Podcast! All About Bears S3:E5
…with Bill Gaines, wildlife biologist and Executive Director of the Washington Conservation Science Institute.
Dr. Bill Gaines has been studying wildlife, including (and especially) bears – both black bears and inland grizzly bears – since the late 1980’s and, wow, has he had some adventures! In this episode, Dr. Gaines shares the experiences and understandings that have come about through his research studies on the ecology, habitat, and population of bears in the North Cascades over the last three decades.
This episode comes at an opportune time, as this summer (2023), the National Park Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that includes a response to initial public comments and a range of options for how to proceed with an effort to restore a grizzly bear population to the North Cascades Ecosystem. This DEIS comes with an opportunity for the public to provide input. As always, OHA encourages the public to build their own understanding, and to participate in the public process by providing input to the decision makers when the opportunity arises. Here are some sources to find more information about the process and timeline of the grizzly bear restoration proposal in the North Cascades.
Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear: https://www.northcascadesgrizzly.org/
National Park Service: 2022 North Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan/Environmental Impact Statement: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=112008
US Fish & Wildlife Service: North Cascades Grizzly Bear Restoration EIS: https://www.fws.gov/project/north-cascades-grizzly-bear-restoration-eis
Dr. Bill Gaines is the Executive Director of Washington Conservation Science Institute. Learn more about him and his organization at: https://waconservationscience.com/
This podcast is produced by Okanogan Highlands Alliance. For more information or to support OHA, visit our website: okanoganhighlands.org
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