WildEarth Guardians

Thursday, September 8, 2011
Press Conference Announcing Citizen Forum:

The People's Forum on Public Lands Trapping
Contact: Wendy Keefover (505) 988-9162 x1162

The press conference announced the People’s Forum and will be held at 11 am:

Albuquerque Peace & Justice Center

202 Harvard SE

 Albuquerque, NM 87106

Photos and B-roll available.

The People’s Forum on Trapping, which follows the Tuesday press conference on Wednesday, provides a unique opportunity for the entire New Mexican public to add their voice to the debate over public lands trapping in New Mexico. Sponsored by non-profits, the TrapFreeNM.org coalition, the hearing is not from a governmental agency.

The New Mexico Game Commission held its trapping hearing on July 21^st in a remote corner of the state. It purposely precluded public process, and then in it voted to increase trapping in New Mexico and even in wolf country, despite 12,000 voices that had asked it to ban traps on public lands.  To remedy this conduct, citizens will hold a more democratic hearing in a central location for most New Mexicans.  The broad public is encouraged to attend.

The People’s Forum features a citizen panel, which will listen to the broad public, and educational materials from TrapFreeNM.org.

People’s Forum on Public Lands Trapping

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

5:30 to 8:30

The Wool Warehouse

516 First Street, NW

Albuquerque, NM 87102

The panel features:

The Hon. Judge Peggy Nelson, Chairwoman of the Panel

Peggy Weigle, Executive Director, Animal Humane | New Mexico

Nathan Cote, Former State Representative

Oscar Simpson, former Game Commissioner and hunter

Kathleen Holian, Santa Fe County Commissioner

Martha Marks, Republicans for Environmental Protection

Kathy Sedlacek, New Mexico Mountain Club

Helga Schimkat, Attorney

This summer, New Mexicans generated over 12,000 comments to the Department of Game and Fish and that requested a trap ban on public lands.  Yet, the New Mexico Game Commission ignored this appeal.  On July 21 it expanded trapping across New Mexico, and even lifted the trapping closure in the range of the Mexican wolf.  Other problems:

• Since 2002, 15 Mexican wolves have been caught in non-governmental traps.  Two died.  Five more sustained injuries, while three required amputation surgeries (two wolves had entire limbs removed).  In the wild, lobos number less than 60 individuals; yet, over 20% of that number have been trapped.

• Traps can be placed as close as 25 yards from any trail with no warnings in New Mexico.  As a result, many people and pets have had negative injurious encounters. Dogs have lost limbs from trap injuries.  People have been injured while helping their dogs.

People, pets, and wildlife were shut out from Game Commission’s recent decision to expand trapping . . . and so were you.  Now it’s the people’s turn to be heard

The press conference announcing the People’s Forum and will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, September 13^th at:

Albuquerque Peace & Justice Center

202 Harvard SE

 Albuquerque, NM 87106

People’s Forum on Public Lands Trapping will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 5:30 to 8:30, at:

The Wool Warehouse

516 First Street, NW

Albuquerque, NM 87102