“… I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.” -Aldo Leopold By Mitch Friedman, Conservation Northwest Executive Director Culture war hurts wildlife. That’s why I … Continued
Hop in the winter search for pygmy rabbit activity. EPHRATA, WA – If you are east of the Cascades, consider joining the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and our Sagelands Heritage Program on the search for pygmy rabbit. Pygmy rabbit, named after its tiny size, has both state and federal Endangered status. It … Continued
Leadership at WDFW and its Commission must ensure that differences go to respectful dialogue so that decisions have resiliency over decades. Change must move us forward without leaving anyone behind. BY JEN SYROWITZ, CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER I just returned from a soul-filling upland bird hunt on a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) area … Continued
State acquisition of TransAlta property in Lewis County offers opportunity for public land access and wildlife habitat By Brian Stewart Over the last few months we have heard the opinions and fears of prominent Lewis County residents rejecting the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s proposed land acquisition of the degraded TransAlta Centralia Mine property. … Continued
Despite some environmental gains, the state legislature failed to fully-fund Fish & Wildlife, undermining conservation programs. Send a message to state lawmakers. By Mitch Friedman, Executive Director The Washington State Legislature adjourned this weekend after passing budget bills in its final hours. While there’s much to celebrate, our natural heritage was dealt a funding setback … Continued
Where our legislative priorities and other conservation bills stand as of mid-April. By Chase Gunnell, Communications Director The 2019 session of the Washington State Legislature is scheduled to end on Sunday, April 28. Though extensions and special sessions with budget negotiations dragging on into summer have been common in recent years, it’s still a good … Continued
Mitch Friedman, our Executive Director, shares insights from serving on the Budget and Policy Advisory Group for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. MAY 2019 UPDATE: A setback from Olympia for wildlife and ecosystems BY MITCH FRIEDMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Washington has not been adequately funding its Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) enough for … Continued