Spring / Summer 2008 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
This is my 30th Year of Wolf Teaching!
I'm reminded with every program that children have a natural inclination to want to learn peaceful coexistence. The wolf is known as the teacher to traditional native people. Ancestor of our dog friends, wolf leads us on paths of discovery of basic truths - eating & hunting, playing, family dynamics, puppies, predators, & behaviors that have survived since time unknown. Despite the reckless lack of vision of current leadership (Pres. Bush keeps calling for oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge), we're hearing a lot about our carbon footprint. Students are increasingly excited about being agents for change.
The Bush administration has awarded cash crop status to the No. Rocky Mt wolves. In March, the endangered species protection for wolves in Idaho, Montana, & Wyoming was removed and their numbers, about 1500, declared recovered to individual state fish & game agencies. All three have decided to role model recreational killing and have put trophy seasons on their wolves. In most of Wyoming, it will be open season with no bag limit. State management plans may target up to 2/3 of recovered wolves. Environmentalists say this could result in a weak gene pool, and hamper natural returns into good habitat in other states.
We've already learned that trophy hunting sets up a market value and demand for wolf fur, and thus, their possible re-extinction. We also know that open seasons role-model disrespect for wildlife, while discouraging creativity in learning methods of positive coexistence with other species.
The de listing of the No. Rocky's wolves and ensuing public debate has stirred up media notice. Young people often want to write letters of opinion to the officials who shape wildlife & environmental policy. Here's an opportunity to bring attention to the ways we can live in better harmony with nature. This translates to education & learning.
Global warming is directly affected by habitat loss, particularly old growth. Wolves teach about the cascade effect in forests. When wolves are removed and replaced with over-development, the woods dwindle & sicken for lack of vital natural interactions. The return of wolves to the fringes of modern settlements has, understandably, brought some conflict. The relearning is happening. Hikers learn that taking companion dogs & food into predator territory can create an unwanted confrontation. Big game guides are learning that their consumer products are harder to find since returning wolves have made elk more swift & clever. Livestock owners are learning that the old way of shepherding with personnel, dogs, llamas, etc., is sustainable. Everyone is learning that wolf/human conflicts must be resolved individually, to address unique factors.
20th Anniversary Mission:Wolf Northeast Fall Tour
It was the fall of 1988. I was living in New Mexico, doing wolf education in the Southern Rockies when I first brought Mission:Wolf, Colorado to my native New York State & the northeast. They were a newly forming sanctuary. I had just put in 7 years of national wolf education with live wolves & program founder, John Harris. With John's passing in 1985, I was drawn to New Mexico to create public education & coalition for the neglected Mexican wolves. When my path inevitably crossed with Mission: Wolf, we made a few local trips with ambassador wolf, Lucas. Then, I booked the first BIG TRIP to the east cast, patterned on the circuit put in place since 1971 by the traveling wolf program founders.
Who could forget that first Mission: Wolf traveling trio?! Shaman, a huge, black 6 month old wolf puppy, and his buddies - Brea, 5 year old malamute/shepherd, and 3 year old Chevy, a Yorkie/Chihuahua, possessed of lion like self-confidence. The sight of the pint-sized Chevy, yappily dominating the child-wolf brought down the house! Kent Weber & his former wife, Dana, got the annual fall visit rolling. Many volunteers have since experienced the wolf roadie magic. Shaman was followed by Sila and a 20 year roster of wolf ambassadors.
Still crazy after all these years ... we're looking forward to the 20TH ANNUAL MISSION: WOLF FALL 2008 NORTHEAST TOUR!! Wolf, Maggie, and wolf husky, Abraham, will head up the Wolf Medicine Show & bring along liberal doses of Natural Sanity Elixir, as well as their human friends, Kent Weber & Tracy Brooks, refuge directors, for some 25 October presentations in NY, CT, MASS, RI & Maine. See the updated Mission:Wolf schedule; & for the ever-developing schedule of WOLF TEACHER/DVD programs, plus outreach tables at festivals. Please consider joining us at one of the upcoming programs. Call for information to schedule an event. We love volunteers!
It's possible to OFFSET YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT WITH A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION to keep the momentum of wolf education going. Your help is so important in nurturing that wild spirit. By supporting this grassroots teaching you will enable us to cover costs of office space, our web site, programs & outreach tables. We cannot do this without your input & financial investment!! Your check, made payable to "Wolf Teacher / Pam Brown", (or for tax-deductable purposes, to "APNM" - Animal Protection of New Mexico) can be mailed to P. O. Box 158, Morris, NY 13808. We are so grateful for your help! many thanks for being part of this meaningful & very effective chapter in wolf history!
THANKS! - to Acorn Designs for donated envelopes; to Fran Bentley, Art Judd, & Christine Barnes for clippings & editing; to Suzanne Johnson & students, wolf Atka & crew of Wolf Conservation Center and for making Earth Day shine at Oneonta Middle & Riverside Elementary schools!
** How many words can you make from "endangered species?" Send in your list. The one with the most words will win an organic cotton "Advice From a Wolf" t-shirt in your size!**
For Wild,
Pam Brown
