Latest news with #StaciLehman
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Field Reports: Construction planned at Heller Bar on Snake River
Jul. 25—Construction work is coming to the Heller Bar reach of the Snake River next month, prompting a brief closure of parts of the access area. Staci Lehman, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said in an email that crews plan to remove a gravel bar in front of the launch area that impedes river traffic. The work will be done in water, which means construction crews have a limited timeframe for getting the work done. Low water helps, so they want to get it done in August. Starting around Aug. 11, an area behind the double restroom at the north end of Heller Bar will be blocked off. The restroom will still be accessible. Lehman added that from Aug. 18 to Aug. 20, the concrete boat ramp and part of the access are will be closed to give contractors room to work. Rafters will be able to use the gravel beach area south of the ramp but not the north end. Lehman said boaters and rafters might want to consider launching at Asotin Slough, Couse Creek or the Church Camp primitive launch. The work could also impact the level of traffic at launches in Idaho. More road closures in Idaho Panhandle National Forest Federal timber projects are going full steam ahead on public land in North Idaho, prompting the U.S. Forest Service to close sections of multiple roads to protect public safety. On Friday, the Idaho Panhandle National Forest closed about 3 1/2 miles of Forest Service Road 1530 for public safety during logging work for the Ridge Creek Roadside Fire Salvage Project, according to a Facebook post. The road is on the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District about 4 miles northeast of Hudlow Mountain and Hayden Lake. The closure is expected to remain in place through Aug. 22, though it could be rescinded sooner. Forest Service officials also announced that about 6 miles of Forest Service Road 422 will close from Aug. 4 to Aug. 13 while crews work to improve the road itself for the Big Mann Timber Sale. Crews will be putting in a new culvert and improving drainage on the road, which is on the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District between Forest Service Road 209 and Leiberg Saddle. Trapper education courses to be offered in North Idaho The Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced this week that it's planning a few trapper and wolf trapper education courses in the Panhandle region in the coming months. The courses are required for new trappers and are a good way for them to learn new skills before the seasons. They are scheduled as follows: Trapper education Friday — Farragut Shooting Range Center in Athol Oct. 24 — Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint Nov. 14 — Medicine Mountain Grange in Medimont Dec. 6 — Panhandle Regional Office in Coeur d'Alene Wolf trapper education Saturday — Farragut Shooting Range Center in Athol Oct. 25 — Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint Dec. 5 — Panhandle Regional Office in Coeur d'Alene Those who wish to participate can sign up online at Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
19-04-2025
- General
- Axios
After years of growth, wolf numbers fall in Washington state
Washington's gray wolves saw their first population drop since the species returned nearly two decades ago. Why it matters: Gray wolves have been on the state's endangered species list since 1980, and their previous track of recovery marked a milestone in restoring a native species to the wilds of Washington. By the numbers: A Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) report published this month counted 230 wolves in 43 packs at the end of 2024, down from 254 wolves in 42 packs a year earlier. The number of breeding pairs dropped from 24 in 2023 to 18 last year. At least 37 wolves died in the state last year, with the biggest decline reported at the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, per the report. Seven were poached or killed illegally, prompting rewards and investigations, six of which are still ongoing with one forwarded to prosecutors for charges, according to WDFW spokesperson Staci Lehman. What they're saying:"The drop, especially in breeding pairs — which is an indicator of the population trajectory — shows protections are still needed," Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, told Axios. Yes, but: The decrease is not of significant concern to WDFW wolf biologists at this time, Lehman told Axios in an email, because it is common in wildlife management to see cyclical increases and decreases in population numbers, particularly in recovering species. "One year does not make a trend," Lehman said in an email to Axios. "Despite it taking longer than initially expected, Washington is moving toward recovery of gray wolves." Catch up quick: The state's wolf population has been growing at a 20% annual clip since 2008, when the first modern resident pack was confirmed in Okanogan County, per the report. That long trend of steady growth helped reestablish wolves in parts of eastern and north-central Washington. Flashback: The status of gray wolves under the federal Endangered Species Act has been debated and litigated since they were added to the list in 1974, with the level of protections shifting over time. Today, gray wolves in western Washington remain federally protected, while those in eastern Washington are protected only under state law. The move would have lowered penalties for wolf poaching and made it easier for livestock owners to access permits to kill wolves that threaten herds. The state Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 5-4 in July to maintain wolves' listing as endangered.
