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NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 26, 2002 For more information contact Dr. Gary J. Wolfe, CWD Alliance, 4722 Aspen Drive, Missoula, MT 59802; 406-549-6320; or gwolfe@micro-mania.net. Conservation groups form new CWD Alliance MISSOULA, Mont. - Chronic wasting disease, surrounded by scientific speculation, media sensationalism and public hysteria, is likely the most intensely publicized wildlife malady in history. Citizens need responsible information. And three of America’s top conservation organizations have formed a new “CWD Alliance” to meet that demand. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Boone & Crockett Club, and Mule Deer Foundation founded the Alliance and are pooling resources to enhance communication between scientists, wildlife managers, citizens and policymakers. The Pope and Young Club immediately joined the Alliance as a contributing partner. The groups are supporting a national symposium in Denver, Aug. 6-7, for CWD researchers and members of the media, and funding development of a new Internet site, www.cwd-info.org to be a clearinghouse for accurate and responsible communications about the disease. “There is so much misinformation out there. Everyone from Washington D.C. lawmakers to sportsmen planning fall hunting trips is thinking about CWD. Reacting based on bad information is worse than not reacting at all,” said Rich Lane, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation president and CEO. Earl Morgenroth, president of the Boone & Crockett Club, believes the Alliance’s information-education role will be a key component in the CWD solution. “The partner organizations share a goal of communicating quickly, accurately and responsibly about this disease. Reliable data - not hyperbole - has always been at the core of wildlife management, and CWD should be no different,” he said. Dr. Gary Wolfe is coordinating efforts on behalf of the Alliance. Wolfe represented the partners May 16 when he testified before a Congressional subcommittee investigating possible federal involvement in CWD. He was the only non-government spokesman representing the interests of sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts. Additionally, Wolfe has been invited to participate on an ad hoc Interagency CWD Working Group, and the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Fish and Wildlife Health Task Force. He is a member of the CWD symposium planning committee and is developing content for the Web site. Mule Deer Foundation President Terry Cloutier said, “Wolfe is the ideal person to lead this effort on our behalf. He has the right scientific background and communication skills to sort out rapidly evolving information from CWD researchers and government agencies, and get it into the hands of people who need that information.” CWD was first discovered in 1967 in Colorado. An endemic area has been identified in northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming and southwestern Nebraska. Over the past few months, the disease has been detected in several other states and provinces. State wildlife officials are working to eradicate or contain the spread of CWD using dramatically different approaches. Additional federal involvement appears eminent. More information about the CWD Alliance’s partners can be found online: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
www.elkfoundation.org
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