States
Washington
Grizzly bears occupied the North Cascades region of Washington for thousands of years as a key part of the ecosystem, distributing native plant seeds and keeping other wildlife populations in balance. Populations declined primarily due to direct killing by humans.
In November 2022, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service initiated an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process to evaluate options for restoring grizzly bears to the North Cascades Ecosystem. The process also explored a potential 10(j) experimental population designation from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which provides land managers with additional options for managing animals. Learn more about 10(j) experimental population designations
Current Status
On April 25, 2024, the two agencies to actively restore grizzly bears to the ecosystem. The decision is considered the conclusion of the EIS process. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has also released , designating a nonessential experimental population. There is no set timeline for when translocation of grizzly bears to the ecosystem may begin.
News Releases
4/25/24-
3/21/24-
10/13/23-
9/28/23-
11/10/22-
Documents
Frequently Asked Questions
final 10(j) Rule FAQs
Get answers to some of the most common questions about the restoration and 10(j) experimental population designation.
EIS Process
View documents and learn about the EIS process at the link above.
Background Documents
- (National Park Service, 2018)- PDF
- North Cascades Chapter of the National Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1997)- PDF
- (National Park Service, 2023)
Bear Safety
Bear conflict prevention guidance from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee for:
