Clearly, Mexican wolves could prove important regulators of over abundant elk in the recovery area. Thus there is increasing urgency to establish Mexican wolves in the wild. Full protection under the Endangered Species Act is the quickest way to establish a viable wolf population and restore ecosystem integrity to the Greater Gila ecosystem. Most of the currently vacant grazing allotments on Forest Service lands in the Southwest are not permanently retired. The Gila National Forest is intensively using many of these vacant allotments to transfer cattle with the aim of resting the many overgrazed areas.
Permanent retirement is essential to ensure adequate forage for a varied and abundant prey base.
Ranchers in key movement corridors would be targeted. Such a program could serve as a pilot project for possible implementation nationwide. Effectively Close Roads Adjacent to the Gila Wilderness Forest Guardians has found that Forest Service roads are effectively closed less than half the time they are supposed to be closed. Please send us the Environmental Assessment when it is completed. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal.