Background Fact Sheet

Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is a grassroots organization with staff and board members in Idaho and Montana. It is fueled by thousands of supporters who believe in saving the wild Scotchmans for our kids and grandkids.

Wilderness designation for the Scotchmans would protect:

  • Water quality, flora and fauna, such as grizzly bears, lynx, mountain goat, and bull trout.
  • Low elevation boreal and old growth forests, which are not well represented in the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The Scotchmans are well situated for wilderness because:

  • There are no protected wilderness areas in Idaho’s nine northern counties.
  • The Kootenai has less wilderness than any other national forest in Montana.
  • No new wilderness has been designated on this forest since 1964.

Wilderness designation for the Scotchmans does NOT:

  • Close any existing roads, motorized trails or snowmobiling areas.
  • Restrict hunting, fishing, hiking, berry picking or any non-mechanized activities (it only makes them better).
  • Impact any existing, or proposed, timber or mining areas or jobs.

What wilderness DOES do:

  • Local communities will enjoy the hiking, fishing, hunting, camping and more that wilderness provides.
  • Many studies have linked protected wild lands to strong local economies.

Take a look at FSPW’s endorsements and resolutions of support here.

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