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O&C Schemes: What About Blacktail Winter Habitat?

Pictures and graphics are always important.  In putting together a power point slide for an upcoming talk I am giving on the Tongass National Forest for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, I stumbled onto the following graphic representation (with lots of help from Gabe Scott our person in Cordova, Alaska). Just a simple … Read more

Who Wants to Bet the Farm on This Tired Old Horse?

By Bob Ferris   As a wildlife biologist who has spent most of his professional career working with critters, I have to admit that I am fairly new to forestry issues. Moreover, the O&C issue is a particularly gnarly one.     But I can read graphs and have spent a long time interpreting and … Read more

On Becoming a Wolf Activist—Do the wolf waltz

By Bob Ferris “Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor.” Ginetta Sagan   The title of a recent opinion piece in a Utah paper nailed it: Making War on Wolves.  Because what we are seeing out there is truly a war waged on a wildlife species. And like with most wars … Read more

Governor Signs Bill to Protect Salmon Habitat by Reducing Impacts of Suction Dredge Gold Mining on Oregon Rivers

August 15, 2013 — Anglers, landowners, outdoor recreation businesses, and river advocates celebrated yesterday as Governor John Kitzhaber signed Senate Bill 838 (SB 838). The bill takes steps to protect salmon habitat throughout Oregon through reasonable reductions in levels of harmful suction dredge gold mining.

The Fate of Western Oregon’s O&C Forest Lands–Please Join Us

Please join Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild, Forest Web of Cottage Grove, Eugene Weekly and other concerned community members for a presentation about the future of western Oregon’s public forestlands, also known as the O&C lands.  These forest provide 1.8 million Oregonians with clean drinking water, offer habitat for imperiled fish and wildlife, and store incomparable … Read more

Excuse me but when exactly did the USFWS become the CIA?

By Bob Ferris I have worked on conservation issues through more than seven administrations and during that time I have known personally most of the directors of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  In nearly all instances these have basically been stand-up folks trying to do the best job possible under trying circumstances.  With all … Read more

Help Recover America’s Wolves

Background The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to remove gray wolves from the protections of the Endangered Species Act throughout most of the continental U.S. Removing federal protections, especially for wolves in the Pacific region, is premature. Take action today and make your voice be heard! More information below, including how to submit … Read more

We Have Oregon Wolf Pup-age in 2013

By Bob Ferris Although we do not have total counts at this point, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has confirmed reproduction in seven known packs this year—Imnaha, Minam, Mt Emily, Snake River, Umatilla River, Walla Walla, and Wenaha.  And here is a shot of the Mt. Emily pups.  These represent more tangible dividends … Read more

Cascadia Wildlands and Big Wildlife Become One— Bigger and Better Advocacy for Cascadia’s Carnivores

July 25, 2013 — On July 1, 2013 Big Wildlife formally became part of Cascadia Wildlands—a regional conservation non-profit operating from northern California to south-central Alaska and headquartered in Eugene.  The merger will mean an expansion of Cascadia Wildlands’ conservation and restoration work on predators like cougars and black bears.

State of Washington Petitioned to Better Protect Wolves: Seven Groups Ask State Wildlife Agency to Follow, Enforce Wolf Plan

July 19, 2013 — In an effort to stop the indiscriminate killing of Washington’s wolves, seven conservation groups filed a petition today calling for the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission to make the state’s wolf-management guidelines legally binding. The new push to codify provisions put in place in 2011 comes after the state killed seven Wedge Pack wolves last year — a decision that ignored Washington Wolf Conservation and Management Plan provisions governing when lethal control of wolves is allowed.