Calendar – Page 8

Flathead Wild and Scenic River: Comprehensive River Management Plan Wildlife Outstandingly Remarkable Value Meeting

The Flathead National Forest, in coordination and partnership with Glacier National Park, has begun the process to prepare a Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) for the 3-Forks of the Flathead River. Project activities will include reviewing the existing Flathead River Wild and Scenic River Recreation Management Direction and River Management Plan.

The river and surrounding lands offer recreational opportunities and access to outstanding resources for a variety of public lands users. The CRMP will address the current status of these resources, outline goals and desired conditions, determine user capacities, and create a monitoring strategy and plan to carry forward. The public is encouraged to contribute to this planning effort that will secure the outstanding remarkable values of the 3-Forks of the Flathead River for future generations. The planning team is interested in diverse stakeholder input as we develop the CRMP.

A series of resource-focused public meetings are being held beginning with the first meeting in May. Our upcoming meeting on Wednesday, June 20, will focus on wildlife monitoring, management, and concerns as part of the efforts to develop the CRMP. The meeting will be held in the lower level of the Arts and Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College. A campus map can be found here: https://www.fvcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2017-11-Campus-Map-Large-WEB.pdf. The main meeting will be from 6 pm to 8 pm and will include presentations on current wildlife information and some facilitated discussion on how wildlife will be addressed in the CRMP. An introductory presentation on the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act for those new to the CRMP process will begin at 5:45pm. Future meeting topics, links to past meeting materials, and the meeting schedule are posted on the CRMP website.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/flathead/home/?cid=fseprd573051&width=full

The 3-Forks of the Flathead was designated a Wild and Scenic River in 1978 and is a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. It encompasses the North Fork of the Flathead from the Canadian border to its confluence with the Middle Fork, the entire Middle Fork, and the South Fork from its headwaters to Hungry Horse Reservoir. The North Fork and the lower Middle Fork form the boundaries between the Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park. Portions of the Middle and South Forks flow through the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness Areas. A total of 219 miles of the Flathead River are included in the designation.

For more information, please call Flathead National Forest Recreation Program Manager, Chris Prew at 406-758-3538.

Ongoing updates on the CRMP can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/flathead/home/?cid=fseprd573051&width=full

Fire Mitigation Committee 2018 Late Winter Update

Mark Your Calendars! The Fire Mitigation Committee is planning for the North Fork’s 2018 Firewise Day, which will be held the morning of July 18 preceding the Summer Interlocal. The North Fork has been recognized as a Firewise Community since 2006. Come join our Celebration! Byron Bonney will be our featured speaker again. This year he will tell us about the effects of fuels treatments in the area burned by the 2017 Lolo Peak Fire south of Missoula, as well as some effects from the Sunrise Fire near Superior. Byron’s presentation last year focused on the Roaring Lion Fire, and the effects of fuel treatments on fire behavior. The treatments brought fire to the ground and limited the fuels that could be ignited by flying embers. They also improved the chance of survival for neighbors’ homes downwind. We are looking forward to Byron’s report on what he observed at the Lolo Peak and Sunrise Fires, and a look back at some of the fuel treatment “lessons learned” from the Roaring Lion Fire. You can download a copy of the agenda by tapping here.

While funds in our 4th Hazardous Fuels Grant are obligated, a new grant covering the North half of Flathead County has funds available that can be used in the North Fork. The Flathead Economic Policy Center (FEPC) administers the grants and provides landowners and the committee with invaluable technical assistance. Since taking over administration of Hazardous Fuels Grants in the North Fork in 2012 from the Northwest Montana RC&D, FEPC has administered over $153,000 in grants in the North Fork and treated 241 acres with landowner contributions totaling $129,000.

With the retirement of our friend Mason Richwine, a FEPC forester who has worked with many North Fork landowners, Tony Willits will be taking over administration of projects in the North Fork. We look forward to working with Tony, who brings a wealth of forestry and fire experience to the position as did Mason. Bill Swope will continue to work with us, and can be reached at 406-250-9812 or at bhswope@gmail.com.

Flathead County is continuing to work on revision of its Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The Fire Mitigation Committee expects to update its North Fork Wildfire Mitigation and Planning Report in conjunction with the county’s revision. We’ll need community input in the process. We’ll also need to update maps of the significant public and private work that’s been done on the North Fork since the fires of 2003.

A Business Meeting – Tonight!

The first NFLA Business Meeting of the summer will take place this evening, Sunday June 10th. At 7pm there is a presentation “Grizzlies in YOUR Backyard” by Tim Manley & “Wildlife in the North Fork” by Tim Thier, from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks. General meeting 8pm. Bring a snack to share, and meet your neighbors! Larry Wilson, host.

First Aid/CPR/AED Class – May 29

The following note is from Bill Walker … I’d like to remind everyone that Bob Lee is giving his very popular and extremely useful First Aid/CPR/AED class at Sondreson Hall on Tuesday, May 29. It starts at 9:00am and should wrap up around 3:30 or 4:00pm. Bring your own lunch and drinks.

Class size is limited to 10 people. Contact Bill Walker, wkwalker@nvdi.comor 406-407-2764, to reserve a place.

Cost is $45 (the $35 listed in the newsletter is an error). Bob accepts cash or checks.

The course includes American Heart Association certification in basic first aid, CPR and use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Also, Bob throws in helpful advice on the sort of supplies to keep on hand in remote areas like the North Fork.

We’re holding this first course fairly early in the season (there’s another in August) because many folks have summer jobs with the Forest Service, Park Service or other outdoor-related organizations. Most of these outfits require basic first aid certification every two years. Bob’s course fulfills this requirement.

**NOTE: If you already made reservations and did not hear back from me, try again. There was an email outage a few days ago that caused some messages to go astray.**

2018 Winter Interlocal Information

Tim Manley giving the report for the FWP at the Winter Interlocal — Tim Manley giving the report for the FWP at the 2015 Winter Interlocal

Here’s a message from Rob Davies, District Ranger for the Flathead National Forest who is hosting this year’s winter interlocal.

The meeting will be held at the Glacier National Park, Community building, (the usual winter spot) in West Glacier, instead of the Hungry Horse Forest Service Conference room.

Date: Wed Feb 21
Place: Community Building, Glacier Ntl Park, West Glacier, MT
Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Tap here to get the agenda.

Tap here to get a draft of the questions that will be covered.

I’ll bring some snacks, coffee and tea. If you wish to bring additional snacks, treats, and potluck items, ……. That would be greatly appreciated.

See you there.

Rob

Forest Service Shield

Rob Davies, District Ranger, Forest Service
Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse – Glacier View Ranger Districts
p: 406-387-3801 c: 406-640-0921 f: 406-387-3889
rdavies@fs.fed.us
PO Box 190340
Hungry Horse, MT, MT 59919
http://www.fs.fed.us
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Caring for the land and serving people

2018 Winter Interlocal – LOCATION HAS BEEN UPDATED

NOTE: THIS IS LOCATION IS DIFFERENT FROM AN EALIER ONE, SO DON’T GO TO THE WRONG PLACE.

The 2018 winter North Fork Interlocal Agreement meeting will be held Wednesday, February 21 at the Glacier Park Community Center in West Glacier. Start time is 10:00 a.m. The meeting usually lasts abut three hours.

The Interlocal Agreement provides for face-to-face contact with representatives of agencies whose policies and actions affect the North Fork. Interlocal Agreement meetings are held in the winter (in town) and summer (at Sondreson Hall). Agency attendees include Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Montana Department of State Lands, U.S. Border Patrol, Glacier National Park, Flathead National Forest, U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service and Flathead County.

This is always a very interesting meeting, with reports from a range of government agencies and local organizations and often some quite vigorous discussion.

Final NFLA Business Meeting of the Year – Oct. 8

Message from Treasurer Chris Heitz… Our last NFLA meeting of the season is Sunday, Oct 8. Larry Wilson will be showing some of his wonderful slides at 7PM, and the meeting will be at 8PM. We are asking our members to bring donations of canned goods for the Food Bank or the Veterans Pantry, and of course, monetary donations are also welcomed. This 70th Anniversary summer has been one of the best and we hate to see it end, but our new Board is already planning events for next summer! If anyone has ideas or suggestions for next year, please email Chris Heitz at treasurer@nflandowners.org and they will be forwarded to the Social Committee. Thank you so much for your past support, and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, October 8, and next year.

Saturday’s Meeting

At 7 PM the Two Bear Search & Rescue Helicopter will arrive and speak on their important work here in the North Fork. It will be interesting and informative!

At 8 PM the election of officers will occur and we need interested members to join the board.

Also, don’t miss voting on a by-laws amendment changing the day of the business meetings to the 2^nd Sunday of each month (as opposed to the current 1^st Saturday).

The purpose of this proposed and to be voted on change is to allow greater involvement of community members for whom Saturday poses an impossibility to attend.

Bring a neighbor and see you Saturday @ Sondreson Hall @ 7 PM.

Grizzly Bear Presentation by Tim Manley before July Business Meeting

Tim Manley from the FWP will be giving a talk on grizzly bear management at Sondreson Hall on July 1 before the NFLA’s Business Meeting. His talks starts at 7PM. The Business Meeting starts at 8PM.

Tim was born in Great Falls, MT and went to college at Colorado State University where he graduated with a degree in Wildlife Biology. He moved back to Montana in 1981 and started mapping grizzly bear habitat for the Forest Service on the Kootenai in 1982. In 1984 Tim began working on the Cabinet Mtns grizzly program based out of Libby. Then in 1989, he started on the South Fork Grizzly Project.

Since 1993, Tim has been the Grizzly Bear Management Specialist for Montana FWP where he has been doing a great job minimizing conflicts between people and bears.

Come join your neighbors and friends to learn from Tim about grizzly bears in general, bears in our area, and get some tips on how to remove bear attractants.

Date: Sunday, June 25

Date: Wednesday, June 28

Date: Friday, June 30