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Forget the rhetoric: in Montana we know public lands mean access and habitat

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NLWMA-Bulls Elk graze on newly acquired WMA lands

Last week, while a bunch of all-hat, no-cow rebels were vandalizing public property and hogging national media attention in Burns, Oregon, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission quietly approved a few projects that show just how popular public land really is.

Montanans bought more public land for public access and wildlife habitat.

That’s right – Montanans purchased land from willing sellers to add to our state Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). The purchases included key winter range for elk west of Missoula, wetlands along the north shore of Flathead Lake and a key wildlife link between Nevada Mountain and the Garnett Range near Helmville. The projects were funded by the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Habitat Montana program.

In total, 1,156 acres were added to the public estate. These are places where all Montanans – and all Americans – can go to hunt, fish, hike, birdwatch, etc. All three were additions to existing WMAs, places that were already protected by hunters and anglers who had the foresight to set land aside for wildlife.

The projects were partially paid for through Habitat Montana, which uses a small fee on hunting licenses to purchase conservation easements, fishing access sites, lands for wildlife, access and sporting opportunity. Habitat Montana is essential because it is often matched with federal and private foundation dollars to complete projects. These projects also included funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is funded by a portion of offshore oil drilling revenue.

The Oregon occupiers – and the extremist politicians who support them – vilify national forests, wildlife refuges and other federal lands, and hold up state management as a panacea. But then they turn around and oppose funding for state public land programs like Habitat Montana.

Instead of the political rhetoric, we should be working together to support more public land and more public access at every level. Instead of pitting federal government versus state government, we should support programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Habitat Montana that protect land for people and wildlife.

The truth is that public lands – state and federal – contribute to local economies. The habitat and access that public lands provide are essential to sustain Montana’s $6 billion outdoor recreation economy. State and federal agencies also make payments to counties to offset the lost property tax revenue.

Montanans know these places are even more important than dollars and cents. They’re essential to our very way of life – a big if not the biggest reason people choose to live here.

So let the blowhards in Oregon who think they’re entitled to our national birthright continue to spew their nonsense while they tear down fences and destroy public property. The vast majority of Americans know the real value of our public lands and will fight fiercely to protect them.

Nick Gevock is the conservation director for Montana Wildlife Federation.

Stand up for wildlife refuges and other public lands, buy a Duck Stamp

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As the occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon enters a second week, the Montana Wildlife Federation is joining the National Wildlife Federation and state federations around the country in urging Americans to show their support for protecting public lands by buying a Duck Stamp.

The Malheur occupiers have said that they will not leave until the refuge and other public lands are taken out of public hands and given to private interests. The occupation follows unsuccessful political efforts to take over public lands in Montana and other Western states. Such efforts have failed to gain traction because they are wildly unpopular with the public. Last year, the Montana Legislature rejected every single bill that was introduced in order to take over public lands.

“The takeover of a wildlife refuge is a particular slap in the face to hunters, who have personally helped fund the creation of so many wildlife refuges,” said Montana Wildlife Federation executive director Dave Chadwick. “Now hunters are forced to watch a group of armed, anti-government trespassers occupy the very lands that they helped protect.”

For 80 years, waterfowl hunters have been required to purchase a Duck Stamp, which helps fund the protection of wildlife refuge lands – and hunters have strongly supported the program from the outset. Bird watchers and many other outdoor enthusiasts also buy the stamps in order to support wildlife and habitat.

Duck Stamp funds are used to acquire public land for wildlife refuges, helping expand wildlife habitat and hunting access. Since the program was created in 1934, more than 300 national wildlife refuges, including at least one in every state, were created or have been expanded using Federal Duck Stamp revenue, totaling more than 6.5 million acres.

To send a peaceful, constructive message of support for public lands, MWF is urging Montanans to purchase a Duck Stamp today. You can buy a Federal Duck Stamp at National Wildlife Refuges, select post offices, and many major sporting goods stores, or online. Hunters and others who already have a Duck Stamp can also purchase an additional stamp to show their support for public lands.

“National wildlife refuges and other public lands are important to millions of hunters, anglers, birdwatchers and other outdoors enthusiasts. Poll after poll shows how much we love our public lands,” said Chadwick. “Buying a Federal Duck Stamp is one simple but meaningful way we can send a message that Montanans support keeping public lands in public hands.”

“Whether a hunter, angler, birder, hiker, or wildlife enthusiast, every American benefits from the amazing public lands that have been protected for generations for the benefit of all Americans,” said Collin O’Mara, president and chief executive officer of the National Wildlife Federation. “By purchasing Federal Duck Stamps, we can show our strong support for conserving wildlife, enhancing wildlife refuges, and ensuring that America’s public lands remain accessible to all Americans.”

Buy a Duck Stamp and help Stamp Out Bundy

Dave Chadwick is the Executive Director of Montana Wildlife Federation

Political Extremists Threaten Our Public Lands, Democratic Values

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A greater sandhill crane feeds in the wetlands at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. More than 200 pairs of sandhills nest on the refuge each year. They begin arriving in Feburary/March and are reclusive when they begin nesting. But they can be seen in their nesting territories from late June until the crane colts fledge in September. Credit: Roger Baker A greater sandhill crane feeds in the wetlands at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Roger Baker USFWS

For the last several days, a group of armed extremists has been illegally occupying Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. They have said they won’t leave until the Refuge and other public lands are handed over to private interests.

In an effort to justify their actions, the Malheur occupiers are espousing a political agenda to take over all wildlife refuges, national forests, and other public lands, transfer them to local control, and privatize them. The group’s leaders – who are not from the local community – have taken every opportunity to get in front of the TV cameras, repeat their complaints about public land management, and issue their demand that public lands be taken out of public hands (while also calling for the delivery of snacks and hot meals).

We’ve heard the same anti-public land rhetoric here in Montana. Over the last few years, a handful of politicians have been pushing an agenda to take over our national forests and other public lands. The overwhelming majority of Montanans oppose this idea, and the Montana Legislature has so far rejected every single bill to transfer public lands to state or local control. Montanans know that this extremist agenda will reduce public access, ruin wildlife habitat, and expose our public lands to more private development.

Unfortunately, the anti-public land crowd can’t seem to accept a fair defeat in the court of public opinion. It is one thing to advocate for your agenda in the democratic process, it is quite another to invade public lands, hold a local community hostage, and make threats of armed violence. Proponents of the public land transfer can’t stick their heads in the sand and pretend like their rhetoric isn’t fueling this criminal behavior.

The takeover of a national wildlife refuge is a particular slap in the face to America’s hunters. For 80 years, waterfowl hunters have been required to purchase a Duck Stamp, which helps fund the protection of wildlife refuge lands – and hunters have strongly supported the program from the outset. Now, America’s hunters are forced to watch a group of armed, anti-government trespassers occupy the very lands that they’ve helped protect.

Law enforcement officials are working to resolve the situation. All Americans are hopeful for a peaceful resolution that reopens the wildlife refuge and restores order to the local community. The individuals responsible for the occupation need to be held legally responsible for their actions. And the radical politicians calling for the wholesale transfer of public land need to recognize their own responsibility for fueling this undemocratic, criminal behavior. The anti-public land and anti-government rhetoric has to stop.

Dave Chadwick is the executive director of Montana Wildlife Federation.

Changes to Montana’s Hunting Season dates and regulations have been proposed. Hunters, now is the time to let your voice be heard.

MONTANA SPORTSMEN: LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND DESERVES MORE THAN TEMPORARY FIX

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Hunters and anglers thank Montana delegation for their bipartisan support, vow to keep pushing for full funding and permanent reauthorization

Early this morning, congressional negotiators revealed a proposed budget for next year that includes partial funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the nation’s flagship program to provide public access to public land. The deal keeps the program alive for three more years and provides $450 million in funding for the next year. However, it falls short of what Montana hunters and anglers have repeatedly requested.

Created 50 years ago, the Land and Water Conservation Fund provides critical funding to Montana and every other state to improve access to public lands, parks and waterways. LWCF directs funds from offshore oil and gas royalties to support land conservation and public access. However, Congress has diverted more than half of these funds away from conservation purposes over the past half-century.

Though temporary reauthorization and partial funding are welcome, many Montana hunters and anglers want Congress to permanently reauthorize the LWCF and fully fund the program.

“The Land and Water Conservation Fund is crucially important to Montana’s hunters, anglers and everyone who enjoys our outdoors,” said Kathy Hadley, president of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “We’re grateful to Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Ryan Zinke for their support for permanent, full funding. We will continue to work with them to push the rest of Congress to get the job done.”

“We applaud the Montana delegation’s leadership in supporting this important program for sportsmen. However, reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund is only the first step,” said John Sullivan, co-chair of the Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “We look forward to working with the delegation to ensure that the LWCF is fully funded at $900 million, as a conservation program is useless without funding. Public access is too critical an issue to ignore.”

“While we’re pleased the Land and Water Conservation Fund will serve Montana for a bit longer, we are disappointed that some negotiators in Congress still think they can get away with weakening one of our nation’s most successful programs,” said John Gibson, president of Public Land and Water Access, Inc. “This budget deal is like temporarily unlocking an illegal gate to our public lands. We need that gate torn down.”

“I’m encouraged that we made it this far, thanks to the bipartisan work of Montana’s congressional delegation,” said Jim Vashro, Flathead Wildlife, Inc. “We want to remind all lawmakers in Congress that the Land and Water Conservation Fund deserves much more than a temporary fix.”

Congress is expected to pass the extension of the LWCF, which is part of a broader, bipartisan funding proposal, this week.

THE MONTANA OUTDOOR HALL OF FAME

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Over the last two years, MWF has been working with the Montana Historical Society, Montana Wilderness Association, Montana Trout Unlimited, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation, and the Cinnabar Foundation to launch and sustain the Montana Outdoor Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was created to honor individuals, both living and posthumous, who made significant and lasting contributions to the restoration and conservation of Montana’s wildlife and wild places.

The first batch of twelve Hall of Fame inductees was honored in an induction ceremony on December 6, 2014. Future inductions will happen every other year. Nominations for the second round of inductees are being accepted until December 31, 2015, with the next inductees being selected and honored towards the end of 2016.

The focus of the awards is not only to recognize Montana’s historical and contemporary conservation leaders, but also to capture the stories of these individuals in an effort to contribute to public awareness and education. By celebrating the accomplishments of these men and women who contributed so much to Montana, we can inspire future generations to work to protect the Treasure State’s natural resources and outdoor traditions.

Conservation leader and long-time MWF member Jim Posewitz has been the force behind the creation of the Montana Hall of Fame. Jim had the idea after attending the 7th annual Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame banquet as a guest speaker. When he returned to Montana, he approached various non-governmental organizations, the Montana Historical Society, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to create an Outdoor Hall of Fame for Montana.

The first batch of inductees to the Hall of Fame include people from all periods of Montana’s history and all walks of life. They include some public historical figures and advocates who have worked for conservation in Montana “from territorial legislators, to activists in the 1930’s and 40’s, all the way to the present date,” says Posewitz. Several people with strong ties to MWF are in the inaugural class.

Help us continue to recognize and honor those who’ve worked so hard to make sure that Montana remains a state of healthy lands and waters, teaming with wildlife, with unmatched access and opportunity. Go online today and make a nomination. The window for the next round of honorees ends December 31.

Nominations can be made online at Montana Outdoor Hall of Fame.

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.