W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area Advisory Committee

The Blue Mountains region of southeast Washington is home to three of the 33 wildlife areas owned or managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.  

Collectively, these three wildlife areas - Chief Joseph, Asotin Creek, and W.T. Wooten - are known as the "Blue Mountains Wildlife Areas". 

All of the state's wildlife areas are guided by a Wildlife Area Management Plan. The plan for the Blue Mountains Wildlife Areas has been revised to reflect current conditions and update objectives to support the agency's mission:  "To preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities."

The plans are being developed with input from the public and interested stakeholders, including Wildlife Area Advisory Committees (WAACs).  Each WAAC has a charter that includes the purpose and responsibilities of the WAAC and agency staff in development of the Wildlife Area Management Plan.

Wildlife Area Advisory Committee (WAAC) Membership

Because of the distance between the Chief Joseph and Asotin Creek wildlife areas from the W.T. Wooten, and the location and types of visitors and users of them, there will be two WAACs:  one for Chief Joseph and Asotin Creek (CJ/AC-WAAC) and one for the W.T. Wooten (WTW-WAAC).

WAAC members represent a range of interested stakeholder groups who may be impacted by, or have an interest in, management activities on the Wildlife Areas. WAAC members:

• Represent a group or organization interested in wildlife area planning and management issues
• Are committed to sharing information and bringing feedback from their respective constituents to the WAAC
• Are interested in and committed to working collaboratively, and
• Understand and are comfortable with serving in an advisory capacity

WAAC Role & Responsibilities

The role of the WAAC is to provide input and perspective for WLA planning and management activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Be Informed and prepared for all meetings - Review information, discuss issues with staff and other committee members, and provide input during the development of the plan
• Fairly and equitably represent concerns of those they represent - Serve as spokespersons for respective interest groups, reporting back to agency staff and the WAAC about the interests and concerns of stakeholders
• Identify an alternate who will serve when and if the primary representative is unable to participate. (Continuity is especially important as there will be a limited number of meetings and each meeting will build on the material covered at previous meetings);
• Be a sounding board for WLA planning and management activities
• Identify issues of concern
• Effectively communicate WDFW goals and Wildlife Area activities to the public outside of WAAC meetings
• Act in an advisory capacity, providing input to staff that will be considered in WDFW's decision-making process
• Acknowledge and accept that the process will provide only limited time to delve into all wildlife issues