Category Archives: News

Dormant North Fork oil leases possible transboundary issue

Environmental Issues, News,

The Flathead Beacon has an excellent article on the issues surrounding oil leases on the North Fork. Dan Testa really did his homework on this one. Here’s a teaser  . . .

During Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s Aug. 11 visit to the North Fork of the Flathead River, he heard from members of various local conservation groups about ways to discourage the development of coalmines and gas drilling in British Columbia, north of Glacier National Park…

…local conservation groups seem to understand that Montana would have a firmer stance from which to discourage coal and gas development in B.C. if it didn’t also have vast swathes of land leased for development down here, much of which covers the Whitefish Range and borders the North Fork.

Read the entire article . . .

Park takes heat over bear deaths

Environmental Issues, News, ,

From today’s online edition of the Flathead Beacon . . .

The deaths of two grizzly bears in Glacier National Park last week has caused a stir in western Montana as bear biologists evaluate the park’s decision to remove a mother and two of her cubs.

Biologist Charles Jonkel of the Great Bear Foundation in Missoula disagreed with the killings and reported numerous phone calls from concerned residents.

Read the entire story . . .

NFLA sponsoring North Fork Road dust control options presentation

News,

From a recent email sent out by the NFLA Road Committee . . .

The NFLA road committee has arranged to have Laura Fay, a research scientist from Western Transportation Institute out of MSU, come to talk about Dust Control Options. She will speak on September 8th at 10:00 a.m. at Sondreson Hall.

Her talk will include major dust control options, definitions, materials frequently used, location of informational resources and provide information on how WTI can help.

This should be an excellent and informative presentation for anyone concerned with dust mitigation on the North Fork Road.

Details of national parks documentary preview posted

News, ,

We’ve finally gotten more information on the local previews of the new Ken Burns documentary, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”

The screening in Whitefish is on August 29th, at 5 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center. Cost is $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Tickets are available at all four Montana Coffee Trader locations.

There’s also a showing in Missoula on August 30th at 5 p.m. at the UC Theater on the University of Montana campus. There’s no charge at the Missoula venue.

See our earlier post for more information on the documentary.

Activists sue to block wolf hunt

Environmental Issues, News, ,

As expected, a coalition of wolf advocates sued to block the Montana and Idaho wolf hunts Thursday. As posted on the Missoulian’s web site . . .

A coalition of wolf advocates filed a request to block wolf hunting seasons in Idaho and Montana on Thursday afternoon in Missoula’s federal district court.

“Because Idaho Fish and Game delayed its decision on setting the mortality level until the last minute, we’re filing for injunctive relief at the last moment,” said EarthJustice attorney Jenny Harbine. “It could be that Idaho would start (its wolf hunting season) before we’re able to get a remedy.”

The coalition is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in order to reverse the federal agency’s decision removing the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act in Montana and Idaho. Both states set up 2009 hunting seasons for wolves, with Idaho’s hunt beginning Sept. 1 in some regions. The earliest part of Montana’s season will start Sept. 15.

Read the entire story . . .

Old Man Lake griz killed; one cub dies from tranquilizer dart

Environmental Issues, News,

This evening, Glacier Park personnel killed the “Old Man Lake” grizzly. Despite resuscitation efforts, one of her cubs died from the effects of a tranquilizer dart. The Flathead Beacon and Missoulian have the story . . .

Grizzly Cub Transferred from Glacier Park

Human-conditioned grizzly bear killed by rangers in Glacier Park; cub dies from tranquilizer dart

Plan to kill Old Man Lake griz attracts protests

Environmental Issues, News,

By demand, here’s the latest on the “Old Man Lake female” grizzly bear. This article appeared in today’s online edition of the Missoulian . . .

Three people are camped beneath the cliffs at Morning Star Lake, in the stone-cold shadow of Medicine Grizzly Peak.

Unlike other Glacier National Park campers, these three are packing rifles, and tranquilizer guns, and a big bear cage. They’re here to catch and kill a grizzly bear, and to carry her cubs off to the zoo — and that has outraged a handful of bear lovers.

Read the entire article . . .

National parks documentary sneak preview coming to the area

News, , ,

Here’s a little, low-profile news item that should probably be getting more coverage. A new Ken Burns documentary series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” will start playing on PBS late next month. A sneak preview of the series will be shown in Whitefish August 29th and in Missoula on the 30th. Dayton Duncan, a writer and Burns’ long-time collaborator, will host the sneak previews. Burns directed the series; Duncan wrote and co-produced.

According to an AP article making the rounds, the documentary is “about America’s national parks and the people who devoted their lives to preserving them for the public.”

Both of these guys are heavy-hitters. Burns is a well-regarded maker of documentaries, with two Oscar nominations and a handful of Emmys. Duncan is a first-rate writer (his “Out West…” is my favorite) whose interest in American history and the regular folks who move it along nicely complements Burns’ views.

For those of you wanting a quick peek, Amazon has a film trailer online.

For more information, visit the PBS site on the documentary, which has lots of material, including several video excerpts

No word yet on the venue or on whether they are going to show the full, six-hour documentary at the preview. We’ll post more information as it becomes available.