Blog Archives for Policy

By Bethanie Walder - July 23, 2010    The House Interior and Environmental Appropriations subcommittee approved legislation yesterday to provide Forest Service and other agnecy and environmental funding for fiscal year 2011.  While there are many steps yet to go, we are very happy to report that the subcommittee included $90 million for the Forest Service Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative. For more information, read the news directly from Congressman Norm Dicks' office.

By Bethanie Walder - July 22, 2010   On July 20, the Forest Service released their new Climate Change Roadmap, along with a new “scorecard” that will enable the national office to annually rate how each individual national forest is adapting to and mitigating for climate change.

By cathy - June 23, 2010   Why should a climate change bill fund natural resource projects in your community? Scroll to the bottom of this article to watch a video to see what some green jobs experts have to say.

By Bethanie Walder - June 23, 2010    For the past several years, Wildlands CPR has been posting the Forest Service’s annual Road Accomplishment Reports (RAR).  The RARs show how many miles of roads are maintained, improved, or decommissioned in any given year and on any given forest.  The RARs also show which funds were used to pay for the work.

By Bethanie Walder - June 22, 2010   On June 11, 2010, the US Department of Agriculture released it’s 2010-2015 strategic plan, including it’s overarching plans for the Forest Service.   Forest Service management was basically addressed in the second of the plans four goals: Ensure our national forest and private working lands are conserved, restored, and made more resilient to climate change, while enhancing our water resources.

By Bethanie Walder - June 14, 2010   I spent two days last week at a “Place-Based Forest Agreements and Law Symposium” here in Missoula.  The Symposium was sponsored by the National Forest Foundation and the University of Montana’s Bolle Center for People and Forests.  It was a thought-provoking and interesting two days, with lots of good discussion about excellent collaborative efforts going on around the country.  

By Adam Rissien - May 20, 2010   The first round of public commenting closed this week on a proposal by the Lolo National Forest to create “The Route of the Olympian,” which would establish a new trail between Taft and St. Regis, Montana, on about 30 miles of the abandoned Milwaukee railroad grade. This new trail runs parallel to Interstate 90 and would connect with the existing Route of the Hiawatha bicycle trail to create a 47 mile world class attraction for cyclists.

By Adam Rissien - April 26, 2010   The Courthouse News Service reported today that snowmobilers filed yet another lawsuit, this time against the Gallatin National Forest for its plan to protect portions of the Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area (WSA). Interestingly, the article explains, “Snowmobilers and environmentalists have filed at least nine lawsuits in the past 3 years over snowmobiles in Montana and Wyoming. The snowmobilers are somewhat more sue-happy, with six of these to their count.”

By Adam Rissien - April 21, 2010    A recent article on an MSU elk study focused on how hunters, not wolves, have the bigger impact on this popular game animal, and while this is undoubtedly true, not all hunters are the same. For those who park their vehicles and hike in, the impacts are much different than those who use off-road vehicles for access. 

By Bethanie Walder - April 15, 2010    The Ecosystem Workforce Program at the University of Oregon just released three new reports about jobs related to forest AND watershed restoration. (There are two versions of each report, all available at the link above.)