This week’s Hungry Horse News columnists give the North Fork a fair bit of ink. “Her N. Fork” by Carol Vuchetich discusses the experience and responsibilities of living on the North Fork. Larry Wilson’s “North Fork Views” is a nice end-of-summer piece, ruminating on a quiet fire season and the big uptick in bear sightings. And G. George Ostrom even gives the North Fork (and Larry Wilson) a mention as he talks about Lynx, past and present.
Category Archives: Environmental Issues
Final North Fork Road Corridor Study document available
The final North Fork Flathead Road Corridor Study document is now available for download from the study’s web page. The study document does not include the three associated appendices, which can also be downloaded from the same place. For those of you who don’t wish to wade through the full 66-page document, the study group’s September newsletter contains a good summary of the findings and conclusions.
Here’s the ultra-condensed version: The corridor study was a $125K Montana Department of Transportation project looking at alternatives for improving the condition of the North Fork Road from Blankenship Road to Camas Junction. The final conclusion recommends improved road maintenance and some sort of dust abatement (several options are listed). Paving was not recommended.
FWP captures five bears in seven days in Flathead County
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens have captured five “problem” bears in seven days throughout Flathead County. Three of them, a good-sized sow and two cubs, were relocated to the North Fork, another had to be put down and one was dropped off east of the Swan Range. This year’s poor berry crop has sent an unusually large number of bears down-valley into settled areas as they try to fatten up prior to hibernation.
The Daily Inter Lake has a good write-up on the situation; the Missoulian also has coverage. The Flathead Beacon has the actual FWP report, along with a pretty cool photo.
Rehberg asking for feedback on proposed “Idaho and Montana Wolf Management Act of 2010”
Yesterday, Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg released the text of draft legislation to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species list in Montana and Idaho.
Rehberg has posted the proposed bill on his website and is asking for public comment. The site’s “Wolf Management” page includes a link to the bill, as well as an online feedback form. But, be warned, submitting comments through that form automatically places you on his mailing list.
A brief article in today’s Flathead Beacon provides links to additional background information.
Rehberg drafts legislation for Montana & Idaho to manage gray wolves
From today’s Missoulian . . .
Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg released draft legislation Thursday that would prohibit treating gray wolves in Montana and Idaho as endangered species and turn management of them exclusively over to the states.
The brief, two-page draft is meant to be a starting point for legislation that he hopes to present to the House of Representatives soon.
XTO Energy releases more North Fork oil and gas leases
From today’s Missoulian . . .
Another 11 oil and gas exploration leases along the west side of Glacier National Park have been voluntarily released, according to Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester.
XTO Energy has decided not to pursue its development options on about 21,000 acres along the North Fork of the Flathead River. That means nearly 79 percent of the area’s oil and gas leases, totaling more than 200,000 acres, have been taken off the table. XTO Energy is a subsidiary of ExxonMobile Corp.
Forest Service’s identity changing says Region 1 boss
Today’s Missoulian has an interesting, slightly worrisome, article on changes in management and focus within the U.S. Forest Service . . .
Not quite a year into her station as top forester of Region 1, Leslie Weldon finds herself in the middle of a major U.S. Forest Service identity change…
Region 1 covers 25 million acres of Montana and parts of Idaho, Washington and the Dakotas…
Life from the ashes
This week’s Hungry Horse News has an interesting write-up on forest recovery after a wildfire . . .
On a hard hot day in August, Scott Lang, Alison Lay and Mike McClellan are standing in a young forest in Glacier National Park, taking note of the trees.
The forest doesn’t look like much. The trees are short and sort of scruffy, most are no taller than five or six feet…
Flathead Land Trust celebrates 25 years
Today’s Daily Inter Lake had a nice article on the 25th anniversary of the Flathead Land Trust . . .
(By the way, the article mentions that one of the original Flathead Land Trust steering committee members was “a North Fork resident.” Anybody know who that was?)
Think of the Blasdel federal Waterfowl Production Area, or the new McWenneger Slough fishing access, or a 40-acre addition to Lone Pine State Park, or better yet, many of the farm fields and riparian areas along the lower Flathead River system. They have something in common: the Flathead Land Trust.
The organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year…
Wolf killings set to expand in most states
An Associated Press article from today’s Missoulian . . .
Government agencies are seeking broad new authority to ramp up killings and removals of gray wolves in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes, despite two recent court actions that restored the animal’s endangered status in every state except Alaska and Minnesota…
In Montana and Idaho, officials hope to revive hunting seasons by rebranding them as “conservation hunts” or “research hunts.” Also, Montana Democrat U.S. Senator Max Baucus wants ranchers to have more freedom to shoot wolves harassing livestock…