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Grand Canyon Chapter Press Releases:

For Release: June 6, 2001
Contacts: Elizabeth Slown, 505-248-6909, Michelle Brown, 505-248-6646

Mexican Wolf Recovery Program Up for Discussion

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is holding eleven community open house meetings as part of a process to determine how to improve the three year old program that established an experimental population of Mexican wolves in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.

When the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program was getting started, the Service agreed to review progress after three and five years to determine whether the program should continue, continue with modification, or be terminated. A scientific review that concluded the program should continue but with modifications was recently conducted by three independent scientists under contract with the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group.

The purpose of the community meetings is to gather input on what is working well in the program and should be continued and where improvements can be made. The Mexican Wolf Management Rule, the Rule-making process, and how the public will be involved will be shared as well as the scientific findings of the three-year review. The detailed report is not yet available but is expected before the first meeting. When published, it will also be available under Hot Topics on the Service's website at http:\\southwest.fws.gov.

"This is an important time for communities to voice their issues with the wolf recovery program," said Brian Kelly, Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator. "In addition to the science, we need the local views and recommendations on what changes to make to the management plan." The public is invited to attend the following community open house meetings anytime from 5 to 8 p.m.

Arizona Meetings

June 25, Monday, in Phoenix at the Phoenix Zoo, 455 N Galvin Parkway.
June 26, Tuesday, in Clifton at the Old Train Depot, 100 N Coronado Blvd.
June 27, Wednesday, in Whiteriver at the Chief Alchesay Center
June 28, Thursday, in Cibeque at the Cottonwood Center
June 29, Friday, in Springerville at the Springerville City Council Chambers
July 18, Wednesday in Blue at the Blue School New Mexico Meetings
July 10, Tuesday, in Albuquerque at the Aquarium and Botanical Gardens Educational Center, 2601 Central Avenue NW
July 11, Wednesday, in Truth or Consequences at the Civic Center, 400 W.4th
July 12, Thursday, in Silver City at the Bayard Community Center, 209 Hurley Avenue
July 16, Monday, in Glenwood at the Glenwood Community Center
July 17, Tuesday, in Reserve at the Reserve Community Center

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. http://southwest.fws.gov

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