When The Nature Conservancy acquired the 117,152-acre Clearwater Blackfoot Project in January, we knew that it would take some time on the ground to truly assess the condition of the property. We also knew that restoration and determining a long-term strategy for these lands would take a lot of help from everyone who cares about them. What we didn’t anticipate was the tremendous outpouring of support from community members and organizations.
As we near the end of our first year on this project, we want to extend our sincerest thanks to the many individuals and organizations who are making this project such a success.
Over the last nine months, we have been working hard to develop a deep understanding of the forests, streams and wildlife of the Clearwater-Blackfoot Project. Local contractors have been out on the ground assessing and treating weeds, doing heavy equipment work and working to prevent illegal motorized use.
Road, stream crossing and weed inventories are now complete. Crews have pinpointed 55 stream crossing “Hotspots” where restoration is needed. These repairs are our top priority, as road and stream crossings have a major impact on water quality, fish habitat and erosion. Repairs have already begun to several of the sites.
Montana’s Trout Unlimited (TU) as well as the Big Blackfoot and Westslope Trout Unlimited chapters have provided invaluable help with these inventories and partnership in working toward repairing stream crossings. This fall, TU is helping us with project design and implementation on one of our top priority projects: doing a much needed bridge repair in the Belmont Creek drainage.
Meeting with community members and making sure that everyone is able to share their ideas is crucial to making this project sustainable. The Blackfoot Challenge has been instrumental in helping us to set up a Clearwater Blackfoot Working Group composed of interested community members.
The Seeley Lake Community foundation has generously supplied workspace for our staff on the rare occasions when they can sit down in an office. Over the winter, Land Protection Specialist Chris Bryant plans to spend more time planted behind a desk in Seeley Lake.
We also want to thank everyone who took part in September’s Revive and Thrive event, particularly the Blackfoot Challenge and Five Valleys Land Trust. Thirty volunteers joined Conservancy staff under the cathedral of old-grown Ponderosa pines in Primm’s Meadow to celebrate the Clearwater-Blackfoot Project and to get some work done. Not only did we have a great party under the pines with visitors from the Missoula County Commission and Governor Bullock’s office and a message from Senator Jon Tester but these volunteers did some real work.
During the event, we thinned more than 60 acres where encroaching Douglas firs were threatening the ponderosa pine grove. With a little more work, the grove will be ready for a prescribed fire in the coming years and make it more resilient to wildfire.
If you have not yet done so, we highly recommend you take the time to experience this stand of beautiful trees yourself.
The more we learn about these lands, the more excited we are about conserving and restoring them. Already, we have uncovered some unique ecological treasures, including stands of old-growth mountain hemlock and 200-year-old cedar intermingled with old-growth larch both very unusual in the region. For those who are interested in hiking or biking to see these features for yourself, Bryant and Steven Kloetzel (see contact info below) would be happy to point them out on a map. A handful of rare animals, including the elusive northern bog lemming, have also been sighted in the project area.
As hunting season gets underway, we’d like to remind everyone of our updated open lands policy. You can read the full document at http://www.nature.org/openlands.
If you wish to cut firewood on Conservancy lands, please visit the Seeley Lake Community Foundation in the Bison & Bear Mall and obtain the required firewood permit. Proceeds go toward helping your community.
With a busy summer and fall beginning to wind down, we look forward to the quiet season and a new year of work. Forest inventories will begin in 2016, and this winter the Southwest Crown Forest Carnivore Monitoring Project will begin searching for lynx, wolverine and fisher on Clearwater Blackfoot Project lands.
We are also happy to share that Mark Aagenes will soon be joining the Conservancy as Montana’s Director of Government Relations. With the continued support of our partners and friends, we look forward to seeing what we can all accomplish together.
Chris Bryant
cbryant@tnc.org, 406-532-4473
Steven Kloetzel
skloetzel@tnc.org, 406-214-2036
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