The Endangered Species Act is a generally useful thing. It's protected loads of animals, bugs, and other critters from going extinct since its inception that otherwise would not have been protected. And the way that it succeeded in keeping multiple species alive should be applauded.
But in recent years, governmental bureaucracy caused by increased layers and lack of funding—caused by both sides of the aisle—has created an agency that's far too slow to react. It's created log jams and paperwork and too many cooks in the kitchen, so much so that animals that should be delisted thanks to the hard work of conservationists, biologists, funds through Pittman-Robertson, and more, still maintain their threatened statuses. Look at grizzlies in Montana.
The latest issue revolving around the Endangered Species Act is one affecting Idaho where a new snowmobile management plan was set to be enacted. Only, at the very last minute, the plan is now out the door after the US Fish and Wildlife Service called the plan into question over a little critter known as the wolverine.
No, not Hugh Jackman, he's actually 6'2". Huh, I'm taller than Wolverine. Cool.
The original plan, called the "Kaniksu Over-Snow Vehicle Use Designation Project," was one set up by the US Forest Service, a critically underfunded agency, that was along the same lines as a state-backed working group of legislators, stakeholders, and more. And, if it were to have been put in place, as was supposed to happen this year, it would've set rules, boundaries, and regulations for snowmobile use across 1 million acres of public land. But said plan was created before US Fish and Wildlife listed the North American wolverine as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The Kaniksu Over-Snow Vehicle Use Designation Project is one of fits and starts, having injunctions in place over the use of the area since 2007. The new plan was actually set by Fish and Wildlife, setting a date to determine whether or not any travel management would have any affect on the area's grizzly bear population.
According to The Spokesman-Review, "In the end, [Fish and Wildlife's Kaniksu plan] opened more acreage to snowmobile and snowbike use, including coveted areas in the upper Pack River drainage. It also limited when the vehicles are allowed on the landscape to safeguard habitat for grizzly bears coming out of hibernation, and some areas were to be closed all winter to protect habitat for species that rely on deep snow, including wolverines."
But with the wolverine being newly listed, that's all been thrown out the window and snowmobilers and recreationists will be subject to the old rules, boundaries, and other regulations. To its credit, the US Fish and Wildlife staff said they're working on determining what impact this new management plan, the one they came up with, will have on the wolverines of the area and will, hopefully, have an updated plan by early 2025. However, winter is coming quickly with many Northwest states already seeing snow.
The plan also faces a legal threat.
As of August, a group of organizations sent a notice to US Fish and Wildlife threatening to sue the governmental agency over the plan. The Spokesman-Review states, "Adam Rissien, the rewilding manager for WildEarth Guardians, one of the groups threatening to sue, said the groups are concerned about the damage the plan will cause to more than just wolverines. They’re worried it doesn’t do enough to protect lynx or grizzly bears, and that allowing increased motorized use might harm whitebark pine trees. He’s also concerned about how the plan deals with conflicts between cross-country skiers and snowmobilers in places like Harrison Lakes, where motorized use has been off-limits for years."
Concerns aside, the last-minute wrench has thrown the area's snowmobilers and recreators for a loop. One that's likely not to be solved this season. At least, that's how it's looking at the moment.
