Category Archives: Environmental Issues

FWP plans to reintroduce mountain goats to Whitefish Range

October 31, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsMontana FWP, mountain goats, Whitefish Rangenfpa

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks wants to reintroduce mountain goats to the Whitefish Range where they were pretty much hunted out by the 1960s. The plan is to capture an initial population of about 15 goats from a large herd in the Crazy Mountains near Big Timber and release them near Stryker Mountain on the west side of the Whitefish Divide. The project is scheduled to start this January.

For more information, see the write-up in this week’s Hungry Horse News, as well as the story in the Daily Inter Lake.

Check out the draft environmental assessment for project-specific details. If you want to put your oar in, the project is open for public comment through Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Study says regional wolf population high enough to maintain genetic diversity

October 25, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsEndangered Species Act, Northern Rockies, wolf management, wolf recoverynfpa

This is going to stir things up. A just-released scientific study concludes that the wolf population is more than high enough to maintain genetic diversity throughout the Northern Rockies. This from the same team that earlier concluded that the wolf population in Yellowstone was genetically isolated, a finding used to argue against removing wolves from Endangered Species Act protection.

Some old research is providing new insight into the genetic diversity of wolves in the Northern Rockies.

Authored by well-known names in the world of wolf reintroduction, the newly published study concludes that as far back as six years ago, wolf numbers were high enough to avoid genetic stagnation in the region.

Mark Hebblewhite, a University of Montana ecologist and longtime wolf researcher, said the study is the most comprehensive paper ever completed on a wild population of carnivores. . .

The study was authored by the same team that earlier reported wolves in Yellowstone National Park were genetically isolated. That information was used to argue against delisting the Northern Rockies population in 2008. . .

Read the full article . . .

For more detail, read the related “News and Views” item from Molecular Ecology, as well as the full scientific paper referenced in the above article. (Both documents are in PDF format and will open in a new window.)

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 . . .

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.

Lots of noise about delisting wolves

October 3, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsEndangered Species List, wolf hunt, wolf recoverynfpa

An AP article posted to today’s Flathead Beacon surveys the various, competing proposals to remove wolves from the Endangered Species List. Must be an election coming up . . .

Two decades after the federal government spent a half-million dollars to study the reintroduction of gray wolves to the Northern Rockies, lawmakers say it’s time for Congress to step in again — this time to clamp down on the endangered animals.

Read the full article . . .

Montana’s congressional delegation aims to delist wolves

September 29, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsDenny Rehberg, Endangered Species Act, Endangered Species List, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, wolf hunt, wolf recovery, wolvesnfpa

From today’s Flathead Beacon, here’s some more information on the attempt to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. This write-up includes links to useful external material . . .

Just days after Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg announced that he had drafted legislation that would remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List, Montana’s Democratic Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester said they were introducing a similar bill.

Read the full article . . .

Baucus & Tester introduce bill to return wolf management to Montana

September 28, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsDenny Rehberg, Endangered Species Act, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, wolf huntnfpa

Montana’s congresscritters are really jumping on the wolf issue.

A late post to today’s Missoulian . . .

Montana and Idaho could win back state management of gray wolves through legislation offered by senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester late Tuesday.

The state’s two Democratic senators introduced their bill in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg drafted a bill removing wolves from Endangered Species Act protection on Sept. 15, but has not introduced it yet.

Read the full article . . .

Rehberg to hold local wolf hearing Oct. 6

September 28, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsDenny Rehberg, Endangered Species Act, wolf huntnfpa

From today’s Daily Inter Lake . . .

Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., announced Monday that he will host three hearings — including one in Kalispell on Oct. 6 — on the impacts of relisting gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act.

Rehberg is interested in a legislative solution…

The Oct. 6 meeting in Kalispell will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Flathead Valley Community College’s Arts and Technology building…

Read the full article . . .

Montana seeks “conservation hunt” for wolves

September 27, 2010Environmental Issues, Newsconservation hunt, wolf huntnfpa

This will get everyone stirred up. From today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

Montana wildlife officials say they have applied for a special “conservation hunt” for endangered gray wolves . . .

State officials earlier this month asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an expedited decision on their application so hunting could take place this fall. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from wildlife advocates who accuse the state of making an end-run around the courts . . .

Read the full article . . .

Study says beetle kills may not elevate fire hazard

September 27, 2010Environmental Issues, Newsbeetle kill, computer modeling, wildfiresnfpa

Oh, boy. This item posted to today’s Flathead Beacon is going to trigger some debate and, one hopes, further investigation . . .

Swaths of forests killed by mountain pine beetles may not be as prone to massive fires as many previously assumed, a conclusion drawn by researchers from the University of Wisconsin and Yellowstone National Park.

Read the full article . . .

North Fork Preservation Association

News and information about NFPA and the North Fork of the Flathead River

Category Archives: Environmental Issues

FWP plans to reintroduce mountain goats to Whitefish Range

Study says regional wolf population high enough to maintain genetic diversity

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

Wolves all over the news

Lots of noise about delisting wolves

Montana’s congressional delegation aims to delist wolves

Baucus & Tester introduce bill to return wolf management to Montana

Rehberg to hold local wolf hearing Oct. 6

Montana seeks “conservation hunt” for wolves

Study says beetle kills may not elevate fire hazard