Tag Archives: Glacier National Park

Legislation, more agreements still needed to ensure protection of Flathead region

February 27, 2011Environmental Issues, NewsBrian Schweitzer, British Columbia, Canadian Flathead, Flathead Valley, Glacier National Park, Nature Conservancy Canada, The Nature Conservancy, Waterton Lakes National Parknfpa

This well-written, well-researched article by Rob Chaney of the Missoulian is recommended reading for anyone interested in the challenges still to come in protecting the Trans-boundary Flathead . . .

Now that the trans-boundary conference calls and Washington, D.C., hand-shaking sessions are over, a lot remains to finish in protecting the Flathead River between British Columbia and Montana.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s Valentine’s Day announcement that two conservation groups were providing $9.4 million to buy out mining claims on the Canadian side of the Flathead didn’t include all the details of the deal. One significant omission was that while the U.S.-based Nature Conservancy is raising its half of the money through private donations, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is dipping into a $225 million Canadian government fund for its contribution.

Continue reading . . .

NPCA Praises BC Premier Gordon Campbell for Important Step in Preserving Waterton, Glacier Parks

February 16, 2011Environmental Issues, NewsCanadian Flathead, Glacier National Park, Gordon Campbell, North Fork Flathead River, NPCA, Trans-boundary Flathead, Waterton Lakes National Park, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Parknfpa

The National Parks Conservation Association issued a press release today praising BC Premier Gordon Campbell for his efforts to protect the Canadian Flathead and, by extension, Waterton and Glacier Parks, as well as the Flathead drainage south of the border.

Here’s the lead-in. Read the whole thing to see some familiar local names . . .

“We look forward to seeing the details of this agreement to halt inappropriate mining in the Canadian wilderness adjacent to the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, and anticipate the introduction of a substantive protective measure for the Flathead in B.C.’s legislature. We also recognize the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell as he leaves office, in continuing to advance a 100-year-old vision to permanently protect one of the world’s most special places. It’s been more than a century since the first proposal to expand Waterton Lakes National Park into the BC Flathead, and we look forward to working with the incoming premier to complete this conservation legacy.

Continue reading . . .

Glacier & Waterton Lakes superintendents urge action on public lands bill

December 21, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsAmerica's Great Outdoors Act, Glacier National Park, North Flathead Protection Act, public lands bill, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Parknfpa

From today’s Missoulian (see the previous post for the full text of the letter discussed here) . . .

An alliance of veteran superintendents from Glacier and Waterton Lakes national parks has written a letter encouraging swift government action on a public lands bill that would finalize park protections introduced earlier this year. . .

The joint public letter, signed by six former Glacier superintendents and two former superintendents of Waterton Lakes, comes in the final days of Glacier’s centennial year, and as Congress considers a bipartisan omnibus bill aimed at protecting the country’s land, water and wildlife resources. The legislation, called America’s Great Outdoors Act of 2010, encompasses more than 110 individual bills and includes several key protection measures for both Glacier and Waterton Lakes.

Read the full article . . .

No asbestos problems at park headquarters

November 26, 2010Newsasbestos, Glacier National Park, park headquartersnfpa

The Glacier Park Headquarters asbestos kerfuffle is over. Testing turned up no significant issues. However, headquarters personnel will remain scattered around other park facilities until the heating and air conditioning work is complete and to (cough) “provide employees with a construction dust free working environment.” They’ve rejiggered the phones, so you shouldn’t any trouble tracking people down. Read the press release for details.

Glacier National Park headquarters building temporarily closed

November 22, 2010Newsasbestos, Glacier National Park, park headquartersnfpa

The Glacier National Park headquarters building is closed for a while, with personnel relocated to various other buildings in the area. Seems they’ve been installing a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and encountered what may be some asbestos. There’s no word on why the heck they were messing with the HVAC system this time of year, but it no doubt made sense at the time.

Anyways, for those of you who might need to do business with park headquarters, here’s the press release . . .

Date: November 22, 2010
Contact: Bill Hayden, 406 888-5804

WEST GLACIER, MONT. – Glacier National Park Officials have temporarily closed the main Park Headquarters Building, due to a possible asbestos issue related to the installation of a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

At this time, we do not have confirmation that asbestos is present but we are acting on the possibility that some of the building materials may contain asbestos. Testing is underway and the building will remain closed to entry until it is shown that it is safe to return.

Employees are being temporarily relocated to other offices in the Park Headquarters area and critical functions like mail service and phones are working.

Visitors to the park can still obtain information at the Apgar Visitor Center, near the foot of Lake McDonald. Until Park Headquarters reopens, the visitor center will expand its hours from weekends only, to seven day-a-week coverage. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. The visitor center will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Life from the ashes

September 9, 2010Environmental Issues, Fire Information and Status, NewsFlathead National Forest, forest recovery, Glacier National Park, Moose Fire, wildfiresnfpa

This week’s Hungry Horse News has an interesting write-up on forest recovery after a wildfire . . .

On a hard hot day in August, Scott Lang, Alison Lay and Mike McClellan are standing in a young forest in Glacier National Park, taking note of the trees.

The forest doesn’t look like much. The trees are short and sort of scruffy, most are no taller than five or six feet…

Read the full article . . .

More facilities open back up on Glacier Park’s west side

July 2, 2010NewsGlacier National Park, Going-to-the-Sun Road, Highline Trail, inside North Fork Road, Logging Creek, Quartz Lakenfpa

For those of you keeping an eye on the North Fork side of Glacier Park, this item from one of today’s press releases:

The Inside North Fork Road has re-opened after minor road repairs due to recent flooding. Logging Creek and Quartz Creek campgrounds open Thursday, July 1. Only three of the seven camping sites at Logging Creek are currently open due to flooding.

The press release, which talks mostly about the Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle service, also mentions that Granite Park Chalet is open, Sperry Chalet will open on July 7 and the Highline Trail should open up on July 10.

Winter road closures in effect at Glacier Park

December 19, 2009NewsGlacier National Park, road closuresnfpa

It’s official. As of yesterday, most roads in Glacier Park are closed to motorized travel until the snow comes off in the spring. For North Forkers, this means that Camas Road is closed, so no cutting through the park for the next few months.

For more details, including information on road closures, winter entrance fees and procedures, and winter camping and backcountry access, see the press release.

Check the latest road conditions by visiting the park’s Road Status Page.

Headwaters Montana advocates North Fork wilderness

October 28, 2009Environmental Issues, NewsGlacier National Park, Headwaters Montana, Mount Hefty, Thompson-Seton, Waterton Lakes National Park, wilderness designationnfpa

From the Wednesday, October 14, 2009 online edition of the Hungry Horse News . . .

There’s a renewed push for wilderness in the North Fork. Headwaters Montana, a relatively new conservation group has released a plan for land conservation on both sides of the border.

Tucked in that plan is a call for 140,000 acres of designated wilderness in the Thompson-Seton and Mount Hefty areas.

But the plan doesn’t end there. It includes a wilderness designation for Glacier’s backcountry, expansion of Waterton Lakes National Park to the Canadian Flathead and wildlife management zones west of the Waterton expansion.

Read the entire article . . .

U.N. officials to visit U.S. & Canadian Flathead next week

September 14, 2009Environmental Issues, NewsGlacier National Park, Trans-boundary Flathead, UN World Heritage Committee, UNESCO, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Parknfpa

This item appeared in yesterday’s online edition of the Daily Inter Lake. Presumably, we will be getting more details over the next few days . . .

Two scientists from the United Nations will visit Glacier National Park and Canada the week of Sept. 21 to see for themselves the potential impacts of mining in the Canadian Flathead.

The delegates are expected to tour the area the first three days with scientists from Glacier National Park and the Flathead Lake Biological Station. Biological Station scientists have been monitoring water quality in the basin.

The rest of the week the scientists are expected to meet with Canadian officials.

The trip was brought about by a petition earlier this year to have Glacier listed as a World Heritage Site in Danger.