Monthly Archives: July 2012

Grizzly bear moved from Lincoln area to North Fork

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Another nuisance griz got the boot from more settled areas and introduced to the North Fork . . .

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists and field assistants captured a grizzly bear last week that had become too comfortable grazing near homes in the Lincoln area. Crews relocated the bear to the North Fork of the Flathead on Sunday.

FWP bear management specialist Jamie Jonkel said the bear was mostly eating clover, but also got into some birdseed, one bag of garbage and 100 pounds of water-damaged winter wheat that was on a property on 7-Up Ranch Lane.

Continue reading . . .

Searching for the biggest Western larch

Environmental Issues, News, , , ,

Andrew Larson, an assistant professor of ecology at the University of Montana, is on the hunt for the biggest Western larch in the U.S. . . .

The largest Western larch in the land is a giant, standing 153 feet over the placid waters of Seeley Lake in a quiet, shady grove.

Visiting the tree is akin to a quest and standing in its presence, where the air is fresh and light, brings one a sense of serenity…

As large and distinguished as the old larch is, Larson thinks there’s a bigger tree awaiting discovery in northwest Montana’s vast tracts of wild and remote lands.

Continue reading . . .

Canadian Flathead Valley scheduled for ‘BioBlitz’

Environmental Issues, News,

A team of scientists will be conducting a biological survey in early August of the area being proposed as an expansion for Waterton Lakes National Park in the Canadian Flathead drainage . . .

British Columbia’s North Fork Flathead drainage will soon be swarming with scientists looking to document as many forms of life possible in a first-ever “BioBlitz” for the area.

The search will involve about a dozen scientists and support personnel combing the drainage for birds, bees, bats, fish, fungi, flowers, lichens, trees, reptiles and mammals of all types…

The scientists will be working in an area of southeastern British Columbia that is proposed as an expansion area for Waterton Lakes National Park…

Continue reading . . .

Lightning sparks wildfires in Flathead National Forest

News,

This explains the increased low-flying air traffic yesterday . . .

A late-night storm on Sunday generated more than 100 lightning strikes in the Flathead National Forest and sparked seven small fires. On Monday, crews were working to suppress the fires and flying over the Spotted Bear Ranger District to get a better idea of what was burning.

According to the forest’s public affairs specialist, Wade Muehlhof, five of the fires are located within the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The Snow Peak Fire is the largest and had burned 8 acres of land as of Monday afternoon.

Continue reading . . .

Summer 2012 NFPA newsletter now available online

Site Updates

For those of you who can’t wait on the mail, the North Fork Preservation Association Summer 2012 Newsletter is now available online in the Newsletters section of the website. Enjoy!

Here’s a partial table of contents:

  • Where Are We? The Year in Review
  • Dr. John Weaver to Speak at NFPA Annual Meeting
  • Nature Conservancy Campaigning for “North Fork Now!” Funds
  • The Whitefish Range Needs You!
  • Don’t Feed the Bears Chickens; Do Feed the Web Site

Grizzly bear deaths spike in Yellowstone region this summer

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

It could just be statistical anomaly, but there have been 16 grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone region this summer. Most are natural losses, but they are much higher than normal . . .

Bear biologists are refraining from assigning a single reason for a two-fold increase in the rate of natural grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone National Park region.

Ten of the 16 grizzlies that have met their ends this summer have died of natural causes, according to data from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.

Historically, humans are to blame for more than 75 percent of the bear deaths in the first half of the summer. While the rate is just 37 percent this year, it is derived from a small sample size, and biologists aren’t jumping to any conclusions.

Continue reading . . .

Grizzly bear taste for chicken makes for conflicts — and dead bears

Environmental Issues, News, ,

We mentioned this last year, but it bears repeating: Human-bear conflict is not just caused by garbage, dog food and bird feeders. There is a growing problem these days with unprotected chicken coops. The New York Times ran a story a couple of weeks ago . . .

Longing for fresh eggs, Levi and Nauni Griffith began raising chickens in their backyard. They started with a few, and eventually had 116. Until late last summer, that is, when a grizzly sow and her cub, filling the night with fearful growling, got in among the shrieking chickens and then lumbered off, leaving bits of 99 birds behind…

In northwestern Montana, as in much of the country, more people are keeping chickens. And bears of all kinds are developing a taste for poultry that lures them into populated areas, presenting a dangerous situation for both people and, especially, for bears.

Continue reading . . .

Montana FWP Commission approves new wolf hunt rules; allows trapping

Environmental Issues, News, ,

To no one’s surprise, the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission approved new wolf hunt rules late last week, including a provision for trapping . . .

Montana wildlife commissioners approved new wolf hunting rules Thursday that allow trapping and the killing of up to three of the predators by one trapper.

The move came after the officials waded through thousands of written comments regarding management of the species that evokes strong emotions…

Wildlife managers will allow some trapping, lift most quotas and expand the length of the season…

Continue reading . . .

Park Service acquires Doody Ranch property in Glacier’s Middle Fork

News, ,

The Park Service has bought out the second largest remaining inholding in Glacier Park . . .

The National Park Service has acquired the second largest privately owned property remaining in Glacier National Park, the park service announced Monday.

The Trust for Public Land bought the 120-acre homestead property named Doody Ranch on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near Harrison Lake. The property was purchased for $900,000 and sold to the park service for the same amount using royalties from offshore energy leases.

Continue reading . . .