Federal Protection for Wolves Lifted

  • The federal government has removed protections for the gray wolf in the western Great Lakes region and is considering lifting protections of wolves in the Rocky Mountains. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources 2001)

Gray wolves in two regions of the US could
be on the verge of losing federal endangered species
protection. A wildlife group says the next step should
be to reduce public fears about the animal. Chuck
Quirmbach reports:

Transcript

Gray wolves in two regions of the U-S could
be on the verge of losing federal endangered species
protection. A wildlife group says the next step should
be to reduce public fears about the animal. Chuck
Quirmbach reports:


The Interior Department is removing gray wolves in the Western
Great Lakes area from the lists of threatened and endangered
species. The federal agency is proposing the same de-listing for
the gray wolf population in the Northern Rocky Mountain region.


The group Defenders of Wildlife support the Great Lakes plan.
Spokesperson Gina Schroeder says as the wolves are removed from
the lists, one task will be to dispel some myths about the
animals:


“…And it’ll be very important that there’s a better
understanding of the biological and sociological aspects of
wolves.”


Schroeder says for example, wolves are extremely unlikely to
attack humans and there are non-lethal ways to discourage wolves
from coming near livestock. But the Humane Society of the US
says if it doesn’t think the wolves are being protected well
enough, it might file a lawsuit challenging the de-listing plans.


For the Environment Report, I’m Chuck Quirmbach

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Delisting the Gray Wolf

Some states and Native American tribes in the Upper Midwest
say they’re looking forward to taking over management of their gray wolf population. That’s if a new federal plan to de-list the wolf as an endangered or threatened species becomes law. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chuck Quirmbach reports:

Transcript

Some states and Native American tribes in the Upper Midwest say they’re
looking forward to taking over management of their gray wolf
population. That’s if a new federal plan to de-list the wolf as an
endangered or threatened species becomes law. The GLRC’s Chuck
Quirmbach reports:


The federal government says the grey wolf population in Minnesota,
Michigan and Wisconsin combined is roughly 4,000. That’s large enough
for the Interior Department to recommend letting the states take over management
of the wolves. State or tribal officials could eventually allow
individuals to get permits to shoot wolves that are killing livestock.
Or, the states could even propose wolf hunting seasons. But a group
that has worked to increase the number of gray wolves across the U.S.
wants no hunting allowed.


Nina Fascione is with Defenders of Wildlife.


“This is a population that’s still fragile, even if it is technically
recovered under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act.”


The Interior Department says it would take a close look at wolf kill
projections before going along with any hunting plan. Public hearings
on the proposal to de-list the gray wolf as endangered or threatened
will take place this spring.


For the GLRC, I’m Chuck Quirmbach.

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Study: Wildlife Refuges Bring in Cash

A new report from the federal government says many of us are spending a lot of money at or near national wildlife refuges. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chuck Quirmbach reports:

Transcript

A new report from the federal government says many of us are
spending a lot of money at or near national wildlife refuges. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Chuck Quirmbach reports:


The Interior Department says 37 million people visited National
Wildlife Refuges last year, triggering 1.4 billion dollars
in economic activity. The Department says the spending created almost
25,000 private sector jobs. Larry Wargowsky manages one of the
refuges. He says it’s mainly tourist dollars, not local spending,
that’s fueling the growth.


“That’s very critical… local money doesn’t cycle as much as new money
coming in from visitors into the local economy. It multiplies and
helps everything from the retailers to the motels.”


Wargowsky says unlike some of the national parks, the wildlife refuges
are by and large not in danger of being loved to death. Travel industry
officials say the new report shows eco-tourism is big business.


The Sierra Club says the study provides more reasons not to drill for
oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.


For the GLRC, I’m Chuck Quirmbach.

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Environmentalists Attempt to Oust Bush Official

Some environmental groups have launched a petition drive to oust a top interior department official. However, their prospects of success are questionable. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Wheelhouse reports:

Transcript

Some environmental groups have launched a petition drive to oust a top interior
department
official. However, their prospects of success are questionable. Bill wheelhouse
reports:


Earth First, Greenpeace and the Common Assets Defense Fund are using an internet
petition
drive to try to get Interior undersecretary, Steven Griles, fired. The groups say
Griles close
association with the gas and coal industries demonstrates the Bush administration is
unfriendly to
the environment.


However, Michael Kraft, who tracks environmental policy at the University of
Wisconsin, Green
Bay, says the effort is unlikely to succeed.


“There clearly will be an effort to gain media attention to highlight what
environmentalists
believe to be unacceptable policies in the Interior Department and elsewhere within
the Bush
administration and my guess is the Bush White House will find it very easy to
respond to those
criticisms much as they have for the last three years.”


Kraft says the drive might get more attention if larger environmental groups, such
as the Sierra
club, Audubon Society and Wildlife Federation took part.


But even if they did, he says it likely would not affect Griles standing within the
administration.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Bill Wheelhouse.

Controversy Over Nat’l Park Lease Agreement

For two decades, the park service has worked to return populated areas back to their natural state through a policy of land purchases and lease backs. In 1970, federal legislation designated more than seventy-thousand acres of land along Michigan’s northwestern coast as a national park. In most cases, the park service allowed those residents to "lease-back" their properties for as many as 40 years. But now that many of their leases have expired, many residents are refusing to leave. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports: