What does healthy activism look like?  The word transparency comes to mind when looking into The meaning of healthy activism. This means; openness, accountability, and straightforwardness in advocacy. 

Now add effectiveness in advocacy, and it’s about the desired outcome; changing the public’ perception of wolves from negative to positive. Just where does healthy activism work for achieving this goal?

Affective describes something that has been influenced by emotions, is a result of emotions, or expresses emotion. Effective describes something that produces a desired result. 

Is bashing hunters or arguing with, or threatening to kill hunters considered healthy activism? Or is it about feeding emotions from frustration? 

Affective is mostly limited to the world of psychology and deals with emotions, feelings, and moods. Effective is used in everyday language and means successful in achieving a desired result. 

Be effective striving for a healthy outcome. Change the the public’ perception of wolves; be an effective advocate for wolves. 

Photo of black wolf by John E Marriott

Graphic “I am not a trophy” made  by WODCW 

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Wisconsin can no longer afford to go back, back to the old way of thinking; the killing of wildlife in order to conserve them. For example; Wisconsin spent decades on wolf recovery, recovery of an imperiled species that was hunted to near extinction; then in a shocking twist, the state of Wisconsin legislature mandated a trophy hunt of wolves fresh off the Endangered Species List; 


If the wolf is not listed on the federal endangered list and is not listed on the state endangered list, the department shall allow the hunting and trapping of wolves and shall regulate such hunting and trapping as provided in this section and shall implement a wolf management plan. In regulating wolf hunting and trapping, the department may limit the number of wolf hunters and trappers and the number of wolves that may be taken by issuing wolf harvesting licenses. 2011 Wisconsin Act 169, wolf hunt. Read  more about changing Act 169 on Wolves of Douglas County Wisconsin’s blog click HERE


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Rachel Tilseth's avatar

By Rachel Tilseth

Rachel Tilseth is a Menomonie, Wisconsin-based environmental writer, filmmaker, and owner of Wolves of Douglas County WI Films & Media. Her work explores the intricate relationships between humans, wildlife, and local ecosystems. Through award-winning documentaries like People & Wolves, she seamlessly intertwines emotional depth with vital cultural and environmental education. Tilseth highlights environmental and economic causes that threaten vulnerable ecosystems. Through freelance writing, she advocates for sustainable coexistence between human communities and apex predators. As a documentarian, Tilseth has established a formidable voice in conservation media. Her acclaimed short film, People & Wolves: A Story of Coexistence, won Best Documentary Short at the Red Cedar Film Festival. The project features insights from renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, alongside perspectives from Ojibwa tribal members, hunters, and biologists. Operating independently of traditional non-profits, Tilseth champions grassroots citizen organizations. She works to educate the public on ecological economics and environmental sustainability to foster coexistence with nature.

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