Category Archives: News

Daines introduces House version of North Fork Watershed Protection Act

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U.S. Rep. Steve Daines just introduced a U.S. House version of the North Fork Watershed Protection Act that is currently slogging its way through the Senate . . .

U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., on Wednesday formally introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would block mining and energy development in the North Fork Flathead River drainage on the western boundary of Glacier National Park.

The bill, H.R. 2259, is nearly identical, both in name and content, to its companion bill in the Senate, the North Fork Watershed Protect Act, which Democratic U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester introduced in February.

The public lands bills seek to furnish permanent protections on more than 400,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service parcels, placing them off limits to hard-rock mining, mountaintop-removal coal mining, and oil and gas development.

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Harlequin duck study in Glacier Park continues; 17 year old male identified

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The latest from the ongoing harlequin duck study in Glacier Park . . .

A male harlequin duck, known to be at least 17 years-old, was recently identified in Glacier National Park by University of Montana researchers and Glacier National Park scientists. The banded duck is believed to be the third oldest on record. The oldest known banded harlequin duck has a recorded age of 18 years and 10 months.

“Prior to these findings, harlequin ducks were reported to live up to only 10 years of age, which makes this finding a positive indicator of the health and longevity of harlequin breeding populations in Glacier National Park,” said Lisa Bate, Glacier National Park biological science technician. “Research indicates harlequin ducks mate for life unless something happens to one member of the pair. This old male has returned the last three years with the same female.”

In 2011, a study of harlequin ducks on Upper McDonald Creek was initiated by Glacier National Park in cooperation with researchers from the University of Montana. Researchers use radio-telemetry and banding to learn more about the location of harlequin nests and factors affecting offspring survival. Upper McDonald Creek is considered an important breeding stream for harlequin ducks, comprising 25% of known broods produced in Montana. The area also has the highest density of breeding harlequins in the lower 48 states. Glacier National Park has approximately 40 pairs of harlequins in the park.

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Vandalism a growing problem in national parks

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U.S. national parks are seeing increasing problems with vandalism . . .

When Steve Bolyard checked out a report of black paint on some of the park’s majestic saguaros — cactuses whose towering bodies and upraised arms are as emblematic of the American West as red-rock buttes and skittering tumbleweeds — he did not expect to see ganglike calligraphy covering more of them than he could easily count.

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Grizzly bear monitoring continues in Glacier Park

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Now in its ninth year, an interagency grizzly bear study led by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will be active in Glacier National Park. Here’s the press release . . .

A long-term interagency program to monitor grizzly bear population trends in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem will continue at Glacier National Park this year.

Bait stations, automated cameras, and traps are used to capture and monitor grizzly bears within the park. Bait stations and trap sites are marked with brightly colored warning and closure signs. Visitors are asked to respect posted signs and not enter sites where grizzly bear traps or bait stations are present.

Glacier National Park wildlife biologists attempt to maintain a sample of up to 10 radio-collared female grizzly bears out of an estimated population of 300 grizzly bears living in the park. Trapping efforts will continue through October at various locations throughout Glacier National Park.

The interagency grizzly bear monitoring program began in 2004 and is led by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Participating agencies include: National Park Service, United States Forest Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and the Blackfeet Nation.

Wilderness Walks Kickoff Party features talks by FWP biologists

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The Local chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association is launching this year’s “Wilderness Walks” program with a get-together and presentation at the Split Rock Cafe in Kalispell at  5:30 p.m. on May 31 . . .

On Friday, May 31, the Flathead/Kootenai Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association will present a Wilderness Walks Kickoff Party at the Split Rock Cafe in Kalispell.

The event will start with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by a presentation from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists Tim Thier and Chris Hammond telling stories about native species in the Whitefish Range.

Thier and Hammond will give their presentation at 7 p.m. upstairs from the Split Rock Café in the KM Theater. The presentation will last about one hour.

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“Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent” to be held at Glacier Park Lodge this year

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The NFPA sends representatives to each year’s Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent, which is becoming a significant regional event. Registration is now open for the 2013 meeting on September 11-13 at Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier Park, Montana.

The Roundtable has a broad reach, including people, communities and organizations with a wide range of interests. Here’s what they have to say about themselves:

The Crown of the Continent is a remarkable place. Spanning the 49th parallel and anchored by Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, it has been the home of Native Americans and First Nations for thousands of years. Today, the stunning scenery, vast wilderness areas, iconic wildlife, and diverse recreational opportunities attract visitors from throughout the world. These amenities support a ring [of] communities around the Crown. Working landscapes help knit together the natural and cultural fabric of this region.

The Roundtable is an ongoing forum to bring together people who care about this special place . . .

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Decision on lifting wolf protections in Lower 48 put on hold

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For mysterious, unspecified reasons, the feds have postponed making a decision on removing wolves from the endangered species list throughout the Continental U.S. . . .

Federal wildlife officials are postponing a much-anticipated decision on whether to lift protections for gray wolves across the Lower 48 states.

In a court filing Monday, government attorneys say “a recent unexpected delay” is indefinitely holding up action on the predators. No further explanation was offered.

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Glacier Park hosts community meetings

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Glacier Park is hosting their usual early-season informational community meetings this week. The first is this Wednesday, May 22, in Columbia Falls from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Teakettle Community Hall; the second is in East Glacier on Thursday, May 23 from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Glacier Park Lodge. Here’s the official press release . . .

Glacier National Park is hosting two community meetings to share information about park activities and provide an opportunity for personal dialogue between park management and local community members and neighbors. A west-side meeting will take place Wednesday, May 22, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Teakettle Community Hall, 235 Nucleus Avenue, in Columbia Falls and an east-side meeting will be Thursday, May 23, 4-5:30 p.m. at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier.

The format of the meeting will include presentations by Acting Glacier National Park Superintendent Kym Hall and other park management team members. Following the presentations, there will be a question and answer period and opportunity for informal conversations.

Hall will share updates regarding 2013 park programs, including Going-to-the-Sun Road Rehabilitation, spring plowing, sequestration impacts, Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor Management Plan, Dark Skies Initiative, and aquatic invasive species management. Community members are encouraged to attend and learn more about what’s happening at the park.

Feds prepare for grizzly bear delisting

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Grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) could be removed form the threatened species list as early as next year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFS) is developing a “conservation strategy” to deal with this eventuality. On May 2, a draft version of this plan was released for public comment.

There is going to be a lot of public comment, especially since delisting could result in hunting of this iconic animal.

Here are some links to bring you up to speed . . .

The USFS “Grizzly Bear Recovery” page contains information and links to material on grizzly bears in the NCDE, including links to the “Draft NCDE Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy” and appendices.

Some useful articles in the local press:

Montana FWP commission gives tentative approval to expanded wolf hunt

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The Montana FWP commission floated a proposal last week to expand the wolf hunt . . .

State wildlife commissioners are taking public comment on a proposal to lengthen the hunting season for wolves and increase the bag limit from one to five.

The Fish, Wildlife and Parks commission gave tentative approval to the plan on Thursday, putting it out for public comment before a final decision is made at a later date.

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