LANSING, MI — Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is proud to share highlights and footage from the National Conversation About Thriving Communities, Tribes, Conservationists, Working Landscapes & Wolves, a first-of-its-kind gathering that brought together 25 individuals from across the country, including MUCC's Chief Executive Officer, Amy Trotter.

The event was held January 12–15, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona, and was hosted by Constructive Conflict with support from the Center for Conservation Peacebuilding and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This national conversation comes at a critical time. As wolves have recovered in the Great Lakes region and continue their recovery across the west, the conversation around how to manage them has grown more divisive. While wolf recovery is celebrated by some as a conservation win, it also presents real challenges—especially to rural communities, livestock producers, and those who rely on balanced ecosystems, including hunters and trappers.

MUCC has long advocated for science-based wolf management, including hunting when supported by Michigan’s professional biologists. Our involvement in this conversation helped ensure that conservation-minded hunters had a seat at the table.

“We don’t desire to extirpate wolves. I want to reinforce the idea that people should have a role in managing them,” said Amy Trotter, Chief Executive Officer of MUCC. “Michigan voters support wildlife management based on biology, not emotion. This national dialogue was a rare opportunity to sit down with people who see wolves very differently.”

Over three days, participants built trust, broke down barriers, and found areas of agreement—not through forced compromise, but by creating a space for honest dialogue and long-term relationship-building. The effort resulted in a unanimously approved Common Ground Statement, co-written by 22 non-government participants, recognizing the need for durable, practical solutions that reflect the real-world experiences of people living and working alongside wolves.

MUCC remains committed to advocating for Michigan’s right to manage wolves at the state level based on the best available science. We believe that open dialogue—even with those we disagree with—is critical to securing long-term solutions that work for people and wildlife.

To learn more or view the documentary and interviews, visit HERE.

Common Ground Statement

Co-written and approved by all 22 of the non-federal government participants of the National Wolf Conversation

We all care about animals, conservation, and healthy ecosystems, and are doing our part to care for the environments where we live and work.

While we have many different experiences with and perspectives on wolves, we recognize that entrenched conflicts among humans over wolves benefit neither humans nor wolves.

Rather than dehumanizing our opponents and pursuing one-sided wins, we choose to work toward common ground as a basis for creative, lasting solutions that will benefit our communities and the ecosystems that support us all. Ultimately, we hope to serve as an example of effective and efficient progress to others struggling with similarly entrenched conflicts in all aspects of society.

To these ends, we resolve to see each other as people first; listen to and learn from one another; practice humility and empathy; and stay engaged in our process even when it becomes difficult.

We unanimously believe that the National Wolf Conversation and its conflict transformation process are critical to achieving these goals. We are committed to advocating for the funding and other resources needed to continue the work we have begun.

Signed:

Bryan Bird, Director, Defenders of Wildlife, New Mexico

Jeff Davis, State Director, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Marvin DeFoe, Tribal Elder, Red Cliff Anishinaabe, Wisconsin

Callie Hanson, Agricultural Journalist, Freelance, Wyoming / Oklahoma

Sisto Hernandez, Livestock Producer, Western Landowners Alliance, Arizona

Jess Johnson, Hunter, Wyoming Wildlife Federation

Eric KashKash, Tribal Leader/Program Director, Nez Perce Tribe Wildlife Division, Idaho

Kim Kerns, Livestock Producer, Oregon

Joe Kipp, Tribal Elder, Blackfeet Nation, Montana

Rusty Kramer, Trapper, Idaho

Kent Laudon, Wolf Biologist 5 Western Wolf States ID, MT, AZ, NM, & CA

Molly Linville, Livestock Producer and Wildlife Commissioner, Washington

Bill Lynn, Wolf Trustee, Massachusetts

Ashea Mills, Wolf EcoTourism, Walking Shadow Ecology Tours, Montana

Josh Morse, Communications, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Michelle Nijhuis, Conservation Journalist, Freelance, Washington

Dean Peterson, Livestock Producer, Montana

Taylor Rabe, Wolf Researcher, Conservation Nation, Montana

Sarajane Snowden, Livestock Producer, Colorado

Amy Trotter, Hunter, Michigan United Conservation Clubs

Amanda Wight, Senior Program Manager, Wildlife Protection, Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the United States), North Carolina

Adrian Wydeven, Wolf Biologist, Retired, Wisconsin