Protection, not exploitation

Transforming Washington’s wildlife policy to elevate science, recognize the intrinsic value of individual animals, and prioritize protecting, preserving, and perpetuating wild lives.

In the Spotlight

Raising our Voices for Wildlife:
They call it “collusion”. We call it free speech.

 

Your central hub for everything related to our campaign to challenge entrenched power, expose special interest capture, and ensure the voices of the public and wildlife are heard. Here you’ll find key updates, media, and analysis on our effort to hold WDFW leadership accountable and defend the right to speak, organize, and advocate for science-based, ethical wildlife policy, including on our recent federal civil rights lawsuit against WDFW Director Kelly Susewind and Deputy Director Amy Windrope for viewpoint discrimination and retaliation against wildlife advocates. Check back regularly for the latest updates as this work unfolds.

 

WW1 Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against WDFW Director Kelly Susewind and Deputy Director Amy Windrope

WW1, our ED, Claire Loebs Davis, and Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Lorna Smith have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against WDFW Director Kelly Susewind and Deputy Director Amy Windrope for using state resources to target and retaliate against wildlife advocates and a sitting commissioner who called for stronger protections, scientific integrity, and agency accountability. The lawsuit alleges that WDFW leadership orchestrated a selective investigation to discredit dissenting voices and undermine independent oversight. Learn how this case exposes broader governance failures and seeks to protect the right to speak up for wildlife in Washington.

 
 

 

WW1 sues the WDFW over the Unlawful Development and Approval of the Game Management Plan

 

Washington Wildlife First has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife for failing to uphold its responsibilities as the public trustee of Washington’s wildlife in the development, review, and approval of the 2026 Game Management Plan. The sweeping statewide policy guides how dozens of hunted and trapped species are managed, yet WDFW approved it after issuing a “no significant impact” determination without meaningful environmental review. Learn why this lawsuit seeks to hold the agency accountable and restore responsible oversight of wildlife policies in Washington.

 

Washington Wildlife First is Different

Washington Wildlife First focuses on state fish and wildlife governance rather than national issues, because the states control the fate of the vast majority of the country’s wildlife. Instead of just focusing on individual species or current issues, we also work to reform the policies and decision-making structures that shape outcomes for all fish and wildlife. Our goal is to change the system that governs wildlife in Washington, not just respond to its failures.

Led by an attorney and a wildlife scientist, we leverage science, law, and strategic advocacy — engaging the public, the Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission, and state legislators, and turning to the courts when necessary. We challenge agency actions that violate the law, ignore or distort science, disregard ecosystem health, and dismiss the interests and well-being of wild animals. We are small but strategic. We push ourselves hard and make every dollar count, drawing national attention by taking on the work of a much larger organization.

We advocate for more than “sustainable populations” or “biodiversity” — we believe wild animals are individuals deserving of consideration and respect. We seek to transform Washington’s model of wildlife governance to a democratic paradigm that elevates science, recognizes the intrinsic value of individual animals, and prioritizes protecting, preserving, and perpetuating both wild lives and the ecosystems in which they live.

Learn More About Us >

A Call for Agency Reform

Washington is home to extraordinary wildlife, vibrant ecosystems, and breathtaking wild places that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife holds in trust for all current and future generations.

That duty has never been more vital than it is today. We live in a time of accelerating biodiversity loss, intensifying climate impacts, and unprecedented pressures on wild animals and their habitats. Our state needs a modern, ethical, science-grounded wildlife agency—one that acts with integrity, uses sound science, and shows genuine care and respect for wild lives.

But Washington’s wildlife governance is broken. For far too long, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has allowed special interests to dominate its decisions. The agency continues to rely on an outdated, exploitation-driven model that disregards science, undervalues long-term ecological health, and dismisses the well-being of the very animals it is entrusted to protect.

Our Not My WDFW campaign exposes these systemic failures, bringing daylight to decisions that are unethical, unscientific, or unlawful, and amplifying Washingtonians’ overwhelming demand for change.

We must demand better.

why reform?