By Marya Hart
Stewards advocate for policies related to water, forests, and wildlife.
Forests and Wildlife
The Forests and Wildlife Stewards are currently monitoring the intention of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to revise its wolf management plan. The plan, which has been in place since 2001, guides wolf population monitoring, management, conflicts, enforcement, damage control, education, research and other issues. Minnesota is the only state in the contiguous United States that has always had a viable gray wolf population, even during times of threatened extirpation and population decline. Although wolves are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, the Minnesota DNR and tribal authorities actively manage and monitor the state’s wolf population.
The DNR is seeking public input as it prepares to update Minnesota’s 20-year-old wolf management plan. Minnesotans are being asked to provide comments on wolf management. The public comment period will close November 1st. The Forests and Wildlife Stewards strongly encourage everyone to provide input to the DNR, and to advocate for the protection and sustainable management of Minnesota’s grey wolves.
If you are interested in providing input about grey wolf management in Minnesota, comments will be accepted through a public input survey on the DNR website here. There will be a final comment period when the draft wolf management plan is ready, which the DNR says could be later this year.