America is a nation of laws, but that does not mean the courtroom is necessarily the best place to resolve problems. Sometimes, the best place to settle differences is out in the fresh air, in the scent of pines and the sound of the breeze overhead.
The people of Northwest Montana are no strangers to legal battles, especially over our national forests. But as conservationists, loggers, mill workers, community members and sportsmen, we’re proud of the work we’ve done to resolve differences and move the Kootenai National Forest ahead.
That is why we are so disappointed that the Alliance for the Wild Rockies has formally threatened to sue over a substantial but carefully crafted logging and forest-restoration project near Lake Koocanusa. As neighbors, we’ve put four years of hard work into helping plan the project. It’s hard to imagine a better result coming from the delays, frustrations and expense that go hand-in-hand with litigation.
Last Thanksgiving, the Kootenai National Forest approved a large project on the east side of Lake Koocanusa. The East Reservoir Project involves logging about 39 million board feet of timber. While that is modest compared to the logging heyday of the 1980s, it is substantial by today’s standards.
This forest management project covers an area of nearly 90,000 acres with only 8,800 of those acres actually receiving a timber harvest treatment. The project will be spread out over five or six individual contracts, each of a 3-5 year term. Of the 39 million board feet to be harvested, roughly 24 million will be sawlog volume and the balance non-sawlog to support local small log markets.
From Hungry Horse News: https://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/hungryhorsenews/loggers-conservationists-stand-by-kootenai-timber-sale/article_73d0c73a-a31c-11e4-ad84-1305df0dca7d.html