Western Governors' Wildlife Council to Meet Nov. 3 - 4 in Seattle, Washington

Western Governors' Wildlife Council to Meet Nov. 3 - 4  in Seattle, Washington

Opening Remarks by Gov. Chris Gregoire     

The Western Governors' Wildlife Council will meet Nov. 3 - 4 in Seattle to review the progress states are making in identifying key wildlife corridors and crucial wildlife habitats in coordination with federal land managers and stakeholders.  

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Chair of the Western Governors' Association, will give opening remarks. Council members and invited guests will provide details on the progress each state is making in developing its Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT).  The Council will highlight how and where CHATs are being used to improve the analyses of landscape-scale energy and transportation projects, land conservation efforts and climate adaptation strategies. 

Registration and hotel information will be available on the WGA Web site by early September.   

Wildlife Council Releases Revised and Updated White Paper

Eight multi-state pilot projects, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, laid the foundation this past year for developing consistent regional wildlife information. The Western Governors' Wildlife Council continues to move forward in meeting the Governors' goal to make public compatible, geo-spatial information on important fish and wildlife habitats across Western states.

The White Paper used as a guide for the Council's work was last revised in early 2010.  An updated White Paper includes lessons learned since that time and provides a path forward for states to meet the Governors' 2013 deadline for completing this effort.

The Wildlife Council White Paper will be discussed at the Seattle meeting and is available for review on the Council Web page.