The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has awarded $3.1 million for 13 projects to reduce wildfire risk to communities and improve forest health.

The funding money is part of the $15 million Montana Forest Action Plan, which takes a big-picture approach to reducing the risk of wildfires.

Wyatt Frampton, deputy division administrator of forestry and trust lands for the Montana Department of Natural Resources, said the money will be used to foster fire-management cooperation between state and private landowners across 3,200 acres of forest.

"Through a variety of activities, such as prescribed fire, logging, mechanical thinning, hand activities as well as tree planting," Frampton outlined.

The 13 most recent restoration projects are spread across the state, including in Lewis and Clark County, the Bitterroot and the South Swan Valley.

Frampton said the DNR is aiming to create a cohesive fire-reduction plan across Montana's landscape, which has until now been inconsistent because of different sets of land-management practices.

"Right now when we see a patchwork of treatments across some of the landscapes in the state, from a fire-management perspective, it doesn't create a clean or effective barrier for trying to stop the fire in that area," Frampton explained. "Where, if we had a cohesive landscape-level treatment, that would help."

Frampton added having a statewide cohesive fire-management plan would also allow the DNR and other agencies to slow the spread of potentially destructive insects in Montana's forests.


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By Danielle Zulkosky for WISH-TV.
Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration

Indiana Dunes National Park has lost five employees in the wake of federal cuts hitting national parks, which has raised concerns about park safety and maintenance.

Save the Dunes is an official partner of the Indiana Dunes National Park. The nonprofit is focused on the preservation and restoration of the Indiana Dunes.

Betsy Maher, executive director of Save the Dunes, says the loss of staff could lead to longer lines and poorly managed facilities.

“(It could lead to) unkempt bathrooms, possibly closed down camping sites, overflowing trashcans,” Maher said, highlighting the potential impact on park visitors.

At least one person who mowed the park was laid off, meaning grass could be unmanaged for visitors at times.

But it’s not just bathrooms, grass, and trash cans. The reduction in staff also poses safety risks, with fewer park rangers available for rescues and medical attention.

Maher also emphasizes the importance of maintenance workers and firefighters.

“This area is very prone to fires,” Maher said. “It takes active management to keep those fires at bay.”

Other employees who were let go worked in areas such as restoration management. The park has borders the zig zag through northern Indiana sometimes coming up against industry or residential areas.

Maher says these employees were “critical” for preserving the park’s biodiversity in these areas. Lack of preservation along the borders can have “catastrophic” consequences.

“You have very actively managed lands on the national park side and completely unmanaged lands right across the border,” Maher said. “So it’s very easy for those invasive species, especially those plant species, to get dropped and to take hold in the national park.”

Indiana Dunes National Park is renowned for its biodiversity. Maher said it is the fifth most biologically diverse National Park in the United States.

Despite the challenges posed by staff reductions, Save the Dunes will continue to advocate for the protection of the Indiana Dunes National Park’s unique environment and visitor experience.


Danielle Zulkosky wrote this article for WISH-TV.


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With West Virginia's tourism industry seeing dramatic growth in recent years, conservation groups are sounding the alarm about layoffs of federal land-management workers.

Reports indicate 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees and 1,000 National Park Service workers have been fired nationwide, representing a 10% force reduction for the Forest Service and 5% at the Park Service.

Olivia Miller, program director for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, said the cutbacks will affect the state's economy.

"Public lands have an enormous economic impact in our state, bringing in around $9 billion annually and supporting about 91,000 jobs," Miller pointed out. "Many communities are built around outdoor recreation and tourism."

The Park Service reported West Virginia saw more than 2 million visitors to its national parks in 2023, with park visitors spending more than $120 million in the state.

In 2023, West Virginia saw a 17% increase in visitor spending in the state compared with a national increase around 1%. The state Department of Tourism forecasts continued visitor spending will create 21,000 jobs annually through 2030.

Advocates are pointing to the preexisting staffing problems at national forests including Monongahela, which is described as chronically understaffed. Miller noted understaffed national parks and forests will have a slower response to invasive species and sees the likelihood of an overall decline in the quality of visitor experiences.

"Trail maintenance will likely become harder," Miller observed. "Cleaning up campsites and opening them up for people over the summer is going to become more and more difficult for these agencies to sustain."

National parks nationwide saw more than 325 million visits in 2023, a 4% increase over the year prior.

People in Colorado and seven other Mountain West states may want to see changes in the federal government writ large but they oppose cuts to agencies charged with protecting public lands, wildlife and other natural resources, according to the latest Conservation in the West poll by Colorado College.

Dave Metz, partner and president of FM3 Research, said vast majorities support agencies including the National Parks, Forest Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service.

"When we ask people whether they would support or oppose reducing funding to these agencies, the answers are overwhelming, they would oppose such cuts," Metz reported. "Three quarters of Western voters overall express opposition and that sentiment is thoroughly bipartisan."

The survey was conducted before the Trump administration fired thousands of federal National Parks and Forest Service workers. The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, has defended its efforts as necessary to eliminate what it called "waste and fraud."

Kathryn Hahne, director at New Bridge Strategy, said support for federal agencies is also strong among MAGA supporters. Among those surveyed, eight in 10 said they approve of the National Park Service.

"Seventy-four percent approve of the U.S. Forest Service, 71% approve of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and 69% of MAGA supporters oppose reducing funding to those agencies," Hahne explained.

More than seven in 10 people surveyed do not want additional public lands opened up for drilling and mining, and 63% oppose reducing Endangered Species Act protections. Metz added awareness on the threats posed by climate change has increased by 22 points since the first poll 15 years ago.

"We now have more than three quarters of Western voters who are telling us they view climate change as a serious problem," Metz observed. "When you look at Gen Z voters, 90% of them tell us they view it as a serious problem."


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