Tag Archives: Bitterroot National Forest

Bitterroot Forest releases new travel plan

Environmental Issues, News,

This is a pretty good summary of the Bitterroot Forest’s recently released travel plan . . .

For the first time in 40 years, the Bitterroot National Forest officially has a new updated travel management plan.

The effort follows nine years of public involvement, a record 13,400 comments and court decisions that altered the process midstream before the final document could be released to the public.

Forest Supervisor Julie King signed off on the Bitterroot Forest’s Travel Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision [on May 11].

The plan dictates how both summer and winter motorized use is managed on the 1.6 million acre national forest.

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Researching wolverines in the Bitterroot

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

The Ravalli Republic has a pretty interesting article, with photos, on a wolverine research project in the Bitterroot National Forest. Their setup collects both hair samples for DNA data and photographic evidence, allowing them to identify individuals without waiting for DNA analysis . . .

It seemed like the perfect spot for a wolverine to visit.

A couple of miles back from the nearest road and surrounded by the kind of thick timber that offers a wary critter a good bit of security, the little nook selected by a crew of Bitterroot National Forest researchers to set their first long-term photographic monitoring site had all the makings a good place to rendezvous with wolverines.

“After awhile, you just kind of know what to look for,” said Chris Fillingham. “You go with your gut and what you’ve seen works before.”

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Carnivores captured on camera in burn area

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Here’s an interesting article about a study of carnivores in a burn area in the Bitterroot National Forest. They even turned up a wolverine . . .

There was no way of knowing what kind of critters might venture through the charred trees left last year in the wake of a wildfire in Soldier Creek.

“The ground was basically dust,” said Bitterroot National Forest biologist Andrea Shortsleeve.

Far up in the head of the West Fork drainage not far from Devil Creek, a team of Bitterroot National Forest researchers led by the biologist decided to set a photographic trap in an effort to see what might show up.

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Wednesday’s storms trigger few new wildfires in western Montana

Fire Information and Status, News, , ,

Lots of lightning Wednesday night, but not much action in western Montana . . .

Wednesday night’s lightning storm didn’t do as much damage as it appeared in western Montana, but eastern Idaho wilderness areas got pounded.

“The Clearwater (Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest) picked up 41 new starts,” said Bitterroot National Forest spokesman Tod McKay. “That’s where a lot of our smoke is coming from today.”

In contrast, U.S. Forest Service land in the Bitterroot Valley only recorded six new fires out of roughly 400 lightning strikes that hit over a five-hour period. Bitterroot crews and a helicopter also assisted Hamilton firefighters with a 200-acre grass fire off Sleeping Child Road that was declared out about midnight Wednesday.

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