A California State Assembly committee effectively killed a bill that would have required the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to create a state policy framework for introducing grizzly bears. The species disappeared from the Golden State a century ago.

CDFW previously warned that it does not have the financial or staffing ability to tackle such an introduction and the subsequent escalation of human-wildlife management conflicts that would follow across California’s landscape, which is home to more than 39.3 million residents – the most populous state in America.

A coalition of nearly two dozen hunting and outdoor conservation organizations, including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, had earlier sent a letter to Diane Pappan, chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, outlining a litany of concerns. The top of the list was how romantic ideology would collide with on-the-ground reality: “The return of the grizzly bear is often framed as an aspirational conservation goal rooted in California’s history and cultural symbolism. However, wildlife policy decisions of this magnitude must ultimately be guided not by symbolism or nostalgia, but by sound science, practical management considerations and the realities faced by the communities that must live with the consequences of those decisions,” according to the letter.

It continued: “The proposed ‘roadmap’ is not a neutral exercise but instead establishes institutional momentum toward reintroduction before critical feasibility, cost and conflict issues have been resolved.”

It also warned about impacts on rural communities, heavily used recreational areas and suggested “scarce conservation resources would be better directed toward habitat restoration, recovery of declining ungulate populations and meeting the state’s existing wildlife management obligations.”

Hunt 2 Conserve opposed the legislation as it is not grounded in ecological necessity, but rather in a philosophical vision about what some believe California should represent.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Chris Auch)