Oregon’s ranchers want to set the record straight on wolves.
The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and the
Oregon Farm Bureau Federation opposed wolf reintroduction from the
beginning, knowing the toll it would take on our livestock producers.
Nevertheless, the ranching community worked with environmental groups
and state regulators and agreed to the conditions of the Oregon Wolf
Conservation & Management Plan in 2005. This cooperation came at a
significant expense to producers who expended resources to reduce the
risk of attack on their animals.
The wolf plan has worked. In fact, it
worked extremely well. State wolf populations have exploded since
reintroduction, with a 36 percent increase in 2015 alone, bringing
Oregon to a population of 110 wolves and 11 breeding pairs.
To put this in perspective, the threshold
in the plan for consideration for removing wolves from the state’s list
of endangered species is four breeding pairs for three consecutive
years. Populations are currently well above that level.
Ranchers worked hard to live up to their
obligations in the plan. Unfortunately, instead of doing the same and
applauding Oregon’s rural communities for their efforts in promoting
wolf recovery, Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild and out-of-state
environmental litigation groups have once again filed a lawsuit — this
time over a decision that in no way impacts wolf management in Oregon.
This is what these groups don’t want you to
know: Delisting does not change current wolf management or conservation
requirements for wolves. Wolf management is governed by the wolf plan,
which is up for review this year. Wolves in Oregon have always been and
remain one of the best-protected species in the state, and their
population will continue to increase.
This begs the question: Why are
environmental activist groups suing on the delisting decision? In short,
they want to use this lawsuit to force changes to the Wolf Conservation
& Management Plan. And these groups want these negotiations to take
place in confidential settlement discussions instead of through a
public forum.
We believe that the public discourse of the
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, the legislative process and the
upcoming Wolf Conservation & Management Plan review are the correct
places for these important decisions. Private settlement negotiations
that cut out the public and policymakers from the discussion and subvert
transparency most decidedly are not.
1 comment:
In every single recovery area, Environmental groups have sued to stop de-listing, because it's a cash cow for them. A virtual cottage industry and it helps them reach their anti land use anti grazing pro wilderness agenda.
Post a Comment