Montana Forest Project Collaboration Faces Court Test
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
MISSOULA, Mont. - Headlines about a forest project being contested in court are nothing new in Montana, although one filing has come as a surprise to many.
The Alliance for the Wild Rockies is suing over the Colt Summit Forest Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project in the Lolo National Forest - a project crafted by locals, scientists and conservation groups. Now, Missoula County is moving to defend the project.
Missoula County Commissioner Jean Curtiss says the project was designed to improve fire safety and create jobs through limited timber production, while also keeping in mind the area's large, intact ecosystem.
"It has all the plants and animals that were there when Lewis and Clark came through - the lynx, the grizzly bear, the bull trout. This project reviewed all of that, to make sure that we will continue to have that."
Lewis and Clark and Powell counties are adding their names in a court brief to defend the project, along with more than two dozen other agencies, groups and individuals - including Montana State Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The Alliance for the Wild Rockies contends that the timber sale portion of the project would lose money, and destroy elk, lynx and grizzly habitat.
Seeley Lake Fire Chief Frank Maradeo says not everyone agreed with every point in the plan but did agree on the larger goals of jobs, habitat improvement and reducing fire danger - especially in light of the 2007 Jocko Lakes fire.
"The community is obviously very sensitive to the devastation of wildland fire. The area that they're going to be working in is high-priority for the safety of our fire district."
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and The Wilderness Society area also filing to support the project.
A legal decision on the project is expected this summer.
get more stories like this via email
Social Issues
By Lane Wendell Fischer for the Shasta Scout via The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service for the Public News …
Environment
By Naoki Nitta for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public Ne…
Social Issues
Concerns about potential voter intimidation have spurred several states to consider banning firearms at polling sites but so far, New Hampshire is …
Social Issues
Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick has released 57 "interim charges," the topics he wants Senate committees to study in preparation for the 89th …
Social Issues
Minnesota's largest school district is at the center of a budget controversy tied to the recent wave of school board candidates fighting diversity pro…
Minnesota lawmakers are considering a measure which would force employers to properly classify certain trade union workers and others as employees rat…