Wisconsin judge rejects lawsuit against new wolf management plan.
Wisconsin’s management of its wolf population has been a topic of heated debate and contention in recent years. A lawsuit filed by animal welfare advocates seeking to invalidate the state’s new wolf management plan was recently dismissed by a judge, reflecting the ongoing conflict between different interest groups.
The lawsuit, filed by the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance, accused Wisconsin wildlife officials of violating the state’s open meetings law and disregarding comments from wolf researchers and supporters. The group alleged that the Department of Natural Resources policy board members collected comments on the wolf management plan from interest groups they favored even after the public comment period had ended.
The focus of the lawsuit was on three private discussions attended by board members hosted by various organizations such as the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and the Wisconsin Association of Sporting Dogs. The lawsuit claimed that although a quorum of board members did not attend these meetings, enough of them participated to influence changes to the plan in violation of the open meetings law.
However, the judge ruled that the open meetings law did not apply to the meetings in question because there was not a sufficient number of board members present to constitute a meeting. The judge also rejected allegations of due process and administrative procedure violations, as well as arguments that comments from the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance were ignored during the formation of the wolf plan.
Despite the ruling, the attorney for the Great Lakes Wildlife Alliance asked the judge to reconsider, but the request was denied. The group is currently reviewing whether to file an appeal.
The controversy surrounding Wisconsin’s wolf population stems from conflicting interests. Farmers in northern Wisconsin have expressed concerns about wolves preying on their livestock, while hunters argue that wolves are decimating the deer population. On the other hand, conservationists believe that wolves are still establishing themselves in Wisconsin and require protection.
The Department of Natural Resources’ board adopted the wolf management plan, recommending maintaining the statewide wolf population at around 1,000 without setting a hard limit. This approach allows for the population to grow or decline based on certain numerical thresholds, providing flexibility for management.
State wildlife officials defend the lack of a specific limit, stating that it gives them more flexibility to manage the species, allows local wolf packs to fluctuate, and ensures the long-term abundance of wolves in the state.
While hunting advocates support setting a population limit to protect both wolves and people, conservation groups oppose certain provisions related to how the DNR would respond to population ranges in different parts of the state.
Recently, gray wolves were placed back on the endangered species list by a federal judge, making hunting illegal and limiting farmers to nonlethal control methods. The DNR updated its wolf management plan in anticipation of wolves potentially being removed from the list in the future.
Efforts to delist wolves and resume hunting face challenges, with a bill passed by the U.S. House to remove wolves from the endangered species list likely facing opposition from the Biden administration. In Wisconsin, a bill requiring a specific population goal was vetoed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.
The complex and contentious debate over Wisconsin’s wolf population highlights the importance of balancing conservation efforts with the needs of stakeholders. As the legal battles continue, finding a sustainable solution that protects both wildlife and human interests remains a pressing issue for the state.
