Subject: [Tweeters] WDFW Public Meetings to help ID Conservation/Recreation
Date: Oct 4 18:47:06 2015
From: Denis DeSilvis - avnacrs4birds at outlook.com


Tweeters,

On Tuesday, Oct 6 and on Thursday, Oct 8, the (relatively new) WDFW
Director, Jim Unsworth, and some of his staff are conducting meetings in the
Puget Sound area to help identify conservation and recreation priorities.
(Other meetings have been held and will be held in other areas of the state.
See the copy of the message, below for further information and meeting
times/places.)

After hearing about the Selah meeting (Sept. 10th), I'm concerned that the
voice of anyone other than those in the hook and bullet stakeholder arena
will be heard or responded to. For example, from what I saw, the
presentation in Selah focused almost exclusively on the hunting and fishing
aspects of the WDFW - this included the photos used in the presentation. As
you are well aware, the WDFW also is responsible for all other wildlife,
including sensitive, threatened, and endangered species (currently 46
state-listed species). (Note: I'm definitely NOT against fishing or hunting,
but I'm concerned that other aspects of conservation are not given due
diligence.)

Many of you are in the "watchable wildlife," conservation, and other
stakeholder arenas. Please, if you have the opportunity, attend one of the
two meetings being held in our part of the state. If you can't attend,
please voice your ideas and comments per one of the two online mechanisms
shown in the message below.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

avnacrs4birds at outlook dot com

----

Sept 4 (Message date)

WDFW invites public to help identify conservation and recreation priorities

OLYMPIA - State fish and wildlife leaders are asking people to share their
views on the values and priorities that should drive the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) over the next several years.

The opportunity is part of WDFW's new multi-year initiative, "Washington's
Wild Future: A Partnership for Fish and Wildlife," which is an effort to
strengthen the department's relationships with communities, increase support
for conservation and outdoor recreation, and help ensure WDFW programs and
services meet the public's needs.

People can talk with WDFW managers at six regional forums in September and
October. Comments will also be accepted through Oct. 31 on WDFW's website at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/wildfuture/ and by email to WildFuture at dfw.wa.gov .
People may also participate in the conversation through the WDFW Facebook
page: https://www.facebook.com/WashingtonFishWildlife .

Public comments and proposals will help determine priorities for conserving
and managing Washington's fish and wildlife in the coming years, said WDFW
Director Jim Unsworth, who was hired to lead the agency in January.

"Since I joined WDFW, I have been asking people, 'If you could tell the
director of Fish and Wildlife one thing, what would you say?'" Unsworth
said. "This is a great opportunity for people across the state to do just
that. I want to hear about what we are doing right, where we need to
improve, and where we should focus our efforts and our funding over the next
five to 10 to 20 years."

Unsworth, senior WDFW managers, and regional staff are scheduled to attend
the meetings, where people can discuss fishing and hunting and other outdoor
recreation opportunities, as well as habitat protection and restoration,
licensing, enforcement, and other fish and wildlife management issues.

The meetings are scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the following dates and
locations:

* Sept. 10 - Selah Civic Center, 216 1st St., Selah.
* Sept. 30 - Center Place, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley.
* Oct. 6 - WDFW Mill Creek Office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd, Mill Creek.
* Oct. 8 - Saint Martin's University, Norman Worthington Conference
Center, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey.
* Oct. 14 - Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way,
Vancouver.
* Oct. 20 - Port of Chelan County Confluence Technology Center, 285
Technology Center Way, Wenatchee.

Each meeting will include a brief presentation from a WDFW regional director
about the importance of fish and wildlife management to Washington's quality
of life and the economies of local communities throughout the state.
Participants will then be invited to talk in small groups with
representatives of the department's Fish, Wildlife, Enforcement, Licensing,
and Habitat programs, as well as Unsworth and his staff.

Later this year, WDFW will summarize the comments and suggestions from the
public, as well as input from outdoor organizations, advisory groups,
tribes, and state and local elected officials. The information will be used
to help identify potential changes in WDFW's operations and services, and to
develop future policy, budget and fee proposals.

"We face major management challenges over the next several years, and for us
to be successful we need the public's support and assistance," Unsworth
said. "That can only happen if the department has strong relationships with
anglers, hunters, outdoor recreation groups, and others interested in fish
and wildlife in Washington."