We are taking a pro-active approach in Southeast Alaska where pressures on bears are increasing, said Tom Paul, Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife planner who assisted the management team. The process we used promotes reaching consensus to provide for a broad range of uses while maintaining healthy and accessible non-habituated brown bear populations. The planning effort is notable not only for the resulting management strategy, but also for the high level of teamwork and accommodation achieved by the members who represent a broad spectrum of views and interests, said Greg Streveler, the team s chair and a member of the Board of Game. This sort of result is all too rare in Alaska were wildlife uses can become polarized. My hope is that this approach will serve as an example for reaching consensus on predator management issues elsewhere in the state.
Members are from both large and small communities.
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