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PostFri Jul 28, 2017 9:36 am 
Friday July 28, 2017 08:58 PDT Mountain Goat Management Plan Olympic National FOREST 07/28/17 Not to be confused with Mountain Goat Management Plan at Olympic National PARK (see thread here) USDA-Forest Service, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Notice of 60-day Comment Period on Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Olympic Mountain Goat Management Plan Request for Comment: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Olympic Mountain Goat Management Plan is now available for a 60-day comment period. This DEIS is being developed in cooperation with Olympic National Park, Forest Service, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The plan alternatives include actions proposed to occur within Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest, and associated actions proposed by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife to translocate mountain goats to national forest lands in the Cascades (including Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest). The draft alternatives are described and analyzed in the Mountain Goat Management Plan DEIS along with associated maps and can be reviewed at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/OLYMgoat. The plan’s purpose is to allow Olympic National Park to reduce or eliminate environmental impacts from non-native mountain goats, and reduce potential public safety issues associated with the goats’ presence in the park. U.S.D.A Forest Service Objection Process: Actions proposed on NFS lands under this plan/EIS constitute activities that implement land management plans for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and are subject to the agency’s pre-decisional objection process at 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. The objection process occurs prior to the Forest Service making a final decision and will include circulation of the final EIS and draft Record of Decision. Only those persons who submit timely and specific written comments (36 CFR 218.2) regarding the proposed project or activity during the public comment period are eligible to file an objection (36 CFR 218.24(b)(6)). The Environmental Protection Agency published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the DEIS in the Federal register on July 28, 2017. Olympic National Park will accept comments on behalf of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on this proposal for 60 days following publication of the NOA in the Federal Register. The publication date of the NOA in the Federal Register is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period for a proposed action documented in a draft EIS. Those wishing to comment should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. Written comments should be submitted at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/OLYMgoat. Comments will also be accepted during scheduled public meetings (meeting information available on the website referenced above) or can be mailed or hand-delivered to: Superintendent, Olympic National Park, 600 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362. To ensure your comments are included in this process, they must be entered into the above referenced website or postmarked by the 60-day deadline to submit comments. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in any manner other than those listed above. Bulk comments in hard copy or electronic formats submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted. It is the commenter’s responsibility to ensure timely receipt of comments (36 CFR 218.25). For issues to be raised in objections, they must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity and attributed to the objector. For objection eligibility, each individual or representative from each entity submitting timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity must either sign the comments or verify identity upon request (36 CFR 218.24(b)(8)). Comments received by the Park in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment will be part of the public record for this project and may be made publicly available at any time. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. -Olympic National Forest-

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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 11:15 pm 
(* No idea why they're sending this message out again, which looks about the same as the one above. Don't blame me - I'm just the messenger. *) Monday July 31, 2017 17:25 PDT Dear Interested Party: The National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife invite the public to review and provide input about proposed alternatives for managing non-native mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains. The draft alternatives are described and analyzed in the Draft Mountain Goat Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which was released July 24, 2017 and can be reviewed at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/OLYMgoat. The plan’s purpose is to allow Olympic National Park to reduce or eliminate environmental impacts from non-native mountain goats, and reduce potential public safety issues associated with the goats’ presence in the park. Actions proposed on NFS lands under this plan/EIS constitute activities that implement land management plans for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and are subject to the agency's pre-decisional objection process at 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. The objection process occurs prior to the Forest Service making a final decision (signing a ROD) and will include circulation of the final EIS and draft decision document (ROD). Only those persons who submit timely and specific written comments (36 CFR 218.2) regarding the proposed project or activity during the public comment period are eligible to file an objection (36 CFR 218.24(b)(6)). The Olympic National Park will accept comments on behalf of the Olympic National Forest on this proposal for 60 days following the publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on July 29, 2017. Comments should be submitted at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/OLYMgoat. They will also be accepted during scheduled public meetings (see the project website for schedule) or can be mailed or hand-delivered during business hours to: Superintendent, Olympic National Park, 600 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in any manner other than those listed above. Bulk comments in hard copy or electronic formats submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted. It is the commenter's responsibility to ensure timely receipt of comments (36 CFR 218.25). For issues to be raised in objections, they must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity and attributed to the objector. For objection eligibility, each individual or representative from each entity submitting timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity must either sign the comments or verify identity upon request (36 CFR 218.24(b)(8)). Comments received by the Park in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment will be part of the public record for this project. Thank you for your interest in the Olympic National Forest. -ONF-

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PostTue Jul 10, 2018 8:58 pm 
The USFS draft Record of Decision, selecting Alternative D (850 hours of helicopter flights to capture and release half the goats, and shoot the rest) was issued yesterday, July 9, 2018. To view it, on the USFS Mountain Goat Management Plan website, click on Decision, or click on this direct link to the ROD. A 45-day objection period began July 12 and will run until late August, before the decision is finalized and the project may begin.

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PostWed Jul 18, 2018 10:41 am 
Wednesday July 18, 2018 09:54 PDT Dear Interested Party: The Olympic, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests (N.F.) have prepared a draft Record of Decision (ROD) for the Mountain Goat Management Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement (plan/EIS) for Olympic National Park. The draft ROD proposes to authorize actions necessary for implementation of Alternative D of the Final EIS. The NPS published the final plan/EIS on May 4, 2018 and signed a record of decision (ROD) on June 18, 2018. The NPS ROD selected Alternative D, which involves lethally removing goats from Olympic National Forest and translocating mountain goats to North Cascades national forests. The final EIS and draft ROD are available on the project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=49816. The Forest Supervisors for the three affected National Forests will authorize actions on their respective Forests that involve helicopter landings in wilderness areas on all three Forests; preparation of staging areas, issuance of temporary forest closure orders around staging areas, capture sites, and lethal removal areas as needed, per 36 CFR 261 Subpart B; and use of closed areas. Helicopter use and staging and release sites outside of designated wilderness on NFS land that do not require Forest Service authorization are not included in the Forest Service ROD. The Responsible Officials for this project are: Reta Laford, Forest Supervisor for the Olympic N.F.; Jamie Kingsbury, Forest Supervisor for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie N.F.; and Michael Williams, Forest Supervisor for the Okanogan-Wenatchee N.F. The project is now subject to pre-decisional administrative review (objection process) pursuant to the regulations at 36 CFR 218 subpart B. Only objections from those individuals or organizations who have previously submitted timely, specific written comments during a prior designated opportunity for comment will be considered (36 CFR 218.5). Objections must be based on previously submitted, specific and timely written comments regarding the proposed project and attributed to the objector, unless the issue is based on new information that arose after the opportunities for comment. Objections must be filed with the reviewing officer within 45 days following the publication date of this legal notice in the paper of record for each Forest: the Olympian, Everett Herald, and Wenatchee World. This is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection, those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. If the comment period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, comments will be accepted until the end of the next Federal working day. It is the responsibility of objectors to ensure that their objection is received in a timely manner. Objections should be submitted to Objection Reviewing Officer, Region 6 Regional Forester, Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97204. Electronic submissions are preferred and may be submitted by completing the form available online at: https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=49816. The objection filing form can also be accessed by going to the project’s website (https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=49816) and clicking on “Comment/Object on Project” link on the right sidebar. Objections filed by mail must be postmarked no later than the last day of the 45-day period. Office hours, for those who wish to hand deliver their comments, are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays). Objections received in response to this invitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the Project Record and available for public review. The objection must contain the minimum content requirements specified in 36 CFR 218.8(d). At a minimum an objection must include the following (36 CFR 218.8(d)): 1) objector’s name, address and telephone; 2) signature or other verification of authorship; 3) identify a single lead objector when applicable; 4) project name, Responsible Official name and title, and name of National Forest where project will be implemented; 5) description of those aspects of the proposed project addressed by the objection, including specific issues related to the proposed project; if applicable how the environmental analysis or draft decision violate law, regulation, or policy; suggested remedies to resolve the objection; supporting reasons for the reviewing officer to consider, and 6) statement demonstrating the connection between the objection and prior comments. Incorporation of documents by reference is permitted only as provided in 36 CFR 218.8(b). For additional information concerning the Forest Service administrative review process, contact Heidi Hopkins, Program Specialist, heidihopkins@fs.fed.us, 503-808-2281. For information regarding the actions proposed for authorization in this decision, please contact Jesse Plumage (North Cascades forests), jplumage@fs.fed.us, 425-783-6031, or Susan Piper (Olympic National Forest), spiper@fs.fed.us, 360-956-2435. Thank you for your interest in the Olympic National Forest. -USFS-

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PostThu Dec 13, 2018 12:19 pm 
Wednesday December 12, 2018 14:10 PST You are subscribed to Olympic National Park Mountain Goat Management Plan for USDA Forest Service. This message is to notify you of the availability of the USDA Forest Service Record of Decision for the Olympic National Park Mountain Goat Management Plan/EIS. The Record of Decision and related project information are available for viewing and download at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=49816 Thank you for your interest and involvement in the management of the Olympic, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests. -USFS-

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PostThu Jun 27, 2019 3:41 pm 
Thursday June 27, 2019 15:35 PDT Joint NPS-WDFW-USFS news release: Agencies to Begin Second Year of Translocating Mountain Goats From the Olympics to the Cascades Agencies to Begin Second Year of Translocating Mountain Goats From the Olympics to the Cascades Starting July 8, a coalition of state and federal agencies, with support from local tribes, will begin the second two-week round of translocating mountain goats from Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest to the northern Cascade Mountains to meet wildlife management goals in all three areas. This effort is a partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), and the USDA Forest Service (USFS) to re-establish and assist in connecting depleted populations of mountain goats in the Washington Cascades while also removing non-native goats from the Olympic Mountains. Mountain goats were introduced to the Olympics in the 1920s. “A project of this magnitude would be impossible without our partner agencies and the expertise and cooperation of hundreds of people,” said Olympic National Park Wildlife Branch Chief Dr. Patti Happe. “The interagency collaboration and the support from everyone involved is extraordinary.” Area tribes lending support to the translocation plan in the Cascades include the Lummi, Muckleshoot, Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, Suquamish, Swinomish, Tulalip, and Upper Skagit tribes. Volunteers from the Point No Point Treaty Council, Quileute Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Skokomish Indian Tribe, and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe will also be assisting at the staging areas in the Olympics. In May 2018, the NPS released the final Mountain Goat Management Plan which outlined the effort to remove mountain goats on the Olympic Peninsula. The population of mountain goats at that time was estimated at 725. Both the plan and the associated environmental impact statement were finalized after an extensive public review process which began in 2014. The first two-week capture period in September 2018 removed 115 mountain goats from the population in the park. An additional two-week period is planned for this year beginning August 19 through 30. “Mountain goat relocation will allow these animals to reoccupy historical range areas in the Cascades and increase population viability,” said Jesse Plumage, USFS Wildlife Biologist. While some mountain goat populations in the north Cascades have recovered since the 1990s, the species is still absent from many areas of its historic range. Aerial capture operations will be conducted through a contract with Leading Edge Aviation, a private company that specializes in the capture and transport of wild animals. The helicopter crew will use immobilizing darts and net guns to capture mountain goats and transport them in specially made slings to the staging areas. While capture operations will be conducted throughout the park and national forest for both two-week periods, a few locations that are known to have a high number of mountain goats will be areas of focus for the capture crew. On the first two days of the capture period, the emphasis will be on the Klahhane Ridge and Appleton Pass areas. The Seven Lakes Basin area and the Lake of the Angels area in the southeast have a high number of mountain goats that the capture crew will be working to remove. In August, Mount Ellinor in Olympic National Forest will be an area of focus. This year there will be two staging areas for each two-week period. For July and August, one staging area will be located on Hurricane Hill Road beyond the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center in Olympic National Park. The other staging area will be located in Olympic National Forest in the Hamma Hamma area in July and switch to the Mt. Ellinor area in August. The staging areas will be closed to public access. The animals will be cared for by veterinarians before WDFW wildlife managers transport them to staging areas in the north Cascades for release. To maximize success, goats will be airlifted in their crates by helicopter directly to alpine habitats that have been selected for appropriate characteristics. WDFW plans to release the mountain goats at six sites in the Cascades in July. Three of the release sites will be staged from the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS). These release sites include the Chikamin area on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Preacher Mountain on the MBS, and Hardscrabble Ridge on an inholding owned by Forterra. Two release areas are near mountain peaks south of the town of Darrington on the Darrington District of the MBS. The other is near Mt. Index on the Skykomish Ranger District of the MBS. Mountain goats follow and approach hikers because they are attracted to the salt from their sweat, urine, and food. That behavior is less likely in the north Cascades where visitors are more widely distributed than those at Olympic National Park, said Dr. Rich Harris, a WDFW wildlife manager who specializes in mountain goats. “In addition, the north Cascades has natural salt licks, while the Olympic Peninsula has virtually none,” Harris said. “We’d expect salt hunger to be lower in goats that have natural sources available to them.” Trail Impacts and Road Closures Hurricane Hill Road, beyond the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center parking lot, will be closed to all access during both operational periods. Hurricane Hill Road will remain open up to Picnic Area A on July 5 and July 6 during the setup of the staging area. The road will then be closed completely beyond the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center from July 7 through 20 for mobilization, capture operations, and demobilization. This closure includes the Hurricane Hill Trail, Little River Trail, and Wolf Creek Trail. The Klahhane Ridge area will close temporarily on July 8 and 9 for visitor and employee safety during capture operations. The area of Seven Lakes Basin/High Divide/ Heart Lake/ Hoh Lake/ to Cat Basin will be closed to hiking and overnight camping July 7 through 11. The area of Lake of the Angels, accessed from Putvin Trail #813 off Forest Road 25 in Olympic National Forest, will be closed at mile 3 at the park boundary from July 9 through July 18. For the July release operations on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, land adjacent to the roadway at the junctions of Forest Service Roads 49 and 4920 will be closed from July 9 through July 21, 2019. For the August capture operations, the Mount Ellinor trails system and Forest Road 2419 to Mount Ellinor, as well as Forest Road 2464 leading to Forest Road 2419, will be closed to the public starting the evening of August 18 until the morning of August 30. For more information about mountain goats in Washington State, see WDFW’s website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/living/mountain_goats.html. For more information and updates on the project, visit www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/mountain-goat-capture-and-translocation.htm. -NPS-

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PostThu Aug 15, 2019 3:24 pm 
Thursday August 15, 2019 14:19 PDT Joint NPS-WDFW-USFS News Release: Agencies to Begin Third Round of Translocating Mountain Goats From the Olympics to the Cascades Starting August 16, a coalition of state and federal agencies, with support from local tribes, will begin the third two-week round of translocating mountain goats from Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest to the northern Cascade Mountains to meet wildlife management goals in all three areas. Since September 2018, 174 mountain goats have been translocated. This effort is a partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), and the USDA Forest Service (USFS) to re-establish and assist in connecting depleted populations of mountain goats in the Washington Cascades while also removing non-native goats from the Olympic Mountains. Mountain goats were introduced to the Olympics in the 1920s. WDFW plans to release the mountain goats at seven sites in the North Cascades National Forests this round. Five of the release sites are located in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS) near Glacier Peak, Cadet Ridge (near Sloan Peak), Vesper Peak, Mt. Buckindy, and Mt. Index. One release site is near Tower Mountain in the Methow area of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The other is near Hardscrabble Ridge on an inholding owned by Forterra. “A project of this magnitude would be impossible without our partner agencies and the expertise and cooperation of hundreds of people,” said Olympic National Park Wildlife Branch Chief Dr. Patti Happe. “The interagency collaboration and the support from everyone involved is extraordinary.” Capture and translocation may continue into 2020 depending on this year’s results. Trail Impacts and Road Closures Mount Ellinor in Olympic National Forest will be an area of focus for the capture crew this round. The Mount Ellinor trails system and Forest Road 2419 to Mount Ellinor, as well as Forest Road 2464 leading to Forest Road 2419, will be closed to the public starting the evening of August 18 until the morning of August 30. The two staging areas for the mountain goat capture operations will be closed to public access. One staging area is located in Olympic National Forest in the Hamma Hamma. The other staging area is located on Hurricane Hill Road beyond the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center in Olympic National Park. Hurricane Hill Road will remain open up to Picnic Area A on August 15. The road will then be closed completely beyond the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center from August 16 through 30 for mobilization, capture operations, and demobilization. This closure includes the Hurricane Hill Trail, Little River Trail, and Wolf Creek Trail. No other closures will be in place for Olympic National Park. Project Background In May 2018, the NPS released the final Mountain Goat Management Plan which outlined the effort to remove mountain goats on the Olympic Peninsula. The population of mountain goats at that time was estimated at 725. Both the plan and the associated environmental impact statement were finalized after an extensive public review process which began in 2014. “Mountain goat relocation will allow these animals to reoccupy historical range areas in the Cascades and increase population viability,” said Jesse Plumage, USFS Wildlife Biologist. While some mountain goat populations in the north Cascades have recovered since the 1990s, the species is still absent from many areas of its historic range. Aerial capture operations are conducted through a contract with Leading Edge Aviation, a private company that specializes in the capture and transport of wild animals. The helicopter crew will use immobilizing darts and net guns to capture mountain goats and transport them in specially made slings to the staging areas. The animals are cared for by veterinarians before WDFW wildlife managers transport them to staging areas in the north Cascades for release. To maximize success, goats are airlifted in their crates by helicopter directly to alpine habitats that have been selected for appropriate characteristics. Mountain goats follow and approach hikers because they are attracted to the salt from their sweat, urine, and food. That behavior is less likely in the north Cascades where visitors are more widely distributed than those at Olympic National Park, said Dr. Rich Harris, a WDFW wildlife manager who specializes in mountain goats. “In addition, the north Cascades has natural salt licks, while the Olympic Peninsula has virtually none,” Harris said. “We’d expect salt hunger to be lower in goats that have natural sources available to them.” Area tribes lending support to the translocation plan in the Cascades include the Lummi, Muckleshoot, Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, Suquamish, Swinomish, Tulalip, and Upper Skagit tribes. Volunteers from the Point No Point Treaty Council, Quileute Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Skokomish Indian Tribe, and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe will also be assisting at the staging areas in the Olympics. For more information about mountain goats in Washington State, see WDFW’s website at wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/oreamnos-americanus. For more information and updates on the project, visit nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/mountain-goat-capture-and-translocation.htm. -NPS- -WSFWS-

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PostThu Sep 12, 2019 11:15 am 
Thursday September 12, 2019 10:43 PDT Joint NPS-WDFW-USFS news release: August Capture and Translocation Activities Moved 101 Mountain Goats to Northern Cascades Mountains Capture and translocation operations are now complete for 2019 with 101 mountain goats moved from Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest to the northern Cascade Mountains. Since September 2018, a total of 275 mountain goats have been translocated. An additional two-week capture and translocation period is planned for summer 2020. This effort is a partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and the USDA Forest Service (USFS) to re-establish and assist in connecting depleted populations of mountain goats in the Washington Cascades while also removing non-native goats from the Olympic Mountains. Though some mountain goat populations in the North Cascades have recovered since the 1990s, the species is still absent or rare in many areas of its historic range. Mountain goats were introduced to the Olympics in the 1920s. In addition to the 101 mountain goats released in the North Cascades, there were seven adult mortalities related to capture. Four animals that could not be captured safely were lethally removed. Ten mountain goat kids were transferred as a group to Northwest Trek Wildlife Park for stabilization, acclimation and socialization. One kid will join six other goats in the wildlife park’s 435-acre free-roaming area. The other nine kids will move to new homes at other zoos. A total of 16 mountain goat kids have been given permanent homes in zoos: six in 2018 and ten in 2019. August 2019 Results Translocated - 101 Zoo - 10 Capture Mortalities - 7 Transport Mortalities - 0 Euthanized - 0 Lethally Removed - 4 Leading Edge Aviation, a private company which specializes in the capture of wild animals, conducted aerial capture operations through a contract. The helicopter crew used immobilizing darts and net guns to capture mountain goats and transported them in specially-made slings to the staging areas located at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park and the Hamma Hamma area in Olympic National Forest. The animals were examined and treated by veterinarians before volunteers working with WDFW transported them to pre-selected staging areas in the North Cascades. The mountain goats were transported in refrigerated trucks to keep them cool. Once at the staging areas, WDFW and participating Tribal biologists worked with HiLine Aviation to airlift the crated goats to release areas where volunteers and Forest Service wildlife biologists assisted with the release. Release areas were chosen based on their high quality mountain goat habitat, proximity to the staging areas, and limited disturbance to recreationists. Weather did complicate airlifting goats to preferred locations on 6 days, but crews were able to airlift goats to alternative locations on these days. “We were very fortunate to have a long stretch of good weather in August which enabled us to safely catch mountain goats throughout the Olympics and make good progress towards reaching our translocation goals,” said Dr. Patti Happe, Wildlife Branch Chief at Olympic National Park “Many thanks to all the volunteers and cooperators, including several biologists and former National Park Service staff who came out of retirement to assist with the project.” During this round, release sites in the Cascades included Cadet Ridge and Cadet Creek, Milk Lakes on Lime Ridge, Pear Lake, and between Prairie and Whitechuck Mountains on the Darrington Ranger District of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest; between Vesper and Big Four Mountains on Washington Department of Natural Resource Lands; on Hardscrabble Ridge and privately-held land; and near Tower Mountain on the Methow Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. “An operation such as this is impossible without the support and participation of a large team,” said Dr. Rich Harris, a WDFW wildlife manager who specializes in mountain goats. “All have worked tirelessly to give every goat the best possible chance at a new beginning in native habitat. In future years, we hope to be able to look back with the satisfaction of knowing we helped restore this wonderful species where there are currently so few.” Area tribes lending support to the translocation plan in the Cascades include the Lummi, Muckleshoot, Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, Suquamish, Swinomish, Tulalip, and Upper Skagit tribes. Volunteers from the Point No Point Treaty Council, Quileute Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Makah Tribe, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Skokomish Indian Tribe, and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe also assisted at the staging areas in the Olympics A total of 22 mountain goats were removed from Olympic National Forest in August. Sixteen mountain goats were removed from the Mount Ellinor and Mount Washington area and six from The Brothers Wilderness. “This operation would not have been possible without the invaluable assistance of volunteers, including the Olympia Mountaineers,” said Susan Piper, Forest Wildlife Biologist with Olympic National Forest. “We also want to acknowledge that having popular destinations such as Mount Ellinor and Lake of the Angels closed may have been inconvenient to visitors, but it was important to have a safe and successful capture operation in those areas.” In May 2018, the NPS released the final Mountain Goat Management Plan which outlines the effort to remove the estimated 725 mountain goats on the Olympic Peninsula. Both the plan and the associated environmental impact statement were finalized after an extensive public review process which began in 2014. For more information about mountain goats in Washington State, see WDFW’s website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/oreamnos-americanus. For more information and updates on the project, visit nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/mountain-goat-capture-and-translocation.htm. -NPS - WDFW - USFS -

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PostSun Sep 22, 2019 7:19 pm 
https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/oreamnos-americanus Ski, I just spent a few minutes re-reading the WDFW piece on Washington's Mountain Goats that you posted above, and it states that "[b]etween 2,400 and 3,200 mountain goats are estimated to live in Washington. Mountain goats are native to the Cascade Range, and can be found from the Canadian border on the north to the Oregon border on the south." 2400 - 3200? Does this number seem ridiculously low? I would have guessed an extra zero based on their omnipresence during my many outings.

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PostSun Sep 22, 2019 8:36 pm 
That post above is a copy-and-paste of WDFW's press release. I have no idea what the goat population is in the Cascades. You'd have to check WDFW's numbers on their website. wink.gif

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PostMon Sep 23, 2019 11:06 am 
BrianR, here's the most recent published census: "Based on aerial surveys (2004-2007, adjusted for sightability) and subjective estimates for unsurveyed areas, I developed an estimate of the total number of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) in Washington State, USA. Mountain goat populations were estimated for 56 units, 40 areas, and 21 zones, yielding a total 2,815 (2,401 to 3,184) mountain goats." - Cliff Rice (WDFW), "Status of Mountain Goats in Washington (2012)", Biennial Symposium of the Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council 18:64-70; 2012.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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Brian R
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Brian R
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PostMon Sep 23, 2019 6:26 pm 
Thanks Rod. Surprisingly low--my impression likely jaded by time spent in the alpine/sub.

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Forum Index > Public Lands Stewardship > Mountain Goat Management Plan Olympic National FOREST 07/28/17
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