BuzzH
Well-known member
Looks like the atvers take another hit, I'd suggest they sell their machines now while they're still worth something. Sell the machines and get some hiking shoes...
Foresters closing roads for grizzlies
KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) -- Foresters in the Kootenai, Idaho Panhandle and Lolo national forests want to close up to 500 miles of roads over the next 10 years to provide safer habitat for grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak and Selkirk recovery areas.
Forest supervisors say the changes would allow more options for providing roadless habitat for bears and better management of the remaining 3,000 miles of roads still open for motorized recreation.
Environmentalists see the changes as doing little, if anything, for the bears.
"Basically, my take is that it is not going to help recover bears," said Liz Sedler, speaking for the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. "They need to take it a lot further."
"They didn't make changes that will make a big improvement for that population, and where motorized access is concerned, that's critical. You can't go halfway," said Brian Peck, a consultant with the Great Bear Foundation who challenges the science behind the new road standards.
"They are wasting their time and taxpayer dollars, because as sure as the sun will come up, they have to know they will be challenged on this," Peck added.
"This alternative provides for the best overall protection and management of grizzly bear habitat," said Kootenai Supervisor Bob Castaneda. "It is the closest to a 'win-win' situation for the bear population, public access and resource management and protection."
Ranotta McNair, supervisor on the Idaho Panhandle Forest, said the proposal offers the best long-term chance of success for recovery of grizzly bears in the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones.
In 1998, a committee of state and federal land and wildlife managers in charge of grizzly bear recovery recommended tighter access management in the two recovery areas.
There are an estimated 30 to 40 grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak recovery area and an estimated 46 bears in the Selkirk recovery area, which includes portions of the northern Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington and southern British Columbia.
Amendments to the forests' management plans signed this week would reduce the mileage of open roads on the three forests from 3,082 to 3,010. Another 353-498 miles of "not drivable" roads would be obliterated and reclaimed.
Under the amendments, decisions to change the status of a specific road or trail will be proposed by an individual national forest or ranger district, and will be taken one trail or road at a time.
Grizzly bears are protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and federal agencies are responsible for recovering healthy bear populations in established areas.
Foresters closing roads for grizzlies
KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) -- Foresters in the Kootenai, Idaho Panhandle and Lolo national forests want to close up to 500 miles of roads over the next 10 years to provide safer habitat for grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak and Selkirk recovery areas.
Forest supervisors say the changes would allow more options for providing roadless habitat for bears and better management of the remaining 3,000 miles of roads still open for motorized recreation.
Environmentalists see the changes as doing little, if anything, for the bears.
"Basically, my take is that it is not going to help recover bears," said Liz Sedler, speaking for the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. "They need to take it a lot further."
"They didn't make changes that will make a big improvement for that population, and where motorized access is concerned, that's critical. You can't go halfway," said Brian Peck, a consultant with the Great Bear Foundation who challenges the science behind the new road standards.
"They are wasting their time and taxpayer dollars, because as sure as the sun will come up, they have to know they will be challenged on this," Peck added.
"This alternative provides for the best overall protection and management of grizzly bear habitat," said Kootenai Supervisor Bob Castaneda. "It is the closest to a 'win-win' situation for the bear population, public access and resource management and protection."
Ranotta McNair, supervisor on the Idaho Panhandle Forest, said the proposal offers the best long-term chance of success for recovery of grizzly bears in the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones.
In 1998, a committee of state and federal land and wildlife managers in charge of grizzly bear recovery recommended tighter access management in the two recovery areas.
There are an estimated 30 to 40 grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak recovery area and an estimated 46 bears in the Selkirk recovery area, which includes portions of the northern Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington and southern British Columbia.
Amendments to the forests' management plans signed this week would reduce the mileage of open roads on the three forests from 3,082 to 3,010. Another 353-498 miles of "not drivable" roads would be obliterated and reclaimed.
Under the amendments, decisions to change the status of a specific road or trail will be proposed by an individual national forest or ranger district, and will be taken one trail or road at a time.
Grizzly bears are protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and federal agencies are responsible for recovering healthy bear populations in established areas.
