Autumn Equinox 2006, Volume 11 #3

This past June some 300 people attended the Montana Governor’s Restoration Forum in Billings, Montana. Co-sponsored by Wildlands CPR, the forum brought together a diverse group including conservation, public land agency, labor, business, scientific, tribal, and community leaders, all for the purpose of exploring opportunities for build­ing a restoration economy in the state of Montana. Montana’s Governor Brian Schweitzer says that the state can be a national, if not world leader in creating a sustainable restoration economy that is good for Montana’s land, water and communities.

Roads and the human activities associated with them have profound impacts on wildlife. Roads, however, are not the only human intrusion that cuts through natural landscapes. Many other linear barriers mar the natural landscape, including trails, electrical power lines, oil and gas pipelines, and railways. According to Lyon et al. (1985), the linear development itself typically does not cause a disturbance response; it’s the human presence on it that causes problems, therefore the level of use must be assessed and evaluated.

One of the greatest impacts of roads and (especially motorized) trails is their effect on the hydrology of natural landscapes, including the flow of surface and ground water and nutrients. These hydrologic effects are re­sponsible for changes to geomorphic processes and sediment loads in roaded areas (Luce and Wemple 2001). Assessing Roads

On June 8, 2006, several months after releasing their new rule, “Trav­el Management; Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use,” the Forest Service published a schedule for its implementa­tion by 2010. And while changes to the Forest Service Manual and Hand­book (necessary for implementing the rule) have still not been released for comment, Chief Dale Bosworth included guidance to help national forests begin the process.