COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Colorado Chronic Wasting Disease Advisory Group​

   
In Colorado, chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been found in more than half of the deer herds and about one third of elk herds. The proportion of animals in these herds infected with CWD varies across the state, but curre​​​nt science-based information estimates high infection rates in several herds. 

In 2018, CPW drafted a CWD Response Plan that guides future management of deer, elk and moose herds with high levels of​​ CWD infection. In March 2018, a CWD Advisory Group was created to inform the development of the CWD Response Plan.

​Purpose of the Advisory Group

The purpose of the Colorado Chronic Wasting Disease Advisory Group (CWDAG) is to assist Colorado Parks and Wildli​fe in developing a Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan for the State of Colorado. The CWD Response Plan will support the West Slope Mule Deer Strategy and will have the following objectives: 

• Manage prevalence rates of CWD in wild deer and elk
  

• Control spread of infection to new herds
  

• Provide public with science-based information regarding CWD
  

• Maintain Colorado’s robust deer and elk herds to support public hunting and viewing opportunity​​

Authority

The Parks and Wildlife Commission (PWC) has the authority under state law to direct CPW to complete a CWD Response Plan. CPW has the technical capability to develop this plan; however, the PWC and CPW have chosen to convene an advisory group to ensure various stakeholder interests in CWD are adequately represented. The members of the advisory group were selected to speak for various interests related to CWD in Colorado. 

The authority of the CWDAG is limited to advising CPW in the drafting of the CWD Response Plan by the date specified in the Advisory Group Charter. The CWDAG is fundamental to the development of the CWD Response Plan, but the content of the plan, or parts of the plan, may be accepted or modified by CPW or the PWC prior to its approval and implementation.​

Meetings

All meetings are open to the public. Members of the public are welcome to participate in person or by conference phone; conference phone information is subject to change according to the meeting venue. A designated time during each meeting will be allocated to public comments.  Meeting notes, presentations, and additional information discussed in the meetings will be posted online for the public to review.  

Please see the meeting schedule below. ​

April 26, 2018

May 16, 2018

​Additional Resources

Western Association of Fish
& Wildlife Agencies

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The Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies recommendations on approaches for adaptive management​.​​​

Association of Fish
& Wildlife Agencies

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies recommendations on approaches for adaptive management​.​​​​​​​​

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