Regional News

WDFW seeks candidates for Wolf Advisory Group

Jan 27, 2017

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking candidates to serve for the next three years on the citizen committee that advises the department on wolf recovery and management.

The department formed the Wolf Advisory Group (WAG) in 2013 with nine members, representing the interests of environmentalists, hunters, and livestock ranchers. In 2015, WDFW increased the group’s size to 18 members to better reflect the diversity of perspectives on wolf conservation and management.

WAG’s mission is “to promote equitable, inclusive, and respectful dialogue and decision-making among diverse people to foster durable peace by transforming the root causes of social conflict and providing high quality recommendations on wolf recovery, conservation, and management.”

WDFW Director Jim Unsworth will appoint new members to the group from the applications and nominations the department receives to fill three current vacancies on the WAG and any other positions that may become vacant later in the year.

“This advisory group has been extremely helpful in advising the department on the challenging issue of recovering and managing gray wolves in our state,” Unsworth said. “We are looking for candidates who can work cooperatively with others to develop management recommendations that reflect a diversity of perspectives.”

The deadline for applications and nominations is 5 p.m. Feb. 17, 2017. Submissions may be emailed to Donny.martorello@dfw.wa.gov or sent to Martorello at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.

Donny Martorello, WDFW wolf policy lead, said the department encourages applications from environmentalists, ranchers, hunters, and other outdoor recreationists. “The Wolf Advisory Group’s members have a wide range of perspectives and opinions on wolf recovery and management, and we are committed to continuing this collaboration,” he said.

Martorello said the department will accept applications and nominations from Washington residents and organizations that wish to be represented. New members should be available for meetings beginning as early as April 2017. The group holds at least four two-day meetings per year. Most meetings take place in Spokane, Ellensburg, Issaquah, and Olympia. Advisory group members may be reimbursed by WDFW for travel expenses to attend meetings.

Applications and nominations must be submitted in writing and address the following items:

The applicant or nominee's name, address, telephone number, and email address;
People or groups making nominations must also submit their own names and contact information;
The candidate's relevant experience, organizational affiliations, and reasons why he or she would be an effective advisory group member;
Familiarity with Washington's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and current wolf recovery status and management issues; and
Experience in collaborating with people who have different values.

More information about the Wolf Advisory Group is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/wag/. The department's wolf conservation and management website is located at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_wolf/.