June Polebridge Bear Smart training fun and successful

June 6, 2022NewsPBBS, Polebridge Bear Smart Programnfpa

Debo telling the story of Monica at PBBS Training, June 2, 2022

The second Polebridge Bear Smart employee training session was held on Thursday, June 2nd and was, again, very successful and loads of fun. Justine Vallieres, bear manager with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, provided inert bear spray for a practice opportunity that was very popular among participants. Bears (Richard and Zoe) came to be attracted and then deterred, entertaining all. The Polebridge Bear Smart/NFPA is delighted with the success of these training programs and looking forward to the rollout (no pun intended) of our bear resistant canister program within the next couple of weeks. Contact the Polebridge Bear Smart Coordinator with any questions or to become more involved at sdhildner@icloud.com. . . Continue reading June Polebridge Bear Smart training fun and successful →

First Polebridge Bear Smart training session a big success

May 26, 2022NewsPBBS, Polebridge Bear Smart Programnfpa

Polebridge Bear Smart training session, Home Ranch Bottoms, May 26, 2022

PBBS Program Coordinator Suzanne Hildner reports . . .

The Polebridge Bear Smart (PBBS) Committee would like to announce a very successful first Polebridge Employee Training session at Home Ranch Bottoms this afternoon. We had 12 participants who were from all across the country and with a couple of exceptions all new to living and recreating in bear country. Many had already seen a bear. They were a really fantastic audience, polite, engaged and asked excellent questions. Most were already in possession of bear spray.The entire event lasted a little over an hour. Thanks to all who helped make this happen. Next training is June 4th.

Private campgrounds complicating bear conflict management

May 21, 2022Environmental Issues, NewsFlathead Valley, grizzly bear fatalities, human-bear conflict, NCDE, Northern Continental Divide Ecosystemnfpa

Female grizzly relocated to North Fork from lower Depuyer Creek area in May 2019 following livestock depredation

Timely article concerning Flathead area bear conflict management problems . . .

Privately-run campgrounds are adding another complication for wildlife managers trying to reduce human conflicts with grizzly bears, experts said this week.

On Thursday, the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem subcommittee met in Kalispell to review last year’s management of NCDE grizzly bears and discuss future challenges as more people with little wildlife awareness move to western Montana. Another 50 members of the committee and the public joined the meeting online.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks grizzly research biologist Cecily Costello summarized the 2021 data that showed the NCDE population is stable based upon the 2017 Conservation Strategy criteria. However, 44 bears, including 11 cubs, died within the primary conservation area and the surrounding Zone 1 buffer area – stretching from Eureka south to the Ninemile Valley, east over Rogers Pass and north through the Blackfeet Reservation.

Continue reading . . .

Flathead Forest Special Use Permit comments due May 18

May 3, 2022Action Alerts, Documents, Newsspecial use permitsBill Walker

[Updated original April 30 post on May 3 to incorporate various “The Last Best Ride” errata.] The Flathead National Forest has released a “Special Uses Scoping Letter” dated April 26 (PDF, 194KB) discussing this year’s batch of pending Special Use Permits (SUP’s). There has been no press release yet. I suspect we’ll see one next week.

I have had no opportunity to do a deep dive yet, but there are ten SUP’s that affect the North Fork to a greater or lesser extent. I have highlighted those items in the scoping letter and added links to their project documentation. They range from the usual collection of hiking, biking and motorized activities, to a trail run up Nasukoin Mountain, and a late-September marathon from Big Creek to Columbia Falls. Details, including maps, are posted on the forest’s “Projects” page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/flathead/landmanagement/projects. The cover letter lists contact information for comments and inquiries.

Note that most of the project permits impacting the North Fork are not being handled by Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District personnel. Also note that the Forest Service is only responsible for activities occurring on their lands – the marathon, for instance, is mostly a city/county/state issue.

The deadline for comments is May 18!

Download:
Special Uses Scoping Letter with links and highlighting (PDF, 194KB)

North Valley bear manager ready to hit the woods, neighborhoods

April 16, 2022NewsJustine Valieres, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, wildlife conflictnfpa

Justine Vallieres, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife conflict specialist

Justine Vallieres was recently named the new Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife conflict management specialist to fill the role of longtime grizzly bear manager Tim Manley.

Vallieres worked as a technician under Manley for four years and worked under wolf biologists Kent Laudon and Diane Boyd for one year each prior to that. She’s originally from New Hampshire and has a degree in applied animal science and wildlife from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. To date, she’s says she’s worked with about 100 grizzly bears through her tenure and learned a lot from Manley, who retired last year.

Continue reading . . .

Justine Vallieres is new Region 1 Wildlife Conflict Specialist for Montana FWP

March 11, 2022NewsJustine Valieres, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Montana FWPnfpa

Recently announced on Facebook by Tim Manley . . .

Congratulations to Justine Vallieres! She is the new Wildlife Conflict Specialist for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (Region 1) based out of Kalispell.

I retired at the end of 2021. Justine was one of several qualified individuals that applied for the job and was selected by the interview committee. I know Justine will do a great job!

Flathead Wild & Scenic River live webinar, March 30th, 7pm

March 10, 2022Environmental Issues, NewsFlathead River, Flathead Rivers Alliance, Wild and Scenic Rivers Actnfpa

Poster announcing Flathead Wild & Scenic River Live Webinar, March 30th, 2022 7:00-8:00 pm MST Flathead Rivers Alliance is hosting the Flathead Wild & Scenic River CRMP 101: How does management of Wild & Scenic Rivers work? free live webinar on Wednesday, March 30th, 2022, from 7:00-8:00 pm MST. In anticipation of the public participation portion on the Three Forks of the Flathead CRMP draft, this live webinar provides an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of river management plans from regional and local experts. An opportunity for the public to participate in CRMPs only happens every 15 to 20 years. Registration is required for this FREE webinar. If you don’t plan on attending virtually, you can register to receive a video recording and submit your questions via email ahead of time. Learn more: www.flatheadrivers.org/events

Webinar Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6116443358206/WN_E7n1YQ8HTkiwI9wwKy1ZiQ

Also, the Flathead Rivers Alliance is ramping up for the 2022 river season and recruiting 20-30 volunteer team members! Are you passionate about the river system that inspired a national protected Wild and Scenic River system? They are expanding their River Ambassador program and officially launching a River Recreation Monitoring Survey program.

April 12th, 2022 6:00-8:00 pm River Ambassador Training
April 14th, 2022 6:00-8:00 pm River Recreation Monitoring Training

There are a number of ways to give your time including helping with their volunteer programs on the North, Middle and South Forks of the Flathead River. Save the above dates and RSVP at info@flatheadrivers.org if you’re interested in one or both of their volunteer program trainings or other opportunities.

Action Alert: Flathead Forest Travel Plan

February 20, 2022Action AlertsFlathead National Forest, travel managementnfpa

Flathead National Forest is developing a Travel Plan and comments are due by Tuesday, February 22. It’s important for them to hear from people that there should be no motorized or mechanized transportation in the Recommended Wilderness in the northern Whitefish Range. These northern areas should be managed just like Wilderness.

Please write a short message to that effect and make sure to communicate your personal connection to the Whitefish Range.

Address the message to: Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele and District Ranger Rob Davies and send it by email to: comments-northern-flathead@usda.gov

Read the comments submitted by the NFPA Board of Directors here…

Federal Protections for Gray Wolves Restored

February 11, 2022Environmental Issues, NewsEndangered Species List, gray wolvesnfpa

A gray wolf in Yellowstone National Park - Jacob W. Frank, NPS — A gray wolf in Yellowstone National Park – Jacob W. Frank, NPS

Federal protections for gray wolves have been restored, except for those states where gray wolf endangered species status has already been removed by congress . . .

A judge has ordered federal protections restored for gray wolves across much of the U.S. after they were removed in the waning days of the Trump administration.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said in Thursday’s ruling that the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to show wolf populations could be sustained in the Midwest and portions of the West without protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Wildlife advocates had argued state-sponsored hunting threatened to reverse the gray wolf’s recovery over the past several decades.

The ruling does not directly impact wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, which remain under state jurisdiction.