As increasing drought pushes western Montana toward a risky fire season, new University of Montana research indicates that wildfire suppression can worsen the effects of wildfire.
Skip Kowalski writes, "Although most of the Great Burn has been recommended and managed as Wilderness for decades, the newly revised plans will dictate whether the opportunity to be designated as Wilderness will be preserved for the next 15 to 30 years."
The Center for Biological Diversity points to increasing visitor pressure and unregulated cattle grazing as part of the threat to desert tortoise habitats in Nevada's Basin and Range and Gold Butte national monuments.
The Rattlesnake National Recreation Area should be assigned its own management area, not only for its unique character and history, but because it is only one of two Congressionally designated areas on the Lolo National Forest."
Westerners are relatively consistent in their appreciation of wildlife and public land, but a recent poll registered the highest support for the prioritization of conservation over energy development, regardless of party affiliation.
Maddy Munson writes, "Wild Montana is focused on protecting five areas within the Lolo. Here’s how those areas fare in the proposed action and what we recommend for their management."
"There are many other landscapes where motorized winter use is already established and snowmobile use will not further compound impacts on remaining quiet places."
Conservation groups are calling on federal land managers to ban mineral claims on thousands of acres of land surrounding a treasured wildlife refuge in the Amargosa Desert.
Thousands of Montanans are asking Sen. Steve Daines to hear them out regarding his bill to remove three areas of federal land from wilderness consideration.