All posts by nfpa

Tester’s Forest Jobs and Restoration Act included in Senate’s Interior Department appropriations bill

Environmental Issues, News,

Sen. Tester’s Forest Jobs and Restoration Act may be inching towards passage this year. From today’s Missoulian . . .

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s Forest Jobs and Restoration Act is included in the Senate’s Interior Department appropriations bill, giving it a chance of passage in the 2012 federal budget.

The bill provides annual funding for the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs and U.S. Forest Service wildland fire management.

The 183-page bill was released Friday.

Continue reading . . .

For further information, check out Sen. Tester’s Forest Jobs and Restoration Act mini-site.

Grizzly numbers in Montana, Wyoming & Idaho leveling off

Environmental Issues, News,

From today’s Missoulian . . .

Grizzly numbers in and around Yellowstone National Park dropped slightly this year, indicating the region’s bear population could be leveling off after decades of steady growth, researchers reported Thursday.

An estimated 593 bears are roaming the region of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, said Mark Haroldson, a bear researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey. That’s down from 602 last year and compares with a 4 percent average annual growth rate since the mid-1980s.

“Statistically, the evidence is it’s flattened out,” Haroldson said.

Continue reading . . .

Proposed ‘Flathead Watershed Area Conservation Act’ would ban North Fork mining in B.C.

Environmental Issues, News,

Here’s the Hungry Horse News’ take on the recently introduced Flathead Watershed Area Conservation Act . . .

A bill introduced in the British Columbia legislature last week would ban mining and oil and gas exploration in the Canadian Flathead, which is the North Fork of the Flathead River north of the border.

The Flathead Watershed Area Conservation Act, introduced by Steve Thomson, B.C.’s minister of forests lands and natural resource operations, codifies an earlier memorandum of understanding between B.C. and Montana to ban mining in the region.

The MOU, negotiated in 2010 by Gov. Brian Schweitzer and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, broke 30-plus years of differences between the two entities over mining in the drainage. B.C. mining interests through the years have proposed several mining and energy exploration projects in the drainage north of Glacier National Park.

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Biologist tells Glacier employees that 1.3 million acres of roadless lands vulnerable

Environmental Issues, News, , , , , ,

From the Missoulian . . .

Despite a legacy of conservation in the Crown of the Continent ecosystem, a biologist told Glacier National Park employees Tuesday that 1.3 million acres of roadless public lands remain vulnerable, and with them a suite of fish and wildlife species…

Although the core of the ecosystem is protected by the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Great Bear wildernesses – as well as the first-ever Tribal Wilderness in the Mission Mountains – 1.33 million acres of roadless area “is still up for grabs,” Weaver said…

…he stressed the importance of habitat connectivity along the periphery of conservation lands in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem, and in particular on the Rocky Mountain Front, along the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River, and in the Swan Range.

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Update on the passing of Bettie Jacobsen

History, News,

[UPDATED] As mentioned earlier here, Bettie Jacobsen passed away in Seattle on September 24 at the age of 96. A very nice obituary, including photos from her life, is now available online. Here’s an abstract from the longer, quite fascinating online piece:

Bettie (Elizabeth Colby) Jacobsen passed away at her family home on Naomi Place, Seattle, on September 24, 2011. Her passing ended a life of adventure and good works. After retiring, Bettie joined her daughter, Karen, in Polebridge, Montana, where they ran the Mercantile and Northern Lights Saloon. She was there 9 years then joined the Peace Corps. She celebrated her 80th birthday in Sri Lanka where she taught English. Bettie was a remarkable women and helped many people both personally and financially. She is survived by her youngest daughter Sally Hileman and Sally’ husband Terry Hileman of Bellingham, Washington, daughter Karen Feather of Coram, Montana, grandson David Silverstein of Polebridge and Columbia Falls, Montana, granddaughter Sage Silverstein and great grandson, Darien Davison, both of Eugene, Oregon. She was preceded in death by her third daughter Susan in 1974, and her eldest daughter Barbara in 2002.

Remembrances can be made in Bettie’s name to The Peace alliance, P. O. Box 27601, Washington D. C. 20038 or online at thepeacealliance.org.

Effort moving forward to protect trans-boundary Flathead from mining, energy development

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

From the Missoulian . . .

An effort to protect the transboundary Flathead River from mining and energy development moved a step forward Tuesday in the British Columbia Parliament.

Montana’s Gov. Brian Schweitzer and then-B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell signed a memorandum of understanding last year preserving the Flathead watershed, which borders Glacier National Park and the mountains west of Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta. Montana Sen. Max Baucus put a bill in Congress to solidify the commitment on the U.S. side; it’s still awaiting action.

On Tuesday, B.C. Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson announced a similar measure was put before the B.C. Parliament. The bill would prohibit issuing permits for mining, oil and gas development.

Continue reading . . .

B.C. introduces mining and energy ban legislation to protect Flathead

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

From an announcement sent out by Dave Hadden of Headwaters Montana . . .

British Columbia’s new premier, Christie Clark, has made good on her predecessor Gordon Campbell’s commitment to ban mining and energy extraction in the headwaters of the transboundary Flathead River.

Yesterday, her Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Steve Thomson, introduced Bill 2, the Flathead Watershed Area Conservation Act.

With the certain passage of this bill this year, B.C. will have completed its commitment to ban mining and energy extraction as one part of the historic B.C. – Montana MOU signed in February 2010 at the start of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and The Nature Conservancy of Montana (TNC) will provide $9.4 million to fund the conservation aspects of the agreement and compensate the ‘sunk costs’ of mining and energy companies with leases (tenures) in the watershed.

On the Montana side, senators Baucus and Tester’s senate bill 233, the North Fork Watershed Protection Act of 2011, awaits Senate committee action…

A related note by Jon Frederick, NFPA President:

If you want to send money to help make the Memorandum of Understanding complete — that is, to help the Nature Conservancies of The U.S. and Canada pay for expenditures of the exploration companies in the Flathead of British Columbia — write a check to The Nature Conservancy and send it to The Nature Conservancy, 32 South Ewing Street, Helena, MT 59601. Write “Flathead Now! Campaign” in the lower left corner or it won’t go where you wish.

Problem bear captured and euthanized in Polebridge area

News, ,

An adult, female, “problem” bear was captured and killed Wednesday near Polebridge. Here are the essentials from the press release . . .

Glacier National Park Rangers and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists captured and euthanized a black bear in the Polebridge area on Wednesday, October 5, after numerous incidents in which the bear broke into vehicles, raided trash storage areas and caused damage trying to access a residence. The bear broke vehicle windows and pulled off car door handles to gain access into at least four cars and trucks, including a vehicle in the park. The bear obtained a food reward in most of these incidents.

The female bear was six years old and weighed 241 pounds, and had been previously captured in downtown Kalispell in June of 2008, after it was seen in the Woodland Park area. The bear was tagged and released in McGinnis Creek in the North Fork of the Flathead, and has not been involved in any other management situations since.

After the recent incidents in the Polebridge area, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists and park rangers set traps and captured the suspect animal. After consultation between Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists and Glacier National Park personnel and verification that the correct animal had been captured, the bear was euthanized. This action is consistent with state and federal bear management plans.

Continue reading . . .

Larry Wilson: Optimism and glee over funding

Commentary, News, , , ,

This week, Larry discusses the good news that funding has been approved for additional improvements to the North Fork Road and for additional efforts at weed control. On a more somber note, he also announces the passing of Bettie Jacobsen . . .

Not long ago, I was not very optimistic that the Resource Advisory Committee would grant money to all of Flathead County’s requests for road improvement projects. My pessimism was due in part to the fact that RAC projects had already provided funds for the North Fork Road stretching from Camas Junction nearly to Whale Creek…

I am pleased to announce that I was wrong again. Last week, RAC granted $25,350 for dust abatement on the North Fork Road in 2012…

On a sad note, word was received this week of the passing of Karen Feather’s sainted mother, Bettie Jacobsen…

Continue reading . . .

Bear problems on Trail Creek 60 years ago

History,

A North Fork-related item appeared in the Hungry Horse News “Yesterdays” feature this week . . .

Oct. 5, 1951

A young housewife home alone with three young children up the North Fork took care of a large black bear accused of being a peeping Tom. Mrs. Jack Mathison was bathing her youngest child at their cabin on Whale Creek near the Canada border when she saw the bear looking in the window. After yelling to get the bear to leave, she picked up her husband’s rifle and shot the bruin through the window.