Conservation Northwest updates
Keeping the Northwest wild Spring/Summer 2015 13
alison Huyett conservation associate,
alison@conservationnw.org
Strong support
for grizzly bears
it's fiVe to one!
Planning for grizzly bear restoration in the North
Cascades Recovery Zone is finally underway. Aer initiating
the public process in February, government agencies recently
completed the public scoping phase of an Environmental Im-
pact Statement (EIS) process that will guide restoration efforts.
is first phase included a 30-day public comment period
and six public meetings in communities east and west of the
North Cascades Ecosystem. Over 500 meeting attendees
asked questions, talked with agency staff from the National
Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Ser-
vice and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and
submitted handwritten comments.
In June, the federal agencies released a summary report
of the approximately 3,000 comments submitted during the
scoping period. We are happy to say that of those who sub-
mitted comments in support of or opposition to grizzly bear
restoration, supporters outweighed opponents by over 5 to 1!
ere were some valid concerns regarding bear recovery.
And many commenters expressed interest in outreach and
education on how folks in other states successfully coexist
with grizzly bears on the trail, in the woods, and on the range.
Conservation Northwest will help with that as the agencies
continue their official EIS.
Going forward, the comments will guide the development of
a Dra EIS that will be completed in the summer of 2016, fol-
lowed by another public comment period. A final EIS will then
be issued and a Record of Decision is expected in mid-2017.
Conservation Northwest and our allies are encouraged not only
that this historic process is finally underway, but also that we are
already seeing strong public support for bear restoration.
But there's still much work to be done, and some inter-
ests are lining up in obstinate opposition to recovering this
native species. It is imperative that, with the support of our
conservation community and environmental advocates across
the region, we keep showing widespread support for restor-
ing grizzly bears to their rightful place in the North Cascades,
particularly during the next public comment period planned
for late 2016.
e North Cascades Ecosystem, anchored by North Cas-
cades National Park, contains one of the largest areas of wild
and protected habitat in the Lower 48. But it's missing an im-
portant piece of the menagerie—the grizzly bear. For decades
we've waited on recovery plans while a vital and exciting piece
of our wildlife heritage has been all but wiped out—relegated
to old stories and fuzzy memories. Guided by community in-
volvement and the best available science, it's time to restore
grizzly bears and pass on a healthier, more vibrant North Cas-
cades to our children.
Young Conservation Northwest supporters learn about grizzly bears
before submitting comments for bear restoration. Chase Gunnell
A grizzly bear documented by remote camera in 2012. The photo
was taken roughly 20 miles north of the U.S. border in B.C.'s North
Cascades. Minstry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations
Map of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Area, within the
black border. National Park Service
Cascades grizzly bears update
