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Nestled in Northwest Montana and along the Idaho border, the Lolo National Forest is a treasure trove of natural beauty, providing exceptional habitat for fish, wildlife, and offering endless opportunities for Montanans to enjoy hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. As we look towards the future, the Proposed Action for the Revised Lolo Forest Plan presents a unique opportunity for us to ensure that this cherished landscape continues to thrive for generations to come.

We urge everyone to review the proposed action and submit comments by 11:59 pm on Monday, April 1 to help shape a forest plan that prioritizes the health and connectivity of our wildlife habitats. With thoughtful input from the public, we can help shape a forest plan that prioritizes the health and connectivity of our wildlife habitats.

The Lolo National Forest Planning Process is a comprehensive effort to update the forest’s management plan, a task undertaken approximately every 15 to 20 years. This process is critical in determining how the forest will be managed to balance ecological, economic, and recreational needs. The existing forest plan, established in 1986, is now outdated and fails to sufficiently address contemporary challenges like climate change, rising recreational demands, and the necessity for habitat connectivity. As the plan is being revised, there are several areas where public input can significantly impact the outcome.

Positive Components of the Plan

Overall, the Forest Service did a great job in developing the Proposed Action. The introduction of Geographic Areas offers a more nuanced understanding of place-based management, where specific resource management activities can be expected and the nature and extent of cumulative impacts. The preservation of Recommended Wilderness areas, particularly the inclusion of the Hoodoo Roadless Area, is a significant step in ensuring the recovery of species such as the grizzly bear and enhancing habitat connectivity. To further enhance habitat connectivity for a wide variety of wildlife species, MWF would like to see an alternative(s) that recommends additional strategically located Roadless Areas for recommended Wilderness designation.

Additionally, the inclusion of the Appendix 11 (Reader’s Guide) is helpful to aid in navigating the planning documents. This tool simplifies the process for the public to engage with the content, allowing for more focused attention on the substance of the plan rather than the search for information.

Areas for Improvement

There are areas where we believe the plan could be strengthened. The omission of the Ninemile Demographic Connectivity Area (DCA) from the proposed action is a concern. This area plays a crucial role in enhancing habitat connectivity for breeding female grizzly bears. Extending the DCA south of I-90 to ensure connectivity to the Hoodoo Roadless Area is a recommendation MWF strongly advocates for.

Furthermore, connectivity should be elevated to a specific issue for the Lolo National Forest. The forest’s role in providing habitat connectivity across western Montana is undeniable. By making connectivity a distinct issue, it would incentivize the Forest Service to create and analyze alternatives that address habitat linkages and connectivity. Connectivity Maps and Management should be included to identify core areas, corridors, and linkage zones for large wide-ranging species like grizzly bears.

Roadless Areas contribute significantly to wildlife habitat by providing habitat security, connectivity, and rare, special and declining habitats such as old growth. As Roadless Areas are evaluated for future resource potential, the Forest Service should consider designating most or all of the existing Inventoried Roadless Areas for land use allocations that can enhance wildlife habitat and connectivity.

The proposed plan’s identification of five management areas requires refinement. The current reduction in the number of management areas may be too extreme, and additional management areas are necessary to better distinguish between differing management strategies and clarify the intent of expected management. Plan Components should ensure species habitat recovery goals, accommodate wildlife security needs, address habitat connectivity at different scales, and manage vegetation to support species of conservation concern and special habitats.

Navigating the Path Ahead

Overall, MWF appreciates many aspects of the Proposed Action, especially the recommended Wilderness areas, the use of Geographic Areas, and the helpful User’s Guide. However, we feel that the plan could be improved by focusing more on connectivity between habitats, using special designations for untouched areas to protect them better, and adding more management areas to clarify how different parts of the forest will be managed. We also suggest customizing the management plan to suit the unique features of each Geographic Area.

Remember to submit your comments by April 1!

In mid-March, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced long-awaited draft updates to the federal management plan for greater sage-grouse habitat across 10 Western states. Without the updates, oil and gas companies will continue to lease land that could be better managed for big game, ranching, fishing, and recreational activities – a longstanding and well-documented problem in southwestern Montana. 

This update is an opportunity for a renewed commitment to safeguarding the sagebrush ecosystem, which is essential for more than 350 species of conservation concern, including the Greater sage-grouse and other wildlife species that live in and around the Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Centennial Valleys. Notably, the updates protect Montana’s outdoor recreation economy, farms, ranches, and our communities’ cultural traditions from speculative development. Public comment will open tomorrow, March 15, and end on June 13, 2024. BLM will conduct 13 public meetings, two of which will be virtual. 

The economic importance of hunting and fishing in federal oil and gas leasing decisions is critical to Montana. A 2021 report commissioned by MWF and conducted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana revealed that hunting and angling in Beaverhead County alone contribute over $167 million yearly to Montana’s economy. These activities also create more than 1,400 jobs, many of which are located in the county, a significant contribution given the county’s population is just over 9,400. Moreover, the county is home to nearly 500 family farms and ranching businesses, which have generated up to $147 million in revenue in recent years. 

In response, Frank Szollosi, Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation released the following statement: 

“Speculative oil and gas development does not belong alongside family ranches and on our public land in the Big Hole, Beaverhead County, and other places in Montana where there is virtually nothing to drill. Leasing reform benefits will extend beyond improving Greater sage-grouse populations– it promises better habitats for other important species, including pronghorn, elk, mule deer, and trout, by ensuring that oil and gas leasing only occurs where there is real development potential. Montana’s public land and working ranches are critical wildlife habitats and should be managed for conservation, agriculture, recreation, and other uses. Ecology and economics both support taking this step forward.” 

“Senate Bill 442 will have a transformative impact on all Montanans—improving wildlife and landscapes while supporting veterans and rural communities,”  said Frank Szollosi, Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “Hunters, anglers, and landowners will be able to tap $30 million for habitat improvements, representing the largest investment in conservation in over four decades. Respectfully to the 130 legislators who supported this vital bill almost a year ago, ‘Stick to your guns.’ The next 30 days will impact what makes Montana, Montana, for the next 30 years.”

HELP ENSURE THE PASSAGE OF SENATE BILL 442:

Please take a minute to contact your legislators and urge them to support Senate Bill 442!

Here’s where you can look up your legislator, and find their email.

Email your legislator using this template:

Subject: Please vote YES on Senate Bill 442

I live in [insert city], and I am asking you to support the override of the veto on Senate Bill 442. This legislation benefits every single Montanan, along with many other important things in Montana like county roads, veterans, mental health services, public lands access, and much more. I am asking you to vote YES on the Senate Bill 442 veto override and finally make it law. 

Montanans put aside their differences to work together to build SB 42 alongside Senator Lang and many of you in the Legislature. The unwavering dedication to those people and the policies within SB 442 deserve your continued support. 

I realize the session ended long ago, but 130 out of 150 legislators voted for this less than a year ago and now that you have the opportunity to support this legislation again that support . I sincerely ask you to vote yes on the SB 442 veto override and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

We know many of you have already reached out to your legislators and appreciate all of the work that has gone into getting this bill to the point it’s at. Now, it’s a crucial time for the fate of this bill, and they need to hear from each and every one of us.

Investing in conservation is an investment in our future, and your involvement can make a difference in securing funding for conservation and supporting our communities. Senate Bill 442 provides an opportunity to lay the groundwork for continuous funding that will protect our natural heritage for generations to come.

As a reminder, Senate Bill 442 would:

1.) Provide permanent property tax relief for disabled veterans and their widowed spouses. 

2.) Maintain funding for wildlife management and critical recreation infrastructure, like state parks and trails. 

3.) Enhance Montana’s conservation tools by allowing for increased work on water infrastructure and noxious weed management, as well as habitat improvements on public land.

4.) Ensure that our county roads have the funding to keep us headed to the forests, prairies, rivers, and lakes, while rural Montanans get the kind of roads they need to deliver crops and cattle, get to the hospital, or if needed – have first responders come to you. 

The Montana Wildlife Federation needs your help to protect the Smith River watershed in central Montana. We are imploring the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to proceed with an administrative mineral withdrawal on federal public lands in this vital area.

The Smith River watershed in Central Montana holds profound significance within our state’s cultural tapestry and heritage. Each year, countless Montanans and visitors eagerly seek permits to embark on the awe-inspiring journey through its 59-mile limestone canyon. This river offers unparalleled opportunities for prime trout fishing, wildlife viewing, and unforgettable adventures that result in stories passed down for generations to come. The area also holds deep cultural significance to Montana’s indigenous communities, featuring some of the state’s most significant Native American pictographs.

For decades, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has managed the permitted section of the Smith River to benefit residents, tourists, and the landscape at large. Recognized by the USFS as eligible for Wild & Scenic designation, this section traverses one of Montana’s most secluded regions.

Sign the petition

Unfortunately, recent proposals for large-scale mining threaten the delicate balance of the Smith River ecosystem. While acknowledging the necessity of mining in certain contexts, we cannot ignore the severe environmental repercussions often associated with such activities. Given the unparalleled natural and cultural significance of the Smith River, permitting mining on public lands within its watershed is unequivocally inappropriate.

Over 500 mining claims have been staked on federal public lands in the Smith River drainage, posing a direct threat to its tributaries and scenic beauty. Notably, the Fort Belknap and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have passed resolutions in support of a mineral withdrawal, underscoring the urgency of this matter.

Moreover, this river and the surrounding area plays a pivotal role in fueling Montana’s $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy — and serve as vital grazing grounds for local ranchers. Economic analyses reveal that recreational activities along the Smith River contribute over $11 million annually to Montana’s economy.

We urge the USFS to prioritize the protection of the Smith River and its surrounding lands for the benefit of current and future generations. The implementation of an administrative mineral withdrawal within the next six months is critical to safeguarding this natural treasure for all Americans.

Helena – This afternoon, the Lewis and Clark County District Court issued a ruling requiring Governor Greg Gianforte to take the appropriate steps to allow the Montana Legislature to vote on overriding his veto of Senate Bill 442. 

“SB 442 will be transformative for Montanans by improving wildlife and landscapes while supporting veterans and rural communities,” said Frank Szollosi, Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation. It’s poised to be the largest investment in Montana’s wildlife habitat in over four decades, and we’re eager to work with our partners in the legislature to make it law.”

In June, the Montana Wildlife Federation, Wild Montana, and the Montana Association of Counties sued Governor Gianforte and Secretary of State Jacobsen for preventing the Legislature from overriding the Governor’s veto of Senate Bill 442. The three organizations alleged that the Governor and the Secretary ignored the Montana Constitution when the Governor vetoed Senate Bill 442 and failed to communicate his veto to the Secretary, who in turn failed to poll the Legislature to override the veto.

Because of this, the Legislature had no opportunity to override the Governor’s veto despite the Montana Constitution guaranteeing it the authority to do so. 

The Secretary of State must now issue the veto override poll. Normally, the Secretary must issue the veto override poll within five days. Legislators then have 30 days to submit their responses.

“The governor has to play by the rules, just like everyone else,” said Noah Marion, Wild Montana Political and State Policy Director. “He can’t hijack the legislature’s authority, and the court’s decision makes it clear he has to respect the constitution. Now the legislature can do what it voted for months ago: pass SB 442 and invest $30 million in habitat conservation and public access”

Senate Bill 442 garnered votes from 130 of 150 state legislators, easily surpassing the two-thirds threshold needed to trigger a veto override process. The bill’s provisions were aimed at addressing several areas of public concern: it allocated crucial funding for county road maintenance, habitat conservation and public access initiatives, support for veterans and widowed spouses, and substance abuse treatment.  

“The legislature has the constitutional authority to check executive overreach – period,” said Jason Rittal, Montana Association of Counties Deputy Director. “With that clear, it’s time to pass SB 442 and invest in the infrastructure that agricultural producers, first responders, law enforcement, sportsmen, and all rural Montanans depend on.”