Category Archives: Commentary

B.C. legislation for Flathead only first step towards long-term protection

February 26, 2011Commentary, Environmental IssuesCanadian Flathead, Flathead Valley, Sierra Club BC, Trans-boundary Flatheadnfpa

This article on the Sierra Club BC’s web site does a good job of putting the current actions by the B.C. government to protect the Canadian part of the Flathead valley in context.

Here’s the lead-in . . .

Legislation to prohibit mining and energy development in the Flathead River Valley is only the first of three steps the B.C. government must take to protect the Flathead permanently, said Sierra Club BC in a recent press release.

On February 15, 2011, the B.C. premier’s office issued a statement that “the Province has signed an agreement to sustain environmental values in the Flathead Valley, and will introduce legislation to support the 2010 MOU on Environmental Protection, Climate Action and Energy with the State of Montana.”

“While the legislation is an important step, it does not equate to long-term conservation for the Flathead River Valley,” said Sierra Club BC spokesperson Sarah Cox. “It’s a complete stretch to say that the Flathead is forever protected.”

Continue reading . . .

Rainbow trout shows dilemma over manipulation of nature

February 19, 2011Commentary, Environmental Issuescutthroat trout, rainbow troutnfpa

Sally Mauk, news director at KUFM, Montana Public Radio, runs a twice-monthly column in the Missoulian. Her most recent discusses the world-wide spread of rainbow trout from its native home on the Pacific Rim. I’ve tossed it in here because it is pretty interesting and because there’s a North Fork connection.

Here’s an excerpt from the North Fork reference . . .

And then there’s the Frankenstein effect. All this mucking with nature has created fish hybrids, especially in waters where rainbow and westslope cutthroat trout have interbred. Halverson was fishing once in the North Fork of the Flathead, where it’s catch-and-release only for westslope cutthroat, when he caught a trout that was so hybridized, he was stumped.

Read the entire article . . .

Commentary: North Fork deal is a winner

February 17, 2011Commentary, Environmental Issuescoal mining, Flathead River Valley, gold mining, Nature Conservancy Canada, The Nature Conservancynfpa

The Daily Inter Lake has nice things to say today about the recently concluded deal to protect the Flathead drainage . . .

It’s hard to overstate the significance of the recently announced commitment of the Nature Conservancy to provide about $9.4 million to seal a deal between Montana and British Columbia that will prevent mining in the Canadian headwaters of the Flathead River Basin.

It’s even harder to overstate what a sweet deal it is. Montana businesses, conservation groups and political leaders have been battling mining proposals in the British Columbia Flathead drainage for the last 30 years, never really knowing when the next battle would come.

Now, because of a memorandum of understanding between the province and the state that was announced a year ago, there is a prohibition on mining in the remote and pristine drainage that feeds Montana’s North Fork Flathead River.

Continue reading . . .

Wilson makes some good points about land use planning and bureaucracy

February 10, 2011Commentaryland planning, Larry Wilson, zoningnfpa

In his column this week, Larry Wilson makes some pointed observations about the upcoming Feb. 14 county commissioners’ meeting to consider adjustments to language for the North Fork Zoning District concerning setbacks. Recommended reading, as usual.

Wilson’s holiday parties restrospective

January 8, 2011CommentaryChristmas, Larry Wilson, New Year, Sondreson Hall, Thanksgivingnfpa

Larry Wilson’s column this week is a retrospective of all the recent North Fork holiday get-togethers at Sondreson Hall. He talks about the big Thanksgiving dinner (your friendly web wrangler attended that one) and the Christmas and New Year parties.

Read it at the Hungry Horse News . . .

Larry Wilson reports on a “sparkling” Christmas party

December 29, 2010CommentaryChristmas party, Larry Wilson, Sondreson Hallnfpa

Larry Wilson’s column this week reports on the “sparkling” Christmas party held at Sondreson Hall last weekend, not to mention the people and the food that conspired to make it a successful event.

Read it at the Hungry Horse News . . .

Larry Wilson on Christmas parties past and present

December 22, 2010Commentary, HistoryChristmas party, Larry Wilson, North Fork Views, Sondreson Hallnfpa

Larry Wilson’s column this week reminds everyone of the upcoming North Fork community Christmas party at Sondreson Hall and provides a nice retrospective on past events. It’s recommended reading, as usual.

(And, no, I have no idea why Larry’s column is online sometimes and sometimes not. The Hungry Horse News follows its own, incrutable logic in such matters.)

Ben Lamb: Why the Baucus/Tester wolf delisting bill is the better choice

October 23, 2010Commentary, Environmental IssuesBen Lamb, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, wolf management, wolvesnfpa

Ben Lamb had an excellent guest commentary posted to last Wednesday’s New West. He’s lost patience with all the political posturing over wolf management. It’s an entertaining read . . .

The political wrangling over wolves since the latest relisting in August is now in full force. It’s unfortunate that we’ve arrived at a place where the only solution that most Montanans see regarding wolves is political in nature.

Looking back over 100 years of wildlife conservation in the state of Montana, political solutions have rarely helped wildlife. In the past, hunter-conservationists struggled mightily to remove political influence from wildlife management, and we were largely successful. . .

Read the entire article . . .

Wilson praises Polebridge Mercantile and Northern Lights Café

October 13, 2010CommentaryLarry Wilson, North Fork Views, Northern Lights Café, Northern Lights Saloon, Polebridge Mercantilenfpa

Larry Wilson’s “North Fork Views” column in this week’s Hungry Horse News heaps well-deserved praise on the Polebridge Mercantile and Northern Lights Café and their new owners.

As usual, Larry’s column is recommended reading.

Wolves all over the news

October 7, 2010Commentary, Environmental Issues, NewsDenny Rehberg, Endangered Species Act, wolf hunt, wolf recovery, wolvesnfpa

Wolves have been getting enough press the last couple of days to turn a seasoned PR flack green with envy.

Here’s an overview of the more notable local and regional coverage . . .

The Daily Inter Lake has a pretty good write-up on Rep. Denny Rehberg’s local hearing on the impact of relisting gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act.
Bill Schneider unloads on pro-wolf groups in the Flathead Beacon for refusing to consider any comprimise on wolf protection. He argues that the political backlash may put the integrity of the Endangered Species Act at risk. He also provides an excellent summary of the various legislative proposals floating around right now.
By contrast, there’s an AP article in the Missoulian indicating that Montana, at least, is trying to reach a settlement with environmental groups that successfully sued to put wolves back under federal protection.
At the same time, both Montana and Idaho are trying to get the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow limited wolf hunts in certain areas under something called the “10(j) rule.” Go figure.

North Fork Preservation Association

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