Hunt for wolves in Boise Foothills suspended

Hunt for wolves in Boise Foothills suspended.
Idaho Statesman

Wildlife Service aims to kill two wolves in the Boise Foothills

Shooting wolves in prime recreation country near Boise, ID-

Although wolves have inhabited the the foothills and mountains north of Boise for a decade now, this is the first time they are known to have killed livestock (8 lambs, 3 ewes). The two wolves are not part of a pack.

Hopefully Wildlife Services is taking precautions not to hit bikers, joggers, etc. in the Hulls Gulch area. The sheep belonged to Frank Shirts of bighorn sheep fame. 😉

Here is the story in the Boise Weekly. Boise Foothills Wolf Hunt Underway. Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman

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My story on wolves near Boise from way back in 2000. Strong Evidence of Wolves Near Boise, Idaho. Ralph Maughan’s wolf report. Jan. 14, 2000

Boise, Idaho residents may approve more money to conserve The Foothills

Despite recession, protecting Foothills is popular-

Time for new levy? Many Boiseans are ready, again, to pay for Foothills open space. By Cynthia Sewell. Idaho Statesman.-

Sour economy may be a boon to Boise Foothills preservation

With many landowners eager to sell, much of the $5 million left in a fund to buy property could go to land deals-

Link is now fixed. Sour economy may be a boon to Boise Foothills preservation. Bethann Stewart. Idaho Statesman.

NYT uses Boise to illustrate the recessionary spiral and its aftermath

The importance of this feature article is how irrelevant the governor and the rural dominated legislature are to the economic well being of most Idahoans-

Free Fall’s Over, but Where Are We Landing? By Peter S. Goodman. New York Times.

This article is a bit unusual for this blog, but a continuing theme here is that Idaho politics and its economic policy is dominated by a landed (almost feudal) elite with beliefs that were out of date 50 years ago. Idaho’s political system contains an incredible amount of inertia, and it shows up not just in wildlife policy and politics.

The recession in Idaho’s effect and efforts to fight have depended almost entirely on what the Administration does or doesn’t do. That’s my take.

Ralph Maughan

Sudden wildfire destroys nine homes, damages 10 others in Boise subdivision

Sudden wildfire destroys nine homes, damages 10 others in Boise subdivision, Idaho Statesman. One resident was also found dead in the ashes.

This fire happened on a “red flag warning” day, and the winds made it very quick. Rocky Barker has some comments on the fire. The homes and yards had not been prepared to withstand a wildlife (no “firescaping”) according to Barker. The was lots of fuel in the yards and even shake roofs on the houses.

Boise fire was a textbook case of the need for firewise home protection. Letters from the West. Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman.

In the West, mining’s return faces resistance

In the West, mining’s return faces resistance. The region’s newcomers, who came for high-tech jobs and scenery, worry about ecological costs. By Ben Arnoldy. Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.
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While there is an economic need for more copper, nickel, tin, etc, there is no need for more gold. Gold is unique because its price is more relevant as a store of wealth (gold investments as an alternative to stocks, bonds, etc.) than as an industrial material. More mining, means more gold, and this is not necessarily a benefit.

However, gold mining is the most destructive of new mines cropping up all over the West and the world. In opposing a new gold mine, you do not have to fight economic arguments about “the need” for a metal.