Public News Service

Montana has more than 3 million acres of inaccessible public lands, tops in the West, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

SB 442 veto override ballots due back this week

Ballots are due back in the Montana Secretary of State's office later this week, as lawmakers decide whether to override Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto …

New research at the University of Montana recommends letting smaller wildfires burn where possible, heading off potentially more dangerous blazes later. (Adobe Stock)

MT researchers: Let smaller wildfires burn

A new study in the journal Nature Communications by Montana researchers said suppressing small wildfires is leading to larger, more intense and …

Tiny particulate matter in wildfire smoke can lodge deep in the lungs and cause serious respiratory problems. (Adobe Stock)

MT earmarks millions to cooperate on reducing wildfire threat

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has awarded $3.1 million for 13 projects to reduce wildfire risk to communities and impro…

The Lolo National Forest's geographic location is seen as critical for connecting wildlife habitats. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife habitat, connectivity, key to Lolo National Forest management plan

Today is the deadline for public comment on Montana's Lolo National Forest management plan. Advocates say the input will shape how the land is used …

Montana land proposed for solar power

The Bureau of Land Management has proposed expanding the public land available for solar power production in 11 states, including Montana. The BLM's …

Environmental advocates contend a logging project bordering Montana's Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area threatens habitat for the lynx, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates sue over MT logging project

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies has sued the U.S. Forest Service over a logging project in southwestern Montana. The group claims the agency …

Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed SB 442 after the Montana Legislature adjourned, which could affect veterans' programs and other services. Critics of the veto now want lawmakers to override it. (Adobe Stock)

MT military veterans support veto override

A Montana court has denied Gov. Greg Gianforte's attempt to stop the Legislature from having an opportunity to override his veto of a bill that …

About 70% of the 1.6 million-acre Bitterroot National Forest is in northwest Montana. The remainder is in southeast Idaho. (Adobe Stock)

Conservation groups sue to stop Forest Service Mud Creek project

Montana environmental groups have filed suit against the U.S. Forest Service to stop a large logging project in the Bitterroot National Forest…

Climate stressors such as heat and drought are changing America's forests at a rapid rate. The National Wildlife Federation supports a policy proposed by the Biden administration to protect and nurture habitat in old-growth forests. (Adobe Stock)

Plan to preserve MT's old-growth forests a 'good first step'

A group of conservation, sporting and land-stewardship organizations calls the U.S. Forest Service's move to conserve old-growth forests a "good …

Montana consistently reports one of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation, and Montana Conservation Voters is trying to make sure it stays that way, with on-the-ground organizers across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Montana Conservation Voters invests in democratic participation

Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund is upping its education efforts, adding field offices around the state and putting boots on the ground…

Many of Montana's county access roads to public lands are shared by hunters and local residents. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Counties sue over vetoed outdoor funding bill

A District Court judge has heard oral arguments in a lawsuit over a vetoed Montana funding bill. The measure would have changed the way the state's …

Wolverines are powerfully built and have short legs with wide feet for traveling across the snow. They are a vital part of ecosystems in northern climes, according to Defenders of Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Threatened wolverine gains protected status

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has added the wolverine to the list of endangered species. Advocates said it will add critical protections for the …

Montana is home to more than 30 million acres of public state and federal lands, nearly one-third of the state. (Adobe Stock)

MT wilderness advocates question motives of 'Conservation Act'

Wildlife advocates are pushing back on a bill in Congress which would remove federal wilderness protections from some Montana land. There are …

The Lincoln Prosperity Proposal would add wilderness area while at the same time opening up more recreational opportunities for motorized-vehicle enthusiasts, bikers and hikers. (Lincoln Prosperity Proposal)

Small Montana town carves out prosperity plan amid public lands

Residents of the Montana town of Lincoln are working to create a new economic development plan adding recreational opportunities and wilderness…

The State of Montana works to reduce the threat of climate-induced avalanches on over 4,000 miles of trail across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Climate change to cost MT jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars

A new scientific report from a wildlife conservation group details the potential impacts of climate change on Montana jobs and the environment…

More than 600 lakes and ponds comprise about 107,000 surface acres in Yellowstone, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

Outdoor advocates file suit to stop sewage facility near Yellowstone

The Bozeman-based group Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and its members have filed a complaint in District Court to stop the operation of a new wastewater …

Potential Operational Delineations combine local fire knowledge with advanced spatial analytics to help managers develop a common understanding of risks, management opportunities and desired outcomes to determine fire management objectives, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Adobe Stock)

Scientists use AI to 'predict' fire behavior

Fire scientists are combining traditional methods with artificial intelligence to fight fires in Montana, and across the Southwest using a new tool …

Wilderness areas comprise roughly 3.5 million acres of Montana's landmass, or almost 4%. (Adobe Stock)

MT seeks public input on environmental policy

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality wants to know what people think the state's next Environmental Policy Act should include. Critics …

The development and presence of roads can reduce landscape permeability, lead to habitat loss and increase habitat fragmentation. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates say even small development damages sensitive MT ecology

New research by ecology experts in Montana showed even small amounts of development can cause a widespread decline in stream biodiversity. It does …

Montana has more than 30 million acres of state and federal lands, nearly one third of the state. Conservation advocates are holding a photo contest featuring people and their dogs to celebrate being outdoors. (Adobe Stock)

MT advocates promote conservation through photo competition

This is the last weekend to get involved in a photo competition designed to encourage Montanans to explore the wilderness with their pets. There …

There are about 1,900 grizzlies in the Northern Rockies states of WY, ID, MT and WA. <br />There are 30, 000 in Alaska and about 23,000 in Canada. The grizzlies in Alaska are not listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Alliance sues over Yellowstone logging project

Three conservation groups have sued to stop a large logging project near Yellowstone National Park they say threatens endangered species in Montana…

The U.S. Department of the Interior currently manages 11,000 bison in herds across 4.6 million acres of public lands in a dozen states. (Adobe Stock)

Washington Invests $5 Million in Tribal Land Bison Restoration

The U.S. Interior Department has invested $5 million in reintroducing bison to Native American Tribal lands across the country. Montana's iconic …

The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act is projected to help grow Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy, protect tens of thousands of acres of wilderness, and establish two recreation areas. (Adobe Stock)

Backers: Blackfoot Act Would Add $2.6B to Montana's Recreation Economy

Lawmakers in Washington held their first Senate hearing on the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. Authored by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., it would …

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks estimates the state's elk population at 175,000 animals, but is aiming for a population closer to 92,000. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Advocates React to MT Elk Management Plan

After months of public input and work by wildlife officials, Montana is set to release a new Elk Management Plan this fall. Montana's last Elk …

The U.S. Forest Service system in Montana contains about 32,000 miles of roads, according to a report from the Montana Legislature. (Adobe Stock)

Court Orders Forest Service to Reconsider Closed Logging Roads

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Forest Service to look again at the effectiveness of road closures in Montana's Helena-Lewis and Clark National …

A new draft wolf management plan is expected to be released for public comment by the end of August, but skeptics say it is not taking the non-hunting public into account. (Adobe Stock)

Non-Hunters Want Seat at MT's Wolf Count Table

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department is coming up with a new wolf management plan, but there is disagreement over how the animals are …

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is considering imposing

Severe Montana Drought Prompts Unprecedented Fishing Restrictions

Drought and soaring temperatures have prompted state wildlife officials to restrict fishing on some of the state's most popular lakes and streams…

As grizzly bear populations continue to expand across Montana, the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is engaging local communities within likely grizzly range to share information on bear safety as part of its

MT Residents Learn How to Avoid Grizzly Encounters

A recent grizzly bear mauling in the state has drawn attention to interactions between the animals and humans. As the urban wildland interface …

Montana encompasses 145,552 square miles of land. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department estimates about half, or 74,000 square miles, is suitable mountain lion habitat. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Advocates Push Back on MT Higher Mountain Lion Kill

Big-game advocates are pushing back against a move by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to increase the number of mountain lions that can be le…

The Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem, one of six designated recovery zones for grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, is located in northwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho. (Adobe Stock)

Judge Halts Logging Road to Benefit Grizzly Restoration

CORRECTION: The name of the logging project has been corrected, as well as the link to the court document. (1:40 p.m. MST, June 28, 2023) A federal …

As part of the Northwest Compact, 22 Montana firefighters have been dispatched to the Canadian province of Alberta to assist fire crews battling flames in a record wildfire season there. (Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation)

MT Firefighters Scramble to Aid Canadian Crews

Montana has dispatched emergency crews to help fight raging wildfires north of its border, under an agreement allowing northern U.S. states and …

Public land makes up 37.5% of the acres in Montana, 12th most in the country. (Adobe Stock)

$27 Million for MT Habitat Restoration

The Bureau of Land Management has announced a $161 million investment in wildlife habitat projects in 11 western states, and Montana is getting the …

Remnants of a stamp mill briefly used to process ore from the Highland Chief Mine that operated within yards of the Yellowstone Park northern boundary from 1894 to 1908. Fine mine tailings likely eroded soil and washed into Yellowstone National Park via the Yellowstone River. (William Campbell/Greater Yellowstone Coalition)

Advocates Push to Raise $6 Million to Stop Mining at Yellowstone

In Yellowstone National Park, 30,000 acres are protected from mining by Congressional order, but there is a sliver left unprotected, and a Montana …

An increase in average global temperatures above 1.5 degrees Celsius risks sea-level rise, extreme weather and the loss of species and habitats, as well as food scarcity and increasing poverty for millions of people worldwide, according to ClientEarth. (Adobe Stock)

Montana Rolls Back Environmental Protections

Montana's environmental advocates are criticizing Gov. Greg Gianforte for signing a bill they said will allow the state to ignore the impacts of …

Experts say canopy cover to prevent rainfall from directly striking sloped soil, and a strong plant root system to bind the soil, are two of the best methods for preventing erosion. (Adobe Stock)

River Watchers Use 'Old' Technology to Renew Ecosystems

Environmental advocates in Montana are using an older form of technology in new ways to improve the quality of the land near river beds, and also …

In the 1800s, about 50,000 grizzly bears roamed the western United States. Now, that number is fewer than 2,000. Despite the dwindling numbers, the government has tried to remove them from the Endangered Species List and twice been rebuffed, according to the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. (Adobe Stock)

Judge Halts Key Logging Project in Grizzly Country

A U.S. District Court has halted a logging project in the Kootenai National Forest in Montana because of its potential to harm an already imperiled …

Senate Bill 442 would have appropriated $30 million to Habitat Montana, the state's premier environmental conservation program. (Adobe Stock)

MT Gov. Vetoes Key Environmental Bill; Supporters Still Hopeful

Despite the veto of a key piece of Montana environmental legislation, advocates are not giving up on the measure becoming law - even though the state …

About a dozen miles of Montana's iconic Gallatin river is polluted with

Dozens of Miles of MT's Mighty Gallatin Declared 'Pollution Impaired'

Montana environmental officials have listed dozens of miles of the Gallatin River as "impaired" following pollution-induced algal blooms over the last…

The Bureau of Land Management manages about 8 million acres of land in Montana. (BLM Montana and Dakotas/Flickr)

BLM Proposes Greater Sustainability of Public Lands It Manages

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has proposed a rule that would bring more conservation to the lands it manages. The agency's proposal would …

Habitat Montana was crucial in opening access to portions of the Big Snowy Mountains. (Forest Service Northern Region/Wikimedia Commons)

Competing MT Cannabis Revenue Bills Hinge on Conservation Funding

Montana lawmakers are considering how to distribute tax revenue from cannabis sales. One measure would strip funds from the Habitat Montana program …

An increase in hunting has pushed some elk off public lands and onto private lands. (prochym/Adobe Stock)

MT Bills Could Improve Elk Management, Increase Hunting Opportunities

A package of bills in Helena is aimed at improving elk management in Montana. The six bills are bipartisan efforts from lawmakers, hunters and …

The Prairie Potholes region is considered some of the most important waterfowl habitat in North America. (DeVane/Adobe Stock)

Federal Funds to Conserve, Restore America's 'Duck Factory'

The Interior Department is investing funds in protecting what some call America's 'duck factory.' The Prairie Potholes are marshes and wetlands that…

The Gallatin River in southwest Montana is a tributary of the Missouri River. (melissadoar/Adobe Stock)

Montanans in DC Urging Protections for Iconic MT Rivers

Montanans are in Washington, D.C., to call for greater protections of some of the state's most iconic rivers. Anglers, business owners and river …

Properly designed crossings reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 90%, according to experts. (MierCat Photography/Adobe Stock)

Experts: Plan for Effect of Climate Change on Wildlife Crossings

Wildlife crossings could be a path to a future where the climate has significantly changed the planet. Wildlife and climate experts are urging …

In 2022, the state approved Habitat Montana funds to open up access to the Big Snowy Mountains in central Montana. (Forest Service Northern Region)

Up In Smoke? MT Bill Would Strip Conservation Program of Cannabis $$$

Montana lawmakers are reconsidering how cannabis revenue is distributed for a conservation program in the state. A bill in Helena could deprive the …

Lowering top wires on fencing to 40 inches or lower decreases the chances of animals becoming entangled as they jump over. (F&J McGinn/Adobe Stock)

Study Locates Fences in SW MT for Sake of Migrating Wildlife

Migrating wildlife can struggle with the extensive fencing throughout the West, and a new study is filling in the gaps on where these fences are in …

High rates of survival and reproduction have allowed the bison population to increase by 10% to 17% every year. That's 10 times faster than the human population grows worldwide, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

Group Rallies to Protect Montana Constitution

The new year begins with the prospect of big changes to the Montana state Constitution that have been drafted by GOP lawmakers and opposed by conserva…

The Habitat Montana program is managed by the state Fish, Wildlife and Parks agency. (fwp.mt.gov)

MT Gov's Budget Zeroes Out Cannabis Revenue for Conservation Program

Conservation and hunting groups are concerned about Governor Greg Gianforte's decision in his proposed budget not to distribute revenue from recreatio…

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MT: Public Lands/Wilderness