Meetings planned on mountain goat relocation to native habitat in North Cascades

OLYMPIA - Four meetings are scheduled in late March to enable northwest Washington residents to learn more about a proposal to move mountain goats from Olympic National Park to the North Cascades during the summers of 2018 and 2019.

The public is invited to hear a presentation and speak with representatives of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) during meetings in Sedro Woolley, Darrington, North Bend, and Sultan.

The National Park Service, in collaboration with the two agencies, has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for a mountain goat management plan to remove them from Olympic National Park to reduce damage to the park's natural resources - especially native vegetation - and to protect public safety.

The preferred alternative in the draft EIS calls for relocating some of the mountain goats from the park and nearby Forest Service lands to their native habitat in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests.

The Park Service is expected to issue a final EIS this spring.

Meetings are scheduled for:

• Tuesday, March 20, 7 to 9 p.m.
  Mt. Baker Ranger District Office, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
  810 State Route 20
  Sedro Woolley

• Wednesday, March 21, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
  Darrington Library Meeting Room
  1005 Cascade St.
  Darrington
  (Note: The presentation will be made during the last segment of the meeting of Darrington Strong)

• Thursday, March 22, 7 to 9 p.m.
  Snoqualmie Ranger District Office, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
  902 SE North Bend Way
  North Bend

• Monday, March 26, 7 to 9 p.m.
  Sultan City Hall Meeting Room
  319 Main St., #200
  Sultan