News & Commentary
New Mexico Fish and Game stops wandering wolf “Taylor” in his tracks, sends him south for the second time
Another Mexican gray wolf was just punished for doing exactly what wolves are meant to do: migrate and search out new territory.
Mexican gray wolf photo available for media use with appropriate credit: Jim Clark/USFWS. Image is available for media use.
For immediate release: November 10, 2025
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Conservation groups are condemning the decision by the New Mexico Department of Fish and Game (NMDFG) to remove a wandering male Mexican gray wolf from the northern part of the state late last week. His removal marks the second time that the agency has tried to confine him south of Interstate 40, asserting that wolves must stay within the arbitrary bounds of the Mexican Gray Wolf Experimental Population Area (MWEPA), which represents only some of the suitable wolf habitat in the Southwest and which was delineated for political rather than scientific reasons.
The wolf was named “Taylor” by conservation groups in honor of Mount Taylor, a place considered sacred by numerous southwestern Tribes, and where this wolf was originally encountered in May 2025 and to where he returned in July 2025 after his first translocation south into the Gila National Forest. He is the fifth wolf in recent years to venture north in New Mexico, and his “out-of-bounds” journey over the last four months has been free of conflict with humans. His recent movements suggested that he might be looking for a mate; January is the start of breeding season for this species.
“It’s ridiculous to keep moving wolves back south of Interstate 40 when wolves have clearly decided there’s great habitat to the north of the highway,” said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project. “We fully expect that, like Asha before him, he’ll head right back to his northern territory. We can’t explain his desire, but we shouldn’t deny his instincts.”
“Wildlife should be wild and free,” said Chris Smith, wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians. “Lobos are going to eventually re-establish in northern New Mexico, as they should. Enforcing arbitrary boundaries to keep wildlife where humans want them is not just a silly game–it is a threat to recovery.”
Independent wolf biologists have recommended that Mexican wolf dispersal to or reintroduction efforts in the southern Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado are necessary in order for the species to be recovered. Because Northern Rockies gray wolves, now reintroduced to Colorado, are close relatives capable of interbreeding with Mexican gray wolves, northern expansion is considered a critical element of long-term recovery. Allowing these populations to meet where their historical ranges overlap will restore natural gene flow and strengthen the long-term viability of both lineages.
Despite recovery science establishing the need for multiple, connected populations of Mexican wolves, state and federal agencies continue to enforce artificial boundaries and do not allow wolves north of Interstate 40 where suitable habitat abounds.
“Taylor is confirming what scientists and conservationists have been saying: wolves need room to roam, disperse, and find mates,” said Michelle Lute, PhD in wolf conservation and executive director of Wildlife for All. “These processes function at the landscape scale and cannot be constrained by administrative boundaries. Wolves like Taylor are expanding their range naturally, and the science is clear: recovery requires connectivity. We need wildlife governance that respects biology, not bureaucratic borders.”
“Taylor is charting his own path across ancestral landscapes, just as wolves have always done. Agencies claimed Asha had no mate in northern New Mexico, yet by removing every wolf who ventures north of I-40, they guarantee she never will,” said Claire Musser, executive director, Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. “True recovery requires giving lobos the freedom to disperse, to find family, and to shape their own futures on their own terms.”
“Taylor should not have been captured,” said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity. “Mexican wolves need more room to roam, not confinement behind arbitrary political lines.”
“We’ve long known that the political boundaries imposed on Mexican gray wolf recovery do not match ecological ones, and that this poses a significant hindrance to recovery. We have an opportunity here to advance recovery efforts by simply allowing Taylor—and other lobos—to wander north into historic and suitable habitat, and yet we expend significant resources time and time again preventing just that,” said Luke Koenig, Gila grassroots organizer for New Mexico Wild.
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November Wildlife Commission Meetings
Speak up for wildlife at November Wildlife Commission Meetings.
November Wildlife Commission Meetings
November wildlife commission meetings are some of the final ones in 2025. Don’t miss one of the last chances this year for you, the public, to be heard.
Only 22 states are meeting this month, but the decisions being made could shape the future of species and the health of ecosystems across the country. Commissions are weighing policies that determine how wildlife is managed, who gets representation in decision-making, and whether science or politics will guide the path forward.
These meetings rarely make national news—but they’re where the real work of wildlife governance happens. Showing up matters. Submitting a comment matters. Even listening in matters. Every act of participation helps move us closer to wildlife management that reflects ecological science, democratic values, and coexistence for all life—not outdated, special-interest rule.
Below you’ll find the full list of November commission meetings by state and date. Visit our Resources Page and Advocacy Toolkit to prepare your comments or testimony—and make sure your voice is part of the record before the year ends.
Note: planned meetings in Oklahoma (11/3) and Indiana (11/12) were cancelled.
Florida
Meeting Date: November 5-6
Location:Palm Beach State College, Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center, 1977 SW College Dr., Belle Glade, FL 33430
Details: Click here for agenda and meeting details
Notes: Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. each day. Public comments will be accepted in person during the meeting. For in-person comments, please review the speaker registration guidelines at https://myfwc.com/about/commission/. Advance comments are due by 5 p.m. the Friday before the meeting. If you would like to provide comments via mail, please send those comments to: FWC Commissioners, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399. If you do not wish or are unable to speak at the meeting but would like to provide comments, you may do so using the online comment form or by contacting the Commissioners directly via email at commissioners@myfwc.com.
Action: Speak out on the proposed rule, “Regulated Trapping of Wildlife in Florida.” Staff will present proposed rule amendments to modernize Florida’s current wildlife trapping regulations to include new registration, training, and reporting requirements, and updates to the allowed methods of take. These changes will better align with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Best Management Practices in support of humane trapping. Staff will also provide an update on stakeholder engagement and feedback received to date through public webinars, a commenting tool, and the work of the Trapping Technical Assistance Group. Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than one hour. (This item may be moved to day one or postponed). See agenda for links.
Texas
Meeting Date: November 5-6
Location: El Paso Convention Center, Ocotillo Room, 1 Civic Center Plaza, El Paso, TX 79901
Details: Click here for agenda and meeting details
Notes: Work Session: 9 a.m. Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Commission Meeting: 9 a.m. Thursday, November 6, 2025. Comment online through 5 p.m. November 5 using the links in the meeting agenda. The site reads, “Live streaming video and audio will be available,” but links were not available at time of webpage publishing. Watch the live stream or listen by telephone: (888) 978-8818, access code: 8201869#.
Action: Comment on the state’s first mountain lion management plan.
Wyoming
Meeting Date: November 5-6
Location:Laramie at the Game and Fish Regional Office, 1212 South Adams Street
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: This meeting will be conducted in person and via Zoom. Please note there are different links for each day. If you wish to speak to the Commission and comment on an agenda item in person, please complete the comment form provided at the meeting. If you wish to speak to the Commission and comment on an agenda item via Zoom, please submit an Advanced Agenda Item Comment Form, which is attached to the agenda to toni.bell2@wyo.gov.
Wednesday, November 5 Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86841631317 Webinar ID: 868 4163 1317
Thursday, November 6, 2025 Tour – 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. The tour will include the Laramie Regional Office and Forensic Lab and is open to the public. The Laramie Regional Office is located at 1212 South Adams Street in Laramie.
California – Marine Resources Committee only
Meeting Date: November 6
Location: California Natural Resources Headquarters Building, 715 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. Marine Resources Committee meeting only. Meeting packet.
Louisiana
Meeting Date: November 6
Location: LDWF Headquarters, Joe L. Herring Room, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Details: Click here for meeting details
Notes: Meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. A live audio/video stream of this meeting will be available via Zoom. To view via webinar, register here.
Michigan
Meeting Date: November 6
Location: Lansing Community College, West Campus Rooms M119-121, 5708 Cornerstone Drive, Lansing, MI 48917
Details: Click here for agenda (not available at time of webpage publishing) and details.
Notes: 9:30 a.m. Persons registering to provide comments on a topic listed on the agenda on or before the Friday preceding the meeting will be allowed up to 5 minutes for their comments. Persons registering to comment on a topic not listed on the agenda, after the Friday preceding the meeting, or at the meeting will be allowed up to 3 minutes. If you are unable to attend the meeting but wish to submit written comments on agenda items, please write to Natural Resources Commission, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing, Michigan 48909, or email nrc@michigan.gov. Read more on the Commission website.
New Hampshire
Meeting Date:November 6
Location:Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, NH
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: There will be a Strategic Planning Committee Meeting held on November 6th @ 2:30 p.m., at the NH Fish & Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301, in the Director’s conference room. This meeting is open to the public. There will be a Resources & Infrastructure Committee Meeting held on November 10th at 11:00 a.m., at the Glenn Cove Wildlife Management Area, 49 Emery Ln., Greenland, NH 03840. This meeting is open to the public.
South Dakota
Meeting Date: November 6-7
Location: Lemmon
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: November 6, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. MT | November 7, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. MT. To join via conference call, dial 1.669.900.9128 | Webinar ID: 912 6417 6710 | Passcode: 970458. Zoom meeting link. Livestream watch link. Meeting materials here. Inform Gail Buus at gail.buus@state.sd.us by 1 pm CST if you plan to speak during the meeting. Testifiers should provide their full names, whom they are representing, city of residence, and which proposed topic they will be addressing. Written comments can be submitted here. Here are guidelines for submission. To be included in the public record, comments must include full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of seventy-two hours before the meeting (not including the day of the meeting).
West Virginia
Meeting Date: November 6
Location: WVU Potomac State College – Davis Conference Center,101 Fort Avenue, Keyser, WV 26726
Details: Click here for agenda and details (note no agenda or detailed meeting information is available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Meeting starts at 6 p.m. The agenda for the November 6, 2025 meeting will be posted closer to the meeting date. Send comments to wvnrcommission@wv.gov. To send written comments, contact: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Director’s Office, 324th Avenue, South Charleston, WV 25303. The meeting will be livestreamed on the West Virginia Department of Commerce’s YouTube channel and will be available starting the day of the meeting. The livestream is view-only. To provide public comments, you must attend in person at one of the six district locations listed above. If you can’t watch the meeting live, a recording will be posted and remain available until the next scheduled Commission meeting, so you can watch it at your convenience.
In-Person Locations
District 1 – 1110 Railroad St, Farmington, WV 26571
District 2 – 1 Depot St, Romney, WV 26757
District 3 – 738 Ward Rd, Elkins, WV 26241
District 4 – 2006 Robert C. Byrd Dr, Beckley, WV 25801
District 5 – 112 California Ave, Charleston, WV 25305
District 6 – 76 Conservation Way, Parkersburg, WV 26104
⚠️ Important Note About Public Comments: The livestream is view-only. To provide public comments, you must attend in person at one of the six district locations listed above.
Nevada
Meeting Date: November 7
Location: Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89155
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Any person who would like to comment to the Commission about a specific agenda item must make a written request to the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting. The time allotted for public comment and the number of speakers will be at the Commission’s discretion. Public comment will be taken on each action item following Commission discussion and before any action is taken; links coming once NDOW posts the meeting agenda. Persons attending virtually wishing to comment are invited to raise their virtual hands in the virtual meeting forum during the appropriate time; each person offering public comment during this period will be limited to not more than three minutes.
Action: Comment on the “Predation Management Plan” and “Coyote Killing Contests” agenda items. Oppose codifying killing contests into law. Point out that the management plan lacks coexistence measures.
New Mexico
Meeting Date: November 7
Location: Los Alamos
Details: Click here for details (no agenda available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Meeting starts at 9 a.m. Comment in person by signing up to speak via a card. Register in advance to attend this meeting virtually via Zoom (link TBD; see agenda once posted). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The commission may hear verbal public comments from virtual attendees at this meeting. If comments are taken, you will be asked to virtually raise your hand and then acknowledged to speak when it is your turn. A live webcast of this meeting will be available on the commission’s Webcast page and on our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/NMGameandFish. Comments will not be taken on the live webcast or on YouTube.
Massachusetts
Meeting Date: November 12
Location: MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, Massachusetts
Details: Click here for agenda and details (per the website, the agenda will be posted here no later than 2 business days before the meeting.)
Notes: Meeting starts at 3 p.m. Attendees can go in person or join via Zoom, passcode 484848. Or join via telephone: Join via audio: (929) 205-6099, Webinar ID: 867 4074 8593, Passcode: 484848. Anyone wishing to be placed on the agenda to speak at the monthly business meeting must begin by notifying the Board in writing 2 weeks prior to the Board meeting; for more detailed information, contact Susan Sacco.
New Jersey
Meeting Date: November 12
Location: Assunpink Wildlife Management Area – Central Region Office, Large Conference Room,1 Eldridge Rd., Robbinsville Twp, NJ 08691
Details: Click here for agenda
Notes: The public is welcome to attend and participate in the public portion of each meeting. Meeting starts at 10 a.m. and will be held both in person and via GoToMeeting (audio only). Call in: +1 (312) 757-3121 | Access Code: 848-342-077. Per the website, public comments may be made in person or online and will be limited to 3 minutes per person. More information about the Commission is on its website, including a meeting guide and how to connect. For help, contact Kristen.Meistrell@dep.nj.gov.
Ohio
Meeting Date: November 12
Location: Wildlife District 1 Office, 1500 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting begins at 6 p.m. Comments for open forums during Ohio Wildlife Council meetings must be about a current rule proposal. If you have a topic that is not a current rule proposal, please email the council with your comment or question or speak to a council member before or after a meeting. If the topic falls within the wildlife, fish, or law section, feel free to reach out at our open houses or email the Division of Wildlife at wildinfo@dnr.ohio.gov. Speakers must register by 5:00 p.m. the Monday before the meeting. The attached Public Comment Form will need to be completed and submitted to wildlife.council@dnr.ohio.gov. Along with the form, submit any handouts you plan to provide. Speakers are limited to 3 minutes. There will be a maximum of ten speaker slots available. PowerPoint presentations are not permitted.
Colorado
Meeting Date: November 13-14
Location: Northeastern Junior College, 100 College Ave, Sterling, CO 80751
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m.. Written comments will be accepted at any time. However, to ensure sufficient time for consideration prior to the meeting, comments should be provided to the Division of Parks and Wildlife by noon on Friday, 11/7. Email the commission (though these won’t be counted in the official public record if received after noon on 11/7).
Iowa
Meeting Date: November 13
Location: Des Moines
Details: Click here for details (note no agenda was available at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes: The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Comments regarding agenda items may be submitted for public record to Alicia.Plathe@dnr.iowa.gov or 6200 Park Ave Ste 200, Des Moines IA 50321 up to 24 hours prior to the business meeting.
Washington
Meeting Date: November 13-15
Location: Hybrid, Lynnwood
Details: Click here for agenda and schedule details (no agenda available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Registration for those wishing to provide virtual comments closes at 5 p.m. the day before the meeting begins. Registrants will be called upon and typically have 3 minutes to speak. If you are unable to participate, you can submit your comments on the Commission contact page. If you haven’t pre-registered and wish to attend and speak in person, complete a Public Testimony Form, available at the registration table. The form must be submitted at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the agenda item you wish to testify on.
Hawai’i
Meeting Date: November 14
Location: 1151 Punchbowl St. Room 132 (Kalanimoku Building), Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Details: Meeting agendas are posted at least 6 days prior to the date of the meeting but an agenda for this month was not available when this webpage was posted. Keep checking back on this webpage.
Notes: Meeting starts at 9.a.m. Attend in person and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet. To speak virtually, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov. Include your name and the agenda item on which you would like to testify. Once your request has been received, you will receive an email with the Zoom link. Requests may be also made during the meeting. Meetings will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/c/boardoflandandnaturalresourcesdlnr. To submit a comment, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to ensure time for BLNR Member review.
Arkansas
Meeting Date: November 19-20
Location: Little Rock
Details: Click here for agenda and details (no agenda posted as of 11/4)
Notes: Unclear how to speak at meetings or provide virtual testimony or written comments. 2025 meeting schedule is here. Archive of 2025 meetings is here. Watch the meeting on YouTube.
Maryland
Meeting Date: November 19
Location: Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service, 580 Taylor Avenue, Tawes State Office Building, E-1, Annapolis MD 21401
Details: Click here for agenda and details. (Note no agenda was posted at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes: Google Meet available for virtual participation. Note: Unless notified otherwise, all meetings will be held via Google Meet. When meeting in person, they will be held in the C-4 Conference Room of the Department of Natural Resources—Tawes State Office Building beginning at 10:30 a.m. Available parking is located at the Navy Stadium Parking Lot. Send written comments to wac.dnr@maryland.gov.
Idaho
Meeting Date: November 20
Location: Idaho Fish and Game – Clearwater Regional Office, 3316 16th Street, Lewiston, ID 83501
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Virtual participation available; https://zoom.us/j/91287823590. Call-in number: 253-215-8782, Webinar ID: 912 8782 3590; Password is “meeting” if needed. Per the website, “The Fish and Game Commission usually holds a public hearing in conjunction with each regular meeting. Members of the public who want to address the commission on any topic having to do with Fish and Game business may do so at the public hearing. All testimony will be taken into consideration when the commission makes decisions on agenda items at the meetings.” It is unclear how to submit comments in advance or if virtual comments/speaking is allowed. Here is the full 2025 meeting schedule.
Kansas
Meeting Date: November 20
Location: Great Bend, KS – Camp Aldrich Conference Center, 884 NE 110th Ave, Claflin, KS 67525
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: Meeting starts at 12 p.m. You can watch and comment via Zoom; register here. Once registered, you will emailed a link to “Join the Meeting.” You will be muted upon entering the meeting. To comment or ask a question, use the “Raise Hand” feature or type your question in the chat function. To call in, dial: 1-877-853-5257. When a meeting ID is requested, enter: 850 1361 0088#. When a participant ID is requested, enter: #. Watch the live video/audio stream at https://ksoutdoors.com/commission-meeting.
Action: Proposed regulations to be voted on: 115-15-2. Nongame species; general provisions. (see agenda for meeting packet)
Atascosa Borderlands, Chapter 5
In this episode of the mixed-media storytelling project Atascosa Borderlands, Mandy Culbertson examines the North American Model of Conservation and its impact on wildlife management in Arizona and beyond. She explains how hunting licenses and excise taxes, while historically key to funding state wildlife agencies, now create perverse incentives that prioritize game species over holistic ecosystem health. The conversation delves into the public trust doctrine as a transformative framework, and gives a fresh perspective on wildlife funding and conservation priorities. Mandy also explores the challenges facing modern conservation, from climate change to habitat loss, and the need to rethink outdated models to ensure the survival of species like the Coues deer in the Sonoran Borderlands.
Wolf Awareness Week 2025
Wolf Awareness Week 2025 is here.
WOLF AWARENESS WEEK 2025:
Honoring Wolves, Exposing Broken Wildlife Governance, and Fighting for a Just Future
Wolf Awareness Week 2025 is here. Every third week of October, we celebrate Wolf Awareness Week — a tradition that began in 1996 when President Bill Clinton first recognized the occasion as a time to replace fear with understanding. This week is meant to honor wolves, one of North America’s most essential keystone species, and to shine a light on their ecological role and their ongoing fight for survival.
But to be honest — this year, it’s hard to feel celebratory even though we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of wolf reintroduction into Yellowstone and central Idaho.
Across the country, wolves are being slaughtered at staggering rates under the banner of “management.” They are vilified in the media, scapegoated by industry, and failed by outdated state wildlife governance systems that treat them not as living beings essential to ecosystems, but as problems to be “controlled.”
From the Northern Rockies to the Southwest, the fight for wolves is a fight against entrenched political and economic power. And that’s exactly why reforming state wildlife governance is essential — not just for wolves, but for the health of every ecosystem they shape.
Wolves: A Keystone Species in Crisis
Wolves are not just another wildlife species. They are a keystone species and apex carnivore, meaning their presence — or absence — ripples through entire ecosystems. When wolves return, landscapes heal: ungulate populations rebalance, vegetation recovers, rivers stabilize, and biodiversity thrives. This is not romanticism; it’s science.
Yet, despite this well-established ecological reality, wolves remain under siege:
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In the Northern Rockies, states like Montana and Idaho are in the midst of relentless killing sprees, setting quotas that allow for the slaughter of hundreds of wolves annually. These decisions are driven not by science, but by political pressure from livestock and trophy hunting interests.
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In the Great Lakes region, state politicians are eagerly waiting for federal delisting to resume unscientific wolf hunts.
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In Colorado and California, where wolves are making fragile returns, they face a coordinated disinformation campaign by Big Ag to turn the public against them.
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Mexican gray wolf populations are still on the brink, with individuals dying over and over again from government-sanctioned “management” and illegal poaching.
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And the wild population of red wolf numbers fewer than 25 individuals, confined to a tiny pocket of habitat in North Carolina.
This is not a failure of science. It’s a failure of governance.
Wolves are persecuted not because they are a biological threat to ecosystems, but because they are a political inconvenience to industries that profit from their absence. Across most states, wildlife commissions are stacked with livestock and trophy hunting interests, and the agencies that should be stewards of biodiversity are instead beholden to extractive politics.
This is why Wildlife for All is fighting to transform state wildlife governance systems. Real democracy in wildlife management means giving all people — not just a politically connected few — a voice in how wildlife is managed. It means grounding decisions in science, ethics, and ecological health, not political favors or cultural resentments.
Wolf Awareness Week isn’t just a time to celebrate wolves. It’s a time to name the systems that are killing them.
Bright Spots in a Dark Landscape
Even in the face of relentless persecution, there are glimmers of hope:
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A federal court ruled that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service improperly delisted Northern Rockies wolves, forcing a reassessment of the threats they face.
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Conservation groups are challenging Montana’s record-high quota of 558 wolves for the 2025–26 season.
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In North Carolina, wildlife crossings are being built along Highway 64 to help save the last red wolves in the wild.
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New Mexico’s governor fired a wildlife commissioner over her ties to anti-wolf groups — a rare example of accountability.
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Grassroots coexistence work in Colorado is shifting the narrative and building real solutions with ranchers.
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Three new wolf packs were confirmed earlier this year in California.
These victories don’t erase the threats — but they remind us why we fight.
A new national survey shows that the American public overwhelmingly supports continued protections for gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act — including 75% of rural residents in wolf states and 79% of farmers and ranchers. For every person who strongly opposes protecting wolves, more than nine strongly support it. In a moment when political efforts to strip federal protections are gaining traction, this broad public backing is a powerful reminder that most Americans want wolves — and the wild places they depend on — to endure.
Wolf Awareness Week 2025 should not be about celebrating the fact that wolves still exist in spite of us. It should be about building a future where they thrive because of us — because we chose to evolve our governance, challenge entrenched power, and align our policies with science and justice.
Wolves deserve more than “management.” The language we use matters. Wolves are not a “resource” to be managed for recreational killing. They are sentient beings with intrinsic value, integral to the functioning of wild ecosystems.
How to Take Action During Wolf Awareness Week 2025
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Speak up: Contact your state wildlife commission and demand science-based protections for wolves if you live in a state with wolves.
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Educate: Share credible information that counters fearmongering and myths.
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Organize: Join efforts to reform state wildlife governance so wolves — and all wildlife — have a future.
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Support: Grassroots coexistence programs, legal challenges, and advocacy campaigns need public backing.
Wolves have survived centuries of eradication campaigns. Their endurance is a testament to their strength. But survival is not the same as justice.
This Wolf Awareness Week, let’s honor wolves not with platitudes, but with power-building — the kind that can transform broken systems and create a future where wolves are not fighting for scraps of safety, but thriving as the ecological keystones they are.
Ideology vs. Wildlife Science: A Conversation with Mandy Culbertson
Wildlife for All Communications Director Mandy Culbertson joins the 90 Miles to Needles podcast for an insightful discussion on ideology vs. wildlife science. The conversation covers wildlife protection and democratic governance, exploring how grassroots advocacy can drive meaningful change in state wildlife management.
October Wildlife Commission Meetings
Speak up for wildlife at October Wildlife Commission Meetings.
October Wildlife Commission Meetings
October brings another round of wildlife commission meetings—and another round of opportunities for the public to push back against business-as-usual management.
From Washington to Colorado to New Hampshire, commissions are deciding policies that affect the lives of wildlife, the fate of their habitat, and the future of whole ecosystems. Too often, those decisions still elevate politics and industry demands over science, values, and the voices of the broader public.
These meetings don’t grab national headlines, but they’re where the rules that govern our wild neighbors are written. That makes public participation essential. Whether you testify, submit comments, or simply attend, your presence sends a message: wildlife deserves governance rooted in science, democracy, and coexistence—not outdated, kill-first policies.
Below you’ll find the full list of October wildlife commission meetings by state and date. Our Resources Page and Advocacy Toolkit are here to help you prepare. Let’s show commissions across the country that the public is paying attention—and demanding change.
Ohio
Meeting Date: October 1
Location: Wildlife District 1 Office, 1500 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting begins at 6 p.m. Comments for open forums during Ohio Wildlife Council meetings must be about a current rule proposal. If you have a topic that is not a current rule proposal, please email the council with your comment or question or speak to a council member before or after a meeting. If the topic falls within the wildlife, fish, or law section, feel free to reach out at our open houses or email the Division of Wildlife at wildinfo@dnr.ohio.gov. Speakers must register by 5:00 p.m. the Monday before the meeting. The attached Public Comment Form will need to be completed and submitted to wildlife.council@dnr.ohio.gov. Along with the form, submit any handouts you plan to provide. Speakers are limited to 3 minutes. There will be a maximum of ten speaker slots available. PowerPoint presentations are not permitted.
Louisiana
Meeting Date: October 2
Location: LDWF Headquarters, Joe L. Herring Room, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Details: Click here for meeting details
Notes: A live audio/video stream of this meeting will be available via Zoom. To view via webinar, register here.
Missouri
Meeting Date: October 2-3
Location: MDC Headquarters, 2901 W Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65102
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Any person who would like to comment to the Commission about a specific agenda item must make a written request to the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting. The time allotted for public comment and the number of speakers will be at the Commission’s discretion. Background documents related to open meeting agenda items are available for public viewing at Conservation Department Headquarters, Jefferson City, for eight calendar days prior to the meeting. Any person who would like to comment to the Commission about a specific agenda item must make a written request to the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting. Recording the open meeting is permissible, pursuant to any guidelines established by the Commission to minimize disruption to the meeting. Individuals wishing to record the open meeting by audiotape, videotape, or other electronic means should notify the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting so accommodations for such recording can be made. To view livestream of the open meeting, or to watch recordings of past meetings, go to http://on.mo.gov/2nodPJU
Oklahoma
Meeting Date: October 6
Location: Roman Nose State Park – Roman Nose Hall 3236 S. HWY 8A Watonga, OK 73772
Details: Click here for agenda and details. (Note no agenda as of 10/1)
Notes: Meeting starts at 10 a.m. Read more on their website. This meeting is scheduled to be streamed live and recorded at www.youtube.com/user/outdooroklahoma. This meeting with present the state’s 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan.
Indiana
Meeting Date: October 7
Location: Fort Harrison State Park, The Garrison, 6002 North Post Road, Indianapolis, IN
Details: Agenda was not available when this webpage was published. Keep checking this webpage for details.
Notes:10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT. All meeting agendas are posted a week prior to the meeting.
California
Meeting Date: October 8-9
Location: East End Complex Auditorium, 1500 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95814
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.; Thursday, 8:30 a.m. Commission meetings are live-streamed (also referred to as a live webcast) with full audio and video. If you simply want to observe the meeting, but do not wish to comment on any item, we encourage you to view the live webcast available at www.fgc.ca.gov. How to join (if you plan to provide comment). More on all meetings in 2025.
Iowa
Meeting Date: October 8-9
Location: Allamakee County; no other details available as of 10/1
Details: Click here for details (note no agenda was available at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes: The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Comments regarding agenda items may be submitted for public record to Alicia.Plathe@dnr.iowa.gov or 6200 Park Ave Ste 200, Des Moines IA 50321 up to 24 hours prior to the business meeting.
Colorado
Meeting Date: October 9
Location: Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland Conference Center, 4705 Clydesdale Pkwy, Loveland, CO 80538
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m.. Written comments will be accepted at any time. However, to ensure sufficient time for consideration prior to the meeting, comments should be provided to the Division of Parks and Wildlife by noon on Friday, 10/3. Email the commission (though these won’t be counted in the official public record if received after noon on 10/3).
Michigan
Meeting Date: October 9
Location: Michigan Technological University, Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts,1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, Michigan 49931
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: 8:30 a.m. Coffee with Commissioners, 9:30 a.m. meeting. Persons registering to provide comments on a topic listed on the agenda on or before the Friday preceding the meeting will be allowed up to 5 minutes for their comments. Persons registering to comment on a topic not listed on the agenda, after the Friday preceding the meeting, or at the meeting will be allowed up to 3 minutes. If you are unable to attend the meeting but wish to submit written comments on agenda items, please write to Natural Resources Commission, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing, Michigan 48909, or email nrc@michigan.gov. Read more on the Commission website.
Montana
Meeting Date: October 9
Location: Montana WILD Auditorium and virtually via Zoom
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: Meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. Public comments will be accepted on the following proposals through September 30. Public comment willl be offered during the meeting. In-person comments can be made at the meeting venue or at any FWP Regional Office throughout the state. Comment can also be made to the Commission virtually through Zoom. You must register to comment via Zoom by noon on October 8.
Nebraska
Meeting Date: October 9-10
Location:Eagle View Group Lodge at Niobrara State Park 89261 522 Ave, Niobrara, NE
Details: Click here for meeting agenda and details. Agenda for informational session.
Notes: Meeting starts at 8 a.m. Interested persons may attend and testify orally or by written submission at the public hearing. Interested persons or organizations may submit written comments prior to the hearing, which will be entered into the hearing record if they: 1) include a request to be included as part of the hearing record; 2) include the name and address of the person or organization submitting the comments; and 3) are received by Sheri Henderson at the Lincoln office, 2200 North 33rd Street, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370. It is unclear if the meeting will be livestreamed and if virtual participation is possible.
South Dakota
Meeting Date: October 9-10
Location: Lemmon
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: October 9, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. CT | October 10, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. CT. To join via conference call, dial 1.669.900.9128 | Webinar ID: 912 6417 6710 | Passcode: 970458. Zoom meeting link. Livestream watch link. Meeting materials here. Inform Gail Buus at gail.buus@state.sd.us by 1 pm CST if you plan to speak during the meeting. Testifiers should provide their full names, whom they are representing, city of residence, and which proposed topic they will be addressing. Written comments can be submitted here. Here are guidelines for submission. To be included in the public record, comments must include full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of seventy-two hours before the meeting (not including the day of the meeting).
Hawai’i
Meeting Date: October 10
Location: 1151 Punchbowl St. Room 132 (Kalanimoku Building), Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Details: Meeting agendas are posted at least 6 days prior to the date of the meeting but an agenda for this month was not available when this webpage was posted. Keep checking back on this webpage.
Notes: Meeting starts at 9.a.m. Attend in person and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet. To speak virtually, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov. Include your name and the agenda item on which you would like to testify. Once your request has been received, you will receive an email with the Zoom link. Requests may be also made during the meeting. Meetings will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/c/boardoflandandnaturalresourcesdlnr. To submit a comment, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to ensure time for BLNR Member review.
Oregon
Meeting Date: October 10
Location: ODFW Headquarters Classroom, 4034 Fairview Industrial DR SE, Salem, OR 97302
Details: Click here for details and agenda
Notes: Commission meetings begin at 8:30 a.m. and proceed chronologically through the agenda. If you wish to receive written materials prepared for any of the agenda items, please contact the Director’s Office in Salem at (503) 947-6044 or email ODFW.Commission@odfw.oregon.gov to request a packet for those items that interest you. Members of the public can view a livestream of the meeting via the agency’s YouTube channel or on the Commission page. Members of the public may also view a livestream of this meeting at ODFW Headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem. Comment and testimony are limited to 3 minutes or less. Submit written comments and/or register to speak virtually. Those who would like to provide virtual testimony must register no less than 48 hours in advance to receive a testimony link to the meeting. To provide testimony on an agenda item in-person, registration will be available at the meeting. To provide in-person public comment, fill out a “Witness Registration” form available at the meeting. To provide testimony virtually or in-person during Public Forum you must contact the Director’s office no less than 48 hours (8 a.m. Wednesday June 11) in advance of the meeting for approval. Meeting is livestreamed here.
Maryland
Meeting Date: October 15
Location: Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service, 580 Taylor Avenue, Tawes State Office Building, E-1, Annapolis MD 21401
Details: Click here for agenda and details. (Note no agenda was posted at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes: Google Meet available for virtual participation. Note: Unless notified otherwise, all meetings will be held via Google Meet. When meeting in person, they will be held in the C-4 Conference Room of the Department of Natural Resources—Tawes State Office Building beginning at 10:30 a.m. Available parking is located at the Navy Stadium Parking Lot. Send written comments to wac.dnr@maryland.gov.
Vermont
Meeting Date: October 15
Location: National Life Dewey Conference Room, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620
Details: Click here for agenda and details (note no agenda posted as of 10/1)
Notes: Meeting starts at 5 p.m. Unclear how to comment or speak either virtually or in person. Full meeting schedule for 2025 is here.
Arkansas
Meeting Date: October 15-16
Location: Little Rock
Details: Click here for agenda and details (no agenda posted as of 10/1)
Notes: Unclear how to speak at meetings or provide virtual testimony or written comments. 2025 meeting schedule is here. Archive of 2025 meetings is here. Watch the meeting on YouTube.
North Carolina
Meeting Date: October 15-16
Location: Commission Room, 5th Floor, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC
Details: Click here for agenda and details. No agenda available as of 10/1.
Notes: Committees meet October 15. The board will meet at 9 a.m. on October 16. Members of the public may join in person or via Zoom by registering in advance: https://ncwildlife-org.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_xjCQTSxSTKSmnoBdmDsYlw.
Tennessee
Meeting Date: October 16-17
Location:Region II Office, Ellington Agricultural Center, Nashville, TN
Details: Click here for agenda and details (note no agenda is available at the time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Meeting starts at 1 p.m. on August 21 and 9 a.m. on August 22. No agenda listed and it is unclear how to watch remotely, or how to provide comments.
New Hampshire
Meeting Date: October 21
Location:Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, NH
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meetings are generally at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month. Meetings of the NH Fish and Game Commission are open to the public, unless otherwise noted.
New Jersey
Meeting Date: October 21
Location: Assunpink Wildlife Management Area – Central Region Office, Large Conference Room,1 Eldridge Rd., Robbinsville Twp, NJ 08691
Details: Click here for details and agenda for joint meeting with Endangered and Nongame Species Council.
Notes: The public is welcome to attend and participate in the public portion of each meeting. Meeting starts at 10 a.m. and will be held both in person and via GoToMeeting (audio only). Call in: +1 (312) 757-3121 | Access Code: 848-342-077. Per the website, public comments may be made in person or online and will be limited to 3 minutes per person. More information about the Commission is on its website, including a meeting guide and how to connect. For help, contact Kristen.Meistrell@dep.nj.gov.
Wisconsin
Meeting Date: October 21-22
Location: TBD; not available at time of webpage publishing
Details: Click here for agenda and meeting details (note no agenda is available at time of website publishing).
Notes: The Natural Resources Board will meet in-person. Remote testimony from the public via Zoom may be accepted for this meeting. In person public appearances are also welcome. Members of the public can submit their request to testify remotely, in person, or their written comments by the posted deadline date for Board consideration, typically one week before the meeting date. Watch live on YouTube. Please contact Ashley Bystol, NRB Liaison, at 608-267-7420 or by email at DNRNRBLiaison@wisconsin.gov with NRB-related questions, to request information, submit written comments or to register to testify at a meeting.
Massachusetts
Meeting Date: October 22
Location: MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, Massachusetts
Details: Click here for agenda and details (per the website, the agenda will be posted here no later than 2 business days before the meeting.)
Notes: Meeting starts at 3 p.m. Attendees can go in person or join via Zoom, Passcode: 363636. Or join via telephone: Join via audio: (929) 205-6099, Webinar ID: 891 3204 1442, Passcode: 363636. Anyone wishing to be placed on the agenda to speak at the monthly business meeting must begin by notifying the Board in writing 2 weeks prior to the Board meeting; for more detailed information, contact Susan Sacco.
Ohio
Meeting Date: October 22
Location: Wildlife District 1 Office, 1500 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting begins at 6 p.m. Comments for open forums during Ohio Wildlife Council meetings must be about a current rule proposal. If you have a topic that is not a current rule proposal, please email the council with your comment or question or speak to a council member before or after a meeting. If the topic falls within the wildlife, fish, or law section, feel free to reach out at our open houses or email the Division of Wildlife at wildinfo@dnr.ohio.gov. Speakers must register by 5:00 p.m. the Monday before the meeting. The attached Public Comment Form will need to be completed and submitted to wildlife.council@dnr.ohio.gov. Along with the form, submit any handouts you plan to provide. Speakers are limited to 3 minutes. There will be a maximum of ten speaker slots available. PowerPoint presentations are not permitted.
South Carolina
Meeting Date: October 23
Location:107-108 Botany Bay Conference Room at Headquarters at 260 D. Epting Lane, West Columbia, SC 29172 – at State Farmer’s Market complex off of Highway 321
Details: Click here for agenda and details (no agenda available at time of webpage posting)
Notes: Meeting starts at 10 a.m. Anyone wishing to make comments to the Board please email your name and topic to board@dnr.sc.gov at least 24 hours in advance. Contact Sandy Rucker 803-734-9102 or ruckers@dnr.sc.gov for assistance.
Virginia
Meeting Date: October 23
Location: 7870 Villa Park Dr, Suite 400, Henrico, VA 23228
Details: Click here for agenda and details (note no agenda or details besides location and time were available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Meeting starts at 9 a.m. Public comment on agenda items and non-agenda items are welcome at any regularly scheduled Board or Board Committee meeting. Please see the meeting schedule for dates and additional details. The following committees meet at 9 a.m. on October 22: Finance, Audit, and Compliance; Education, Planning and Outreach; Wildlife and Boat; and Law Enforcement.
Hawai’i
Meeting Date: October 24
Location: 1151 Punchbowl St. Room 132 (Kalanimoku Building), Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Details: Meeting agendas are posted at least 6 days prior to the date of the meeting but an agenda for this month was not available when this webpage was posted. Keep checking back on this webpage.
Notes: Meeting starts at 9.a.m. Attend in person and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet. To speak virtually, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov. Include your name and the agenda item on which you would like to testify. Once your request has been received, you will receive an email with the Zoom link. Requests may be also made during the meeting. Meetings will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/c/boardoflandandnaturalresourcesdlnr. To submit a comment, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to ensure time for BLNR Member review.
Washington
Meeting Date: October 24
Location: Virtual only
Details: Click here for agenda and schedule details (no agenda available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Registration for those wishing to provide virtual comments closes at 5 p.m. the day before the meeting begins. Registrants will be called upon and typically have 3 minutes to speak. If you are unable to participate, you can submit your comments on the Commission contact page. If you haven’t pre-registered and wish to attend and speak in person, complete a Public Testimony Form, available at the registration table. The form must be submitted at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the agenda item you wish to testify on.
Delaware
Meeting Date: October 28
Location: TBA, Dover, DE
Details: Click here for agenda (not posted at time of webpage publishing) and details
Notes: Meeting starts at 7 p.m. This will be a hybrid meeting with an in-person option at the Little Creek Hunter Education Center and a virtual option via Teams. To join virtually via Teams, click here and enter this Meeting ID: 238 526 838 982 6 and Passcode: ph3QR6vF. To join by phone (audio-only) dial 1-302-504-8986 and enter code 938331860#. For more information, contact Joe Rogerson at Joseph.Rogerson@delaware.govor 302-739-9912.
Georgia
Meeting Date: October 28
Location: DNR Board Room, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE Suite 1252 East, Atlanta, GA 30334.
Details: Click here for details. (note the meeting agenda was not available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Meeting starts at 9 a.m. Watch online here. Here is the full 2025 meeting schedule.
Missouri
Meeting Date: October 30-31
Location: MDC Headquarters, 2901 W Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65102
Details: Click here for agenda and details (note: no agenda available at time of posting)
Notes: Any person who would like to comment to the Commission about a specific agenda item must make a written request to the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting. The time allotted for public comment and the number of speakers will be at the Commission’s discretion. Background documents related to open meeting agenda items are available for public viewing at Conservation Department Headquarters, Jefferson City, for eight calendar days prior to the meeting. Any person who would like to comment to the Commission about a specific agenda item must make a written request to the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting. Recording the open meeting is permissible, pursuant to any guidelines established by the Commission to minimize disruption to the meeting. Individuals wishing to record the open meeting by audiotape, videotape, or other electronic means should notify the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting so accommodations for such recording can be made. To view livestream of the open meeting, or to watch recordings of past meetings, go to http://on.mo.gov/2nodPJU
Stop the Barred Owl Massacre – Take Action Today
Tell Congress: Vote YES to nullify the billion-dollar, 500,000 owl kill plan and stop the barred owl massacre. Demand humane, science-based wildlife management and real habitat protection now.
ACTION ALERT: Stop the Billion-Dollar Massacre of Native Owls
Tell Congress: Vote YES to Nullify the Barred Owl Kill Plan
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has officially launched a war on native wildlife. Their plan? Spend up to $1.35 billion in taxpayer dollars over the next 30 years to kill half a million barred owls—a native species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for over a century.
Why? Because these owls are competing for habitat with their close cousins, the threatened northern and California spotted owls.
This plan is cruel, costly, futile—and proof that our system of wildlife governance is deeply broken.
Instead of protecting biodiversity by conserving habitat and addressing root causes of decline—like logging, climate change, and mismanagement—our government is proposing the mass killing of one native species to avoid actually protecting habitat to help spotted owls. It’s a dangerous precedent that treats wildlife as enemies to be eliminated, not as beings worthy of coexistence and compassion.
This is not conservation. This is failure.
At Wildlife for All, we’ve long warned that our wildlife governance system is outdated, undemocratic, and too often driven by lethal control and special interests. The Barred Owl Management Strategy is a perfect example:
- A native species is targeted for extermination.
- The “solution” is inhumane and scientifically unsound.
- Public opposition is ignored.
- And powerful agencies act as judge, jury, and executioner—with no meaningful accountability.
Thankfully, bipartisan leaders in both the Senate (S.J. Res. 69) and the House (H.J. Res. 111) are taking action to nullify this reckless plan. Support is building rapidly, with 435 organizations — including Wildlife for All and 35 local Audubon chapters in California, Oregon, and Washington — speaking out against this massacre. Now it’s up to us to make sure Congress follows through.
TAKE ACTION
Contact your two U.S. Senators and your Representative TODAY. Urge them to vote YES on S.J. Res. 69 and H.J. Res. 111 to nullify the Barred Owl Management Strategy.
- Send a letter using this form.
- Then call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, give your ZIP Code, and ask to speak with your members of Congress. Tell them:
“I’m a constituent and I strongly urge you to support the Congressional Review Act resolutions (S.J. Res. 69 and H.J. Res. 111) to stop the billion-dollar barred owl kill plan. This cruel and unworkable strategy is not conservation — it’s a government-sponsored slaughter of native owls.”
Killing barred owls won’t save their close cousins, the spotted owls, like this one pictured.
Why This Matters
Your action today signals that the public is watching and demanding change, creating the momentum needed for both state and federal reform. On the whole, this plan is:
- Unworkable: Killing 30 barred owls for every spotted owl won’t solve habitat loss. Barred owls will quickly recolonize cleared areas—creating an endless cycle of killing.
- Expensive: One recent grant put the cost at $3,000 per owl. That’s $1.35 billion for a plan destined to fail.
- Inhumane: Shooters using night scopes in national parks will orphan chicks, terrify wildlife, and likely kill spotted owls by mistake.
- Ethically indefensible: The role of government is not to “manage” social competition between wild animals. This is ecological arrogance at its worst.
This federal failure also underscores why state-level wildlife governance reform is urgent. Federal agencies often defer to state wildlife boards when setting management priorities, and most of those boards are still dominated by hunting and industry interests. When state commissions treat lethal control as the default “solution,” it gives cover for federal agencies to follow suit. Reforming state systems to be democratic, science-based, and accountable—so that all wildlife and all people have a voice—is the only way to break this cycle of kill-first policies.
By modernizing state governance, we build the foundation for federal policy that protects habitat and coexists with wildlife instead of scapegoating it. Federal agencies often lean on state wildlife boards when setting management priorities, and most of those boards remain dominated by hunting and industry interests. When state commissions treat lethal control as the default “solution,” it gives cover for federal agencies to follow suit.
Every public comment, every call to a legislator, every op-ed chips away at that status quo. Lawmakers and commissioners are tracking public pressure in real time as Congress considers the owl resolutions and as state commissions draft next year’s policies. Reforming state systems to be democratic, science-based, and accountable—so that all wildlife and all people have a voice—is the only way to break this cycle of kill-first management.
This is bigger than owls. This is about who gets to decide who lives or dies, and whether our wildlife agencies act in the public’s interest or cling to outdated, violent models of management.
Watch: Chinook Salmon Returning to the Klamath River
Watch: Chinook salmon returning to the Klamath River in this video from ODFW.
Salmon Returning to Klamath River’s Upper Reaches for the First Time in a Century
For the first time in more than a hundred years, a Chinook salmon has been filmed leaping past Keno Dam on Oregon’s upper Klamath River. The video, captured September 24 by a monitoring camera installed only the day before, shows the fish clearing the final pool of the fish ladder—a single flash of silver that carries generations of history.
This lone salmon is more than a remarkable sight. It’s proof that a river can heal when we remove the barriers. Just one year after four massive hydroelectric dams came down on the Klamath—the largest dam-removal and river-restoration project in the world—salmon are again reaching habitat long denied to them.
A Historic Homecoming
The Klamath once hosted one of the West Coast’s greatest salmon runs, feeding Indigenous nations and nourishing entire ecosystems. But early-20th-century dams blocked more than 400 miles of spawning grounds, collapsing fish populations and depriving Tribes of a central food source and cultural touchstone. Salmon are keystone species: their annual migrations carry ocean nutrients deep into mountain watersheds, feeding everything from bears and eagles to riparian forests themselves. When the fish disappeared, entire food webs suffered.
The sight of a single fish may seem small, but it signals something profound. Salmon have not had access to these upstream waters since the early 1900s, when a series of hydroelectric dams—J.C. Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and Iron Gate—cut off more than 400 miles of their historic spawning habitat. Those dams ignored the treaty rights of the Yurok, Karuk, and Klamath Tribes, whose cultures and diets depended on abundant salmon. The removal of the dams is not only an ecological triumph; it is also a partial restoration of those long-violated rights.
Last year, the J.C. Boyle, Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, and Iron Gate dams were finally removed after decades of organizing led by the Yurok, Karuk, and Klamath Tribes and their allies. The four massive dams, ranging from 33 to 172 feet tall, were dismantled over the past year in the largest dam removal project in U.S. history. Crews executed a controlled drawdown of the reservoirs to prevent downstream flooding, managed decades of accumulated sediment, and began large-scale revegetation efforts. Already, native willows and sedges are sprouting in the former reservoir beds, early signs of a river reclaiming its banks.
The tribes’ victory restored the river’s natural flow and reopened ancient migration corridors. Tribal leaders describe the removal as an act of justice as much as ecology—repairing a wound that state and federal policies inflicted for more than a century.
Now, a single Chinook clearing Keno Dam signals the next chapter. Most of the best spawning habitat lies upstream of Keno and Link River dams and Upper Klamath Lake. For salmon to return here so soon is a testament to their resilience—and to the persistence of the people who fought for this river.
Challenges Await Salmon Returning to the Klamath River
The journey isn’t over. Salmon still must navigate Link River Dam, cross Upper Klamath Lake’s sometimes-poor water quality, and find cool, clean tributaries for spawning. Irrigation diversions, unscreened canals, and climate-driven drought add to the obstacles. The lake poses challenges of its own: recurring toxic algae blooms, fueled in part by agricultural runoff, can degrade water quality and threaten fish health.
State and federal agencies, Tribes, and conservation groups continue to monitor the run and restore habitat throughout the watershed, as well as water quality, so these first pioneers will not be the last. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in partnership with the tribes, is already expanding habitat surveys and considering new fish-passage solutions at the remaining barriers.
Climate change adds another layer of complexity. Warming river temperatures, reduced snowpack, and unpredictable precipitation patterns are shifting migration timing and stressing cold-water species like salmon. Their resilience—returning so quickly once the barriers were removed—underscores both the urgency of climate adaptation and the importance of free-flowing rivers.
Despite these hurdles, the first Chinook at Keno renews hope. Last year, more than 500 adult fall-run Chinook successfully spawned below the former dam sites—the first confirmed reproduction in Oregon’s portion of the Klamath Basin in over a century.
A Lesson for the West
The Klamath River restoration proves that bold action works. For a century, Western water policy favored cheap power and irrigation over living rivers and Indigenous rights. The removal of these four dams shows another way: we can right historic wrongs, revive fisheries, and safeguard biodiversity in an era of climate stress.
Other watersheds are watching closely. From the Snake River in Washington to the Eel River in California, communities are weighing whether to remove aging dams that no longer justify their ecological costs. The Klamath River’s rebirth shows what’s possible when communities confront hard truths about water management, honor Indigenous leadership, and commit to bold restoration.
A flash of silver in a fish ladder might seem small. But as that single salmon pushes past the last pools of a long-blocked ladder, it carries with it a promise: rivers can heal, and with them, the cultures and species that depend on their flow.
Mexican Wolf Genetic Diversity Declines for Fourth Straight Year
Wildlife for All joins 29 other organizations in calling for change after a new analysis showed that the genetic diversity of Mexican wolves declined for the fourth year in a row.
For Immediate Release, September 18, 2025
Mexican Wolf Genetic Diversity Declines for Fourth Straight Year
30 Wildlife Organizations Urge Reforms to Curb Losses, Restore Genes
SILVER CITY, N.M.— Thirty conservation organizations today urged wildlife agencies to take science-based actions to protect Mexican gray wolves after a new analysis showed that the endangered species’ genetic diversity declined for the fourth year in a row.
In a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the groups requested that government agencies release wolf families because the captive population has 37% more genetic diversity than the wild population.
They also asked state and federal officials to stop removing genetically valuable wolves from the wild and allow Mexican gray wolves to mate with northern gray wolves, as they did for millennia.
“Mexican wolves won’t recover unless agencies restore as much genetic diversity as can be salvaged from what’s already been squandered,” said Michael Robinson, a senior conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Federal and state agencies need to stop killing wolves with important genes and start releasing captive breeding wolves in family packs to give wolves the best chance at survival and recovery.”
The last release of a captive-born, well-bonded pair of wolves with their pups occurred in 2006. Those family packs were overwhelmingly successful. Genetic diversity peaked in 2008 after some of those pups matured and bred.
“Resuming family group releases from Saving Animals From Extinction partners like us is the best way to address this genetic crisis,” said Regan Downey, director of education and advocacy at the Wolf Conservation Center. “The release of the Meridian pack in 2006, whose matriarch flew to the Southwest from our New York facility, provided much-needed diversity and proved once again that captive-born family groups can survive on the wild landscape — they just need the chance. So, let’s give it to them.”
Captive-born pups have been taken from their mothers and released into wild wolves’ dens shortly after their springtime births since 2016. But just 24 of 99 pups released through 2023 are known to have survived through the end of their birth year.
“The wild lobo population needs genetic help, and releasing family packs of wolves from captivity is clearly the best way to provide that,” said Chris Smith, wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians. “Cross-fostering pups makes for heart-warming stories and cute photos, but it is an inadequate strategy to recover Mexican wolves.”
Since April the agencies have removed seven genetically rare wolves by shooting a pregnant female in Arizona and a pup in New Mexico, capturing alive four more wolves in an Arizona pack and killing one of their pups. Snipers are working now to kill the adult son of the slain pregnant Arizona female. In today’s letter, the conservationists asked the agencies to spare remaining genetically valuable wolves.
“The Mexican gray wolf is on the brink because of failed federal and state policies that are actively dismantling lobo recovery,” said Michelle Lute, Ph.D. in wolf conservation and executive director of Wildlife for All. “Science is clear: wolves recover in family packs, not as orphaned pups or isolated individuals. Ensuring full protection for every wolf across their historic range — and halting reckless removals — is the only way this iconic carnivore will survive past our lifetime. Anything less is willful negligence that risks extinction.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needs to really step up for Mexican wolves to ensure that these highly endangered animals recover and thrive — they cannot do that without every effort to maximize genetic diversity in the wild population of wolves,” said Sandy Bahr, director for Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter. “That is why we have for years consistently asked for wolf families with important genetics to be released together and for these agencies to stop removing or killing wolves that contribute to that genetic diversity.”
The conservation groups are also asking the agencies to stop relocating Mexican wolves who travel north of Interstate 40 and northern gray wolves who travel southward. The letter says wolf subspecies always merged at the edges of their ranges and that now, with genetic diversity so low, Mexican wolves desperately need to occasionally mate and raise pups with northern wolves.
“Restricting wolves at I-40 undermines both science and recovery. Genetic resilience depends on natural dispersal, where wolves select mates and establish territories across landscapes as they have for millennia,” said Claire Musser, executive director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. “Wolves must be recognized as active agents in their recovery, not passive subjects of management boundaries.”
The adverse genetic figures that prompted today’s letter were presented at a recent meeting of zoos and other captive-breeding institutions.
“If not addressed, the ever-dropping diversity of the lobo genome will ultimately doom the Mexican gray wolf,” said Mary Katherine Ray, wildlife chair for the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club. “Now that wolf howls have been restored to the canyons and forests of the Southwest, losing them a second time because of human destruction and mismanagement would be shameful and tragic.”
“Mexican gray wolves have the least gene diversity of all North American gray wolf populations. Natural selection in response to changing environmental conditions, also known as evolution, can only work if there are multiple gene forms to select from. Mexican wolves have many gene loci that have only one gene form remaining, which precludes natural selection for that trait. Many of these lost genes could be restored through carefully managed crossbreeding with other gray wolf subspecies, yet the managing agencies refuse to consider this option and refuse to explain why,” said David Parsons, former Mexican gray wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Both captive and wild Mexican wolves stem from just six animals captured decades ago in Mexico and one in Arizona. All others from their unique subspecies are believed to have been killed, largely through an eradication campaign by the U.S government. Mexican wolves suffer from lower reproductive rates, nasal carcinomas and congenitally fused toes, all tell-tale signs of inbreeding. Increasing genetic diversity could help alleviate these problems and give them a fighting chance at true recovery.
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Take Action for the Lobos
Every email matters. Add your voice today and tell the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies to keep wolf families together, stop the killings, and let these animals roam and choose their mates—just as they have for millennia. Send a message in your own words to mexicanwolfcomments@fws.gov. Public pressure works: it’s the reason Asha and her family were released. Let’s make sure every Mexican gray wolf has the chance to live wild and free
September Wildlife Commission Meetings
Speak up for wildlife at September Wildlife Commission Meetings.
September Wildlife Commission Meetings
September is here, and so are new chances to stand up for wildlife where it matters most: in the states.
This month, wildlife commissions from Vermont to Wisconsin to Oregon are weighing decisions that will shape the future of countless species. Once again, many proposals on the table put politics and special interests ahead of science, ethics, and ecological health.
Wildlife commission meetings may not make national headlines, but they’re where some of the most consequential choices for wildlife are made. Your voice—through testimony, written comments, or simply showing up—can hold these agencies accountable and remind decision-makers that the public demands a just, science-based approach to wildlife governance.
Below you’ll find the full list of September wildlife commission meetings by state and date. Our Resources Page and Advocacy Toolkit are always available to help you prepare. Together, we can show commissions across the country that the public is watching—and we won’t stay silent.
Arkansas
Meeting Date: September 3
Location: Little Rock
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Unclear how to speak at meetings or provide virtual testimony or written comments. 2025 meeting schedule is here. Archive of 2025 meetings is here. Watch the meeting on YouTube.
Arizona
Meeting Date: September 4
Location: Eagar Town Hall, 22 W 2nd St, Eagar, AZ 85925
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting location opens at 7:45 a.m. Meeting begins at 8:00 a.m. Lunch Break at 12:00 p.m. The public may attend the meeting in person or view the meeting at www.azgfd.gov/commissioncam or may listen to the meeting by calling 404-397-1516, Access code: 280 046 234##. Members of the public may view the meeting from any Department Regional Office and the Department’s Headquarters via video teleconference. Members of the public attending in person wanting to speak on a specific agenda item may submit Speaker Cards (Blue Cards) if they wish to speak to the Commission and may only address the Commission by attending in person or from any regional office. Copies of any presentations, documents, etc. discussed during the meeting will be available by contacting sprice@azgfd.gov. No discussion or action will be taken by the Commission on topics raised in public comment. Any items requiring further discussion or action will be included on a future Commission meeting agenda.
South Dakota
Meeting Date: September 4-5
Location: Outdoor Campus West | Rapid City, SD
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: September 4, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. MT | September 5, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. MT. To join via conference call, dial 1.669.900.9128 | Webinar ID: 912 6417 6710 | Passcode: 970458. Zoom meeting link. Livestream watch link. Meeting materials here. Inform Gail Buus at gail.buus@state.sd.us by 1 pm CST if you plan to speak during the meeting. Testifiers should provide their full names, whom they are representing, city of residence, and which proposed topic they will be addressing. Written comments can be submitted here. Here are guidelines for submission. To be included in the public record, comments must include full name and city of residence and meet the submission deadline of seventy-two hours before the meeting (not including the day of the meeting).
Action: South Dakota is formalizing a mountain lion hunt with loosened regulations despite an overwhelming amount of public comments in opposition.
Louisiana
Meeting Date: September 5
Location: LDWF Headquarters, Joe L. Herring Room, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Details: Click here for meeting details
Notes: A live audio/video stream of this meeting will be available via Zoom. To view via webinar, register at: https://wlf-la.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6aqbjirbT5WkoQFh9jMj3A
Pennsylvania
Meeting Date:September 5
Location: PGC Headquarters – 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: 10:00 am – Public Comment, 10:30 am – Staff Reports, 11:00 am – Formal Agenda. Public comment is accepted in person only on a first-to-register, first-to-speak basis. Watch live on YouTube.
Colorado Office Hours with Commissioner Jack Murphy
Meeting Date: September 6
Location:Barr Lake State Park Nature Center – Education Room, 13401 Picadilly Rd., Brighton, CO 80603
Details: Commissioner hours with Jack Murphy
Notes: 1-4 p.m. In person only. No registration required.
Oklahoma
Meeting Date: September 8
Location: Roman Nose State Park – Roman Nose Hall 3236 S. HWY 8A Watonga, OK 73772
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: Meeting starts at 10 a.m. Read more on their website. This meeting is scheduled to be streamed live and recorded at www.youtube.com/user/outdooroklahoma. This meeting with present the state’s 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan.
New Jersey
Meeting Date: September 9
Location: Assunpink Wildlife Management Area – Central Region Office, Large Conference Room,1 Eldridge Rd., Robbinsville Twp, NJ 08691
Details: Click here for details and agenda
Notes: The public is welcome to attend and participate in the public portion of each meeting. Meeting starts at 10 a.m. and will be held both in person and via GoToMeeting (audio only). Call in: +1 (312) 757-3121 | Access Code: 848-342-077. Per the website, public comments may be made in person or online and will be limited to 3 minutes per person. More information about the Commission is on its website, including a meeting guide and how to connect. For help, contact Kristen.Meistrell@dep.nj.gov.
Maine
Meeting Date: September 10
Location:353 Water Street, Room 400, Augusta, ME
Details: Click here for agenda
Notes: Meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. Those wishing to attend remotely (Microsoft Teams) please contact Becky.Orff@maine.gov for log in information.
Wyoming
Meeting Date: September 10-11
Location: Lander Community and Convention Center, 950 Buena Vista Drive
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: This meeting will be conducted in person and via Zoom. Please note there are different links for each day. If you wish to speak to the Commission and comment on an agenda item in person, please complete the comment form provided at the meeting. If you wish to speak to the Commission and comment on an agenda item via Zoom, please submit an Advanced Agenda Item Comment Form, which is attached to the agenda to toni.bell2@wyo.gov.
September 10: Open Session begins at approximately 1:00 p.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89520465254 Webinar ID: 895 2046 5254 September 11: Open Session begins at 8:00 a.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86297184636 Webinar ID: 862 9718 4636
California
Meeting Date: September 11
Location: California Natural Resources Headquarters Building 715 P Street, 2nd Floor Sacramento, CA 95814
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting starts at 10 a.m. Commission meetings are live-streamed (also referred to as a live webcast) with full audio and video. If you simply want to observe the meeting, but do not wish to comment on any item, we encourage you to view the live webcast available at www.fgc.ca.gov. How to join (if you plan to provide comment). More on all meetings in 2025.
Iowa
Meeting Date: September 11
Location: Unknown, no agenda posted at time webpage was published
Details: Click here for details (note no agenda was available at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes: The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Teleconference: 442-242-3609 ; PIN: 883 789 392# Video Conference: meet.google.com/sco-mbns-qva. Comments regarding agenda items may be submitted for public record to Alicia.Plathe@dnr.iowa.gov or 6200 Park Ave Ste 200, Des Moines IA 50321 up to 24 hours prior to the business meeting.
Michigan
Meeting Date: September 11
Location: Lansing Community College Downtown Campus, Michigan Room 1st Floor 600 North Grand Avenue Lansing, Michigan 48933
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: Parking on 1st Floor in ramp. 9:30 a.m. meeting start. Persons registering to provide comments on a topic listed on the agenda on or before the Friday preceding the meeting will be allowed up to 5 minutes for their comments. Persons registering to comment on a topic not listed on the agenda, after the Friday preceding the meeting, or at the meeting will be allowed up to 3 minutes. If you are unable to attend the meeting but wish to submit written comments on agenda items, please write to Natural Resources Commission, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing, Michigan 48909, or email nrc@michigan.gov. Read more on the Commission website.
Oregon
Meeting Date: September 12
Location: Ontario, location TBD
Details: Click here for details; agenda not posted at time of webpage publishing
Notes: Commission meetings begin at 8 a.m. and proceed chronologically through the agenda. If you wish to receive written materials prepared for any of the agenda items, please contact the Director’s Office in Salem at (503) 947-6044 or email ODFW.Commission@odfw.oregon.gov to request a packet for those items that interest you. Members of the public can view a livestream of the meeting via the agency’s YouTube channel or on the Commission page. Members of the public may also view a livestream of this meeting at ODFW Headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem. Comment and testimony are limited to 3 minutes or less. Submit written comments and/or register to speak virtually. Those who would like to provide virtual testimony must register no less than 48 hours in advance to receive a testimony link to the meeting. To provide testimony on an agenda item in-person, registration will be available at the meeting. To provide in-person public comment, fill out a “Witness Registration” form available at the meeting. To provide testimony virtually or in-person during Public Forum you must contact the Director’s office no less than 48 hours (8 a.m. Wednesday June 11) in advance of the meeting for approval.
Hawai’i
Meeting Date: September 12
Location: 1151 Punchbowl St. Room 132 (Kalanimoku Building), Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Details: Meeting agendas are posted at least 6 days prior to the date of the meeting but an agenda for this month was not available when this webpage was posted. Keep checking back on this webpage.
Notes: Meeting starts at 9.a.m. Attend in person and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet. To speak virtually, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov. Include your name and the agenda item on which you would like to testify. Once your request has been received, you will receive an email with the Zoom link. Requests may be also made during the meeting. Meetings will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/c/boardoflandandnaturalresourcesdlnr. To submit a comment, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to ensure time for BLNR Member review.
New Hampshire
Meeting Date: September 16
Location:Fish and Game Headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, NH
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meetings are generally at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month. Meetings of the NH Fish and Game Commission are open to the public, unless otherwise noted.
Maryland
Meeting Date: September 17
Location: Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service, 580 Taylor Avenue, Tawes State Office Building, E-1, Annapolis MD 21401
Details: Click here for agenda and details. (Note no agenda was posted at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes: Google Meet available for virtual participation. Note: Unless notified otherwise, all meetings will be held via Google Meet. When meeting in person, they will be held in the C-4 Conference Room of the Department of Natural Resources—Tawes State Office Building beginning at 10:30 a.m. Available parking is located at the Navy Stadium Parking Lot. Send written comments to wac.dnr@maryland.gov.
Massachusetts
Meeting Date: September 17
Location: MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, Massachusetts
Details: Click here for agenda and details (per the website, the agenda will be posted here no later than 2 business days before the meeting.)
Notes: Meeting starts at 10 a.m. Attendees can go in person or join via Zoom, Passcode: 135357. Or join via telephone: (929) 205-6099, Webinar ID: 859 4934 2134, Passcode: 135357. Anyone wishing to be placed on the agenda to speak at the monthly business meeting must begin by notifying the Board in writing 2 weeks prior to the Board meeting; for more detailed information, contact Susan Sacco.
Vermont
Meeting Date: September 17
Location: National Life Dewey Conference Room, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT 05620
Details: Click here for agenda and details
Notes: Meeting starts at 5 p.m. Unclear how to comment or speak either virtually or in person. Full meeting schedule for 2025 is here.
Utah
Meeting Date: September 18
Location: Eccles Wildlife Education Center, 1157 South Waterfowl Way, Farmington, Utah
Details: Click here for agenda and details.
Notes: Unless otherwise noted, all Wildlife Board meetings are on Thursdays at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center, 1157 South Waterfowl Way, Farmington. Board meetings begin at 9 a.m, unless otherwise indicated. Feedback occurs at Regional Advisory Council (RAC) meetings. If you wish to comment during a RAC or Board meeting, you must attend the meeting in person — you may not submit comments online during the meeting. When you come to the meeting, pick up a comment card, fill it out and speak at the podium when your name is called. Find the full schedule here. Agendas and minutes are here. Watch live: https://youtube.com/live/PB0dsu8FmIo
Action: Comment on these presentations, if permitted: Mid-plan Review – Mountain Goat and Bighorn Sheep ACTION – Rusty Robinson, Once-in-a-Lifetime Species Coordinator 8. SER Big Game Management Plans ACTION – Dustin Mitchell, Southeastern Wildlife Manager
RAC Schedule
- Northern Aug. 27, 6 p.m.
- Southern Sept. 2, 6 p.m.
- Southeastern Sept. 3, 6 p.m.
- Northeastern Sept. 4, 6 p.m.
Kentucky
Meeting Date: September 19
Location: #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort KY and Livestreamed Online
Details: Click here for agenda and details. (Agenda not available at time of webpage publishing.)
Notes:The meeting will start at 8:30 a.m. (ET) in the Administration Building on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ campus in Frankfort. It will be open to the public.The meeting also will be livestreamed and archived on the department’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/FishandWildlifeKY. A link to the livestream also will be posted on the department’s homepage at fw.ky.gov at the start of the meeting. Anyone wishing to address the Commission orally must sign in before the meeting and will have 3 minutes to speak during the public comment. Members of the public may submit emailed comments on Commission business items anytime to FW.PublicAffairs@ky.gov; these comments may include statements of support or opposition, or express concerns or questions. Emailed comments regarding a business item that are received before 5 p.m. at least two days before a scheduled meeting that includes opportunity for public comments may be read by staff during the public comment segment of the meeting. The Commission chair reserves the right to select representative comments to be shared orally or read from emails, subject to availability of time and potentially redundancy of comments.
Georgia
Meeting Date: September 23
Location:Courtyard Jekyll Island is 178 Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA 31527
Details: Click here for details. (note the meeting agenda was not available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Meeting starts at 9 a.m. It is unclear how to sign up to speak, submit a comment, or if virtual participation is possible. Here is the full 2025 meeting schedule.
Wisconsin
Meeting Date: September 23-24
Location: TBD; not available at time of webpage publishing
Details: Click here for agenda and meeting details (note no agenda is available at time of website publishing).
Notes: The Natural Resources Board will meet in-person. Remote testimony from the public via Zoom may be accepted for this meeting. In person public appearances are also welcome. Members of the public can submit their request to testify remotely, in person, or their written comments by the posted deadline date for Board consideration, typically one week before the meeting date. Watch live on YouTube. Please contact Ashley Bystol, NRB Liaison, at 608-267-7420 or by email at DNRNRBLiaison@wisconsin.gov with NRB-related questions, to request information, submit written comments or to register to testify at a meeting.
Colorado Office Hours with Commissioner Jess Beaulieu
Meeting Date: September 24
Location: Virtual
Details: Commissioner hours with Richard Reading
Notes:10-11 a.m. No registration required. The Zoom link will be made available closer to the office hours date.
Washington
Meeting Date: September 25-27
Location: Hybrid, Bellingham
Details: Click here for agenda and schedule details (no agenda available at time of webpage publishing)
Notes: Registration for those wishing to provide virtual comments closes at 5 p.m. the day before the meeting begins. Registrants will be called upon and typically have 3 minutes to speak. If you are unable to participate, you can submit your comments on the Commission contact page. If you haven’t pre-registered and wish to attend and speak in person, complete a Public Testimony Form, available at the registration table. The form must be submitted at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the agenda item you wish to testify on.
Hawai’i
Meeting Date: September 26
Location: 1151 Punchbowl St. Room 132 (Kalanimoku Building), Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Details: Meeting agendas are posted at least 6 days prior to the date of the meeting but an agenda for this month was not available when this webpage was posted. Keep checking back on this webpage.
Notes: Meeting starts at 9.a.m. Attend in person and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet. To speak virtually, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov. Include your name and the agenda item on which you would like to testify. Once your request has been received, you will receive an email with the Zoom link. Requests may be also made during the meeting. Meetings will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/c/boardoflandandnaturalresourcesdlnr. To submit a comment, email blnr.testimony@hawaii.gov no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting to ensure time for BLNR Member review.
Nevada
Meeting Date: September 26-27
Location: Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89155
Details: Click here for agenda (coming soon; not up at time of webpage publishing) and details
Notes: Any person who would like to comment to the Commission about a specific agenda item must make a written request to the Director at least four calendar days prior to the meeting. The time allotted for public comment and the number of speakers will be at the Commission’s discretion. Public comment will be taken on each action item following Commission discussion and before any action is taken; links coming once NDOW posts the meeting agenda. Persons attending virtually wishing to comment are invited to raise their virtual hands in the virtual meeting forum during the appropriate time; each person offering public comment during this period will be limited to not more than three minutes.