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Stand up for Sage Grouse & Restoring Habitat in Montana

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Photo Credit: Alexis Bonogofsky

The State of Montana has been a leader in the conservation of sage-grouse and their habitats. Since 2012, Montanans have been rolling up their sleeves and working together to find common ground when it comes to ensuring that we not only take care of the sage grouse, but we also take care of the people whose livelihood will be most impacted if the bird gets listed under the Endangered Species Act: farmers & ranchers. 

That’s why we need your help today. Earlier this summer, Secretary Zinke eliminated the need for developers on public land to offset their impacts through mitigation. That means the government is telling companies that they don’t need to leave Montana better than how they found it. That’s a shame, especially after Montanans of all stripes worked together to ensure the federal plans and the state plans would work together. 

Due to the Department of Interior walking away from their obligations related to mitigation, the state of Montana has the task of implementing a strong mitigation policy that will not only keep sage grouse from being listed under the Endangered Species Act, but would help improve habitat for mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and over 350 other species of wildlife and native plants. 

Please take a moment to send a note to the Department of Natural Resources & Conservation with the following message: 

Since the federal government is not honoring their deal, made in 2015, to use mitigation as a tool in restoring damaged public lands, it’s up to the state of Montana to pick up the slack and advance a mitigation proposal that ensures continued state management of the greater sage grouse. True multiple use means leaving a place better than how you found it, and only through the Montana Mitigation policy can we live up to that longstanding management ideal. 

New Parks Bill Adds Momentum to Federal Conservation Funding Debate

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KingToday, Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) and Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona), along with dozens of co-sponsors from both parties, introduced the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act.  The bill would dedicate a portion of existing federal energy revenue to fund maintenance needs on national parks and other public lands managed by the Department of Interior.  Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte is a cosponsor of the bill.

Dave Chadwick, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation made the following statement:

“At a time when our political system is so polarized, conservation is one thing that can still bring Republicans and Democrats together.  This bill joins the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in advancing the common-sense idea that a portion of existing federal revenue should be dedicated to protecting our natural heritage.”

“This bill shows that there’s a real opportunity for Congress to make concrete progress this year to fully fund our nation’s land, water, and wildlife, which will be good for Montanans and all Americans.”

Collin O’Mara, CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said:
“America’s public lands and wildlife are inextricably linked — and require dedicated funding to conserve and protect them. Congressmen Bishop and Grijalva deserve great credit for putting forward a maintenance solution for public lands infrastructure, but any compromise should also include funding for wildlife habitat, as proposed in the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647).”

Created in 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is funded by a portion of offshore energy revenue.  The program has protected many of Montana’s most important places, even though much of the funding is diverted by Congress every year to cover other government spending.  Pending legislation would reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund and provide permanent, automatic funding for the program.

Alongside the LWCF, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act was introduced in 2018 to provide funding from existing federal energy revenue to state fish and wildlife agencies in order to conserve at-risk species and prevent Endangered Species Act listings.

cleardotContact: Dave Chadwick, 406-438-6478, dchadwick@mtwf.org

Hunters Score Responding Access Victory in Bitterroot

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The Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association and Public Land and Water Access Association (PLWA) scored a major victory in the Montana Supreme Court this week with a ruling to permanently reopen Hughes Creek Road in the Bitterroot Valley.

TurkeyHunt 5 Landowners had blocked the road that leads into the Bitterroot National Forest near Hughes Creek for over three decades. But several years ago Ravalli County commissioners determined the evidence was clear the route is public and ordered the gates taken down. A District Court judge agreed with the county after the landowners challenged the decision in court. Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association pushed the case and received help from PLWA.

But the landowners again challenged the decision by taking it to the Montana Supreme Court, and in the meantime kept the gate locked. This week’s ruling ends the dispute and will permanently restore public access to the National Forest.

Congrats to the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association, PLWA and all hunters in the Bitterroot.

Horse Creek Project Prevails Over Delays by Anti-Access Politicians

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Juniper and grasslands stretch out over the Horse Creek Easement The Montana Wildlife Federation commends the completion of the Horse Creek Complex conservation easement near Wibaux after two years of diligent work by the Stenson family and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. MWF thanks Gov. Steve Bullock for finalizing this easement, which permanently protects 15,000 acres of working ranchland while also guaranteeing public hunting access to nearly 20,000 acres of private and public land in perpetuity.

“It’s unfortunate that it took this long, but we’re glad Gov. Bullock, his staff, and Montana FWP got this deal done,” said Nick Gevock, MWF conservation director. “It’s vital that we continue to move forward with quality Habitat Montana projects that maintain our ranching economy, protect important wildlife habitat and open up hunting access to private lands. Montana’s hunters are extremely lucky to have such great partners like the Stenson family who generously open up their land for quality hunting opportunity.”

The Horse Creek Easement came before the State Land Board in February after unanimous approval by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. State Auditor Matt Rosendale, State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen, and Secretary of State Corey Stapleton forced the Land Board to indefinitely delay the project, despite widespread public support and the landowners’ wishes.

After legal review, the Governor’s office determined that the Land Board’s approval isn’t required for these conservation easements, just as no other easement in state statute is required to go before the Land Board.

The Horse Creek doubles the acreage of land in Wibaux County that is open to public hunting and protects some of the best mule deer hunting in eastern Montana.

Wildlife Federations Urge Congress to Nix Controversial Public Lands Bills

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Big Hole Moose Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte is sponsoring H.R. 5148 and H.R. 5149, which together would release more than 800,000 acres from Wilderness Study Area protection. The lands are managed to protect their wilderness characteristics until it’s decided to whether to approve an official designation. Stone-Manning, the National Wildlife Federation’s associate vice president for public lands, will testify in a House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on the bills this Thursday.

Stone-Manning said:  “In Montana, our love for our public lands brings people of all stripes together to find solutions to the thorny issues, but in this case, Rep. Gianforte has short-circuited the process and cut out the public. These bills strip protections from public lands that contain exceptional wildlife habitat and clean water that supplies water for both our communities and world-class trout streams. The lands support hunting, fishing, and recreation that contribute to the state’s $7 billion outdoor recreation economy. Congress should step back until a community-driven solution can be put forward, based on the values Montanans share and what makes sense on the ground.” Here is Stone-Manning’s written testimony.

Dave Chadwick, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation, added “All over Montana, people are rolling up their sleeves and working together to develop local plans to designate some areas as wilderness while setting aside other lands for other uses.  Rep. Gianforte’s bills are not resolving the question of what to do about wilderness study areas, they are blowing up the local conversations underway to resolve that question.”

A poll by the Montana Wildlife Federation earlier this year found that 75% of Montanans are more likely to support forest management plans developed through local collaboration by conservationists, snowmobilers, loggers, hunters, landowners, local businesses, and other stakeholders.

The House Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing starts at 10 a.m. ET, 1324 Longworth House Office Building.

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Conservation Director

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.