Seven years after the Trumps administration ordered an end to the idea of bringing the Grizzlies back to the Northern Cascades, the feds want to bring them back.
In 1992, I will never forget being trapped in a cube truck with no windows in the heat at post-Bell II, in northern British Columbia. At that time, I was a camp cook, for a tree-planting company. The area I was in was close to the Tsongas National Forest, and its Grizzly Sanctuary. Prior to that moment, while I was working, I was approached by the Chief of the neighboring band of indigenous peoples who was wearing a traditional headdress. He drew my attention to a lone grizzly who was meandering on the far bank of the river. I was well educated on grizzlies but thought I was safe being equipped with the rifle and foghorn. The chief stated that the crew, about 30 Montreal Canadians, and others had been leaving trash around their camps, and he was delivering a warning from the Tribe; specifically, he asked that we pack up and leave the area immediately.
It was then I realized I did not have a gun; the crew had taken it. A few hours later I saw the grizzly making his way across the river and into the campsite. I locked up shop and barricaded with my very young children in the windowless cube van. There we sat for hours listening to the bear outside destroying the camp. This was very terrifying.
It is common knowledge among many northern Canadians that if you find yourself in grizzly territory, you simply do not stay. In Terrace BC, and surrounding areas, people learn this at an early age.
Biden’s administration wants to bring the grizzlies back as early as June 2023. The National Parks Service and Fish and Wildlife Service announced once again they are investigating bringing the grizzlies back to North Central Washington.
I am opposed to bringing grizzlies back to the North Cascades, most residents I questioned in Western Washington are also opposed to this idea. Re-introducing grizzlies to the ecosystems in this region may indeed increase ecosystems in the land and I do value all the work that the northwest conservation and wildlife have done on researching this issue; however, I feel this is painting a false picture to the public making this look ideal for the landscape, when in fact not all the facts about this area are being discussed.
One issue is that the area itself has challenges including increasing numbers of wildfires that cause closures to these areas. The popularity to hike in these areas has increased to thousands of people who annually hike this area now, which started from people taking refuge during the pandemic.
In 2022 in Yellowstone National Park as well as in and around the city of Missoula, Montana there were three grizzly attacks that occurred due to poor education and lack of preparation for the land and the people that occupy the land. How do you teach thousands of tourists per year, from all over the world to prepare to interact with grizzlies?
Is this another effort to, “Make America Great Again”? In some of the research I've read, the response from people to this idea is that the grizzlies are part of us- part of America. The grizzlies have not moved into the North Cascades for this reason, it is not their home anymore. The last living ones were shot and killed, being reduced below viable levels in the 1860’s. The last documented grizzly in the North Cascades on the U.S. side of the border was in 1996. What gives us the right to endanger this species again?
In Science Magazine, Adam Roy
“Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA), whose Yakima district includes part of the North Cascades ecosystem, welcomed the Trump administration’s termination of the reintroduction process in 2015. In a recent news release, he criticized the decision to restart it and urged the Biden administration to consider local input. “The introduction of grizzly bears into the North Cascades would directly, and negatively, impact people and the communities I represent, introducing an apex predator to the area would threaten the families, wildlife, and livestock of North Central Washington.
Conservation Northwest has created a picturesque video on how wonderful it would be to America to bring “Our grizzlies back” as well as many petitions, a Facebook page petition, and donations.
As great as it all seems, what is being forgotten is that this process was done in Montana and was such a huge success that the grizzly bear may soon be removed from the endangered species list, so leave the grizzlies there, where they are safe.
Yakima Herald, reporter Luke Thompson reports “Washington law prevents state officials from participating directly in translocating grizzlies.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Spokesperson Andrew La Valle said officials spoke with the Colville Tribe and are following investigations. Newhouse, said in a statement on November 1, 2022, “I strongly encourage people of Central Washington to attend the virtual meetings in order to voice their opinion and put an end to this misguided proposal to rest, once and for all.”
National Geographic also is not “Pro Grizzles” either, they wrote a two-page story piece on a young hunter who was face-to-face with a grizzly in Missoula, Montana, and quotes in their article “Right now people have kind of a false security”, from Game Warden Justin Singleton.
As grizzly bears expand their range in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming into places where they haven’t been before they are increasingly encountering humans, and it's very much a problem we are trying to deal with. This was a reintroduction of Grizzlies that has been successful for the most part, except during the pandemic when people have escaped to this area for refuge, and unfortunately, there have been encounters with grizzlies, and it's not gone well.
The National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can do all the research they want, but it's not going to keep people or hunters away from these areas.
If the government brings back these grizzlies, how will it protect them? There has been a high number of forest fires, last year you could not even get a smoke-free hike in, and then there are the hikers. Thousands of hikers trek the North Cascades. Grizzlies only attack, when there is stress (encroaching on their territory, human hikers, fires, lack of food source, or other available food sources, livestock locally, garbage, etc.).
We truly need to leave nature alone. If the grizzlies are thriving in other areas, let them be.
These super-intelligent spiritually connected creatures are significant to First Nations Peoples. They are considered the umbrella species, so why endanger them? if they are relocated to this new area, this effort is needlessly endangering this species due to the arrogance on the part of self-assured humans smugly promoting their values in my opinion.
The Seattle Times, or Yakima Herald
Professors Comments
Op-ed review
Plenty of good things going on with this op-ed. First off, the argument is clear, the topic is very salient, and your usage of op-ed elements (particularly the grabber and evidence) is very effective. Now, you did go nearly 1,000 words OVER the word count, which your editor would not appreciate. You also need to work with shorter paragraphs and move more efficiently between anecdotes and big-picture situations and arguments. One way to streamline your argument is to stick to the North Cascades situation. While the Yellowstone/Montana stories are useful, they might be watering down your main argument - that reintroducing grizzlies to the NC Complex present a danger to local residents and farms. I do hope you continue to work on bringing your own fascinating story to a public audience, and this op-ed might be the start of that process. You might consider publishing it in one of the local publications in the Skagit/Okanagan/Interior area in the BC/Washington borderlands.
- Derek Moscato
May 11 at 8:41 am
Ok awesome, should I re-do it with your suggestions? or leave it?
- Laura Gold Rasmussen
Leave it, but I think you should edit it and send it to one of those suggestions,
you would have to shorten this to the 450-word count range, but this is a great Op-ed!
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