Agencies propose restoring grizzly bears to North Cascades

Federal efforts underway to bring back grizzly bears to the North Cascades

In the next few weeks, the draft environmental impact statement and the proposed language for a rule on grizzly bear management will be released

DARRINGTON, Wash. - Two agencies are working to see if the return of grizzly bears is plausible for the North Cascades ecosystem of Washington.

The National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (DFW) recently released an environmental impact statement evaluating options to return grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem.

Grizzly bears occupied the North Cascades for thousands of years, but in the 20th century, humans nearly hunted them to extinction in the area. The last confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in the North Cascades was in 1996.

The NPS and DFW say this environmental impact statement is not a decision to take a particular action, but evaluating the impacts of several alternatives.

The impact statement explored the translocation of grizzly bears in the North Cascades from other ecosystems to see how land managers and communities could manage a restored population.

A look at the possible reintroduction of grizzly bears to Washington

Grizzly bears roamed Washington state for thousands of years, but grizzlies disappeared off our landscape many moons ago, and efforts to re-introduce the species to the North Cascades have people split.

It also explores a "no action" alternative, and an alternative to translocate grizzly bears under existing protections.

All three propositions are based on a number of topics, like impacts to other wildlife, wilderness character, recreation, safety, socioeconomics, and ethnographic resources.

The agencies expect a decision in the weeks ahead.

The NPS also says public feedback played a big role in the development of the impact statement, as they received over 12,000 public comments and heard from hundreds at public meetings across the region.

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