[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>
“Like” WW on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilderness-Watch/130160330396668?sk=wall>
Follow WW on Twitter <https://twitter.com/WildernessWatch>
Donate <https://wildernesswatch.crm.salsalabs.org/webDonation/>
/
/*/Wilderness Watch/*///defends our 110 million-acre National Wilderness
Preservation System.
/
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