Threemile WMA

[BigHornRam]

Got a chance to tour this work that was done in 2016 with the FWP Forester yesterday and am impressed with the work that is being done.

Threemile Wildlife Management Area project is first for FWP’s first forester

STEVENSVILLE – The first forester hired by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will begin his career in the Bitterroot Valley.

missoulian.com

Here are some pictures of the thinned areas and the adjacent non treated areas four years later.




Also looked at some aspen regeneration stands that are showing positive regeneration from the thinning that was done in 2016. Good work being accomplished at our WMAs.

 

[BigHornRam]

And they are getting started with this Good Neighbor Authority project this year, so expect more good stewardship work to come.

Ravalli County’s first Good Neighbor Authority project planned for Threemile WMA

State and federal land managers are working together for the first time in the Bitterroot Valley under the auspices of the federal Good Neighbor Authority on a forest restoration project

ravallirepublic.com

 

[406LIFE]

I live next door to 3Mile and have seen some increased wildlife activity for sure. I've also seen a lot more human traffic, which is to be expected when animals are around.

I'm glad to see the work go forward, the area desperately needed some help and I hope to see it flourish.

 

[Ben Lamb]

We should be doing this stuff on all of our public lands. HOpefully the GNA projects will continue to be net positives for wildlife and the WUI.

 

[Sytes]

Quality actions presenting results. Thinning has been a net win.

 

[BigHornRam]

Like Rebecca states in this link

Thinning project on wildlife management area gets go-ahead

As a state wildlife biologist, Rebecca Mowry knows that deer and elk like the forest’s edge.

ravallirepublic.com

some controlled burning, especially in the aspen stands could do some good things here. My understanding, collaborating with the Forest Service here may help getting that to happen. Noxious weed management where the thinning work took place was very impressive. They have been paying close attention to that.

 

[diamond hitch]

I spent 6 years on the BLM RAC and saw similar type results on the Blackfoot. Adjacent USFS land was choked with deadfall, brush and minimal wildlife. I really like to see a mosaic of habitat types. Wildlife really like the boundaries. Large blocks of homogeneous land forms (massive clearcuts) are pretty tough on big game distribution.