Wolf Ranch Mission Statement

Description:

Wolf Ranch will be a privately funded facility which will include as its primary focus, a working livestock ranch to provide a medium for research in two main areas: First is the area of predator-livestock interaction. Second is the area of rangeland livestock operation.

Wolf Ranch will be run as would any rangeland livestock operation in the region it is located. There will be at least one and possibly two separate facilities. Wolf Ranch will concentrate on both beef cattle and wool/meat sheep operations.

It is imperative that Wolf Ranch be a rangeland facility that represents average to extreme risks for livestock-predator interactions (depredation of livestock by predators.) Either or both facilities will be an estimated 1000 acres of private land, held in whole by the foundation. Surrounding the private lands will be grazing allotments on public lands, especially on national forest and BLM lands. This may include lands in state and federal wilderness areas as well, especially those such as the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.

The physical facilities will include all facilities necessary to conduct normal livestock operations, but will also include housing for researchers, and possibly a "summer camp" or resort type facilities to allow for public and private part-time residents and guests.


Location:

Wolf Ranch will be located in an area which is historically a hotbed for wolf-livestock predation; and which also is an area where livestock operation is an economically risky business. The primary area of choice at this time is the corridor between Stanley, Challis, and Salmon, Idaho; an area which fits the above requirements quite well.


Goals:

Wolf Ranch will have numerous goals, but the two primary areas will be the main goals. The two areas of primary focus: predator-livestock interaction research and rangeland livestock operation; will have intertwined goals. The overall goal of Wolf Ranch is to show that rangeland livestock operations can run efficiently and in the presence of wolves and other wildlife predators without negatively impacting either the wildlife or the ecosystem or environment in and around the ranch operation. As such, the two areas of focus will always be in mind when conducting research.

Some of the goals of Wolf Ranch include:

• Zero impact upon wildlife, especially predators
• Reduction or elimination of negative impact upon ecosystem
• Creation of more efficient means of conducting rangeland operation
• Research into methods that improve viability of rangeland livestock operations
• Creation of Non-Profit business based on Wolf Ranch methods
• Education of ranchers of proven methods
• Education of the Public of Wolf Ranch research results