Letters to the Editor

Reintroducing grizzlies to the North Cascades is a bad idea

I read articles in the Dec. 3, 2022, issue of the Wenatchee World and the Oct. 11 issue of the Cashmere Valley Record about the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service and National Park Service officials again pursuing the reintroduction of grizzly bears into the North Cascades. My view on this topic is very simple. I don’t believe any bear fences or other obstructions exist between the North Cascades and Canada, Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana, where grizzly bears now reside. They could be in the North Cascades if they wanted to be there. One of the articles stated that grizzles would be a minor threat to humans, especially when compared to other hazards. I believe that any threat at all is unacceptable. Research on the internet reveals that 24 people were killed by grizzlies in North America between 2000 and 2015. Why reintroduce something into the North Cascades that might kill you? One of the reasons given in the articles was: “Grizzlies help other species survive. They’re excellent at helping plants spread through the region, and they aerate the soil as they root for food”. Really? A bear digging a hole somewhere in millions of acres of forest is so beneficial that we need to reintroduce them? Another reason given was “Biodiversity is the other huge consideration. Species-rich ecosystems tend to be more resilient”. I can’t imagine how much tax-payer money would be spent on this unnecessary project. The federal officials that are promoting this must be out of their minds. I hope that we, the people, will have the opportunity to vote on it. Your comments can be submitted to the office of the Superintendent at North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 810 State Route 20, Sedro Wooley, WA 98284. Our region's population of black bears and cougars is good enough for me. Leave the grizzlies where they are.

Tom Hart

Cashmere, WA.