Grizzly Bears Win in the Flathead National Forest

Swan View Coalition, Friends of the Wild Swan, and Wildlands CPR won a victory in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals against the Flathead National Forest in a dispute over road management. The Forest is required by its managment plan to maintain areas for grizzly bear where motorized travel is restricted, and where when the needs of griz conflict with other management options, the griz win. 

However, in its implementation of a post-fire salvage plan, the Forest Service left several roads open to motorized use without evaluating the resulting conflict with the requirements of grizzly established in their management plan.  On January 9, the 9th Circuit over-ruled District Judge Malloy and told the FS to go back and re-analyze that decision, with the needs of grizzly in the forefront.  Click here for an article in the Missolian on the victory. A guest editorial also ran in the Missoulian, which provides more factual background.