Here is an article that Mary just sent Us, We find it a bit troubling that this individual is making statements blindly without knowing 100% of the facts it would appear. Our Public Lands should not need any collaboration, they belong to all of the Public, as do Our Children’s Resources. And thus far, WDFW has consistently proven to Ignore Science by Allowing Dr. Robert Weilgus to be slandered during Wolf Advisory Group Meetings.
People should truly educate themselves to what has happened on WDFWs WAG prior to embarrassing themselves with a blind statement. WDFW has not thus far managed anything impartially, nor have they considered science, nor the public, nor their ability to request Grazing Allotments be closed.
The recent court ordered restraining order filed by conservation groups on the lethal removal of a wolf from the Togo Pack is a step backward in what had been a cooperative effort to manage wolves.
The decision of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to lethally remove Togo pack wolves after repeated livestock depredations is consistent with the state’s wolf conservation and management plan, to which conservation groups provided input. Neither party will ever be completely satisfied, but concessions were made on both sides to develop the plan.
WDFW is the governing state agency, and we should trust them as the steward best suited to make impartial wolf management decisions on behalf of both parties. However, when a single group is able to use the court system to supersede WDFW policy, the process is undermined and the possibility of any future collaboration between cattle producers and conservation groups is jeopardized.
Griffin Lowe, Renton
Letters editor: letters@seattletimes.com.