment. They then make their own recommendations to the Wildlife Board which is the DWR governing board.

The UWF feels that this would give "undue weight to the involvement of RACs in the development and acceptance of a wolf plan for Utah." The UWF is urging that a method utilizing a series of open houses and public hearings be given more say in wolf plan development. Their views on this issue diverge from the intent of Representative Styler. "The RAC process is an open process that everyone is welcome to participate in," Styler said in a statement to the Vernal Express. "The Utah Wolf Forum is invited to testify in what I view as a fair hearing of their views," he added.

The UWF news release strongly urges the DWR to appoint an independent committee to help create a wolf management plan. They ask that this committee, or task force, then should use science-based decision-making with a strong representation of wildlife biologists. They again turn to the USU report to defend their position. The report states: "Given the controversial nature of the wolf debate, we recommend that the Division of Wildlife Resources develop a philosophically and politically balanced Wolf Advisory Committee that would solicit input from scientists, managers, ranchers, hunters, wolf advocates and other interested parties." Further, the report also states that "Although wolf management involves economics, politics and other sociological issues, its core must be based on biology. Therefore, we recommend that the committee include an adequate number of wildlife biologists as members (at least 25 percent)." The UWF said that it underscores the fact that the Wolf Advisory Committee that they envision should give fair representation to hunters, ranchers, tribal entities and conservationists in addition to scientists "with expertise and management experience with wolves." On the point of providing monetary compensation for livestock owners who lose animals to wolf predation, Representative Styler and the UWF agree. They both desire that a funding mechanism be established. Styler said that this could be accomplished similar to the way depredation losses to other large predator species are currently handled. "The Utah Legislature appropriates funds each year for depredation losses caused by cougars and bears," Styler said. "I would extend this to losses from wolves. This would Wildlife,¡ he added. �This group has already paid losses in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana." The UWF goals provided in their news release include: 1. Establish a strong partnership with the Division of Wildlife Resources, hunters, ranchers, the Ute tribe and other concerned Utahns, as we address the wolf issue together; 2. Use science ¤ particularly ecology and conservation biology ¤ as the basis for decision-making, management and planning regarding wolves in the state; 3. Educate Utah citizens on the biological, social, economic, ethical and legal issues regarding natural wolf recolonization in the state; 4. Work to protect suitable habitat for wolves and their chief prey (deer and elk) in Utah.

While wolves undoubtedly move closer to naturally colonizing Utah, the issue continues to fume. And while officials look for a way to pursue the public process of dealing with pending decisions, it is clear by the first stated goal of the UWF relating to the Ute Indian Tribe that the Uintah Basin will be in the center of the debate.


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