Category Archives: News

North Fork Watershed Protection Act reports out of committee with full bipartisan support

Environmental Issues, News, ,

It appears U.S. Sen. Max Baucus’ North Fork Watershed Protection Act came out of committee last Tuesday with a fair bit of bipartisan momentum this year. The next step is consideration by the full Senate . . .

A measure to protect the North Fork of the Flathead River from energy development won rare bipartisan committee support Tuesday and now heads for the full Senate.

“In this particular Congress, it’s always a big deal when a bill gets reported out unanimously,” National Parks Conservation Association legislative analyst Elise Ligouri said Wednesday. “We think it should be considered for a floor vote in the very near future.”

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted on Sen. Max Baucus’ North Fork Watershed Protection Act along with 11 other bills during its Tuesday markup session.

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Last summer’s Flathead BioBlitz reveals “Scientifically Significant” findings

Environmental Issues, News,

Last summer, a group of scientists conducted a “bioblitz” of the Canadian Flathead, examining the area’s invertebrate species. This summer, and even larger group will document bird and fish species. Of course, their findings have implications on both sides of the border . . .

The discovery of a brand new spider species, the first Canadian record of a rare spider, and the first B.C. sighting in 100 years of a Herrington’s Fingernail Clam are some of the significant science findings from the first Flathead BioBlitz, according to data released today.

The August 2012 BioBlitz was conducted by 10 scientists, including six from the Royal B.C. Museum, and focused on documenting a stunning variety of rare, at-risk and extensive invertebrates from clams to butterflies to spiders. The second Flathead River Valley BioBlitz kicks off today with a team of 20 biologists who will spend a week traipsing through the spectacular river, valley and surrounding Rocky Mountains to document bird and fish species.

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Glacier Park funding study on interactions between mountain goats and humans

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Some areas of Glacier Park are getting awfully crowded in the summer and park personnel are trying to figure out what to do about it. One part of this process is a study of the mountain goats in the Logan Pass area . . .

Glacier National Park hopes to radio-collar about 20 mountain goats at Logan Pass this year as part of a research project designed to study the iconic animal’s interaction with people…

The Logan Pass goat study is part of a broader look at the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor and how best to manage it. Beginning this month, the Park will begin an intensive round of public meetings across Northwest Montana to gauge public opinion on how best to manage the alpine highway and the crowds of visitors it draws…

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Larry Wilson: North Fork wilderness debated

Commentary, Environmental Issues, News, ,

Larry Wilson talks about the issue of wilderness designation on the North Fork and forest management in general . . .

Last fall, I wrote about the formation of a group which named itself the Whitefish Range Partnership. Their goal was, and is, to write a draft Forest Plan for the Whitefish Range to present to the Flathead National Forest as they begin the process of writing a new plan for the entire Flathead National Forest.

The group has met twice monthly since last fall, with many committee meetings in between. Also meeting with the group have been Glacier View and Flathead Forest officials who acted as resource support. There have also been presentations by other resource folks with special expertise, like wildlife experts Tim Their, Jim Williams and John Weaver.

With a lot of give and take, the group has completed and agreed on most issues, including timber, fire, river corridor and wildlife until only one issue remains — wilderness…

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Motorcycle-chasing wolf

News,

Whatever makes some dogs chase vehicles apparently extends to wolves . . .

A Canadian man says he was chased by a gray wolf while he was riding a motorcycle in British Columbia.

Tim Bartlett of Banff tells the National Post the wolf darted onto the road and began chasing him June 8 as he was riding through the Canadian Rockies. The animal got within several feet of him before Bartlett accelerated.

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Problem griz from Marias River area given new home on the North Fork

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Another problem griz got a free ride to the North Fork earlier this week . . .

A 4-year-old male grizzly bear has been captured near the lower Marias River and relocated west of Glacier National Park after a family reported lambs and a calf had been killed.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks grizzly bear manager Mike Madel tells the Great Falls Tribune that a family reported last Friday that a couple of lambs had been killed and the next day they found a dead calf. Officials confirmed a grizzly killed the animals.

The 440-pound bear was captured Sunday. Because it had not been captured before, a radio collar was placed on the bear and it was released near the North Fork of the Flathead River.

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Jeff Mow named new Glacier Park superintendent

News,

Jeff Mow, currently superintendent of Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, takes over as the Glacier National Park superintendent August 25 . . .

A new superintendent — 25-year National Park Service veteran Jeff Mow — has been selected to lead Glacier National Park.

Mow is currently superintendent at Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. He will begin his assignment in Glacier on Aug. 25…

Mow, who has been superintendent at Kenai Fjords since November 2004, is eager to return to Montana.

“My first visit to the park was in 1988 as a wildland firefighter on the Red Bench Fire near Polebridge,” he said. “Twenty-five years later, it is such an honor and privilege to return as superintendent and a newest member of Glacier’s outstanding management team. I can’t wait to join with the park staff and partners as we meet numerous challenges and opportunities facing the park in the next few years.”

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Further reading: coverage from the Flathead Beacon and the Missoulian.

Feds propose lifting most wolf protections in Lower 48

Environmental Issues, News, , , ,

It’s now official. The federal government wants to lift Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves within the Continental U.S. . . .

The Obama administration on Friday proposed lifting most remaining federal protections for gray wolves across the Lower 48 states, a move that would end four decades of recovery efforts but that some scientists said was premature.

State and federal agencies have spent more than $117 million restoring the predators since they were added to the endangered species list in 1974. Today more than 6,100 wolves roam portions of the Northern Rockies and western Great Lakes.

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Montana FWP seeking public comment on Coal Creek project

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Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wants comments on a “habitat enhancement” project for the south fork of Coal Creek. Here’s the write-up from the project web page:

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), Region One, is seeking public comment for a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the South Fork of Coal Creek Habitat Enhancement Project. FWP proposes to implement a project to increase available spawning and rearing habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout by adding large, woody debris into an impaired section of the South Fork of Coal Creek in Flathead County.

The draft is out for a 21-day public review through 5:00 p.m., Friday, June 28, 2013. Contact person: FWP Fisheries Biologist Amber Steed, (406) 751-4541 or e-mail to asteed@mt.gov.

Supporting document: South Fork of Coal Creek Habitat Enhancement Project

Daines introduces North Fork Watershed Protection Act in U.S. House

Environmental Issues, News, , , ,

Here is the Missoulian’s take on U.S. Rep. Steve Daines’ introduction of the North Fork Watershed Protection Act in U.S. House of Representatives . . .

Citing its supply of clean water and the coalition of support backing its protection, U.S. Rep. Steve Daines on Wednesday introduced legislation restricting new mineral development in the North Fork Flathead watershed.

Daines, R-Mont., introduced the North Fork Watershed Protection Act of 2013 in the House of Representatives, joining U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester, both Democrats, who introduced a similar measure in the Senate.

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