No habitat, no wildlife

Thank you, Rich Landers, for taking the sad and untimely death of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Region 1 Habitat Biologist Karen Divens as an opportunity to remind us about the importance of her program and life’s work to the conservation of fish and wildlife (“Protecting where wildlife roam: Agency habitat stewards work under public’s radar,” Jan. 4).

I know a wildlife biologist whose bumper sticker reads, “No habitat, no wildlife.” This fundamental reality seems often forgotten as we advocate for wildlife, species by species. Frequently there is a suggestion for a simple solution, such as prohibiting harvest or predator control.

More often, though, the survival of fish and wildlife depends on interdependence of the ecosystem. It is the work of the small and underfunded habitat program at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife that keeps this reality in the forefront. Without it and the many non-agency partners that work to find ways to protect our landscape as Washington’s human population grows, we will lose our wildlife, species by species.

Kim Thorburn

Spokane