June 2, 1997
Sharon Rose 303-236-7905
Chris Servheen 406-329-3223
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will host a workshop for scientists
and other interested parties in Bozeman, Montana, on June 17,
1997 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the GranTree Inn to develop recovery
criteria for those habitat characteristics necessary for a recovered
grizzly bear population. These criteria, which must be objective
and measurable may include such things as amounts of secure habitat,
levels of human activities, and major food availability.
People who plan to attend should write or call the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service's Grizzly Bear Coordinator office at University
Hall, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 (406-243-4903),
and ask to be added to the list of speakers (or ask for a time
slot to speak) at the habitat workshop. The amount of time each
person will be allowed to speak will depend on the number of people
who preregister. By having people call now and preregister, those
people who may be traveling long distances will be assured a time
slot and can better plan their travel time. There will be a
short block of time set aside for those people who did not call
ahead and reserve space, but depending on the number of preregistered
speakers, this time may be limited.
A professional meeting facilitator will conduct the workshop
as to provide as much time as possible for comments, allowing
for a period of exchange of questions and answers among participants.
The workshop, which is at 1325 North 7th Avenue in Bozeman,
will break for an hour at lunch, beginning at 12:00 and a 2-hour
dinner break, starting at 4 p.m. The workshop will end at 8 p.m.
All speakers are asked to provide a written copy of their comments
on the day of the workshop so their ides and comments can be more
fully reviewed. Those who do not wish to speak, but only submit
written comments, can send their comments to Grizzly Bear Coordinator,
University Hall, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812,
with a postmark no later than July 1, 1997.
The habitat criteria workshop will allow scientists and other
publics interested in the future of the grizzly bear, an opportunity
to submit oral and written comments and to discuss openly among
each other what is needed in the way of habitat to support a recovered
population of grizzly bears. Once these basic criteria have been
developed, specific levels of these criteria necessary for recovery
will be developed for each grizzly bear recovery zone.
In addition to developing objective and measurable habitat requirements
for recovered grizzly bear populations, the Service also wants
the workshop to serve as a source of information and an exchange
of ideas among bear experts and others as to innovative methods
for monitoring these habitat-based criteria.
Once the Service has compiled a draft document of habitat-based
recovery criteria, including information and views presented at
the workshop, it will make this document available to the public
for review and comment. All who attend the workshop and any interested
parties will receive a copy of this draft for comment. In addition,
a notice of availability of this draft will be published in the
Federal Register. Availability of this draft for the public to
comment also will be announced in the local media. Comments received
from the workshop and during the public comment period on the
draft released later in 1997 will be considered before the habitat-based
recovery criteria are finalized.
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