Colorado “Born to be Wild” license plate to fund wolf coexistence signed into law
2023/5/20 | Colorado: Garfield Co.
Colorado “Born to be Wild” license plate to fund wolf coexistence signed into law
By Matt Barnes
The Colorado "Born to be Wild" license plate (HB23-1265) was signed into law by Gov. Polis May 20 on the bank of the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, near where wolves are planned to be released in 2023-2025. The new plate is a mechanism for resources to flow uphill and away from money, so to speak—from supporters of wolf restoration to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and ultimately to the ranchers and rural communities who will be living with wolves.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Matt Barnes, Joanna Lambert, Gary Skiba, Rob Edward, Anne Edward, Courtney Vail, and artist Gillian Marie
Among the five states of the Northern Rockies, those which invest the most in wolf-livestock conflict minimization do indeed have the least conflict on a per-wolf basis. The most successful conflict minimization methods, like the license plate, result from collaboration. And in my experience, the best methods often come from the ranching sector, because ultimately the goal is to develop herds that are less vulnerable to potential predators.
I hope this will be part of how Colorado will do things differently than some our neighbors to the north, to minimize wolf-livestock conflict as well as social conflict about wolves.
The idea was originally brought forth by Courtney Vail, and spearheaded by Rob Edward of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, an organization dedicated to coexistence between people and wolves in Colorado. The bill is the result of negotiations between the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and the legislators who sponsored the final bill: Sen. Perry Will (R), Rep. Meghan Lukens (D), Sen. Janice Marchman (D), and Rep. Elizabeth Velasco (D).
The plate was designed by science illustrator Gillian Marie, based in Routt County. “It’s been an incredible honor to have my work as a science illustrator contribute to the restoration of a native species that was nearly hunted to extinction,” said Marie. “Working alongside scientists, wildlife experts, naturalists and educators who are passionate about native species and ecosystem balance fueled my desire to continue work in this field.”
Rob Edward (Rocky Mountain Wolf Project) and Gillian Marie (science illustrator) show the plate design to Governor Polis
Matt Barnes (Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative) showing off the Colorado 'Born to be Wild' license plate
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission unanimously approved its historic Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan on May 3. I also served on the agency's Stakeholder Advisory Group, composed of ranchers, outfitters, hunters, and wildlife conservationists, which developed consensus recommendations for the plan. The members were unanimous that both conflict minimization and compensation must be addressed in the plan, even if we didn't find agreement on all of the details. Colorado's wolf-livestock compensation program is the most generous compensation program for any carnivore species in the country, if not the world. Funding for compensation was formalized by SB23-255, which was also signed by the Governor.
The ‘Born To Be Wild’ plate should be available in early 2024. In the meantime, Coloradans interested in purchasing the plate can sign up at wolfplate.org to receive updates about the plate’s availability and details once the Department of Motor Vehicles makes the plate available.
Author’s note: The “Born To Be Wild’ license plate is now available, as of January 2, 2024, from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. To order online, go to mydmv.colorado.gov and click on Replace license plates.
