Category Archives: Commentary

Wolverine trapping a bad idea and bad science

Commentary, Environmental Issues, ,

And while we’re jumping on the wolverine trapping issue, here is a letter from Bob Nelson, Vice President of the North Fork Preservation Association. It went out the the editors of several regional papers a couple of days ago. The “petition” referenced in his letter has just been pre-empted by yesterday’s lawsuit, but his comments are still very much to the point . . .

To the editor

The Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission recently authorized the trapping of five wolverines (or three females) during this trapping season. The Western Environmental Law Center, on behalf of a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Friends of the Wild Swan, Helena Hunters and Anglers Association, and the Wild Earth Guardians, petitioned the commission. The petition requested that the trapping of wolverines be stopped this season and that all wolverine trapping be suspended until the wolverine is no longer a candidate or protective species under the US Endangered Species Act.

The North Fork Preservation Association (NFPA) supports that petition and asks that the public contact the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission to support that petition.  The NFPA is composed of citizens living in or concerned about the ecosystem of the North Fork of the Flathead River. We are dedicated to protecting the natural resources that make the North Fork an unparalleled area for wildlife and people.

The petition provides ample reasons and supporting research for canceling wolverine trapping. Currently, the total population of wolverines in Montana is estimated to be between 100-175 individuals. That number is expected to decline as climate change shrinks the available snowpack habitat in Montana. The trapping of wolverines when the population is small and at risk makes a bad situation worse. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) states that the trapped wolverine populations likely live at densities that are lower than are necessary to maintain their population unless wolverines from untrapped populations are added. Currently, the Service believes the wolverine population is inadequate for maintenance of genetic diversity of the species.

Montana is the only state in the contiguous US that allows wolverine trapping. Idaho and Wyoming designate wolverines as a protected non-game species while Washington lists the wolverine as an endangered species. Under Montana law, the state is required to manage wolverines in a manner that assists with the maintenance or recovery of the species.  Instead, trapping may put that species at risk. Trapping does not distinguish which animal will be trapped; if a nursing mother wolverine is trapped, both the female and her young are dead.

Wolverines are an integral part of the Montana ecosystem. They are strong, robust, will eat anything, are afraid of nothing, and can climb the highest peak with ease.  Their large snowshoe-like feet give them an edge over most competitors and prey during the winter months. Putting this species at risk so that five trappers can “harvest” a pelt worth about $260 is a poor decision, both for the wolverine and the people of Montana.

The NFPA is dedicated to maintaining and preserving the plants, animals, and water that exist within the North Fork region. The wolverine is one of those animals and deserves protection from trapping.

Bob Nelson
Vice-president, NFPA
135 Rainbow Drive
Polebridge, MT 59928

Larry Wilson: A scenic cruise down the Inside Road

Commentary, Travel Articles,

Larry talks about driving the Inside North Fork Road, which was recently re-opened all the way from the Fish Creek campground to Kintla Lake. I took the same route a few days earlier and it is, indeed, a beautiful drive . . .

When I tell people that when I was first on the North Fork (1947) that the Inside Road from Polebridge and the West Side road each took the same time to drive to Belton or Columbia Falls, they have trouble believing me.

Nevertheless, it’s true . . .

Continue reading . . .

Larry Wilson: On gardening, wood-cutting and hunting

Commentary, , ,

Larry talks about fall activities on the North Fork . . .

My lone aspen tree is now adorned with bright yellow leaves, and the larch are beginning to turn gold. Daytime temperatures have remained in the 70s, but frost is common most nights. It’s definitely fall with fall activities.

Gardening on the North Fork has seen an upsurge in recent years…

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Larry Wilson: Much of North Fork is already ‘wilderness’

Commentary, Environmental Issues, ,

Larry responds to yet another op-ed on the North Fork wilderness issue . . .

I had never heard of a “liberal conservationist” until that label was applied to me by Matthew Chappell in a recent letter to the editor in the Hungry Horse News.

My opposition to a wilderness on the Whitefish Range led Mr. Chappell to believe that I oppose all wilderness and want motorized vehicles to be allowed everywhere.

He supposes that I might want a parking garage at Polebridge and maybe even a Pizza Hut on Trail Creek.

In fact, his suppositions are just so much horse apples. I do not oppose all wilderness. I do oppose a Whitefish Divide Wilderness for what I believe are good reasons.

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Larry Wilson: No outhouses in RAC project list

Commentary, News, , ,

Larry starts off discussing some of the projects proposed to the Resource Advisory Committee and finishes up pointing out that bears can do it, but you can’t — at least not on federal land . . .

The Resource Advisory committee (RAC) has been reauthorized for one year. Previous reauthorizations have all been for three years, so this year’s federal dollars may well be the last. Of course, we were told last year that the 2012 monies would be the end of the program, so who knows?

At any rate, the North Fork has received a great amount of money over the years helping to fund road work, battle weeds, thin timber, repair trails and, no doubt, things I have forgotten. Because we have received so much in recent years, we should not really be surprised at the low number of North Fork requests this year.

Flathead County has only requested funding for eight miles of dust abatement, from Camas Junction to Polebridge…

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Larry Wilson: North Fork fall activities slated

Commentary, News, ,

Larry discusses upcoming fall North Fork activities . . .

The ground squirrels have withdrawn to their winter quarters, there’s fresh snow on the mountains in Glacier Park, and the lone quaking aspen in my meadow is nearly one-third bright yellow. Also, orange paint is being sprayed on trees up and down the road. There are even a few folks with blackened faces and camo clothing, armed with bows and arrows, creeping around in the woods.

Due to freezing nights and cooler days, I’m starting to take wood out of the woodshed to warm the cabin. A heavy rain this week probably ended the risk of a major North Fork wildfire until next summer. Sure signs of fall.

Continue reading . . .

Larry Wilson: Whitefish Range challenge accepted

Commentary, Environmental Issues, News, , , , ,

Larry accepts the Mount Thompson-Seton challenge and discusses the end-of-season wind-down . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed the letter last week from fellow North Forker Frank Vitale. I consider him as well as the North Fork Preservation Association a “moderate” environmentalist.

Since there seems to be some confusion about the definition of moderate, let me refer you to the dictionary…

If Frank is willing to take this old fat guy to Mount Thompson-Seton and, most importantly, back out, I accept. I suspect there is much that he and I will agree on even if we don’t agree about the specifics of a wilderness. I hope others will join us.

Continue reading . . .

Larry Wilson: A short water quality history

Commentary, News, ,

Larry gives a little background on the efforts over the years to reach agreement on water quality issues between British Columbia and Montana . . .

Every North Forker is painfully aware that British Columbia is vital to our lifestyle and well being. After all, the North Fork of the Flathead River flows out of British Columbia and provides us with the cold, clear, pure water that is essential to us and to Flathead Lake.

For more than 30 years, we’ve been concerned about Canadian industrial threats to water quality in the river. Most urgent threat was the development of coal mines in the upper Flathead. This was one of the main reasons the North Fork Preservation Association was organized.

At one point, NFPA president John Frederick and his then-wife Sharon bought stock in the coal company that had development plans in the Flathead. For several years, they attended stockholders meetings to raise awareness of our concerns.

Montana Gov. Ted Schwinden began negotiations with British Columbia to address water-quality issues, and since then every Montana governor continued those efforts. Although the efforts of Govs. Stan Stephens, Marc Racicot and Judy Martz seemed to make little progress, step by step the Canadians and Americans were making headway. The International Joint Commission and the Flathead Basin Commission and B.C. officials continued to meet, share concerns and move toward a solution.

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“From where I stand there’s not enough wilderness”

Commentary, Environmental Issues, , , , ,

NFPA board member Frank Vitale took strong issue with some of the statements in Larry Wilson’s last column in the Hungry Horse News. Here’s his response . . .

August 20, 2012

To the Editor:

I would like to respond to Larry Wilson’s North Fork Views.

First, I didn’t realize the North Fork Preservation Association was considered a “moderate” environmental organization. If anyone out there has any idea how many classifications there are for environmental organizations, please let me know. Is it on a 1-10 scale; 1 being “least moderate” and 10 being “extremely moderate?”

Larry states that he is opposed to any Whitefish Range Wilderness. His opposition to it is fine with me. He is entitled to voice his likes and dislikes. That’s the way it should be in a free society.

I’d like to propose a challenge to Larry, and extend it to all North Fork landowners. The challenge would be to list 10 reasons why we should or should not have wilderness in the Whitefish Range. I would propose to have this discussion atop Mt Thompson-Seton. I would even supply the transportation to and from.

You see, Larry, we stand on different sides of the “divide.” Your side thinks there is too much wilderness. From where I stand there’s not enough wilderness. The spoilers have had a heyday tearing most of it up. They ain’t making any more.

Years ago, Bob Marshall said, “Wilderness is disappearing like a snow field on a hot July day.” A while back on one of my many packing gigs deep in the wilderness below Scapegoat Mountain, I lead my string of mules off the high plateau call Halfmoon Park. As we crossed the Continental Divide down the west slope a momma grizzly and two cubs of the year shot out below me faster than any race horse out of the starting gate. Before I knew it they made it across the canyon and up the opposite ridge like three rockets. As they crested the ridge top, they stopped and looked back toward the pack string slowly moving down the switchbacks. It was then I realized there’s no compromise up here.

Men like Cecil Garland fought like hell to keep the spoilers out of the Lincoln Backcountry. When push came to shove, there was no compromise. Now it’s called the Scapegoat Wilderness. And what a wilderness it is. One of the best I’ve seen.

I don’t know how to classify Cecil Garland. Which end of “moderate” is he? Which end of “moderate” do we place other men like Bob Marshall, Aldo Leopold, Andy Russell, John Muir? The list could go on.

When the push came to shove they didn’t quit. There was no compromise.

So Larry and other North Fork Landowners who think we have too much wilderness – take the challenge and let’s hear all your reasons. My mules are ready to go.

On a final note, the irony to Larry’s column was that it was next to Pat William’s guest editorial, “Two Rivers Run Through Montana.” This scrappy working class Irish kid from Butte, Montana made it all the way to the halls of congress. The spoilers tried to get Pat Williams voted out. They had their bumper sticker crowd with slogans like, “No wolves, no wilderness, no Williams,” but they failed. Pat gracefully retired from congress after a long, successful career. His only regret was that the wilderness dispute never got resolved, and we are still fighting the good fight many years later, one wilderness battle at a time.

Sincerely,

Frank Vitale

Larry Wilson: A look at North Fork politics

Commentary, News, ,

Larry talks about two of the main organizations on the North Fork, the North Fork Preservation Association and the North Fork Landowners Association, and their role in the community.

An excerpt . . .

…In my opinion, the NFPA is a relatively moderate environmentalist group. Although I often disagree with them (I oppose expanding Waterton Park or any Whitefish Range wilderness area), I believe they are sincere in their efforts to protect and preserve North Fork values and lifestyle.

On the other hand, I am a strong supporter of the North Fork Improvement Association, which now calls itself the North Fork Landowners Association. I first became a member in 1955 and, except for a few years when I was away from the North Fork, have been a member since then…

Continue reading . . .