Forest Service approves Bullock’s forest restoration picks

Environmental Issues, News,

As expected, the U.S. Forest Service has approved Gov. Bullock’s forest restoration proposal . . .

The Forest Service has approved Gov. Steve Bullock’s forest restoration proposal for federal lands across Montana.

Bullock recently nominated about 5 million acres of timberlands across the state, including several regions in the Flathead for more logging and other forest management under the recently passed Farm Bill.

The eligible lands are located in the Swan River watershed, the southern end of the Whitefish Range and the Tally Lake Ranger District.

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Researchers start another round of grizzly bear trapping

Environmental Issues, News,

It must be spring. Biologists have begun grizzly capture operations in Northwest Montana . . .

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and tribal wildlife managers have begun trapping bears in Northwest Montana.

The trapping is part of a population monitoring study of grizzly bears that involves seasonal scientific capture operations in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.

The study of grizzly bear distribution and population trends is vital to ongoing recovery of grizzlies, according to FWP officials.

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Researcher correlates climate change with trout hybridization

Environmental Issues, History, , , ,

Aquatics biologist Clint Muhlfeld has just published a paper showing a correlation between climate change and hybridization of cutthroat and non-native rainbow trout . . .

In his published research, aquatics biologist Clint Muhlfeld has detailed the plight of an obscure stonefly endemic to Glacier National Park’s high-elevation streams and revealed how a trout’s ear bone contains a geochemical diary of its liquid migrations.

But his most recent study will appeal to his largest audience yet, not only by virtue of the scope of the revelation, but also the size of the platform.

Muhlfeld, an aquatic ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Glacier Park field office, is the project leader of a study that links the rapid hybridization between a native Montana trout species and an invasive species in the Flathead River system to climate change.

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Grizzly makes fatal slip above Sun Road

News, ,

A fatal fall from a steep, snow covered slope claimed one of Glacier Park’s grizzly bears . . .

A dead grizzly bear was discovered along the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park on May 22, according to park officials.

At approximately 10 a.m., a member of the park road crew was traveling down the Going-to-the-Sun Road when he came upon a dead grizzly bear located on the road about one mile above The Loop.

An initial investigation by the National Park Service indicated that the bear probably fell onto the road from a steep snowbank between 9-10 a.m. on May 22, according to the park. Plow crew members had traveled up the Sun Road at approximately 9 a.m. and saw no bear.

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100-wolf quota for Montana landowners in the works

Environmental Issues, News, ,

The rules allowing Montana landowners to shoot wolves posing a “potential threat” are loosening up . . .

Montana landowners could kill a combined 100 gray wolves annually if the predators are perceived to pose a threat to humans or domestic animals, according to a rule that received initial backing from state wildlife commissioners Thursday.

The proposal significantly expands the circumstances under which wolves can be killed without a hunting license.

The Montana Legislature passed a measure last year requiring the change. The legislation didn’t define what qualifies as a “potential threat” so the Fish and Wildlife Commission didn’t detail it either, spokesman Ron Aasheim said.

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Update on Glacier Park’s North Fork

News, , , , ,

Oliver Meister posted a very useful update on the North Fork Hostel’s blog describing current conditions in Glacier Park’s North Fork area (with photos!) . . .

Glacier National Park swung two gates open yesterday morning;

– One will get you full access to everything Bowman.

– the other will get you as far south as Logging Creek along the Inside NF Road.

The Bowman CG remains in primitive status ($10/night) until the water gets turned on Thursday ($15/night). The lake water is “up”.

Expect 3+ miles of post-holing snow along the Quartz Loop. The last two miles of the Numa LO Trail will also grant you a post-holing experience. The Logging Creek Trail is in pretty good condition. Bowman Head, Quartz, Lower Quartz, Logging Foot and Adair can all be placed in summer status. Grace is still under snow.

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U.S. Forest Service expands tanker fleet

Fire Information and Status, News, , ,

Well, this is encouraging. The Forest Service managed to scrape up some more firefighting aircraft this year. Even more would be better, but . . .

As the Obama administration pushes Congress to ensure that enough money is available to fight destructive wildfires, the U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday it was adding four aircraft to its firefighting fleet ahead of what’s expected to be another hot, dry summer in the West.

In a statement, the service said it will have a second DC10 and three smaller planes in service in the coming weeks to support over 10,000 firefighters “in the face of what is shaping up to be a catastrophic fire season in the southwest.”

The Forest Service expects to exceed this year’s budget in July, two months before this fiscal year ends. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed 2015 budget proposals by the administration Tuesday in Colorado, where deadly fires in 2012 and 2013 destroyed hundreds of homes.

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Montana FWP to propose sage grouse hunt closure

Environmental Issues, News, ,

With the sage grouse population in decline, Montana will stop hunting them . . .

With preliminary results from Montana’s spring surveys showing a continued population decline of the state’s largest native upland game bird, wildlife officials will seek to close sage grouse hunting for the 2014 season.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will propose the season closure at the Fish & Wildlife Commission meeting in Fort Peck, Thursday, May 22.

Jeff Hagener, FWP director in Helena, said state biologists counted an average of 14.9 males per sage grouse strutting ground, or lek, last year and noted that preliminary indications show little or no improvement this year. Last year’s count was the lowest recorded since 1980…

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Glacier National Park hosting two community meetings this month

News,

Glacier Park is doing its usual early season series of community meetings. 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 leadership and local community members and neighbors. The first meeting will take place Wednesday, May 28, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Teakettle Community Hall in Columbia Falls and a second meeting will be Thursday, May 29, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Summit Medical Fitness Center in Kalispell.

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

Topics of presentation and discussion will include rehabilitation of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, spring plowing and snow removal operations, Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor Management Plan and related human-goat interaction studies, and upcoming 100th anniversaries of park facilities and the National Park Service. Community members are encouraged to attend and learn more about what’s happening at the park.

Glacier Park continues aquatic invasive species prevention program

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Glacier Park continues its aggressive efforts to prevent aquatic invasive species from infesting their waterways. Here’s the meat of the press release . . .

Glacier National Park continues its boat inspection and permit program this summer as part of an ongoing aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention program. Aquatic invasive species, including zebra and quagga mussels, continue to threaten park waterways. Recently established mussel populations in the southwest present new threats to park waters, as mussel-positive boats from that region have been intercepted in the northwest.

Motorized and trailered watercraft must have a thorough boat inspection by a park employee upon every entry to the park. A free permit is issued after the inspection, which may take up to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of the boat. A boat may launch multiple times provided the boat does not leave the park between launches. To receive a permit, boats must be clean, drained and thoroughly dry (including bilge areas and livewells) upon inspection. Boats with internal ballast tanks or other enclosed compartments that exchange water with the environment and that cannot be readily cleaned, dried, and fully inspected are prohibited from launching in Glacier National Park.

Hand-propelled watercraft (canoes, kayaks, rowboats, rafts, catarafts) being launched within the park are required to obtain an AIS-free self-certification permit. The permit is free, completed by the boater, and is required upon each entry to the park. The permit must remain with boaters while they are floating. It is available at all park visitor centers, backcountry permit offices, park headquarters, and at maintained boat launches. Visitors can download the permit before entering the park at, http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/ais.htm.

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