The Dirt - October 1, 2009

Editor's note: The
day after we sent out the last issue of The Dirt, our website server
experienced a catastrophic failure which is now resolved, but which
affected many of the links for the last issue.  We are still in the
process of reloading lost data, and hope to have all of our resources
and blog posts back online soon.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

	Feature Story: Judge rejects U.S. management plan for California desert Bureau of Land Management's proposal for the West Mojave 'does not contain a reasonable range of alternatives' to limit off-road-vehicle routes in the sensitive habitat, the ruling states.
	News: Skokomish watershed work helps fish The last major barriers for salmon passage in the Skokomish River watershed are about to disappear: removal of a Tacoma Power diversion dam and the replacement of three outdated road culverts. Click here for photos of the project.
	News: Judge says Gallatin forest needs to revise wilderness travel plan The Gallatin National Forest must rework its travel plan for a wilderness study area, but the agency's plan for the rest of the forest was upheld in a ruling issued Sept 29th by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy.
	News: Forest restoration helps heal Tongass' scars Now, with the logging industry dying a slow death in southeast Alaska, a budding, new industry is returning the noise of chainsaws, backhoes and excavators to the forest: restoration.
	News: House panel to consider bill on Utah wilderness For the first time in 20 years of battles, a bill that would put one-sixth of all Utah land into formal wilderness areas will receive a congressional hearing.
	News: Court: Snowmobile appeal may be moot A 3-judge panel of the U.S.Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals hinted during oral arguments that a forthcoming temporary order setting limits on the number of snowmobiles that can enter Yellowstone National Park this winter would nullify the appeal before them.
	Opinion: FS has specialist on hand as it angles for Upper Tellico Solution The U.S. Forest Service is refereeing a heavyweight bout between two groups.  They are the nation’s off-road vehicle enthusiasts and its brook-trout anglers.
	Resource: The Road RIPorter Autumn Equinox 2009, Volume 14 # 3 available online! Cover story: The Political Economy of Watershed Restoration, Field, Legal & Biblio notes, and program updates.View the full Scribd version.
	Resource: Political Economy of Watershed Restoration Series Watershed restoration presents a rare “win-win” situation to conservation and business communities. As such, an expansion of the ecological restoration sector of the economy is in the nation’s best interest.