[MCN] FOR RELEASE: Public Comments Reveal Tremendous Support for Wilderness and Wildlife in New Flathead National Forest Plan

Dawn Serra dserra at wildernesswatch.org
Wed Nov 30 14:48:10 EST 2016


FOR RELEASE: November 30, 2016


*Public Comments Reveal Tremendous Support for Wilderness and Wildlife 
in New Flathead National Forest Plan

*

*/Over 34,000 citizens ask U.S. Forest Service to protect all roadless 
lands as wilderness and protect habitat for grizzly bears, other 
wildlife and fish/*



FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Keith Hammer, Swan View Coalition, 406-755-1379, keith at swanview.org 
<mailto:keith at swanview.org>
George Nickas, Wilderness Watch, 406-542-2048, 
gnickas at wildernesswatch.org <mailto:gnickas at wildernesswatch.org>
Arlene Montgomery, Friends of the Wild Swan 406-886-2011, 
arlene at wildswan.org <mailto:arlene at wildswan.org>
Claudia Narcisco, MT Chapter Sierra Club, 406-531-3673, 
cdnarcisco at gmail.com <mailto:cdnarcisco at gmail.com>
Greg Dyson, WildEarth Guardians, 503-730-9242, 
gdyson at wildearthguardians.org <mailto:gdyson at wildearthguardians.org>


MISSOULA, MONT. – Public comments submitted on the proposed revised 
Flathead National Forest Plan show a groundswell of public support for 
protecting all remaining roadless wildlands as Wilderness, as well as 
maintaining requirements in the current forest plan to protect grizzly 
bear security and habitat for other wildlife and fish.

According to conservation and wilderness groups, at least 34,400 
American citizens [1]– the vast majority of citizens who commented on 
the draft forest plan – urged the Forest Service to recommend all 
remaining roadless areas as Wilderness, and they supported maintaining 
promises made in the current forest plan to remove 500 miles of damaging 
roads to protect grizzly bear security and habitat for other wildlife 
and fish.

“It's heartening to see this groundswell of public support grow from a 
grass roots Citizen revision proposal [2] to broad national support for 
more wilderness, more fish and more wildlife on the public's Flathead 
National Forest,” said Keith Hammer, Chair of the Swan View Coalition. 
“Even the Forest Service acknowledged in its draft plan that managing 
roadless areas as wilderness is best for water quality, fish, and wildlife.”

The Flathead National Forest covers 2.4 million acres of public lands 
west and south of Glacier National Park in Montana. The previous 
Flathead National Forest plan was written in 1986 and the U.S. Forest 
Service expects a draft record of decision for the new plan to be 
released in June 2017.

On the homepage of the Flathead National Forest’s official website it 
says “the forest is the premiere destination for visitors looking to 
experience natural landscapes of the American West” and the forest is 
“celebrated for its water, wildlife, and wilderness.” [3]

The Flathead National Forest’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
stated that 96% of American's like Wilderness and 70% of the American 
people want more Wilderness. [4] Such strong support for Wilderness and 
wildlands protection isn’t surprising.

For example, in 2001, 17,429 Montanans commented on the 2001 Roadless 
Rule and 78% were in favor of protection of roadless areas [5], while 
nationally more than 2.5 million citizens submitted comments on the 
Roadless Rule, with 95% in favor of protection of roadless areas. [6]

“The citizens who commented on the Flathead Plan were unequivocal. They 
want their wildlands protected and they want them managed like 
Wilderness until Congress acts. That means no motorized or mechanized 
vehicles or other incompatible activities,” stated George Nickas, 
executive director of Wilderness Watch.

“Wilderness provides the best protection for clean water, fish and 
wildlife in the most fiscally responsible way,” said Arlene Montgomery, 
Program Director for Friends of the Wild Swan. “The Flathead National 
Forest belongs to all people in the United States and they should be 
heard loud and clear in their support for protecting these wildlands."

“It’s clear that the vast majority of Americans value Wilderness and 
want more of it. This was evident in the outpouring of support for 
wilderness recommendations for 500,000 acres of the Flathead National 
Forest. These areas provide quality habitat and clean water essential to 
wildlife and fisheries in the face of climate change”, stated Claudia 
Narcisco, conservation chair of MT Chapter Sierra Club. “We encourage 
the Flathead to produce a plan that protects all roadless areas and 
supports an economy that focuses on restoration in the areas that 
connect them.”

“The Flathead National Forest admits it can’t afford its current massive 
road network, and those roads are inflicting serious harm on grizzly 
habitat,” said Greg Dyson, Wild Places Program Director at WildEarth 
Guardians. “It’s time for the Forest to do what the vast majority of the 
public wants and say no to selfish motorheads who think they can drive 
everywhere. It’s time for the Forest to step up and protect grizzlies, 
bull trout and other wildlife that require habitat on the Flathead.”

SOURCES:

1. http://www.swanview.org/reports/Documented_34409_FFP_Comments.pdf

2. http://www.swanview.org/reports/Citizen_reVision_Flathead_Forest_Plan.pdf

3. http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead/

4. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd502199.pdf , DEIS 
Volume 2, page 56

5. http://www.bigskylegacy.org/supporters.html

6. http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/408/rules.html

# # #


-- 

Dawn Serra
Communications and Outreach Coordinator*
Wilderness Watch
*P.O. Box 9175
Missoula, MT 59807
P: 406.542.2048

www.wildernesswatch.org <http://www.wildernesswatch.org>
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<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilderness-Watch/130160330396668?sk=wall>

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/
/*/Wilderness Watch/*///defends our 110 million-acre National Wilderness 
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/


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