Residents provide forest feedback

As the process to revise the plan for the Lolo National Forest (LNF) continues, Forest Service employees have conducted information gathering meetings throughout the region. Last week, LNF held a public meeting regarding the plan in Thompson Falls. Prior to the meeting in the elementary school cafeteria last Wednesday, LNF had received 1,400 comments regarding land use. A new interactive web map was provided to allow exploration of the plan revision proposed action, including a fact sheet. This information gave participants the chance to prepare for the upcoming meetings. The Plains-Thompson Falls Ranger District was their last stop. Concerned citizens from as far as Superior attended last week’s meeting.. During plan revision meetings, Forest Service officials were able to engage on the issues they heard during the scoping, and the next steps of the plan revision process. Community memes discussed recreational opportunities, maps, Geological Information Systems, GIS, new web maps, issues and alternatives to causes and effects on landscapes, and unintended consequences. They discussed modifying the old management plan, from 1986, with the question of spanning recreation on forest lands, and the geographical area’s technical applications discussed at the community level. “The plan revision process began 1.5 years ago with 2.5 years to go,” according to LNF Supervisor Carolyn Upton. She said concerned citizens can voice their opinions regarding what the future will look like for recreation practices, jobs in the timber industry, as well as conservation and preservation of the forest lands. Community members were split into three groups to write down their comments regarding active management in the forest, recreational sustainability, and recommended wilderness designations to include content of the 1964 Wilderness Act presented by congress. Questions they were asked were: Did we cover the issues correctly? Did we capture appropriate indicators for the issues? Did we identify a reasonable range of alternatives? And, is there other input on how to vary alternatives? Some people were concerned with the definition of a wilderness area, such as the Bob Marshall Wilderness. They want to see a recommended wilderness assessment of the land to include content of the Wilderness Act of 1964. Addressing the changes and desires of the community regarding use of wilderness areas and the preservation to include plant life changes was discussed. Others are looking to designate land parcels throughout the forest as backcountry areas. “Instead of more wilderness areas, I’d like to see land preserved as backcountry areas in various locations throughout the forest to allow recreating without development but without the restrictions of a designated wilderness,” said Zach Whipple-Kilmer of Thompson Falls. Some people felt that sustainable recreation in the forest should allow for more motorized vehicle access. “I would like to see more motorized recreation trails available,” said Willy Peck from Superior. There was talk about the mills being shut down and citizens not wanting to see any more closures. Maps of the forest were available for all land uses and developed areas. People could look up exact locations and current land use to help meet their objectives of giving informed comments to the topic questions. Heather Stokes from the University of Montana in Missoula and the Center for Natural Resources Environmental Protection said these meetings are held to gain perspective on the communities’ opinions of how they feel the land should be used and/or preserved. She said the opinions are as diverse as the regions of the LNF. “Some communities are more environmentally minded, while others are more concerned about being able to recreate however they want,” Stokes said. Upton has a long list of topics to scrutinize as she processes the comments from citizens of the LNF. In proceeding with the revision she must consider everything from the environmental analysis which includes climate change, soils, aquatic, watersheds, riparian zones, vegetation, and old growth trees, to infrastructures, and working with partners and cooperating agencies, to name a few. “Balance is a big concept, difficult to define in these terms,” Upton said. “In the winter of 2025, I will have a list of alternatives for people to comment on before the f inal plan is completed,” she concluded. Mark Sheets from Thompson Falls attended the meeting. “I have been to four meetings and have made several online comments. I think things have progressed since the meetings in 1986. In 2006 they started a revision, but it stopped. Now that it has resumed, it is progressing in a positive way with a more diverse crowd of people. There were several timber representatives present,” Sheets said.