Reaction to the latest try to delist wolves-

Here are links to a number of reactions-

• NRDC. Flawed Flip-Flop on Wolves. Bush Administration changes course again with Endangered Species List re-removal.
• Defenders of Wildife. Bush administration rushes to strip protections from Northern Rockies wolves. Despite previous court decisions, administration again ignores Endangered Species Act requirements.
• Wyoming Chapter of the Sierra Club- News Release pdf
• Oregon Wild- Bush Administration Issues Parting Shot to Gray Wolves. pdf

Story. Gray wolves to lose endangered status. Story in the LA Times by By Jim Tankersley
Story. State left out of wolf move. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole Daily.
Update story. Last word on wolves is yet to come. Bush removes protections in most of the Rockies, but the Obama administration could reverse the decision. By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman.
Update story. Last year the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) was widely criticized by other conservation groups for their view on delisting. Here is what they said this time. Green groups will like it more. I got this copy from a TV news story.

Service Removes Western Great Lakes, Portion of Northern Rocky Mountain Gray Wolf Populations from Endangered Species List

A last of the Bush Administration special-

Here’s the link to the USFWS News Release–

OR read it below

Contacts

(Northern Rocky Mtns) Ed Bangs 406-449-5225, x204
Sharon Rose 303-236-4580
(Western Great Lakes)  Laura Ragan 612- 713-5157
Georgia Parham 812-334-4261, x203

Wolves in Wyoming to Remain Protected by Endangered Species Act

Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett announced today the removal of the western Great Lakes population and portions of the northern Rocky Mountain population of gray wolves from protection under the Endangered Species Act. The success of gray wolf recovery efforts in these areas has contributed to expanding populations of wolves that no longer require the protection of the Act. However, gray wolves found within the borders of Wyoming will continue to be protected by the Act due to a lack of adequate regulatory mechanisms ensuring their protection under state law.

31 Utah bison are headed for the Book Cliffs

Utah’s Henry Mountains herd — the source — originally came from Yellowstone Park-

31 Utah bison headed for the Book Cliffs. Associated Press. Salt Lake Tribune.

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“Buffaloed” provided a better (a video) link.  http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=5310294. KSL Television. Thanks!

Photo of Blue Castle Canyon in the Book Cliffs (one of hundreds such canyons in this vast area). I am amazed that Yellowstone bison have been able to thrive in the rugged Henry Mountains, and now this similar country of the Book Cliffs.

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Another photo of the Book Cliffs (with Green River)

Massive Public Lands Bill a Bonanza for Sportsmen, but?

Protection of Wyoming and Salt River Range, plus Commissary Ridge from drilling wins praise-

Massive Public Lands Bill a Bonanza for Sportsmen. By Chris Hunt. New West.

But there is more in the bill than protection of certain parcels of land-

If you don’t think about the Owyhee Initiative part of the bill, it seems like a good bill for wildlife; although there are several little discussed provisions. For example, I just got email containing an almost overlooked entire “Title” of the bill. This title creates the “Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund,” which could result in a lot of tree cutting and brush clearing on the public lands and adjacent private and state lands, although it looks like the number of projects are legally limited. If this was lifted, this one way a lot of local employment could be created during the recession/depression.

To quote from the bill . . . the purpose of the Title is

“. . . to encourage the collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes through a process that–

(1) encourages ecological, economic, and social sustainability;

(2) leverages local resources with national and private resources;

(3) facilitates the reduction of wildfire management costs, including through reestablishing natural fire regimes and reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire; and

(4) demonstrates the degree to which–

(A) various ecological restoration techniques–

(i) achieve ecological and watershed health objectives; and

(ii) affect wildfire activity and management costs; and

(B) the use of forest restoration byproducts can offset treatment costs while benefitting local rural economies and improving forest health.”

Here is the text of the entire title s-22-title4-omnibus-public-lands pdf file.