Wolves, aspen, elk and fire

Environmental Issues, News, , , ,

Cristina Eisenberg gave a presentation on her research into the interrelationship between predators, prey and landscape May 2. The Hungry Horse news has an interesting write-up on this report . . .

There are things one knows to be true in the natural world of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. There are wolves, there are elk, elk are chased down and eaten by wolves, and elk do everything they can to avoid being eaten. It’s nature.

Add a wild card to the mix, like the huge wildfires that have grazed the landscape in the North Fork of the Flathead, and one sees something else — lush growth of new stands of aspen, a tree coveted not only for its aesthetics but as a food resource for elk.

Oregon state researcher and author Cristina Eisenberg has been studying the relationships between elk, aspens, wolves and fires for several years in the adjoining national parks. Over the years, she’s compared the density of elk and wolves in three different but similar regions — the North Fork, St. Mary and Waterton valleys. She talked about her findings at the Glacier National Park Community Hall on May 2.

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District Ranger Jimmy DeHerrera retiring June 1

News,

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Jimmy DeHerrera, the District Ranger for the Hungry Horse-Glacier View District of the Flathead National Forest is taking a well-deserved retirement June 1. The Hungry Horse News has a nice write-up on Jimmy’s career and future plans . . .

Even if you didn’t see eye-to-eye with Jimmy DeHerrera, he was always willing to listen to concerns about issues on the Flathead National Forest.

On June 1, DeHerrera will retire as the Glacier View/Hungry Horse District Ranger, a post he’s held since July 1998.

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Glacier Park community meetings held this week

News, , , , , ,

Glacier National Park held two meetings this week to share information about park activities and plans and get feedback from local communities. The Daily Inter Lake has a report on Tuesday’s meeting in Columbia Falls . . .

Glacier National Park is struggling with shuttle bus finances and over the next few years will craft a management plan to try to deal with congestion along Going-to-the-Sun Road.

The shuttle bus/road situation was one of the topics at a community meeting Tuesday in Columbia Falls featuring Glacier Park leaders.

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Aquatic invasive species watercraft inspection program gearing up for another summer

Environmental Issues, News, , , , ,

Montana’s watercraft inspection program is already up and running this season. And for good reason . . .

Montana’s aquatic invasive species watercraft inspection program is gearing up for another summer, and the first question inspectors will ask is, “Where has your boat been in the past 30 days.” More than 45 newly trained Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks seasonal employees will man the check stations beginning in mid-May in key locations throughout the state.

The summer’s mission is to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, chief among them quagga and zebra mussels, New Zealand mudsnails and Eurasian watermilfoil, and to inform boaters how to prevent infesting Montana’s waters with these unwanted, costly-to-clean-up-after pests.

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Larry Wilson: Early North Fork squabbles

Commentary,

Larry talks about some eighty-year-old head-butting on the North Fork . . .

I have written often in this column that the real North Fork is so special because of the people who live here – full time or part time. Since homestead days North Fork residents have been independent, self reliant, and argumentative.

At the same time, they have had to depend on each other. Neighbors have always helped each other in times of emergency, but also aided each other in constructing homes and barns and everyone put aside their differences at social events. After all, you never knew when you might have a breakdown, illness, or just get stuck in a snow bank. Therefore you helped your neighbor when he needed help and, sooner or later, he would return the favor. That cooperation continues to this day.

That doesn’t mean that folks always got along – in 1910 or 2010. There were arguments, squabbles and occasionally physical violence. In 1932 there were two fatal shootings on the North Fork. One involved a trespass issue and the other the result of a competition for the affections of a woman.

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Riversong Crown of the Continent Choir and the Headwaters Ensemble begin tour Friday

News, , , ,

The following performance tour announcement was posted today on the “Flathead River Valley” web site, sponsored by a group of environmental organizations from the U.S. and Canada interested in preserving the transboundary Flathead Valley. The tour kicks off with a presentation at Lake McDonald Lodge auditorium on Friday, May 18 at 7:45pm. . .

A Celebration of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park & The Transboundary Flathead River

From soprano winds piercing alpine heights to the bass reverberations of river-rock rolling under spring runoff, the songs of the Crown of the Continent are among the purest hymns in nature – they inspire, uplift and fortify. Spilling from pristine headwaters in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, this clear chorus awakens springtime and rouses us to raise our own voices in celebration of the summer to come.

In honor of these timeless melodies that accompany the turn of the seasons, the 60-voice Crown of the Continent Choir and their select group – The Headwaters Ensemble – are embarking on a circuit around the Crown, wrapping Waterton-Glacier in song. Their voices are accompanied on this journey by the unparalleled images of Steven Gnam – a talented fine-art photographer whose scenes from Waterton-Glacier are quite simply without peer. His astonishing images, combined with soaring choral arrangements, emerge like a wonder of spring color to honor the season.

Beginning at Glacier Park’s historic Lake McDonald Lodge – then traveling through Waterton, Pincher Creek and Fernie – the presentation celebrates 100 years of international peace and goodwill across borders. It also serves as tribute to a century of transboundary conservation in this remarkable mountain intersection of Alberta, British Columbia and Montana.

The Crown of the Continent Choir is a Kalispell-based community choir, directed by Kevin Allen-Schmid. They sing in celebration of our tremendous landscapes, our protected parks, and also for the sheer fun of it. Steven Gnam is a Whitefish native who, in turning his lens to the Crown’s wonders, has presented us the gift of his unequaled artistic vision. Together, they provide a passport to Waterton-Glacier as you’ve never seen it — or heard it – before.

The performances come courtesy of the Crown Choir and Mr. Gram, with support from the National Parks Conservation Association and Wildsight.

RiverSong Performance Schedule:

Friday, May 18 7:45pm Lake McDonald Lodge auditorium, Glacier National Park

Saturday, May19 7:30pm United Church, Waterton Lakes National Park

Sunday, May 20

11am United Church, Pincher Creek, Alberta
4pm The Arts Station, Fernie, British Columbia

Some Northwest Montana rivers and streams could approach flood stage by midweek

Flood Information, News,

The current unseasonably warm weather will get snowpack runoff moving at a faster pace. Some Northwest Montana rivers and streams could approach flood stage by midweek. Locally, the North Fork Flathead River is forecast to get within half a foot of flood stage at the Canadian border by Wednesday, lasting through the end of the week. See the Flood Information page for links to further information.

Deer and elk populations bouncing back in Northwest Montana

Environmental Issues, News, ,

As well as being good news for hunters, this will no doubt add fuel to the debate about wolf population impact on big game . . .

Big game wildlife populations appear to be bouncing back in Northwest Montana after a few rough years, according to state Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ spring surveys.

The percentage of white-tail fawns that survived winter is the highest since 2006 in Region 1, according to FWP Wildlife Manager Jim Williams. Williams said the survey found an average of 44 fawns for every 100 adults. Last year, that number was 30/100. In 2009, it had dropped to 24/100. Mule deer and elk populations also gained ground in almost all areas, Williams said.

The latest population estimates are welcome news for hunters and FWP. Last fall, nearly every region in the state saw significant declines in both animals harvested and hunters in the field, supporting a widespread perception that big game populations, specifically deer, are on the decline.

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Montana fire response coordinators to post updates on Twitter

Fire Information and Status, News,

The fire response folks at Montana DNRC are hoping to introduce a little 21st Century tech this year by announcing wildfire developments via Twitter . . .

Fire response coordinators in Montana will use the social media website Twitter this year for the first time as a way to update residents of wildfire developments such as road closures and evacuation notices…

“The goal is to be able to provide updates, particularly on initial attacks or extended attacks, when it’s a fast-moving situation,” Grassy said.

The updates from the Twitter page @MTDNRCFIRE, will be another tool used by the state to update wildfires in addition to telephone alert systems that can target homes and cellphones in specific geographic regions and the fire information website InciWeb.

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