Didn't see that this had been posted yet.
Meeting to discuss St Helens elk:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/nov2017c/WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE NEWS RELEASE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
November 20, 2017
Contact: Daren Hauswald, 360-696-6211
WDFW seeks public participation
in Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area plan
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public workshop Nov. 30 to discuss the development of a new management plan for the Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area in southwestern Washington.
The wildlife area consists of 18 separate units that cover roughly 9,600 acres in Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties and is largely managed for elk in the North Fork Toutle River Valley. The management plan will address the status of wildlife species and their habitat, wildlife area restoration efforts and public recreation, said Daren Hauswald, wildlife area manager.
"We want to hear from the community about how they use this area as well as what recreation and natural resource values are important to them," Hauswald said.
The workshop is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., Nov. 30, at WDFW's Region 5 office located at 5525 S. 11th St. in Ridgefield.
At the meeting, WDFW staff members will review the wildlife area's history, discuss the planning process and ask for public comments.
As the new management plan is developed, the department will consider input from the public as well as feedback and guidance from the Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area advisory committee, Hauswald said. The advisory committee consists of citizens and stakeholders who review and provide input on wildlife area management activities.
Information about the wildlife area is available on WDFW's website at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/mount_saint_helens/There will be additional opportunities for public input, at upcoming advisory committee meetings and when the draft plan is developed. More information about the advisory group can be found online at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/msh-waac/The department is revising management plans for its 33 wildlife areas to reflect current conditions and identify new priorities and initiatives, Hauswald said. WDFW also is updating the management plans for the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area in King and Snohomish counties and wildlife areas in the Blue Mountains region in southeast Washington.
For more information on the wildlife area planning process, visit
http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/management_plans/
