WesternWatershedsProject

WesternWatershedsProject, 8 days ago to random

Western Watersheds Project, Friends of the Inyo, Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club received a big win for public lands.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/nepa-ruling-blocks-california-mineral-exploration

WesternWatershedsProject, 9 days ago to random

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has just signed SB24-171, Restoration of Wolverines into law! The new law gives Colorado Parks and Wildlife the authority to reintroduce the North American Wolverine, a species native to Colorado extirpated from the state in 1919. https://www.westernwatersheds.org/2024/05/co-coalition-applauds-governor-polis-signing-of-wolverine-reintroduction-bill/

WesternWatershedsProject, 9 days ago to random

The Interior secretary met with tribal representatives and others about the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument.

https://www.eenews.net/articles/haaland-visits-site-of-proposed-southern-california-monument

WesternWatershedsProject, 14 days ago to random

The problem is livestock trampling and grazing these meadows and streambanks, causing erosion and eventually channel incision, which then dries out the meadows. Stick and rock structures like these are nice bandaids but they do not get to the root of the problem. If livestock are removed, then these could be a good way to help actively restore damaged streams and meadows. But if livestock are still out there, the erosion will eventually undercut these bandaids. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/montana/stories-in-montana/wet-meadows/

WesternWatershedsProject, 16 days ago to random

It's Endangered Species Week, let's spotlight a 2022 study proposing a network of protected areas with wolf & beaver restoration at its core. This strategy aims to revitalize ecosystems & enhance wildlife diversity on western public lands, offering benefits like stream restoration & climate change mitigation. The “Western Rewilding Network” focuses on retiring livestock operations & restoring wolves and beavers. Livestock grazing threatens 48% of the 92 endangered species in the proposed network

WesternWatershedsProject, 24 days ago to random

Llave and Wonder are the first pack to roam Arizona's Sky Islands in decades and the southernmost wolf pack in the U.S. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2024/05/04/mexican-gray-wolves-llave-wonder-released-arizona-sky-islands/73543773007/

WesternWatershedsProject, 29 days ago to random

Western Watersheds Project and Wolf Conservation Center launched a billboard on I-25 near Truth or Consequences, NM, promoting a $105,000 reward for info on illegal Mexican gray wolf killings. Since 1998, 283 wolves have been killed in AZ and NM, 149 illegally. With poaching as the top mortality cause and few convictions, we hope the reward encourages tips.

WesternWatershedsProject, 29 days ago to random

Call your Senators today and ask them to please vote NO when this bill comes to a vote. 202-224-3121

https://www.cpr.org/2024/04/30/boebert-bill-to-remove-grey-wolf-from-endangered-species-list-passes-house/

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

Great news from Arizona! 🐺 The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service successfully released a Mexican gray wolf pair, Llave (#1828) & Wonder (#2774), back into the wild in SE Arizona, marking a positive step for lobo recovery. Born in the wild, they were paired in captivity & now return to their natural habitat.
https://westernwatersheds.org/2024/04/greens-applaud-translocation-of-mexican-gray-wolves-to-southeastern-arizona/

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

These tools need to be kicked out of the toolbox by law.

Editorial Cartoon by Cori Redford

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

Today, NPS and FWS have decided to actively restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades of WA, where the animals once roamed. WWP welcomes the return of grizzlies to the Ecosystem, a move towards amending past harms to these apex predators. However, the decision by agencies to classify these grizzlies as a "non-essential" population raises serious concerns. This means reduced protections and higher mortality rates due to increased lethal control measures and conflicts with livestock grazing.

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

“We were the hired gun of the livestock industry,” said Carter Niemeyer, who worked in Wildlife Services and related programs from 1975 to 2006. Niemeyer specialized in killing and trapping predators like coyotes and wolves that were suspected of killing farmed cattle and sheep,
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/24138394/usda-wildlife-services-livestock-meat-animals

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

Ravens are native birds, just like sage grouse.

The only reason that raven predation is a problem for sage grouse populations is that the livestock industry is overgrazing the sagebrush habitats, leaving too little tall grass to hide sage grouse from their natural predators.

The solution isn't to kill ravens; it's to stop chronic overgrazing by domestic livestock.

https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/environment/federal-workers-kill-ravens-destroy-nests-in-baker-county-in-effort-to-protect-sage-grouse/article_a86781ed-b0a6-50b7-99c5-bf3559ea8cc6.html

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

"Wyoming just gave us the clearest example possible of why the state is unfit to oversee the recovery of gray wolves: Cody Roberts’ $250 fine." Check out the latest OpEd from WY Director Dagny Signorelli https://trib.com/opinion/promoting-torture-by-devaluing-predators/article_2de47764-fb35-11ee-89d1-0fa3c557fded.html

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

Please sign to urge USFWS to keep grizzlies on the Endangered Species list https://civicshout.com/p/tell-the-biden-admin-to-keep-grizzly-bears-protected

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

"Let’s get right to the point, the end goal of the wolf ‘management plans’ in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming is to once again exterminate them from the Northern Rockies. They think the only good wolf is a dead wolf," says Mike Garritym executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies

https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/04/09/alliance-for-the-wild-rockies-and-allies-file-lawsuit-to-restore-endangered-species-act-protections-for-wolves/

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

"In November, groups like the Western Watersheds Project threatened to sue the Park Service if they didn’t take action to protect sensitive wildlife habitat from trespass cattle." 👋

https://outdoors.com/calling-all-cowboys-valles-caldera-needs-a-cattle-wrangler

WesternWatershedsProject, 1 month ago to random

WWP celebrates the return of grizzlies to the North Cascades, marking progress for this apex predator after a century of absence. However, concerns arise as the NPS labels them a "non-essential" population, potentially reducing their protections and increasing risks. https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-a-welcome-return-of-grizzlies-to-north-cascades

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

The ID Dept of Ag authorized more than 20 private contractors to kill canids last year, including an unlimited number of wolves, according to a 2023 agency report. 16 wolves, two red foxes and more than 2,000 coyotes were shot and killed in Idaho using aircraft in 2022.That's why in Feb, we joined with Center for Bio. Diversity and The Int'l Wildlife Coexistence Network in petitioning the USFS to prohibit aerial gunning of wildlife in national forests in ID.

https://mountainjournal.org/conservation-groups-launch-petition-to-eliminate-shooting-wolves-from-air

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

ICYMI: Yesterday Wolf Conservation Center hosted Greta Anderson, deputy director of WWP for a webinar looking at the impact of secretive federal agencies on Mexican gray wolf recovery. Be sure to check out the recording below!

https://nywolf.org/csi-mexican-wolf-experimental-population-area

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

If companies can dispose of their toxic waste anywhere they choose, New Mexico’s acequias, groundwater aquifers, rivers and streams could face even greater risk of contamination than they do today. https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/opinion-federal-mining-bill-would-threaten-acequias-wildlife-and-public-lands/article_6dcbdefe-e63a-11ee-8cdd-3fc1f0257bf1.html

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

“There is ample evidence in the record, including from Idaho’s own witnesses, that lawfully set wolf traps and snares are reasonably likely to take grizzly bears in Idaho,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale wrote in her 48-page opinion. https://missoulacurrent.com/wolf-trapping-idaho/

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

WWP is proud to be one of the more than two-dozen conservation organizations and scientists that joined together to present a citizen alternative to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during public scoping on options for restoring grizzly bears to the Bitterroot ecosystem.
The alternative encourages the agency to enable natural grizzly recovery through migration from other ecosystems rather than human-aided translocation. https://missoulacurrent.com/biologists-grizzly-recovery/

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

BREAKING: Court ruling halts wolf trapping and snaring in Idaho Grizzly habitat
https://www.westernwatersheds.org/2024/03/14172/

WesternWatershedsProject, 2 months ago to random

Do you have 20 minutes?

In the latest episode of The Evergreen Podcast from OPB brings the perspective of the tribes living along the Klamath River on what the country’s largest dam removal project means to them and their hopes for the future. It's worth a listen. https://www.opb.org/article/2024/03/18/the-evergreen-podcast-klamath-dam-removal-dams-tribes-indigenous-river/