Game Commission puts hold on plan to return American marten to state woodlands

A plan to reintroduce a native species of weasel into the Pennsylvania wild has been put on hold by the state Game Commission’s board of commissioners.

The board voted 6-3 Saturday to table American martens’ potential return to the state’s woodlands.

Commissioner Robert Schwalm said he wanted more time in voting to table it.

“I’m not convinced our forest is suitable enough in that area,” he said.

Commissioner Dennis Fredericks commended work on the plan that he described as impeccable. He opposed tabling it.

“I guess if my fellow commissioners feel like they need a little bit more time on this, then so be it,” he said.

Commission officials have been working on the plan since 2022 to reintroduce the American marten, or pine marten, back into the wild after its disappearance more than 100 years ago. The board approved in September a draft 10-year strategic plan that outlined how the species would be relocated to Pennsylvania and managed.

Educational and outreach events, as well as nearly 1,000 responses on the draft plan, showed that the majority of people were supportive of the idea, according to the commission. However, a survey of hunters by the commission showed that 37% of responses were supportive, 32% opposed it and 32% were neutral.

Commissioners said tabling the plan allows for more time to connect with hunters and get more feedback before taking up the issue again.

Several people spoke in favor of it during Saturday’s meeting. That included Dan Lynch, public relations director for the Pennsylvania Trappers Association, who said the commission has succeeded in bringing back other species and encouraged the board to approve the plan.

“Habitat models show that we have quality habitat in Pennsylvania, and wildlife professionals from other states have confirmed this on previous visits to the commonwealth,” he said.

Commission officials have been meticulous and responsible in researching the issue and preparing the plan, Lynch said.

“I believe that reintroducing this species back to its native habitat is an excellent example of the agency improving forest health by increasing the state’s biodiversity,” he said.

There are several high-priority locations of public lands in Northcentral Pennsylvania that were identified as potential release sites for the omnivorous animals. The ridges of Westmoreland County also would be a suitable habitat, according to the draft plan.

Martens are about 2 pounds — the size of a squirrel or mink — and disappeared from the state around 1900, during a period of deforestation and unregulated harvest, according to the Game Commission.

A minimum of 300 martens from neighboring states and possibly Canada would be needed for reintroduction, according to the draft plan. They would be tracked through electronic tags implanted under the skin to help researchers learn more about the creatures’ habitat and life cycles.

Researchers expect the project to cost the Game Commission about $2 million over 10 years.

The animals live in forested areas, composed of coniferous trees or a mixture with deciduous trees, that receive more than 35 inches of snow annually. The plan found martens typically hunted and ate small mammals, such as mice, and plant material and insects.