[ODFW-News] Public information meeting scheduled in Bend to review draft Wolf Conservation and Management Plan

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release	Monday, October 25, 2004
Public information meeting scheduled in Bend to review draft Wolf
Conservation and Management Plan


BEND - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted unanimously at its
Oct. 15, 2004, meeting to initiate a public rule-making process on the
Wolf Advisory Committee's draft Wolf Conservation and Management Plan
and the associated rules required to implement the plan. As a result,
six public meetings have been scheduled to inform the public about the
draft plan and the proposed rules for implementation.

The third public meeting will be held at the National Guard Armory in
Bend this Wednesday, Oct. 27. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and
conclude at 9 p.m. Presenters at the meeting will give the history of
the development of the draft conservation and management plan, an
overview of the contents of the plan, an overview of the proposed
administrative rules, and a timeline for adoption of the rules needed to
implement the plan. A question-and-answer session will take place after
the presentations. Meetings also will be held in La Grande, Enterprise,
Portland, Corvallis and Medford.

The plan does not call for actively reintroducing wolves from other
areas, but managing wolves that naturally disperse into Oregon. While no
wolves have been confirmed to be in Oregon yet, biologists expect wolves
to enter the state as the Idaho wolf population grows. 

Some of the key points to be addressed in the presentations include:
* establishment of wolf management regions within the state, with
population objectives for each region;
* initiating the process to consider removing the gray wolf from the
state Endangered Species Act list; and 
* compensation for wolf damage.

Members of the public may comment on the draft plan and proposed rules
on forms provided at the meeting, via e-mail to
ODFW.comments at state.or.us, by fax to 503-947-6009, or by mail to the
ODFW Information and Education Division at 3406 Cherry Avenue NE, Salem,
OR 97303-4924.

Once the informational meetings have been completed, the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission will enter a rule-making
phase that will include public hearings on the draft plan at its Dec.
10, 2004, and Jan. 6, 2005, meetings, with final adoption scheduled for
Jan. 7, 2005.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals
requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or
large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations
may call the Information and Education Division at 800-720-6339 or
503-947-6002 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

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Information and Education Division
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 947-6002