Forest Watch

If you have any questions or would like to participate in the Community Forest Watch Program, please contact Sarah at sarahyaak@yahoo.com or call 406-295-9906.

THREE RIVERS DISTRICT ACTIVITIES

Garver
Post harvest monitoring continued this summer on a number of units harvested in the Garver project. Some units showed abundant regrowth of the native understory vegetation, while others are showing the rapid spread of invasive weed species. These observations drive conversations with the district to determine what techniques are working to control noxious weeds and how we can best address this worrisome issue through a working partnership.
Obermayer
After conducting post harvest monitoring on the units harvested last winter, we were amazed to see some of the huge larch that emerged from behind the fuels that were removed. We were also pleased at the minimal amount of soils damage across the project area. The spread of noxious weeds continues to be a concern every time ground disturbance occurs and the canopy is opened up. We have discussed with the district some of our other concerns over the loss of wildlife cover adjacent to a busy road and have asked that accommodations be made for wildlife in future fuels reduction projects.
Northeast Yaak
The Northeast Yaak project was appealed by a number of groups and the Troy District Ranger, Mike Herrin, entered into the talks with the goal of working towards a compromise. They were unable to reach agreement on the appeal issues but no litigation has been filed against the project. The Region 1 office decided to remove all units that allowed for fuels reduction in Old Growth and the first sale is ready for harvest.
Grizzly Management Area
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement released in June raised a number of concerns within our organization. After studying the document closely, we decided that we needed more information on all of the proposed activities in the Burnt Creek drainage, including harvesting, road work and proposed decommissioning. We held a field trip with the Three Rivers District Staff, the Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildland CPR and representatives from the YVFC to discuss the activities proposed on the North slope of Roderick in the Burnt Creek drainage. We have requested that the Forest Service reduce the length and scope of disturbance proposed between Grizzly IRA and Roderick IRA to provide more habitat security.
Rocky Pine
Resource assessments continue on the Rocky Pine project, as do the conversations between local landowners and the Forest Service. We have been out on the ground to do preliminary monitoring of proposed areas and are in agreement with their fuels reduction goals and the accommodations for wildlife that have been made. We are prepared to go back out again, now that most of the units have been flagged to see how this looks on the ground. We hope to see this project sold under a Stewardship contract which will allow for the smaller activities in the project to be funded directly from the timber sales and increase opportunities for local employment.

DOUGLAS FIR MORTALITY STUDY

This year marks the final year of data collection in the seven year study launched by YVFC during the Kelsey Beaver post fire salvage debate of 2000. This study investigated the claims made by the Kootenai National Forest that the fire would result in 100% mortality of Douglas Fir within the fire perimeter. We disagreed with this estimate and set out to determine if the Douglas Fir over 12” did die from the fire or associated stresses. Now after five years of data collection, we are working with biologist Michael Jacobs to prepare a publication of the results and hope that this study will contribute the body of knowledge about predicting fire mortality in post burn assessments.

COUNTY PLANNING BOARD

The county planning board moves forward on the Lincoln County Growth Policy, incorporating public input received from open houses held in various communities and a public survey distributed by mail and internet. While the board received some opposition in the open houses to planning and the development of a Growth Policy, they saw much more support for planning reflected in the comments received in the surveys. The board still needs to hear support from the public on the future of growth and development in Lincoln County.
Questions to ponder: How will this growth affect our wildlife populations, our water quality and ability to access our special places in Lincoln County?
Please offer your comments to the board.

FOREST PLANNING/NORTHWEST PEAKS

The Forest Planning process is on hold, but not forgotten. Especially not by the Yaak Valley Forest Council. There are still roadless areas in the Yaak that need Wilderness designation. One of these areas is Northwest Peaks and we are ask all supporters of the Wild Yaak to write a letter asking Paul Bradford to recommend this wild and spectacular place for Wilderness. Click here to see a model letter, information on Northwest Peaks and contact information found on the Action Alert Page. Please let Mr. Bradford know that we have not forgotten this need for wilderness, no matter how long the process takes.

GRIZZLY BEARS

Outreach Efforts
Forest Watch has spent the past year working on a project called the Cabinet Yaak Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. This is a partnership effort between YVFC, state and federal agencies and other conservation groups to increase our efforts in outreach and education. The first step in this project is a public opinion and knowledge survey conducted in communities in and around the Cabinet Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone to ask residents what they think about grizzly bears, recovery efforts and how citizens should be involved in management activities. We hope to have a report prepared in early 2008, so please check back to see the results.
Grizzly Bear Killed in Spread Creek
September 22, 2007, two bow hunters reported killing a grizzly bear in the Spread Creek drainage. The bear was an adult female accompanied by two young. Traps were set around the carcass of the adult female and a two year-old female grizzly bear was captured. She was radio collared and is currently being monitored. Another bear was heard in the area of the capture, but not observed. Yearling and 2 year-old bears are old enough to survive on their own with out their mother. Yearling grizzly bears are occasionally naturally weaned from their mother. The adult female appears to have been previously captured based on the presence of ear tag holes in her ears, though no ear tags were present. The incident is under investigation by Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and US Fish and Wildlife enforcement personnel.

Yaak Valley Forest Council

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