Island Range Chapter Report to the Council, February 7, 2015
Chapter Report: February 7, 2015Page 1 of 2
Island Range Chapter Report to the Council, September 13, 2015
Ralph Knapp
The Island Range Chapter (IRC) includes North Central Montana— the Rocky Mountain Front, Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, CM Russell Wildlife Refuge, Little Belt Mountains, and the Hi-Line counties.
At the end of December the IRC had 548 members. Chapter officers are: Len Kopec, president; Ralph Knapp, vice president & chapter representative; Sara Buley, secretary; Jo Ann Wright, treasurer; and Bonnie Warren, alternate council representative. Board Members at Large are: Frank Carpenter, Mike Enk, Eric Heidle, Dan Bennett, Jay Ecklund, Scott Fiskics, Jeff Goodrich, Gerry Jennings, and Norm Newhall. Representing satellite communities within the chapter area, Ambassadors are: Arlo Skari, Chester; Betty & Larry Salois, Cut Bank; Barbara Zuck, Havre; and Dave Mari, Lewistown.
Programs
The annual membership meeting will be Tuesday, September 14, a picnic held in Lions Park, Great Falls. We are lucky enough to have Rich Matoon providing music at this festive meeting. Officers and board members will be elected. Ralph Knapp will assume the office of President. Nominees are: Eric Heidle, Vice President (President elect); Sara Buley, Secretary; Jo Ann Wright, Treasurer; and Bonnie Warren, Chapter Representative. New board nominees are: Jackie Slovack, Gordon Whirry, Julie Demarais, Camille Consolvo, and Rick Kerr. Most current board members are continuing. Exceptions are: Jay Ecklund who will become an ambassador in Geraldine and Norm Newhall who is retiring.
Board orientation is tentatively planned for October 13. Details are pending.
Participation in Wilderness Campaigns and Protecting Public Lands
Pursuit to implementation of the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act, the IRC led an initiative resulting in funding for two intern positions that will aid implementation of the Heritage Act. Additional funding by MWA, Two Medicine Alliance, and Wild Divide Chapter was matched by the Forest Service to create these positions.
The Badger/Two Medicine is a wedge of landscape between lands protected by the Heritage Act, Bob Marshall WA and Glacier Park. Protection of this land will extend protection of the Front and contribute to the integrity of the Crown of the Continent. Its value includes protection of migration corridors and Native American heritage sites. One major issue at this time is the existence of several oil exploration leases, and MWA is among those working to get those leases cancelled.
Wednesday, September 2, a very special and rare hearing concerning the Badger/Two Medicine was held in Choteau by the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation. “An independent Federal agency, the ACHP promotes historic preservation nationally by providing a forum for influencing Federal activities, programs, and policies that impact historic properties.” Many attendees were MWA members and five IRC board members were present. There were approximately 50 testimonies heard. All but one spoke of the importance of preserving the BTM wilderness integrity. The attorney for Solenex tried to represent the BTM as already being industrially developed, arguments based on rail traffic, highway, and pipelines that cross Marias Pass. Most compelling were the testimonies describing its cultural importance to the Blackfeet Nation. Most impressive was the gathering of a diverse yet unified community.
Tuesday, August 11, the IRC board meeting was cancelled so that members could attend the Lewis&Clark/Helena National Forests Planning workshop. Well attended by MWA members and the IRC board, this was a well-spent investment of time in terms of being able to talk with Forest Service personnel and hear diverse opinions.
In the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument we are monitoring the Bureau of Land Management’s efforts to create public access to the Bullwhacker area (Chouteau County). The BLM is under pressure to restore public access which was blocked by the landowners. Proposed new routes for access are ecologically and financially unsound and would cause significant damage to the landscape and roadless quality of the area. The Wilks brothers who own the Bullwhacker Road recently offered a new comprehensive land exchange. In addition to turning over the Bullwhacker Road property to the BLM it also affects access to public lands in the Little and Big Snowies.
July 16, the Central Montana BLM Resource Advisory Council unanimously voted "To support a Land Exchange Proposal to be considered as an alternative to restore motorized road access to the Bullwhacker area." This is not an endorsement of the Wilks land exchange or any other land exchange. It is simply a recommendation to consider land exchange along with other options concerning access to the eastern Bullwhacker area of the Monument. The BLM is approaching this issue very cautiously and will be holding public hearings this fall on whether to include a land swap in their action plan. The IRC is in support of the land swap idea and considers the Wilks’ proposal to be attractive.
In the Little Belt Mountains, the IRC has supported the work of a student doing inventories in the roadless areas. We continue to hold as a priority restoration of the Middle Fork of the Judith River.