The Great Lakes Wolf Summit is set for September 15 in Cumberland, Wisconsin. The summit was called by two Republican legislators, State Senator Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst and Representative Adam Jarchow.
Tiffany says they will have legislators from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota there to talk about the wolf population and the impact wolves have on people. Due to a Federal court decision, wolves in the western Great Lakes area were relisted under the Endangered Species Act in December, 2014. Prior to that time, states were given the authority to regulate wolf populations. Tiffany outlines what the summit is intended to do....
".... We'll have legislators from Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin there and we want to talk abou the growth and population of wolves and the impact on people. Especially people in northern Wisconsin and our neighboring states...."
Tiffany says the goal is to move Congress to act...
".....what this is is a grass-roots effort to deliver the message to Congressional representatives that this is the time to change this. (U.S.) Senator(Ron) Johnson has a bill he's introduced. Congressman(Reid) Ribble has a bill that he has introduced that would give management back to the states. That's really what needs to happen...."
Registration will begin July 20th. The event is set for Das Lach House in Cumberland.
Conservation groups say the wolf population in the region is beginning to return to levels they once enjoyed. Wisconsin's Native American tribes also protested Wisconsin's wolf hunts during the time the wolf was delisted from federal protections, saying the animal is sacred to them.
