Final mountain goat management plan for Olympic National Park released

[jackelope]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

May 4, 2018
 Contacts: Penny Wagner, Olympic National Park, 360-565-3005
 Rich Harris, WDFW, 360-902-2515
 Stephen Baker, U.S. Forest Service, 503-808-2690

Final mountain goat management plan for Olympic National Park released

PORT ANGELES, Wash. -- The National Park Service (NPS), the USDA Forest Service (USFS), and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have released the Mountain Goat Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for managing non-native mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains. The NPS preferred alternative involves the relocation of the majority of mountain goats to USFS lands in the North Cascades forests and the lethal removal of the remaining mountain goats in the park.

The FEIS is available for public viewing at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/OLYMgoat. The plan's purpose is to allow Olympic National Park to reduce or eliminate the environmental damage created by non-native mountain goats and the public safety risks associated with their presence in the park.

"We are very pleased to collaborate with our partners the USDA Forest Service and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop the FEIS," said Olympic National Park Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum. "Federal and state agencies are poised to begin the effort that will help grow a depleted population of mountain goats in the Cascades; and eliminate their impact on the Olympic Peninsula."

A 2016 population survey of mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains showed that the population increased an average of eight percent annually from 2004-2016. It has more than doubled since 2004 to about 625. The population is expected to grow by another 100 in just 2018. By 2023, the population could be nearly 1,000 goats. At the same time, mountain goats are native to the North Cascades Mountains, but exist in low numbers in many areas. Both the USFS and the WDFW have long been interested in restoring mountain goats to these depleted areas.

Public meetings to review the draft EIS were held in August 2017.

Approximately 2,300 comments were received on the draft EIS and were used to develop the FEIS, which includes modified versions of alternatives C and D (the preferred alternative), other minor revisions, and the agencies' responses to public comments.

For the NPS, publication of the FEIS begins a 30-day wait period which is required before making a final decision on a proposed action. After the wait period, the NPS will sign a Record of Decision (ROD) documenting the final decision and course of action. At that time, the NPS will move forward to coordinate implementation of the plan and the selected alternative for summer 2018.

Following the publication of the FEIS, the USFS will issue a draft decision document (ROD), subject to the Agency's objection process, before making a final decision. Legal notices to initiate the objection period will be published in the newspapers of record for the three national forests involved in the plan: Olympic National Forest, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Paper copies of the FEIS will be available at public libraries in Darrington, Enumclaw, Granite Falls, North Bend, Sedro-Woolley, Skykomish, Sultan, Aberdeen, Amanda Park, Hoquiam, Hoodsport, Forks, Port Angeles, and Port Townsend.

[Mudman]

Remind me why leaving them alone to naturally exist is a problem?  is it so the hikers don't get bothered? 

[X-Force]

Remind me why leaving them alone to naturally exist is a problem?  is it so the hikers don't get bothered? 

The national park service across the country has been pushing to remove invasive and nonnative species... Goats on the peninsula are nonnative.

From the parks perspective these goats have to go and i don't see that changing.

[Mudman]

Hmm.  Not Native to park or not to Wa.?  Retarded.  Leave em be and save some $.  Can we use that argument for wolves too?

[X-Force]

I guess the question I have is, why are the goats on the Peninsula doing so well, and the goats in these populations in the Cascades not?

Traditionally, native populations of goats grow at a much slower rate than transplanted goats. There is lots of evidence to support that difference in population growth. I have not seen any studies as to why native goat populations grow at a slower rate.

[jackelope]

Hmm.  Not Native to park or not to Wa.?  Retarded.  Leave em be and save some $.  Can we use that argument for wolves too?

It's mostly greenie reasons I suppose. I believe the argument for removal is non-native species destroying native growth. Also human/goat interaction.

[X-Force]

Hmm.  Not Native to park or not to Wa.?  Retarded.  Leave em be and save some $.  Can we use that argument for wolves too?

To the peninsula.

The park is arguing that they are trying to save the natural beauty and unique alpine spaces from an nonnative species. No different then removing Nutria, Boas, or Scotch Broom.

[Mudman]

Well that argument would require all newly evolved species be eradicated too?  Silly and stupid.  Goats are a native species in N America are they not?

[jackelope]

Well that argument would require all newly evolved species be eradicated too?  Silly and stupid.  Goats are a native species in N America are they not?

They are native to the US, but they were introduced to the Olympics.

[Mudman]

I know, it seems silly to argue that point.  Its that way with sooo many animals etc.  Its not like its a Cape Buffalo in the Oly Park.  What would they do with the birds and insects?  They are native species period.  To many hikers getting chased, bottom line. Madness imop.  Instead we will run em out,  wait for an extinction and libs to cry and then introduce em to a "Great" ecosystem for em to thrive. 

[520backyard]

 There were 26,546 applicants applying for the 21 special permit goat hunts offered by WDFW last year according to the this years 2018 regs. In addition there were 4,419 applicants for the 6 special permit goat reduction hunts in the areas adjacent to the Olympic National Park. The plan most likely to be used by the NPS is to relocate half of the goats approx 375 and slaughter the rest of the remaining mountain goats, leaving them lie where they fall. Clearly there is a solution to this problem that does not involve eradication and wanton waste of an exotic and iconic species residing in the Olympic National Park. ALL of those goats should be relocated and exceptionable effort should be exercised to achieve just that.

  As sportsmen, as citizens of the state of Washington and as citizens of the US it is up to us to make our voices heard in this matter. Collectively we put a lot of money in state coffers and local economies thorough our sporting activities and that collective power needs to come to bear on those who make these kinds of egregious decisions. We have 28 days until a final decision on which mountain goat plan is implemented by the NPS. It's time to ring the bell gentlemen, doing nothing in this case is not an option.

 

[520backyard]

And this is hardly a new campaign by the NPS. The difference this time is they want them ALL gone from the Olympic national parks.

As described in Chapter 4, the 1990 estimate of goat numbers in the metapopulation (389 ± 106) was significantly lower than the 1983 estimate (1,175 ± 171). The smaller 1990 population resulted from removals by the National Park Service, perhaps combined with relatively more severe winters

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/science/25/chap14.htm

So assuming a 20% mortality rate as a result of severe winters, the NPS "removed"  630 mountain goats in 7 years between 1983 and 1990.

[Deerelk37]

I just read this on the website and I just shake my head.

I’m not sure how many goats reside or wander out of the park but 6 permits seems like a small number. Why not up the permits and get more hunters out there and save us some tax dollars from multiple helicopter trips. I’m not sure how effective it would be but I’m tired of reading about wolves, elk and now goats being killed on our dime instead of using hunters. 

[520backyard]

I just read this on the website and I just shake my head.

I’m not sure how many goats reside or wander out of the park but 6 permits seems like a small number. Why not up the permits and get more hunters out there and save us some tax dollars from multiple helicopter trips. I’m not sure how effective it would be but I’m tired of reading about wolves, elk and now goats being killed on our dime instead of using hunters. 

The real question is if the NPS has been trying to eradicate the goats out of the of the Olympic national park and the surrounding NFS area bordering it for decades, why haven't more tags been made available by WDFW to hunt goats in the NFS area around the park for decades where it is legal to hunt? Their proposed plan now calls for eradicating all goats in the park and NFS areas surrounding the park.

[cem3434]

Its sad that most will never get the chance to hunt such an animal. The NPS will likely pay millions to have them removed, which we would do if given a permit.