Conservation groups ask Canadian government to halt proposed mines in Elk Valley drainage

Environmental Issues, News, ,

Conditions in the Elk Valley, a little ways to the west, serve as a reminder of why it is so important to fight extractive industry in the transboundary Flathead watershed. . . .

Last week the Canadian government charged Teck Resources with three environmental violations after 74 fish were killed near the mining company’s treatment facility in British Columbia’s Elk Valley north of Montana, elevating concerns over contaminants entering transboundary waterways.

The fish were found dead in late 2014 and an investigation determined they died from nitrite poisoning and low dissolved oxygen levels in the water. The deaths occurred near one of Teck’s open-pit coal mines and treatment facility.

The charges followed an investigation by the company.

Read more . . .

Rally for public lands draws 1000+

Environmental Issues, News,
Public Lands Rally, Jan 30, 2017 - Thom Bridge, Helena IR
Public Lands Rally, Jan 30, 2017 – Thom Bridge, Helena IR

The Missoulian posted extensive coverage of yesterday’s rally for public lands in Helena, including a photo spread and videos . . .

The Capitol rotunda played host to a raucous crowd of public land advocates Monday, many traveling from across the state to denounce land transfer efforts while calling for improving access.

Organizers estimated more than 1,000 people packed the main rotunda floor and lined the balconies above, which was about double the attendance of a similar rally held during the 2015 legislative session. Many rally-goers loaded buses in Missoula, Billings and Bozeman to attend while smaller contingencies came from other locales, including about 40 from Sanders County.

They came to tell the Legislature in no uncertain terms that public lands are not just parcels on a map but define Montana as a state, and Montanans as a people.

Read more . . .

U of M students head to Polebridge to learn about landscape, community

News,
Polebridge Field Course presentation atendees, Jan 16, 2017
Polebridge Field Course presentation attendees, Jan 16, 2017 – W. K.Walker

The Missoulian posted a story, with photo spread, on this year’s Polebridge Field Course. There are a few familiar names and faces . . .

A snowshoe hare? A fox? A wolf, maybe?

In snowshoes, the students tromped to the edge of a bench, and the sun shone as they looked across the North Fork to Rainbow Peak shouldering the season’s snowfall, then below to the meadow.

Sarah Halvorson, a geography professor at the University of Montana, and Mitch Burgard, an expert on fire for the U.S. Forest Service, led the excursion.

Read more . . .

Multi-state wolverine monitoring project underway

Environmental Issues, News,
Wolverine in snow - Steve Kroschel
Wolverine in snow – Steve Kroschel

Here’s a follow-up on last May’s announcement of a multi-state wolverine study . . .

One of the rarest animals in Montana gets a fresh look as Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports new efforts to conserve the wolverine.

Bob Inman of FWP says the agency will produce the first ever documentation of where wolverines presently occur in the lower 48 states.

“They are fierce. They are an animal that a lot of people find interesting. There’s mystery to them because they are so rare and so little had been learned about them,” Inman said.

Read more . . .

Grizzly mortality steady

Environmental Issues, News,

Grizzly Bear - Thomas Lefebvre, via Unsplash

Here’s a good summary from the Hungry Horse News of the latest grizzly bear mortality and population figures . . .

Recorded grizzly bear mortality in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem in 2016 was the same the year before, with 22 total bears killed, primarily by human means.

Removal by wildlife biologists due to human conflicts was the leading cause of death, at nine. One bear, a male, was removed as part of an augmentation program to move grizzly bears from the NCDE to the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem.

Of the 22 deaths in 2016, 12 were females. Two were unknown sex. Two bears were poached and two were killed by property owners illegally. Three were hit by cars and two deaths were determined to be natural causes, one was accidentally poisoned and one was shot by a hunter who mistook it for a black bear.

Read more . . .

Reminder: Rally for public lands, Jan. 30!

Environmental Issues, Member Bulletins & Information

MWA Public Lands Rally banner, Jan 30, 2017

The transfer of public lands continues to show its head in the Montana legislature although 85% of Montanans support keeping public lands in public hands.  The abundance of public land in the North Fork is what makes it a special place.

NFPA invites you to a rally in Helena at the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, Jan. 30, at noon to show support for public lands. You are encouraged to dress in camo or blaze orange and to send a clear message to our elected officials that Montana sportsmen and women will not waver when it comes to our hunting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, and public lands heritage.

If you would like to attend, please sign up at this link. Free transportation to Helena will be provided from many locations around the state.

Whether you will be able to join us or not, please take a moment to sign this petition to keep public lands public!

Guest speakers include Gov. Steve Bullock, mountaineering legend Conrad Anker, fly fishing guide and TV host Hilary Hutcheson, and K.C. Walsh, CEO of Simms.

Public lands are under attack on the national level also.  During the first session of Congress this month, our Congressman Ryan Zinke voted with the Republican majority to weaken the process for transferring public lands. Both Senator Tester (D) and Senator Daines (R) criticized his vote. The NFPA board sent a letter of disapproval to the Congressman for voting this way after declaring his support for public lands..  You can view the letter on the NFPA website. Please send your own letter to Congressman Zinke. If his appointment is approved, Ryan Zinke will be our next Secretary of Interior and he needs to hear from Montanans that we will not support any give-away of our public lands.

Warm Regards,

Debo Powers, NFPA President

Polebridge Field Course presentation a big success

News, Photos & Images, , , ,
Polebridge Field Course presentation atendees, Jan 16, 2017
Polebridge Field Course presentation attendees, Jan 16, 2017

Every year, Rick and Suzie Graetz of the University of Montana bring the Polebridge Field Course to the North Fork. For the “field” part, the class spends five days up here, learning about the landscape, the species that live on it (including humans), its geology and history. At the end of the first full day, there is a presentation at Sondreson Community Hall that includes a lot of spectacular photos and considerable interaction between students and locals.

Rick Graetz at the Polebridge Field Course presentation, Jan 16, 2017
Rick Graetz at the Polebridge Field Course presentation, Jan 16, 2017

Here’s Lois Walker’s report on the event, lightly edited…

The Graetz’s gave another splendid presentation last Monday, January 16. It was the best yet, I believe. Suzie presented a 10-year retrospective slideshow, with photos from all their classes — lots of familiar faces and locations. Rick’s show featured breathtaking photos from around the Crown of the Continent. They had a reporter and a photographer from the Missoulian in tow, as well as Dr. Hal Stearns, a Montana historian, retired brigadier general from the Montana National Guard and husband of the current University of Montana president, who gave a rousing introduction. I believe there were 18 class members, plus a few associate students, plus the staff. The locals in attendance brought the total up to around 50. And of course Oliver Meister was present as the gracious host. There was a huge decorated chocolate cake in honor of the 10th anniversary. Another very nice evening on the North Fork.

Note: There were actually four speakers. Lois forgot to mention that she gave a brief overview of North Fork history on very short notice near the beginning of the program.

More photos of the presenters . . .

Suzie Graetz at the Polebridge Field Course presentation, Jan 16, 2017
Suzie Graetz at the Polebridge Field Course presentation, Jan 16, 2017
Polebridge Field Course presentation attendees, Jan 16, 2017 - Dr. Hal Stearns at left
Polebridge Field Course presentation attendees, Jan 16, 2017 – Dr. Hal Stearns at left

Montana looks to spend $10 million fighting invasive mussels

Environmental Issues, News, ,
Zebra mussels
Zebra mussels – via Wikipedia

Montana needs to spend some real money fighting invasive mussels . . .

The Montana Mussel Response team set out a proposed budget to state lawmakers Monday for invasive mussel control in Montana, with a price tag of about $10.2 million for the next two years.

The funding proposal calls for decontamination stations at infested waterways, doubling the number of inspection stations across the state from 17 to 34 and increasing the number of annual water samples to 1,500 at 206 water bodies. The plan would also fund education and outreach efforts and strengthen the state’s overall effort.

About half the cost could be covered by federal matching grants. It will be up to lawmakers to actually fund the measure.

Read more . . .

House rule easing public lands transfer concerns hunters, others

Environmental Issues, News
Lake in Flathead National Forest
Lake in Flathead National Forest

An excellent article from the Washington Post. Thanks to Walter Roberts for spotting this one . . .

A change in U.S. House rules making it easier to transfer millions of acres of federal public lands to states is worrying hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts across the West who fear losing access.

Lawmakers earlier this month passed a rule eliminating a significant budget hurdle and written so broadly that it includes national parks.

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Interior secretary, Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, voted for the rule change as did many other Republicans. The Senate would have to weigh in on public land transfers as well.

Read more . . .

Wolverine caught on camera in West-central Idaho

Environmental Issues, News,
Roaming wolverine - USFWS
Roaming wolverine – USFWS

They’re still turning up Wolverines in odd places . . .

A wolverine has been recorded on an Idaho Fish and Game camera near McCall in west-central Idaho as part of a four-state study to determine where the elusive mammals live.

A remote camera recorded at least one wolverine earlier this winter feeding on a deer leg attached to a tree about 12 miles northeast of McCall, the agency reported Friday.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Washington state are taking part in the study to find out if the animals that look like small bears with big claws can be reintroduced to some regions to boost their numbers.

Read more . . .