NOTICE: A public process is underway to evaluate alternatives for how to restore a viable grizzly bear population in the North Cascades Recovery Area. More information is available on the National Park Service website.
North Cascades Subcommittee Membership
- Kristin Bail (Chair) Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
- Karen Taylor-Goodrich North Cascades National Park
- Brendan Brokes Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife – R4
- Gregg Kurz US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Jamie Kingsbury Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
- Jim Brown Washington Dept. Fish and Wildlife – R2
Advisors
- John Rohrer (Chair) Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
- Wayne Kasworm US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Jesse Plumage Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
- Anne Braaten North Cascades National Park
- Scott Fitkin Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
- Scott Fisher Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Gregg Kurz US Fish and Wildlife Service
Information, Education & Outreach Subcommittee
- Denise Schultz North Cascades National Park
- Ann Froschauer US Fish and Wildlife Service
Subcommittee Meetings
Refer to the Meeting Calendar for upcoming meeting information
Meeting Summaries
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 11/29/2018
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 6/6/2018
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 11/7/2017
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 5/2/2017
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 11/22/2016
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 5/17/2016
- North Cascades Mtg. Summary 11/17/2015
- North Cascades Mtg. Summary 4/28/2015
- North Cascades Mtg Summary 11/5/2014
- North Cascades Mtg. Summary 4/29/2014
Policy, Management and Research Reports
Accomplishments
NEPA Process and Documents
- Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan: North Cascades 1997 Supplement
- 2017 Environmental Impact Statement: North Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Recovery and supporting documents
An Environmental Impact Statement is underway to evaluate alternatives for how to restore a viable grizzly bear population in the North Cascades Recovery Area. The National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are the lead agencies on the EIS. The cooperating agencies are the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The plan/ EIS will provide decision-makers with sufficient information on potential environmental impacts and offer the public an opportunity to give input to the decision-makers on the topics covered by the plan/EIS. The NPS and FWS Regional Directors, in consultation with the Department of the Interior, will use the results of the process to select an alternative for implementation.
The EIS involves in-depth public engagement, analysis of existing scientific studies and analysis of the potential impacts of grizzly bear restoration in the North Cascades ecosystem. For the latest information on the EIS, visit here.
A brief history of grizzly bear recovery in the U.S. and in the North Cascades:
- 1975 – Grizzly bear listed as threatened species, lower 48 states under Endangered Species Act.
- 1980 – Grizzly bear listed as an endangered species by State of Washington.
- 1982 – National Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan approved by FWS; revised in 1993.
- 1983 – Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee established.
- 1991 – 9,800 square miles of North Cascades ecosystem in Washington State identified as adequate habitat for grizzly bears. Grizzly bears are confirmed in locations from just north of Interstate 90 to the international border.
- 1991 – The decision was made by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee during their winter 1991 meeting to recover grizzly bears in the North Cascades.
- 1993 – Detailed habitat evaluation of the North Cascades ecosystem published.
- 1997 – North Cascades chapter added to National Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan.
- 2004 – Grizzly bear recovery plan completed for the British Columbia portion of North Cascades ecosystem.
- 2014 – NPS/FWS begin Environmental Impact Statement on grizzly bear restoration in the North Cascades ecosystem.