FWP Lays Out Proposed Grizzly Bear Management Plan

The Montana agency tasked with the long-term management and conservation of grizzly bears has released the first draft of a statewide plan, which integrates two regional strategies into a single document and will serve as the authoritative playbook once protections are removed for grizzlies under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) are now gathering public comment on the draft plan and environmental impact statement to “guide the long-term management and conservation of grizzly bears across the state,” according to an agency press release announcing the plan’s release.

“For decades, FWP staff have worked with federal, tribal, and local partners, along with communities and landowners, to recover and then manage grizzly bear populations across much of Montana,” according to a statement from FWP Director Hank Worsech. “This plan will put that experience into action and provide a framework for comprehensive management of grizzly bears in the state and ensure the populations remain sustainable and healthy into the future.”

The new plan would replace two existing plans – a 2006 management plan for western Montana’s Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) and a separate 2013 plan for southwest Montana’s Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). The proposed comprehensive statewide plan includes both populations of grizzlies, the viability of which FWP says it is committed to maintaining “while prioritizing human safety.” 

The draft plan and its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will serve as a framework for the management of grizzly bears “now and into the future,” according to FWP.

The plan was informed by existing bear plans and conservation strategies for portions of the state, as well as the federal recovery plan and the work of the Grizzly Bear Advisory Council, appointed under the previous administration in 2019.  

Montana has petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to delist grizzly bears in the NCDE and supports Wyoming’s petition to delist grizzly bears in the GYE, where they have surpassed recovery goals. Other recovery areas in Montana include the Cabinet-Yaak and Bitterroot ecosystems. 

“Although grizzly bears are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act, having a plan like this in place will lay out Montana’s vision and general framework for management of grizzly bears, whether or not they are listed,” Worsech stated. 

The draft plan will guide management statewide, with particular focus on areas with documented grizzly bear presence, as well as in those places where they are expected to expand. The draft plan addresses how bears will be managed outside of federal recovery zones, including connectivity areas between the zones. The EIS addresses potential environmental impacts of implementing the plan.

To answer questions about the draft plan and EIS, FWP will host a statewide Zoom webinar on Dec. 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Details on how to join the webinar will be posted on the FWP website closer to that date.

The draft plan and EIS will be open for public comment until Jan. 5. To review the plan and comment, go online to https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/grizzly-bear-management-plan. To comment by mail, send to Wildlife

Division, Grizzly Bear Plan and EIS, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620. Comments can also be emailed to  [email protected].

Once the comment period is concluded, FWP staff will review the comments, make adjustments to the plan and EIS as necessary and Worsech will issue a record of decision, in accordance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). The department will then present the plan to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for their review and potential endorsement.

For more information, including the draft plan, EIS, supporting documents, and to comment online, please go to https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/grizzly-bear-management-plan.