A citizens advisory group guiding the future management and conservation of the grizzly bear is crafting its final recommendations to present to Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D).
The 18-member Grizzly Bear Advisory Council is composed of ranchers, tribal members, conservationists and other stakeholders from around the state. The group is scheduled to present their findings to Bullock by Sept. 1.
“This is the culmination of a lot of terrific work and thinking,” Shawn Johnson, a cofacilitator, said at the meeting on Aug. 19. “I’m incredibly proud of the work you’ve done together and the final product.”
Some of the issues addressed included habitat connectivity, education, human-caused conflict, livestock depredation and hunting.
Hunting was the most contentious issue, with both sides presenting their arguments on the draft presentation as bullet points. By offering the bullet points, the council felt it would help the governor see the dialogue. The majority of the council expressed support for the “eventual grizzly bear hunt.”
The argument in support stated, “A grizzly bear hunt would not take place until ESA [Endangered Species Act] protections have been removed and grizzly bears are put under state management. At that time, a conservative, scientifically-sound hunt of grizzly bears could take place, like other predator species.”
Agriculture
For agriculture, the council recommended fully funding the Livestock Loss Board (LLB) “to provide dedicated conflict prevention dollars in order for the LLB to allocate funding for conflict reduction tools and practice.”
The tools include making recommendations on the best management practices to help reduce livestock depredations, timely notification to farms and ranches of depredation conflicts, and providing proper resources for livestock producers to implement appropriate conflict prevention measures on private and public lands.
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MDFWP) should also increase and diversify partnerships, funding, and support for community-based groups to expand outreach; fund salary cost-share with local groups; and support mitigation efforts and monitoring, the council recommended.
Connectivity
The grizzly bear population in the state has four recovery zones, which are genetically and demographically connected. To ensure the species’ long-term viability, the council recommended that natural movement occurs between the four zones on both public and private land.
To facilitate the movement, the proposal is that agencies should define “landscapes in-between” important for grizzly bear recovery. Additionally, “agencies should expedite work with landowners, agricultural producers, and communities to prioritize the creation of new suitable relocation areas inside and between recovery ecosystems.”
The council also suggests the federal and state transportation groups work together to reduce transportation mortalities, facilitate movement, and enhance public safety.
As bears wander beyond the recovery zones, the council also looked at reducing the conflict between bears and humans. Their recommendations include the MDFWP to hire an education and outreach coordinator to lead an education campaign, host bear-spray training sessions and create a statewide “Bear Aware” program.
The council also encouraged agencies to enforce consistent food storage and make bear-resistant infrastructure available at campgrounds and other recreation areas. In addition, counties and local governments should coordinate with local sanitation companies to explore the use of bear-resistant sanitation storage options.
Background
Recognizing the state’s heritage and its connection to the grizzly bear, Bullock signed Executive Order No. 9-2019 in July 2019, which directed creating the Grizzly Bear Advisory Council.
“The purpose of the council is to develop recommendations for fundamental guidance and direction on key issues and challenges related to the conservation and management of grizzly bears in Montana, particularly those issues on which there is significant social disagreement,” Bullock stated in the order.
Among the duties in the order were the council to produce a final report with “discrete, actionable recommendations that provides clear and meaningful guidance” to the governor, MDFWP and other entities responsible for grizzly bear management. — Charles Wallace, WLJ editor
