Seven logging companies and four conservation organizations are teaming up to fight the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) among deer, elk, and other species of the deer family (known as “cervids”). The new CWD coalition will promote practices that help discover, manage, and mitigate the negative impacts of CWD. The Coalition includes Forest Investment Associates, Molpus Woodlands Group, PotlatchDeltic, Rayonier, Resource Management Service, The Westervelt Company, Weyerhaeuser, Alabama Wildlife Federation, Boone and Crockett Club, Georgia Wildlife Federation, and National Deer Association. This footprint extends to more than 20 million acres across the country.
“We are pleased to join so many other private property owners and other stakeholders in addressing this critical issue,” said Brian Luoma, President and CEO of The Westervelt Company. “Federal and state agencies, the US Congress, state legislatures, researchers, and conservation athletes are doing their part to educate the public on this critical issue. We fully support all efforts to prevent further spread and are grateful to everyone in the coalition, including our own employees, who have taken the lead in the fight against CWD.”
The new coalition recognizes that it will need the cooperation of state wildlife agencies, hunters and private landowners working together to slow the spread of the disease. The group has developed a list of voluntary “best management practices” to help control, manage and prevent the spread of CWD. The coalition will also support communication, research, policy and public health. These categories parallel the CWD recommendations from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and are designed to address the challenges faced by owners and managers of private lands in the US with large numbers of recreational users.
“These private landowners provide vital impetus to the national effort to control chronic wasting disease,” said Tony A. Schoonen, executive director of the Boone and Crockett Club. “CWD is deadly to wildlife, deeply concerning to hunters and conservationists, and remains a challenging mystery. Today’s announcement promises a comprehensive effort.”
Chronic wasting disease is transmitted from animal to animal and by contact with infectious material. The disease is contagious and can be freely transmitted within and between cervid populations. There are currently no treatments or vaccines available, and chronic wasting disease is 100% fatal to cervids. To date, no known transfer of chronic wasting disease to humans has occurred. The continued spread of the disease negatively impacts the economic, environmental, and cultural values associated with deer, and the involvement of private owners will be critical to success.
For more information on the CWD Coalition, contact Kevin McKinstry, 800-281-7991 or [email protected].
About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes the stewardship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair pursuit sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include the expansion and protection of Yellowstone and the establishment of Glacier and Denali National Parks, the founding of the US Forest Service, the National Park Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System, the fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey laws, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern gambling laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is based in Missoula, Montana. For more details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.