Wild and Scenic River and Wilderness Study comment period opens

Lolo National Forest have opened for public comment this month.

The Wild and Scenic Rivers draft, and the Outstanding Remarkable Values Framework and Wilderness Inventory Draft are open for comment until May 16, 2023.

"The Lolo National Forest Plan is about issues that are important to people," said Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. "We're interested in hearing from forest users about how they see the future of both the forest and the uses of the forest and about issues that are important to them."

Designations for rivers, streams and wilderness are part of the Lolo National Forest Revision Plan which is now underway, but this is the first comment period on the forest revision plan.

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by Congress in 1968 to preserve "certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations."

"The wild and scenic rivers study and the wilderness recommendation process are parallel processes in the Lolo National forest plan revision mandated by law," said Megan Cirullo, Public Engagement Specialist, U.S. Forest Service. "The first step is to create an inventory of eligible waterways and wilderness areas with public comments."

Currently there are no designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers on the Lolo National Forest.

A wild and scenic river eligibility study in 1991 found several rivers eligible for wild classification including: Cache Creek, from its confluence with Montana Creek to its headwaters. North Fork Blackfoot River, from the main trailhead to its headwaters. South Fork Lolo River, from section 12 to its headwaters. West Fork Fish Creek, from Clearwater Crossing to its headwaters.

Waterways found eligible for either scenic or recreational classification include: Cache Creek, from its confluence with Montana Creek to its mouth. Rock Creek, from its mouth to the forest boundary. Morrell Creek, from its mouth to its headwaters. Rattlesnake Creek, from its headwaters to the forest boundary. Clearwater River, from Seeley Lake inlet to its headwaters. Clark Fork (Slowey and Cutoff segments), from its junction with the Flathead and Clark Fork Rivers to its confluence with Tamarack Creek and from one mile south of St. Regis Montana, to half-mile east of the Slowey Campground.

Designation as a wild and scenic river is our nation's strongest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams. Remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic or other similar values lead Congress to add these waterways to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Wild and Scenic River status provides protection of rivers through safeguarding clean water, prevents activities that would significantly harm the river's character and benefits, prohibits new dams or water projects, establishes a quarter-mile buffer zone along Wild and Scenic Rivers flowing through public land and develops a management plan with input from local landowners and other stakeholders.

"A river must have at least one Outstanding Remarkable Value (ORV) in order to be eligible for Wild and Scenic River status," said Cirullo. "ORV are those significant river-dependent features that are unique, rare, or exemplary on a regional or national scale including recreational, scenic, geological, fisheries and terrestrial wildlife, historical, cultural, and other similar river values."

Wilderness designations are also up for review with the Lolo National Forest Plan Revision. Currently the four designated wildernesses are; Rattlesnake Wilderness, Welcome Creek Wilderness, Scapegoat Wilderness and Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Recommended wilderness areas for review are; Great Burn, Slide Rock, Bob Marshall Wilderness addition and Selway-Bitterroot Addition.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines wilderness as "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." The Act's purpose is to preserve and protect the natural ecosystems and wild areas and also provide opportunities for solitude and retrospective or primitive recreation.

Wild and Scenic Rivers and Wilderness areas are designated by Congress after recommendations by federal agencies.

To engage with upcoming public ranger chats and webinars, commenting and information about the process of the forest plan check https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lolo/landmanagement/planning/?cid=fseprd993646