Too Many Choices

The deadline for this article is four hours away and I still can't decide which of many topics to write about. We live in a wonderfully diverse place which is only adding to my decision problems.

I started with the intention of writing about the Western Spruce Budworm infestation that is going strong in our area, only to discover that Andi Bourne wrote a terrific article about it just last July. There isn't much more to add to her article except to stress that the best weapon against the wide variety of forest pests that threaten our property is good forest stewardship.

Thinning the stand will improve the overall health of the remaining trees and increase their chances of surviving a pest infestation. Private landowners may apply for grant assistance through the Clearwater Resource Council to thin their forested land. Applications are available at the Seeley Lake Fire Department office, The Hub of Seeley Lake and online at crcmt.org. Call 406-677-7482 for more information.

Specifically for the Western Spruce Budworm, if you're really worried about trees on your property, you can have them sprayed with BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) which is a naturally occurring bacteria that affects only the larvae of the group of insects that includes the budworm and is safe for other plants and animals. The Missoula County Weed District 406-258-4200 can help you locate a certified applicator in this area.

So then I was thinking I could write about the upcoming fire season and preparations we should each take to be ready should we have to evacuate.

May is Wildfire Preparedness Month. The lack of snowpack on the mountain tops and the electric storm we had just last night (May 5) are ominous signs of what could be a pretty bad fire year. Add to that the trees that are stressed from the Spruce Budworm and the lingering Pine Beetle infestations – yikes! We had better be prepared.

I confess, I'm one of those people who KNOW I should take the time to prepare and just never do. Montana DNRC recently published an information booklet to help each of us prepare for wildland fire. It is online at http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/forestry/docs/fire-and-aviation/prevention/final-montana-rsg-guide.pdf (or google Ready, Set, Go Montana)

Another useful guide, also on the crcmt.org website, is Living With Fire. It gets down to common sense details like "make sure you know where your car keys are." I'm constantly searching for mine. Let's all make a May Resolution to prepare our homes and our families for wildfire.

The loons are back on the lakes and I just read that there are 250 sandhill cranes nesting in Potomac. We've been blessed to have a pair that has been hanging out at our pond for three summers now. We hear them a lot but catch a glimpse of them only now and then. We're hoping they'll have babies this year. Horseshoe Hills West, which borders the Double Arrow Ranch, is home to quite a few sandhill cranes.

I always seem to gravitate to aquatic topics. Our gorgeous lakes and streams are the lifeblood of this valley and this community. A lot of people are doing a lot of wonderful things to monitor, maintain and even improve the quality of our waterways.

One significant project was replacing a diversion dam on Trail Creek, near the Homestead Cabin, on the Double Arrow Ranch. It took years, literally decades, to nail down the water rights before any work could be done. More than a dozen different stakeholders worked together to craft a win-win-win-win solution. Once again, Andi Bourne wrote a terrific article last October.

I visited the site this week. The dam is just below the confluence of Mountain and Trail Creeks. It is so picturesque. Plus it achieves all the goals of allowing fish passage, reducing sedimentation, preventing fish from being trapped in the diversion channel and providing water to the golf course.

To see for yourself, attend the Toast to Trail Creek on Thursday, May 12th at 5 p.m. Meet at the Homestead Cabin on Double Arrow Ranch. A short walk takes you to the dam site. Experts will explain how it all works and what it took to make it happen. The poster advertising the event says, "Celebrate the new fish screen on Trail Creek." We should also celebrate what we can achieve when we all work together for the common good. Well done to all involved.