One of the best opportunities in years for people to speak out in support of wilderness protection for the Scotchmans is now here!
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Management Plans for the Kootenai and Idaho Panhandle National Forests have recently been released, and the Forest Service is asking for comments from the public to help them decide which of three alternatives to choose from, and what modifications might be made to the plan before implementation.
The proposed wilderness (in solid purple and rose colored area with purple slashed lines) straddles two states, two national forests and three ranger districts. It is important for supporters from all of them to comment on the Forest Plan
The Forest Plans do not make decisions on specific projects but provide general guidance about how the forests are managed for the next 15 years. One of the most important things that the plans do is to make decisions about which areas the Forest Service will manage as “Recommended Wilderness.”
In the forest service’s preferred alternative, B, their recommendation for Wilderness in the Scotchmans is overall better than the current plan put into place in 1987. We generally support it. But there is still room for some improvement, and we will be submitting technical comments seeking some minor adjustments to boundaries. Our primary focus will be the Southwestern border below Goat Mountain and Scotchman Peak, the East Fork Blue Creek Drainage and the southeastern boundary below Pillick Ridge. In these areas there are no user conflicts and the “buffers” created by these boundary setbacks are beyond what is needed for any practical purpose.
The final agency recommendation strongly influences political support and is partly based on the Forest Service’s understanding of how much public support exists for specific areas. We wish to make sure that the Forest Service understands how important it is to many people that the final plan include the strongest possible recommendation for Wilderness for the Scotchman Peaks.
Your voice is important!
Some Tips on Commenting:
The most effective comments are those that contain substantive reasons, your personal judgement, your personal experience or your personal reasons. Don’t just comment that “I want the Scotchmans to be recommended as Wilderness”; tell them the reasons why you support including the Scotchman Peaks as recommended wilderness in the forest plan.
- Include your personal connection to and interest in the Scotchmans.
- Be as specific as possible about why you value wilderness protection for the Scotchmans.
- Think about any special places in the Scotchmans that you cherish or any particular activities that you engage in and want to see protected. Maybe it’s one or more of the following:
- From Hiking to Hunting
- Birdwatching to Berry Picking
- Finding a quiet place of solitude
- Or perhaps you want to see the Scotchmans recommended as Wilderness to:
- Protect rare species of animals such as Grizzly Bear, Mountain Goat, Wolverine, Fisher, Lynx or Bull Trout.
- Preserve the quality of life which helps to build a well balanced economy
- Leave a legacy for future generations
- Consider thanking the Forest Service for including the “Savage Basin” area in their preferred alternative.
Wilderness management for the Scotchmans has many benefits and we each have our own reasons for wanting to see the Scotchmans recommended as Wilderness. It is much more effective to speak about what is important to you, in your own words, than to copying anything from the above list.
The comment period has started and is open until April 5th. Your written comments need to be made specific to each draft plan and sent to the individual forest. You may use the form on this web page or write to the addresses below. Responding through the form below is appropriate and effective, and we encourage you to do so. If you have a little extra time, written comments mailed directly are the most powerful persuaders of all.
Questions? Write to info@scotchmanpeaks.org
If you want to review them first, the proposed Land Management Plan for both forests, with each alternative and additional supporting materials including maps and the Environmental Impact Statement can be an be picked up from the district ranger offices or found on their website at:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/kipz/home
Thank you for your support.
You can send written comments directly to the email or postal addresses below:
Kootenai National Forest
Email: KNFplanrevision@fs.fed.us
Kootenai National Forest
31374 Highway 2 West
Libby, MT 59923
Idaho Panhandle National Forest
Email: IPNFplanrevision@fs.fed.us
Idaho Panhandle National Forest
3815 Schreiber Way
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815
Many of our supporters are interested in other potential wilderness areas and issues which are affected by this forest plan. For more information we recommend that you check out the links below:
