Conservation Northwest

Getting wilder "Moskowitz" continued from p. 14 as he traces beyond the last century of wolf extirpation and subsequent recovery. "The Pacific Northwest is a continually evolving landscape, and wolves' relationship with it has evolved again and again, over time. Humans' relationship This moose was missing her calf. It had been killed and fed on by members of Washington's Diamond pack. © David Moskowitz with this landscape—and with wolves— has also evolved as our ecology, the landscape, and technology have changed." Given this long-term view, he points out that human interaction with wolves is "predictable and natural." It's not surprising that people see wolves as competition, he says. Wolves may see smaller carnivores in the same light. What's important to Moskowitz, though, is that humans move beyond old cultural stories and consider what our relationship with wolves really is. He wants people to ask, are they truly a material threat to our basic existence? And maybe more importantly, "What are the services we need from the land and are wolves helping create more resilient, stable ecosystems that are going to help us meet our basic needs? I think the answer is pretty clearly, yes, they may be doing that." Moskowitz hopes his new book will help readers think critically about such questions, but don't expect it to be all facts and history lessons. Like all good trackers, he has a pretty good pile of stories to share, like searching for the elusive Diamond pack. You can hear the joy of a tracker in the wild as he recounts stalking along creek beds to mask his scent near where he has seen prints in a wetland. Finally he settled in what must have been a rather unglamorous vantage point: a clump of alders in the middle of a beaver pond. But the wet seat and his patience paid off. A wolf loped along the edge of the marsh, and David finally got the photographs he needed to introduce us to one of Washington's newest wild residents. We look forward to meeting all of them! The book Wolves of the Pacific Northwest is due for release next fall. In the meantime, enjoy more of David's stories and photos from the field on his blog, davidmoskowitz.blogspot.com Sarah Smith Communications intern, Wildlife monitors ssmith@conservationnw.org Documenting the wild side Volunteers and sponsors of Conser- vation Northwest's wildlife monitoring programs are improving our knowledge of Washington's wildlife. Volunteers hike, ski, or snowshoe into the backcountry to monitor remote cameras, sometimes in remote wilderness and sometimes closer to human-affected landscapes, like Interstate 90 in the Cascades. By putting in hard work and long hours, volunteers help document rarelyseen predators like wolves, bears, martens, and lynx, as well as prey like deer and elk. In 2008, Cascades Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Project volunteers, led by Ray Robertson, documented the Lookout pack: Washington's first con- 14 Fall 2011 firmed wolf pack in more than 70 years. Then again this summer, it was cameras placed by monitoring volunteers that captured the first photographs near the Teanaway valley of Washington's fourth new wolf pack. Bonding to nature Volunteering provides more than exercise and beautiful views; it is an opportunity to connect with nature and revitalize a passion for wild animals. United by an enthusiasm for wildlife and wilderness, volunteers form bonds with their team members who share their same excitement. Patrick McGowan describes his work for Teanaway wildlife on page 11. Artist Bill Whipple, 64, has been a remote camera volunteer for five years. He recalls a childhood bursting with a fondness for wild animals. At age 15, Bill drafted a 114-page report on the weasel family, inspired partially by his pet black-footed ferrets. As a young man, Bill envisioned becoming a biologist. Today, wildlife monitoring feeds his childhood dream. Continued next page www.conservationnw.org

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