The wolf is an endangered species, and its conservation has been agreed on internationally. International agreements often contradict the needs and opinions at national and local levels. This politics from the top down may lead to lack of commitment at the local level. Ultimately, the wolf suffers. The research data from which this article is drawn were collected in Finland and consist of interviews, observations, policy follow-ups, and literary documents. Kooiman's theory of social-political governance is used for the analysis of the data, which shows that there is strong pressure for more cooperative instruments of policy and that actors outside the state administration are active in developing these instruments. This raises questions regarding the relation between administrative and nonadministrative policy actions and national government's roles in conflict management. In addition to the existing ecological strategy, the Finnish national government is facing a challenge to create a societal strategy for Finland's wolf policy.
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