WDFW’s Davis Named New Colo. Parks & Wildlife Director

WDFW is confirming that one of its high-ranking staffers is Colorado’s new Parks and Wildlife Director.

Jeff Davis, WDFW’s director of conservation policy, was selected in late March and according to WDFW Deputy Director Amy Windrope this morning, it is now official.

According to Colorado Wildlife Federation, which first published the news last month, Davis’s first day on the job will be May 1. 

Davis has been with WDFW for nearly two decades, including a long stint in the Habitat Program, and in recent years has been involved in writing a new draft conservation policy with Fish and Wildlife Commission Chair Barbara Baker.

“Congratulations to Jeff,” said Windrope, who termed him “an incredible” WDFW staffer while briefing the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission this morning.

In Colorado, Davis won’t have the uber-tangled complexity of salmon, steelhead and comanagement to deal with, but among the challenges on his plate will be the pending reintroduction of wolves into Colorado, at the behest of the state’s voters. A few wolves are already in the Centennial State, but plans call for bringing in 30 to 50 from the Northern Rockies over a three- to five-year period.

“Washington State faces similar issues as Colorado of balancing outdoor recreation and wildlife management, species introduction and other wildlife management and habitat issues,” Davis said in a statement picked up by Colorado Public Radio. “But I look forward to engaging with all of the key stakeholders in Colorado and I’m excited to lead a new team and learn more of CPW’s challenges while building on their extensive successes.”

Davis will replace CPW acting director Heather Dugan, who stepped in last year after former director Dan Prenzlow was suspended following comments deemed racist made at a conference in Vail that led to his suspension.

Windrope said WDFW will now be looking for a new conservation director.