Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Commission Delists Wolf from State ESA

There was a full room on Monday when the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission met to determine whether or not to delist the gray wolf from the state’s Endangered Species Act. Oregon Cattlemen’s Association Wolf Committee Chair Todd Nash testified that day and supports the decision by the Commission to delist the wolf.
Nash: “I appreciate the Commission voting that way. I know it was a tough decision for them but it was part of an agreement. It is part of moving the the Wolf Plan forward and into the final phase which is phase 3 and that is the phase that we have more control over wolves. If we still have to deal with an Endangered Species Act at that point, it is going to be very cumbersome. It was just the right thing to do and the right time to do it.”
Nash said that it was about 7 pm. that night before the Commission shared their decision with the public. He said that few in the crowd left prior to learning the decision.
Nash: “There were 106 people that testified there or gave public testimony and and each person got three minutes a piece. Russ Morgan and another biologist started out the day with presentations on why delisting was being recommended by ODFW. Then we rolled into public testimony and it took a long time to get through that many people.”