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<span style="font-family:times">FOR RELEASE: November 30, 2016</span><br>
<div><span style="font-family:times"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times"> <br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><span
style="font-size:16pt;font-family:times">Public Comments
Reveal Tremendous Support for Wilderness and Wildlife in New
Flathead National Forest Plan<br>
<br>
</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b><i><span
style="font-size:16pt;font-family:times">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</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times"><br>
<br>
FOR MORE INFORMATION: <br>
Keith Hammer, Swan View Coalition, 406-755-1379, </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:keith@swanview.org"><span
style="font-family:times">keith@swanview.org</span></a><span
style="font-family:times"><br>
George Nickas, Wilderness Watch, 406-542-2048, </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:gnickas@wildernesswatch.org"><span
style="font-family:times">gnickas@wildernesswatch.org</span></a><span
style="font-family:times"><br>
Arlene Montgomery, Friends of the Wild Swan 406-886-2011, </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:arlene@wildswan.org"><span
style="font-family:times">arlene@wildswan.org</span></a><span
style="font-family:times"><br>
Claudia Narcisco, MT Chapter Sierra Club, 406-531-3673, </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:cdnarcisco@gmail.com"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">cdnarcisco@gmail.com</span></a><span
style="font-family:times"><br>
Greg Dyson, WildEarth Guardians, 503-730-9242, </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:gdyson@wildearthguardians.org"><span
style="font-family:times">gdyson@wildearthguardians.org</span></a><span
style="font-family:times"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times"><br>
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.<br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">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. <br>
<br>
“</span><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">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.”<br>
</span><span style="font-family:times"><br>
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. <br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">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]<br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">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. <br>
<br>
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]<br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">“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. <br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:times">“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."<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:times">“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.”<br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">“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.”<br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">SOURCES:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">1. </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.swanview.org/reports/Documented_34409_FFP_Comments.pdf"><span
style="font-family:times">http://www.swanview.org/reports/Documented_34409_FFP_Comments.pdf</span></a><span
style="font-family:times"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:times">2. </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.swanview.org/reports/Citizen_reVision_Flathead_Forest_Plan.pdf"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">http://www.swanview.org/reports/Citizen_reVision_Flathead_Forest_Plan.pdf</span></a><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">3. </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead/"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead/</span></a><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">4. </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd502199.pdf"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd502199.pdf</span></a><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> ,
DEIS Volume 2, page 56</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">5. </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.bigskylegacy.org/supporters.html"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">http://www.bigskylegacy.org/supporters.html</span></a><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">6. </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/408/rules.html"><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/408/rules.html</span></a><span
style="font-family:times;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> <br>
<br>
# # #</span></p>
</div>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="p1"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:
"Times New Roman"">Dawn Serra<br>
Communications and Outreach Coordinator<b
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> <br>
Wilderness Watch<br>
</b>P.O. Box 9175<br>
Missoula, MT 59807<br>
P: 406.542.2048<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.wildernesswatch.org">www.wildernesswatch.org</a><br>
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</i></span><span class="style1"><b
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style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
9.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Wilderness Watch</span></i></b></span><span
class="actionlistyle33"><i
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana">
</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
9.0pt;font-family:Verdana">defends our 110 million-acre
National Wilderness Preservation System. <br
style="mso-special-character:line-break">
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style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
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