Wolf Advisory Group | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Wolf Advisory Group Members

• Wolf Advisory Group Membership Roster

Guidelines

• Wolf Advisory Group Guidelines
• WDFW Operating Protocols and Guidelines for Advisory Groups

Contact Wolf Advisory Group

Donny Martorello
Wolf Policy Lead
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
360-902-2515
donny.martorello@dfw.wa.gov

Wolf Advisory Group

All wildlife species present management challenges, especially wolves and other large carnivores that sometimes prey on livestock, pets, and other animals. As the state’s wolf population continues to grow, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is actively working with livestock producers, hunters and others to minimize conflicts that may occur, recognizing that public acceptance is essential for wolf recovery to succeed on a statewide basis.

In 2013, WDFW created the Wolf Advisory Group to provide a broad range of perspectives to help inform this ongoing management effort. This group is tasked with recommending strategies for reducing conflicts with wolves outlined in the state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Specific issues include:

• Encouraging livestock producers to take proactive, preventative measures to decrease the risk of loss.
• Providing compensation for economic loss due to wolf predation.
• Monitoring recovery of the wolf population and its effect on prey species.
• Providing information to the public on wolf recovery in Washington.

Mission Statement

Mission of WAG

To promote equitable, inclusive, and respectful dialogue and decision-making among diverse people to foster durable peace by transforming the root causes of social conflict and providing high quality recommendations on wolf recovery, conservation, and management.

Vision

The Wolf Advisory Group (WAG) envisions a future for Washington whereby:

• People have equal and balanced voices in decisions that impact their communities
• Diverse perspectives are welcomed and heard
• Mutual understanding of the needs of diverse communities and groups is achieved and respected
• Wolves are an opportunity for shared, constructive problem-solving
• The deeper roots of social conflict in Washington are continually transformed
• Healthy, sustainable populations of wolves and wild ungulates are achieved and maintained in balance
• Livestock and financial losses to livestock producers are minimized
• Diverse communities, including rural communities, livestock producers, hunters, environmental communities, and the interested public, are kept whole (in terms of quality of life), vibrant, and resilient
• The best available science is used for decision-making on group recommendations
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Fish and Wildlife Commission, and the Washington legislature are provided creative, inclusive recommendations for effective decision-making
• Public dialogue and mutual learning around wolves, ungulates, and natural resource issues are significantly improved
• There is continual fostering of high-quality dialogue and decision-making around wolves and related or emerging issues now and into the future