A rapidly growing population, a changing climate, and years of uncertain funding have made fish and wildlife management an increasingly challenging endeavor.
Washington's Wild Future is a multi-year initiative by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to build a stronger and more effective state agency that is better positioned to tackle major management challenges in the coming years.
Under the leadership of Director Jim Unsworth -- who assumed his position in early 2015 -- WDFW began this effort by asking Washingtonians to share their thoughts on what the department is doing right, where it can improve, and where the agency should focus its efforts over the next five to 10 to 20 years.
Feedback from people who either commented online or attended six regional forums hosted by WDFW this fall form the foundation of this initiative and are summarized in this report.
Ultimately, the department's goal is to strengthen relationships with Washingtonians and their communities, increase support for conservation and participation in outdoor recreation, and ensure WDFW programs and services meet the needs of the public.