A Critical Moment to Speak Up for Alaska’s Wildlife – Be There
3 01 2010
Photo by Florian Schultz
There are times when we use our energy toward projects of a long-term nature. We work on campaigns, we support ballot initiatives through the long and arduous process, we collect signatures, we man tables, we attend long boring meetings. But there are other times when a simple hour or two of our time can have immediate results of a critical nature.
This is one of those times.
Clear your calendar for Tuesday night, because you will have the opportunity to cast a vote for wildlife, and for supporting a sustainable model of conservation - a recognition that the land and its wildlife are not here for us to “harvest” only, but that we must strike a balance between what we take, and what we leave for the greater enjoyment of all. There is no question that many Alaskans, Native and non-Native, rural and urban, hunt and fish for subsistence, and for sport. But for too long, the voices of those who stack our commissions see Alaska’s wildlife as ONLY a resource to be eaten or hung on a wall, and not as creatures in their own right, and a renewable resource for photographers, tourists and outdoor enthusiasts.
~Soul of Silence courtesy of Johnny Johnson
You have the opportunity on Tuesday night to put Alaskans who understand that there must be a balance in these matters on the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. These positions DO matter in determining policy.
The “kill & grill” crowd understands the importance of this meeting. That’s why they are “up in arms” so to speak, and urging members of organizations like the Second Amendment Task Force to storm this meeting and install candidates who, if elected could reverse some important ground we’ve gained this year, including the recommendation to expand the safe buffer zone for wolves around Denali Park. Here’s how they are mobilizing:
[UPDATE: If you click on the link below, you will notice that the language has now changed, and been toned down. Isn't that interesting? Removed are the words "radical," and "twisted." Fascinating...]
Radical environmental groups have mobilized to insert their preferred candidate’s in order to use the board to promote their twisted agenda, including supporting the listing of cook inlet Beluga’s as endangered.
Members of Anchorage 2ATF as well as other conservative candidate’s are in need of the public votes. A conservative slate of candidates will be made evident at the meeting. We need you there to vote for these candidates.
Wow. The gun club has suddenly become full of marine biologists. Their lack of a balanced perspective is obvious, and all it will take is warm bodies 18 and older at the meeting to vote.
So, yes. This is urgent.
And quite simply, the outcome will be determined by who has more people there – those whose sole objective is to seek any opportunity to kill things, and those who see the bigger picture.
~Sudden Encounter courtesy of Johnny Johnson
So please send this information to every conservation-minded person you know and ask them to forward as well. Make it fun. Come with friends. Join with like-minded people to stand up for what we love most about our state.
Thanks to these seven candidates for their willingness to donate their time and talent in support of balanced conservation. Each candidate will give a short speech on their behalf at the meeting before you vote.
Karen Deatheradge (Biologist and Conservationist)
Valerie Conner (B.S. in Environmental Planning and Management)
Kate Swift (Biologist and Conservationist)
Kneely Taylor (Lawyer and Conservationist)
Lynette Morino Hinz (Native Alaskan & Subsistence Advocate)
Jusitn McGinnis (Hunter and Conservationist)
Terry Miracle (Hunter and Conservationist)
The Anchorage Fish & Game Advisory Committee will hold its election meeting
January 5th at 6:00 pm
Anchorage School District Education Center, located at 5530 E Northern Lights Blvd, in the School Board room.
Last year the conservation community rallied to elect three members to the committee and what a difference it made! In one short year those three members successfully passed conservation proposals to:
Support the expansion of the Denali Wolf Buffer Zone;
Restrict Nonresidents from hunting in predator control areas;
Support the proposal to end wolverine trapping in Chugach State Park
These are incredibly positive changes, and if those who do not support conservation are elected to the open seats, they will undo the good work that has already been accomplished. We cannot let that happen.
So, put on your activist cap, grab your friends and give an hour or two that will have an immediate positive impact on your community, your state and the wild creatures that share our home.
See you there!
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:18 PM
Oh how I wish I could be there AKM! Go and don’t forget your activist cap!
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:36 PM
Take Brian and camera. Can’t wait for the report.
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:41 PM
Another from Outside, eagerly awaiting the outcome. Anchorage residents: please do not assume that anyone else will show up! It truly is up to you. Remember: all politics is local. Show us all that Alaska’s beautiful creatures are not just entrees (insert line about mashed potatoes in ear). Health and peace.
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:33 PM
This is one of those rare times I wish I lived closer to Anchorage! Will forward this on to friends in the area though, and truly hope the support will flow in positive directions. Great work once again in getting the word out!
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:38 PM
I wish I could be there too!
Get out there people and show them what you care about! Don’t think one person can’t make a difference. One voice and two voices and three voices add up and soon become a mighty roar! But you have to get out there and make your voice heard.
Everything in Nature is here for a reason and has the right to live. Help them do that.
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:40 PM
The “kill and grill” crowd. Sad but true, eh?
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:47 PM
Don’t let everything vibrant and alive in AK end up next to the mashed potatoes. Brian power!
January 3rd, 2010 at 7:14 PM
I sent out emails to friends & family in AK encouraging them to go. I’d be there if I were still in AK! Sadly my friends & family are mostly all talk no walk, so not holding out much hope except for one of them…
Will hope for the best.
January 3rd, 2010 at 7:44 PM
It always amazes me that the Social Conservatives who believe their God created this planet are the same people who attack the True Conservatives who want to protect the planet.
The true Conservatives are the Conservationists who want to conserve the world as it was created, not conserve the right to ‘do as I please’.
When will more people see that those of us who were right about the Iraq War are right about so, so, so many other important issues of the day. Why do we not get credit for being right that it was crazy to go to war. The health of our nation and our national security have taken such a huge hit, it will take a miracle (which I DO believe in!) to simply stop taking on water.
I will be sending good energy for a good outcome at this meeting and hope that some effort will be successful for both sides to engage reasonably with one another.
January 3rd, 2010 at 9:06 PM
The Anchorage Fish & Game Advisory Committee will hold its election meeting January 5th at 6:30 pm at the Anchorage School District Education Center, located at 5530 E Northern Lights Blvd, in the School Board room. There are five 3 year and two 1 year alternate seats available. Also on the agenda will be preparation of comments for BOG proposals, BOF AYK proposals, DNR state lands guide concession program information and any other business that may properly come before the committee. For more information contact Aaron Bloomquist at 982-2471.
January 3rd, 2010 at 9:57 PM
[...] Originally posted by AKMuckracker at the Mudflats. [...]
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:29 PM
[...] by John Aronno [Originally posted on the Mudflats. Please please read this, tell your friends, repost in on Facebook / Twitter, and show up on [...]
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:33 PM
[...] From The Mudflats: [...]
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:52 PM
I’m there, with friends. Thx AKM.
January 4th, 2010 at 1:21 AM
Here are one person’s talking on the proposed Board of Game actions. They were submitted to me by a friend who cares. Be at the BOG meeting on January 15, or submit the comments by mail or email, if you agree. There are two files: one is a text file, the other a PDF.
1) http://www.my-alaska.com/outgoing/TalkingPointsForm.txt
2) http://www.my-alaska.com/outgoing/TalkingPoints.pdf
… See More
If these links don’t work, please send me a message and I’ll send them to you. After all, selling black bear gall bladders has been taboo here forever. Don’t let the BOG violate basic decency with some proposals which I thought were disdained even in the barbaric middle ages. Let’s show some respect for what Alaska is all about.
January 4th, 2010 at 6:04 AM
A full understanding of the power for good..or for ugly..as this ‘point of contention’..rises and rages. A suggestion..each who is on the trail for health and wisdom..who plan to attend this meeting..take along a high school student..well informed as to what small-minded sorts are..capable of..and have them carry any cell phone/camera/video items..so that the voting adults can focus upon..decorum, wise comments..and..contained, adult deportments…which allows the students to watch, to RECORD..any and all..stupid ..’choices’..by people who would wear with pride..shirts like one which..springs to mind..in zealot-groups. Thereby..students watch adults who let emotion lead them, and..behaving BADly..and..they see what the..Educated adults..are capable of..with force-of-mind and modern scientific educations. Our students need to experience..first hand..the sight of dumbness, narrow viewpoints and lack of education..from a several generation situation. Dark ages..thats where..many..ARE coming from. And..do not fear for the students..they are strong, resilient..and need to know there really are..enemys from..within.
January 4th, 2010 at 7:42 AM
Thanks AKM for urging everyone to stand up for Alaska’s wolves. I only wish I could be there. Look forward to some good news for a change.
January 4th, 2010 at 11:05 AM
Are there any plans for a Juneau meeting?
January 4th, 2010 at 12:17 PM
I’ll be there.
January 4th, 2010 at 2:53 PM
The alert sent out by Anchorage2ATF reads:
“Environmental groups have mobilized to insert their preferred candidate’s in order to use the board to promote their agenda, including supporting the listing of cook inlet Beluga’s as endangered.”
No links were included.
Mudflats misquotes this statement above:
“Radical environmental groups have mobilized to insert their preferred candidate’s in order to use the board to promote their twisted agenda, including supporting the listing of cook inlet Beluga’s as endangered.”
Link included.
Do not expect any factual information here.
Mudflats live off the distortion of the facts.
Please see my response to this comment HERE. AKM
January 4th, 2010 at 8:41 PM
REALLY people, c’mon. Go on down and vote for those people who will support sensible and balanced management of our state’s fish and game. Things are far worse than you can imagine, and unless YOU get involved and start demanding that the state manage wildlife for ALL Alaskans, the mega-consumptive sport hunting group Sportsman for FIsh and Wildlife will continue their takeover of the Dept. of Fish and Game in this state, and you will see your wildlands turned into game farms to serve the particular needs of those well placed in the hunting industry. The push to make ADF&G an org devoted to maximizing hunting opportunity AND NOTHING ELSE has gained tremendous momentum with Palin and now Parnell. She inserted handpicked friendlies into the dept. of FIsh and Game who are completely devoted to creating an ungulate farm in our state. They will continue to push for predator control in more places, and with fewer restraints unless the majority of Alaskans push back and tell them NO! So don’t whine and complain about cute wolves being exterminated, and bears disappearing when you don’t do a thing to oppose it. If you live in Anchorage and care about balanced wildlife management, ACTIVATE and get out to that meeting!! BTW, I am a hunter and eat nothing but fish and game as does my family. That doesn’t mean I support what the BOG is attempting to do to the wildlife in this state.
January 5th, 2010 at 5:18 AM
This is an important comment from Gryphen’s site about the sensible management of predators and prey. My son has a friend who lives in Arizona and raises sheep as a hobby. He keeps a llama to protect he flock. The llama has killed coyotes. This protective response by llamas has been well documented. Theses are good management practices suggested by CR46. The answer to all of life’s problems is not to kill something!
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CR46 said…
Gryphen,
while I am NOT an Alaskan, I would still like to comment. As a native Minnesotan ( no longer live there) I would like to let ALL Alaskans know that the Minn DNR has successfully brought back the wolf pop in Northern Minnesota ( as a land owner{still own the land} I would like to comment).
The higher wolf population has strengthened and made a healthier deer population. I have shared my land with a wolf pack for 15 yrs( 10 of which I lived on it sharing) I had livestock, horses and cattle–never lost even one to wolves–there are “natural deterents” to protect your herds–I used llamas in with my cattle and a mule and an adopted mustang in with my horses. FYI, llamas, mules, and mustangs will stand their ground and protect the herd.
But we never had an incident, because wolves prefer deer, rabbits and rodents( yes wolves are great hunters of mice) and as long as they have their “choice” of game will not choose to “hunt” livestock.
As a hunter, landowner, conservationist, native american…the re-interduction of the wolf in Norhern Minnesota has had a positive impact. Healthier, larger deer herds, very few incidences of livestock kills ( and those were due to incompetent owners that chose not to protect their stock with simple means).
The best thing for ANY region is to have a balanced healthy environment for ALL native species…please protect and cherish ALL of your members of your environment in Alaska, its best for your state and your future generations of Alaskans to have a healthy well-balanced environment like nature intended.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:27 AM
“…sensible and well balanced management of our state’s fish and game….” blogger ‘huntforfood’ has pointed out the main purpose for the Fish and Game Advisory Committees but up here in the Norton Sound, the majority of the citizens do not know the real purpose of the Advisory Committee. It caters to Special Interest groups and presently they are ignoring the salmon crisis of the Nome area rivers. The Northern Norton Sound Fish and Game Advisory Committee keeps electing themselves in over and over again. Same old, same old. Killing off the moose and now targeting the muskox for meat. Forget about the salmon. It’s a farce group.
January 7th, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Where are you getting your vote count from? 67 vote cast by people outside of the Anchorage Bowl. My Source is the ADN article from this morning paper. Elected to the advisory board 1) Phil Lincoln, 345 2) Frank Neumann, 335 3) Greg Bell, 331 4) Ron Jordan, 313 5) Robert Caywood, 312 6) Mark Campbell, 307 7) Hank Hodge, 306
Steve Flory, 176 Voters by community Collected at sign-in to pick up ballots • Anchorage – 395 • Eagle River – 40 • Chugiak – 28 • Wasilla – 41 • Palmer – 16 • Sutton – 3 • Willow – 1 • Big Lake – 2 • Chickaloon – 2 • Cooper Landing – 1 • Seward – 1 Thanks.