$850,010 facilitator, WDFW capital budget

[denali]

Capitol press editorial
September 10, 2015 1:02PM
Rik Dalvit/For the Capital Press

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is making another investment in secrecy with its decision to spend more than $850,000 on a wolf consultant who insists on meeting behind closed doors.

The “Wizard of Oz” comes to mind. Whatever goes on behind the curtain is, well, magic. Just by clicking her heels she can help environmentalists, ranchers, hunters and others find the yellow brick road to coexistence.

Through the centuries, Americans have insisted that the public’s business be done in public. Discussing wolf policy in Washington state is somehow exempt from that concept, according to Fish and Wildlife managers.

There are two ways to look at this decision.

One is that department managers really do hope she can somehow convince Washington citizens that they don’t want to know anything more about the issues related to wolf management.

Apparently, the concept of a well-informed citizenry is highly overrated. If the department can feed the public only what it believes they need to know, everything will be much better.

Another way to look at it is the bigwigs in Olympia just wanted to get rid of the wolf issue and stroked a check to get it off their desks.

If she succeeds in getting all sides of the wolf issue to hold hands and build a bridge to each other’s heart, they’ll all be heroes.

If the effort fails, the Olympia crowd can say they tried but, dang it, it just didn’t work out.

Either viewpoint is highly cynical, we will readily admit. We’re always cynical about secrecy.

But the only other way to view this is to put on our rose-colored glasses, jump on a unicorn and ride into the sunset, crossing our fingers that whatever happens in secret will be for the good of all.

Wolf management is not a secret, and it’s not magic. And, believe it or not, Washington is not the first state to deal with gray wolves. Idaho did it. Oregon did it. Montana did it. Canada has more than 50,000 wolves — 10,000 are in British Columbia alone — and somehow its leaders have managed the wolves.

What, exactly, makes Washington so special?

Wolves are not typical endangered species. They are predators, prolific, highly mobile and can fend for themselves.

These qualities alone call for managing them differently that other protected species.

And the fact that some of them prey on livestock, threatening the financial well-being of ranch families, many who have lived off the land for generations, makes it that much more important for wildlife managers to do their job, not shovel it off to high-paid consultants who hide behind closed doors.

[CAMPMEAT]

Makes more sense if, Hornady was the wolf facilitator......gettin' it done the right way, every time.

[gun-dog]

If WDFW wants, I will lead some meetings on wolves and I will do it at 50% reduction!  That's right folks, I am willing to take a piddly $425,000 to do her job.  I bet I would get just as much done as this lady will.

[nwwanderer]

Gun-dog, you need to run over to Africa and straighten out things over there, again, then come back and offer the discount.  If you want to read how that is going right now follow the Cecil story and read the last National Geographic's ivory tail.

[Stein]

Yeah, it's a very irresponsible way to spend the money. Who cares about different groups of people getting along? What a joke. I'd rather they not spend another penny on the wolves. The wolves are here and they're going to remain here and they're going to continue doing what wolves do. Spending 850 thousand dollars isn't going to change anything. I'm disappointed that the new director would allow this to happen.

The other side is ready, willing and able to spend millions.  If WDFW doesn't spend time and effort, wolves will be across most of the state with no trapping or hunting and will decimate the other animals we hunt.

It isn't pretty, but you have to play the game to win.

[bobcat]

Yeah, it's a very irresponsible way to spend the money. Who cares about different groups of people getting along? What a joke. I'd rather they not spend another penny on the wolves. The wolves are here and they're going to remain here and they're going to continue doing what wolves do. Spending 850 thousand dollars isn't going to change anything. I'm disappointed that the new director would allow this to happen.

The other side is ready, willing and able to spend millions.  If WDFW doesn't spend time and effort, wolves will be across most of the state with no trapping or hunting and will decimate the other animals we hunt.

It isn't pretty, but you have to play the game to win.

The wolves will be all over the state with no hunting allowed no matter how much money is spent. (In my opinion)  So why waste all the money? I'd rather see the money being spent on habitat or something else that directly benefits wildlife and/or hunters.

[Stein]

WDFW has the Montana and Idaho model and precedence to follow.  Both allow ample hunting after huge fights that took literally decades.

Plus, if you allow the win for them on wolves, what do you think their next play will be?  They won't go home and sip brandy by the fire knowing their work is done.  More pressure on hatcheries, lead bans, firearm restrictions, etc.

WDFW doesn't have a choice, they have to fight every battle or lose the war.

[bhawley76]

 

[Curly]

$850,010 to this woman is just wrong.

[timberfaller]

"Wolf management is not a secret, and it’s not magic. And, believe it or not, Washington is not the first state to deal with gray wolves. Idaho did it. Oregon did it. Montana did it. Canada has more than 50,000 wolves — 10,000 are in British Columbia alone — and somehow its leaders have managed the wolves."

Ya they did, found some bleeding heart "Liberals" in the USA to GIVE them $$$$$$$$$ then sat back and laughed all the way to the Canadian banks!!

Shhhhhhh don't let those Liberals know, but the Canadian wolf was already coming across the border before the threw the tax payers money away!!! aka Wasted it!  But hey, whats big government for anyways!

[jasnt]

Yeah, it's a very irresponsible way to spend the money. Who cares about different groups of people getting along? What a joke. I'd rather they not spend another penny on the wolves. The wolves are here and they're going to remain here and they're going to continue doing what wolves do. Spending 850 thousand dollars isn't going to change anything. I'm disappointed that the new director would allow this to happen.

The other side is ready, willing and able to spend millions.  If WDFW doesn't spend time and effort, wolves will be across most of the state with no trapping or hunting and will decimate the other animals we hunt.

It isn't pretty, but you have to play the game to win.

Maybe you missed this part

"By empowering others to apply the principles, processes and skills of CCT, Francine has worked behind the scenes to help people and projects halt wildlife trafficking where it was once rampant, significantly improve community-park and other stakeholder relationships, convince judges to administer harsher sentencing for convicted poachers, reduce the use of lethal control, modify land-use planning to reduce and prevent conflict, and dramatically improve overall social receptivity toward and decision-making for wildlife conservation and management on every continent where humans and wildlife coexist."   

[tgomez]

Im going to buy more ammo.

[Curly]

I wonder if the state would have offered her 400,000 dollars, would she have turned that down? How can anyone think she is worth spending  $850,000?

[jasnt]

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Anyone with contacts at WDFW please let them know I am a Certified Wolf Intervention Specialist.  I have also be apart of many government projects so I am used to facilitating meetings  I would gladly perform the duties of babysitter while these clowns argue for 8 hours a day for $600,000.