Group to explore wolf issues
Statesman Journal
November 18, 2003
The first meetings of the Wolf Advisory Committee formed by the Oregon
Fish and Wildlife Commission will be Wednesday and Thursday at Silver
Falls State Park.
The committee’s task is to begin the process of writing a draft wolf
management plan.
Meetings will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday at the Silver
Falls Conference Center.
The 14-member committee was appointed in June by the Fish and Wildlife
Commission to help study issues about wolves in Oregon and to recommend
management actions that will be used once a permanent population
establishes itself. No wolves are confirmed to be in Oregon at this time.
However, numerous unconfirmed sightings have been documented, and
biologists expect wolves to enter Oregon from the expanding population in
Idaho and eventually establish a permanent population.
Commission members decided earlier this year to develop a wolf management
plan so the state is prepared for wolves.
This decision came after hearing from wolf experts and the results of 15
meetings held nearly a year ago.
The agenda of the first meeting of the Wolf Advisory Committee includes an
overview of the committee’s task, a review of wolf planning efforts to
date, discussion of committee operation guidelines and discussion of draft
Wolf Management Plan framework.
No public comments will be taken at this meeting. Forms for written
comment will be available at the meeting, or e-mail them to
ODFW.Comments@state.or.us