April 26, 2018
The Honorable Matt Mead, Governor
State of Wyoming
Idelman Mansion
2323 Carey Ave.
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0010
Dear Governor Mead:
We, the undersigned, are former and current employees of the National Park Service (NPS) and active members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition). With over 1,500 members, the Coalition collectively represents more than 35,000 years of national park management experience. We have devoted our careers to serving the American people and protecting the integrity and resources of America’s National Park System. We are writing out of concern over the proposal put forth by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to allow hunting of up to 24 Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bears this coming fall.
National parks represent the best of America. They are intertwined with our national identity and preserve the visible record of our nation’s diverse and colorful past. National parks also protect some of the last remaining habitats that shelter iconic North American wildlife species like bison, grizzly bears, and bald eagles. In our increasingly busy and complex world, national parks are where many of our fellow Americans go to refresh their spirits and bear witness to the awe-inspiring beauty of nature.
During the process to delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear, the Coalition expressed our concerns that the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to remove this population from protections of the Endangered Species Act did not do enough to ensure the long-term conservation of this population. The Coalition opposed the delisting primarily due to our concern that the Final Delisting Rule would allow significant increases in human-caused mortalities of Yellowstone grizzly bears. While Montana has taken a prudently cautious approach since the delisting decision, Wyoming’s aggressive proposal to allow recreational hunting of up to 24 bears – including some through baiting – reaffirms our concern.
As a national park advocacy group, the Coalition is most concerned about the adverse impacts that increased human-caused mortality from the proposed hunt will have on the grizzly population within and in the immediate vicinity of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. We are also concerned about the likely impact of the hunt on wildlife viewing opportunities within the two parks. Yellowstone grizzly bears and other “charismatic mega-fauna” are tremendously popular with the millions of park visitors who are drawn to the area every year. In 2016 alone, Yellowstone and Grand Teton combined attracted over 7.6 million visitors, who spent over $1.1 billion in the region, and that spending generated over $1.4 billion in total economic output. Given the magnitude of park visitation and its positive economic impacts, is killing grizzly bears for sport really the image of Wyoming that you want to portray to the rest of the Nation?
Wyoming’s proposed hunt targets bears along the eastern and southern border of Yellowstone and the western and southern boundary of Grand Teton National Parks. As we all know, grizzlies don’t read boundary signs and move across large distances on a regular basis; therefore, national park bears face mortal threat should hunting be allowed near park boundaries.
While the increase in the Yellowstone grizzly bear population achieved over the past 35 years has truly been a wildlife conservation success story, the premature removal of Yellowstone grizzlies from protected species status, without providing adequate institutional controls to ensure the population remains recovered, was a grievous mistake. The consequences of this impatience will only be exacerbated by Wyoming’s aggressive proposal to kill as many as 24 grizzly bears this fall.
Governor Mead, we ask that you halt this proposed hunt; it is premature to proceed until all issues, including appeals to the courts, pertaining to the delisting are resolved. The iconic Yellowstone grizzly bear and the American public who have long supported its conservation deserve better.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Executive Council:
Phillip A. Francis, Chair
Douglas K. Morris, Vice Chair
Michael B. Murray
Richard Ring
Maria Burks
Brenda Barrett
Don Hellmann
Rebecca Harriett
Bob Mackreth
Sheridan Steele
Mark Butler
David Graber
Members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks:
| Amy Gilbert Ann M. Johnson Anndevoy Ryan Anne Worthington B. William Henry Bill Jackson Bill Pierce Brian R Adams Carl S. Christensen Carol A.Clark Carolyn L. Knoll Catherine Sue B. Christensen Cathleen J Cook Charles E. Schultheis Charles R. "Butch" Farabee, Jr. Cherry Payne Chuck Bloomingburg Craig C. Axtell Cynthia M. Holda D. Scott Hartwig Dan Davis Daniel J. Jenner Daniel W. Steed, Jr. and Karen M. Steed David A. Clary David B Shaver David C Forney David C. Hartman David H Wallace David Haet David L. Moffitt David N. Given Dawn Foy Deborah O. Liggett Debra Levie Dee Renee Ericks Delora M. Loope Denis M. Osowski Denis P Galvin | Don Neubacher Donald A. Falvey Douglas DeNio Dr. Harold P. Danz Dr. Jerry Freilich Edward P. Walzer Edward Pontbriand Edward S. Kalbach Edwin (Ed) Rothfuss Elizabeth Appling Roberts Elizabeth H. Knight Elizabeth K. Murray Elizabeth Snyder Elizabeth Van Zandt Emilee Martell Erik R. Hauge Florence I. Townsend Fran Rutter Frances Norton Frank J. Deckert Frank P. Weed Gail C. Menard Gary E. Davis Gary T Cummins Gary William Johnson Gene Casey Lizbeth Casey George Alderson Gilbert E. Blinn J. Mel Poole Jack E Stark Jack Ramsden James Evans Jane C Anderson Janet Wolf Otto wolf Jared cohen Joan Anzelmo John Cissell John H Jameson John Richard Erisman John T. Conoboy | Joseph H. Finan Joseph Lee Boyle Katherine C. Ziegenfus Kathryn S. Brett Kathryn Thomas Kathy A Tonnessen, Ph.D. Ken Kehrer, Jr. Kenneth E. Apschnikat Kent Cave Kevin D. McMurry Kim E. Sikoryak Larry Walling Leslie Starr Hart Linda Alick Linda Finn Linda L. West Lucinda Stafford Luke E. Dalton Marcia Blaszak Mark Kelleher Mark Ruggiero Michael Budig Michael C. Warren Michael K. Johnson Michael Sutton Nancy A. Nelson Nancy Stone Nathan Walker Nelson Siler Nicholas J Eason Paul Henderson Paulette Mullinax Peter James Fitzpatrick Peter K. Nigh Philip S Heckman R Dunnagan Randy W Turner Ray Herrmann Rebecca M. Post Rev. William R. Morris | Richard B. Smith Richard D. Knowlen Richard M. Bryant Rick Jones Rick L. Mossman Robbyn Jackson Robert Joseph Abrell Robert L Peterson Roberta Barrows Roberta D'Amico Ronald G. Thoman Russ Ludwick Sandra Hamilton Scott Sticha Sherry Justus Shirley Clark Robert Clark Stephen E. Whitesell Stephen M Clark Stephen R. Bruner Steve Kemp Steven Harrison Stuart L. Croll Terry W. Savage Timothy J. Oliverius Vito Spinale W. Eugene Cox Wendy Poinsot William Blair Curtis William F. Loftus, Ph.D. William H. DeBerry William J Carroll William Sanders |