Post by: nwwanderer on September 02, 2015, 02:25:52 PM
Post by: bobcat on September 02, 2015, 03:12:56 PM
Don Jenkins
Capital Press
Published:
September 2, 2015 11:15AM
MATTHEW WEAVER/CAPITAL PRESS
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has hired a consultant to bring peace between parties at odds over how the state should manage wolves.
Conflict-resolution consultant Francine Madden will start her new two-year, $850,010 contract with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife by leading a closed-door session Thursday of the state’s wolf advisory group.
The group, following WDFW policy, had met in public for years until Madden convinced the department to close the May meeting. Since then, WDFW has re-upped Madden to lead meetings, conduct workshops and, according to her contract, coax warring parties into “mutually acceptable coexistence.”
The 18-member panel will convene 7:45 a.m. at a Comfort Inn in Tumwater to hear from two speakers before opening the meeting to the public at 10 a.m. Madden said Wednesday she doubts anyone would be interested in the morning session, but if they are, they can’t attend.
“This group needs to have some time to hear from each other about what their concerns are,” Madden said Wednesday.
Madden’s hiring represents a six-figure investment in addressing human conflict, which is the biggest challenge with wolf management, said WDFW wolf policy coordinator Donny Martorello.
Madden, based in Houston, Texas, will be paid up to $8,000 a day to lead meetings and $400 an hour for “remote engagement and strategic guidance.” While traveling to Washington, she will receive $200 an hour.
Wolf advisory group members represent ranchers, environmentalists, hunters and hikers. WDFW hopes the disparate panelists can reach consensus on the state’s growing wolf population. Martorello said WDFW needed outside help to address deep-rooted conflicts.
“We started having the meetings without a facilitator and found it be extremely challenging,” Martorello said. “We tried an in-house facilitator from the department and still found we weren’t making progress on these issues.”
Martorello defended closing the morning session, where the group will hear from Woodland Park Zoo vice president for conservation Fred Koontz and a teenager from Kids for Wolves.
He compared the meeting with a tour of ranches the group took in May. The group is scheduled to hear from hunters at its next meeting.
Wolf advisory group meetings are not subject to the state’s public meetings law, though the WDFW has a general policy of opening up meetings of publicly funded panels that advise the department and presumably shape decisions.
The wolf advisory group was scheduled to gather Wednesday evening at Wolf Haven International, an animal refuge in Tenino, with WDFW providing dinner.
“To me, there are transparency issues,” said state Sen. Brian Dansel, whose northeast Washington district has the heaviest concentration of wolves.
Dansel opposed legislation authorizing WDFW to hire a consultant to lead wolf meetings. The legislation failed, but WDFW funded the position out of its capital budget.
Dansel called the advisory group a “bad vehicle” for setting wolf policy, which he said should be left to legislators or the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
“I’ve never really had faith in the wolf advisory group,” he said. “It’s like, mass special interest.”
Madden interviewed dozens of legislators, ranchers, environmentalists and WDFW officials this year for an $82,000 report on the wolf management conflict.
“After meeting her, I have to say she may have the ability to bridge the groups that are somewhat dug in,” said House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee chairman Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen.
Post by: huntnphool on September 02, 2015, 03:22:21 PM
$800k for a happy thought pipe dream. :mor:
Post by: northwesthunter84 on September 02, 2015, 03:24:06 PM
Post by: JimmyHoffa on September 02, 2015, 03:26:00 PM
What a complete *censored*ing waste of resources!:yeah:
Really? They let that pass the sniff test. Sure I'll have more later--too dumbfounded by this right now.
Post by: Bango skank on September 02, 2015, 03:26:26 PM
Post by: 2labs on September 02, 2015, 03:31:59 PM
Post by: Dan-o on September 02, 2015, 03:36:21 PM
Yeah, this is going to turn out great.
I'm completely confident that she'll approach this with openness and integrity.
Post by: mkcj on September 02, 2015, 04:09:27 PM
Post by: Curly on September 02, 2015, 04:14:21 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on September 02, 2015, 04:16:50 PM
Post by: denali on September 02, 2015, 05:21:55 PM
Post by: UBA on September 03, 2015, 02:51:19 PM
Why not just put 800k in a paper bag, light it on fire, and theow it out the window of a moving truck?
Ha ha. What a joke. They spend that kind of money on one lady and they can't afford a deer feeding program for the methow last winter. Stupid people
Post by: Jarhead Chase on September 03, 2015, 03:03:17 PM
Post by: hoof rot on September 03, 2015, 03:09:42 PM
Post by: westsidehntr on September 03, 2015, 03:34:52 PM
Can't believe we are all paying for this horse manure swindle job.
Post by: KFhunter on September 03, 2015, 04:54:49 PM
Quote
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 (ie: get the cattle/sheep/etc off public lands) , and dramatically improve overall social receptivity (ie: control the people) toward and decision-making for wildlife conservation (ie: get Seattle wolf hugging yuppies involved) and management on every continent where humans and wildlife coexist.
Weeeeee!
This isn't a win for anyone in the wolf management camp, big win for those in the people management camp though.
Post by: mkcj on September 03, 2015, 05:10:23 PM
Post by: 3dvapor on September 03, 2015, 05:16:27 PM
Post by: KFhunter on September 04, 2015, 06:17:01 PM
It just galls me they're paying this person to help stuff wolves down our throats, her job is to make the poison pill go down easier!
Post by: Taco280AI on September 04, 2015, 06:37:35 PM
Post by: 2labs on September 04, 2015, 06:51:40 PM
There's a post in small game that maybe a Mod. Could make more visible or sticky it.
It's a link to W.D.F.W. every one on this site should have filled it out, but it's getting very little traffic from what I can tell.
This state is broke and this lady is laughing all the way to the bank!
Post by: 4fletch on September 05, 2015, 12:41:13 AM
Post by: jasnt on September 05, 2015, 05:06:12 AM
Post by: bearpaw on September 05, 2015, 05:57:18 AM
Her Bio http://www.humanwildlifeconflict.org/MaddenBio.htmQuoteBy 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 (ie: get the cattle/sheep/etc off public lands) , and dramatically improve overall social receptivity (ie: control the people) toward and decision-making for wildlife conservation (ie: get Seattle wolf hugging yuppies involved) and management on every continent where humans and wildlife coexist.
Weeeeee!
This isn't a win for anyone in the wolf management camp, big win for those in the people management camp though.
:yeah: That's exactly what I'm seeing too!
Imagine how much reseeding $850K would do in the fire areas of last year and this year!
It just galls me they're paying this person to help stuff wolves down our throats, her job is to make the poison pill go down easier!
:yeah: One of my first thoughts too, that would buy a lot of seed. That money could have also been used to reimburse for livestock losses or to control wolves that are impacting caribou in the selkirks!
Post by: fastdam on September 05, 2015, 06:07:01 AM
Post by: Curly on September 05, 2015, 10:18:00 AM
Just think of the important things they could spend that money on...things like buying land or access easements.
Post by: bobcat on September 05, 2015, 10:25:17 AM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 05, 2015, 10:42:18 AM
Done with my rant, back to wolf hunting in Idaho...
Post by: idahohuntr on September 06, 2015, 06:53:33 AM
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Post by: denali on September 10, 2015, 04:59:30 PM
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.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 10, 2015, 07:25:18 PM
Post by: gun-dog on September 10, 2015, 07:44:41 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on September 10, 2015, 09:29:14 PM
Post by: Stein on September 30, 2015, 12:08:21 PM
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.
Post by: bobcat on September 30, 2015, 12:14:34 PM
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.
Post by: Stein on September 30, 2015, 12:17:53 PM
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.
Post by: bhawley76 on September 30, 2015, 12:20:47 PM
Post by: Curly on September 30, 2015, 12:20:55 PM
Post by: timberfaller on September 30, 2015, 12:54:05 PM
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!! :o
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!
Post by: jasnt on September 30, 2015, 02:00:17 PM
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." :rolleyes:
Post by: tgomez on September 30, 2015, 02:33:36 PM
Post by: Curly on September 30, 2015, 02:38:41 PM
Post by: jasnt on September 30, 2015, 03:19:15 PM
Post by: elkinrutdrivemenuts on September 30, 2015, 03:24:45 PM
Post by: buglebrush on September 30, 2015, 03:43:27 PM
The amount of impact wolves are already having on the NE corner, and with no OTC spring bear, no using dogs to hunt cats, $ 70 small game license to hunt coyotes, etc... What a joke. When my place sells I will be back in Idaho. Done with this ridiculous state's shenanigans!
Post by: jasnt on September 30, 2015, 04:16:15 PM
Post by: buglebrush on September 30, 2015, 07:38:27 PM
$70 small game lis?????? You can hunt coyote with any lisence. Bear tag is $24. Small game is around $40
I didn't realize that about the coyotes. I guess I have been legal all along :IBCOOL:
The "7" was a typo. It was supposed to be a "4".
Post by: jasnt on September 30, 2015, 08:18:57 PM
lol I was gonna say your getting the shaft!! Course if you buy your bear and small game at the same time you get a $20 discount That's like getting your bear tag from $5 and change. :tup:$70 small game lis?????? You can hunt coyote with any lisence. Bear tag is $24. Small game is around $40
I didn't realize that about the coyotes. I guess I have been legal all along :IBCOOL:
The "7" was a typo. It was supposed to be a "4".
Post by: 2labs on September 30, 2015, 08:30:07 PM
lol I was gonna say your getting the shaft!! Course if you bear your bear and small game at the same time you get a $20 discount That's like getting your bear tag from $5 and change. :tup:$70 small game lis?????? You can hunt coyote with any lisence. Bear tag is $24. Small game is around $40
I didn't realize that about the coyotes. I guess I have been legal all along :IBCOOL:
The "7" was a typo. It was supposed to be a "4".
And the new guy from Idaho's in the corner scratching his head. Aww I'm so confused!!! :yike:
Post by: 300rum on October 01, 2015, 07:40:35 AM
Post by: timberfaller on October 01, 2015, 10:41:34 AM
Post by: T-Dozzer on November 03, 2015, 10:16:12 PM
Post by: Wacenturion on November 29, 2015, 07:40:54 PM
What a complete *censored*ing waste of resources!
$800k for a happy thought pipe dream. :mor:
Could not agree more.....what a crock.