Readers Spotlight: Ferguson makes good choices for Fish and Wildlife Commission

Ferguson makes good choices for Fish and Wildlife Commission

Governor Ferguson made the right move with his recent appointment of three stellar Washingtonians to serve on the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission, which oversees our Department of Fish and Wildlife. The commission can now move beyond a rough patch to better meet substantial challenges to our natural heritage.

Two of the Ferguson picks are reappointments of popular commissioners. Molly Linville is a Douglas County rancher and wildlife biologist who earned great respect for her listening skills and thoughtful collaboration on both the commission and the state’s Wolf Advisory Group. Jim Anderson is intimately knowledgeable about the intricacies of Tribal treaty rights and salmon fisheries.

The new face is Victor Garcia, a friend of mine since we studied biology together at University of Washington 40 years ago. Recently retired from a storied career teaching science at Anacortes High School, Garcia has hunted and fished across Washington. He is also a gifted naturalist and dedicated conservation advocate.

These are uniquely qualified people with deep personal knowledge and relationships across the spectrum of politics and distinct constituencies the department serves. They have what it takes for the commission and department to succeed, which often involves listening to those with opposing viewpoints and genuinely exploring common ground.

The conservation and management of fish and wildlife cannot be a forum for stakeholder power plays. Nobody wins when the agency fails. A report done last year by the Ruckelshaus Center at the legislature’s request concluded that the commission has been gridlocked by polarization.

These three appointees can bring the commission closer together, serving the broad spectrum of public values. The department director’s Budget and Policy Advisory Group is a model for such collaboration.

Established in 2017, the BPAG is comprised of leaders from the breadth of constituencies. It has functioned effectively, improving the department’s reputation enough that the legislature has increased its funding in the past few budget cycles. The department even received funding last biennium to put more effort into restoring Washington’s biodiversity, which faces threats from population growth, habitat loss, and climate change.

Now the department is adopting a plan to improve habitat connectivity and updating its State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), the do-list for protecting 268 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The new funding is enabling the department to improve its dismal record of implementing less than five percent of the actions set out in the SWAP.

With the state facing a big budget shortfall, this progress is now at risk. The Senate’s budget proposal would reduce the Restoring Biodiversity program by five million dollars, while the House proposal would keep it steady. A diverse coalition of stakeholders is supporting the House approach, holding to a collaborative “big tent” approach to helping our government agency succeed in its mission to serve us all and the wildlife we love.

If the newly constituted commission can share that spirit, the department will have its best chance at protecting our natural heritage for generations to come.

Mitch Friedman

Executive director Conservation Northwest

Seattle