Marj Perry’s article opposing wolf restoration sounds credible enough, until you scratch below the half-truths used to support her science-less opinion (Op-Ed: “
Marj questions what restoring a natural balance looks like. Research provides that answer. Wolves are coursing predators that move and moderate elk populations, enabling restoration of ecological processes, such as stream flows, forest growth and biodiversity. Beaver return to build dams, which store water, providing habitat for fish and waterfowl. Forests recover and provide breeding habitat for songbirds and ungulates.
Marj purports that there is no room for wolves in Colorado. Colorado’s demographer reveals that 84% of Colorado’s population lives on the Front Range, 11% in Western Slope cities, with just 5% divided between the central mountains, Eastern plains and the San Luis Valley.
Vast landscapes are available for wildlife but we’ve had little say regarding how our lands are managed. The only scientific opinion that can be reached is that Colorado needs wolves.
Delia G MaloneRedstone
