MISSOULA COUNTY - The Missoula County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) unanimously approved $63,699.19 in funding for seven projects intended to improve the Lolo and Flathead National Forests during a meeting Thursday, April 29.
Seeley Lake Ranger District’s Placid Gold Phase 1 Herbicide Application received $15,719.19 in funding, $281.19 short of the amount requested. The RAC approved the lower amount to remain within their budget while having minimal impact on the project’s objectives.
The objective of the project is to manage invasive species by applying herbicide along 206 miles of Forest Service roads that were added as a result of the Placid-Gold Phase 1 Land Acquisition. These acquired roads are in 13 sections west of Placid Lake on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. In addition to spraying, Forest Service employees will conduct fieldwork, site surveys and monitoring in accordance with the Lolo National Forest Plan.
The funding will go towards the purchase of herbicide. The Forest Service will supply the spray truck.
Swan Lake Ranger District received full funding for its two projects: Holland Lake Area Weed Control and Northern Bog Lemming Subnivean Monitoring. These respectively received $8,000 and $1,980.
Holland Lake Area Weed Control intends to reduce fragrant waterlily populations, especially around boat ramps and water intakes in Holland Lake and Holland Creek. Participants will do this by hand pulling waterlily, knapweed and houndstongue infestations. The project also wishes to reduce other weed infestations and the need for herbicides. Project organizers hope to educate the public about this species and update maps of infestations.
The Northern Bog Lemming Subnivean Monitoring project will determine if winter subnivean, meaning under the snow, remote camera traps can reliably detect the presence of northern bog lemmings in fen habitats. The Swan Lake Ranger District has had positive identifications of bog lemmings at Meadow Lake, an alpine lake with an associated fen mat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently initiating a Species Status Assessment to decide if the northern bog lemming should be listed as an endangered species. The goal of this technique is to reliably identify a bog lemming presence in fen habitats across the Swan Lake Ranger District.
The other projects that received funding are:
• Ninemile Youth Conservation Corps Crew Missoula County - $5,000
• Ninemile Front Country Ranger - $5,500
• Forest Service/City of Missoula Conservation Lands Front Country Ranger - $12,500
• Lolo Creek Stream Restoration - $15,000
For more information regarding the RACs that serve the Lolo National Forest visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/lolo/workingtogether/advisorycommittees
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