wilderness

Some people, namely outfitters and guides, are pushing the U.S. Forest Service to allow the use of chainsaws in wilderness areas, but many people and organizations oppose such a violation of the Wilderness Act.

The state says the program is necessary for the recovery of a caribou herd, but environmentalists said recovery shouldn't come at the expense of the bears.

Rick Graetz writes, "Protecting these lands isn't just about the environment; it’s about safeguarding our quality of life and our fundamental freedom to roam."

Ian Harris writes, "In the wilderness, nothing is easy, but everything is simple. Unfortunately, the wilderness is taken for granted."

Several mines are now being explored in Montana, including one in the headwaters of the Blackfoot River and another on federal land in the headwaters of the Bitterroot River.

Suzanne Cable writes, "The best approach to the overall stewardship of federally designated Wilderness managed in the United States is to do as the 1964 Wilderness Act dictates: leave it alone."

Kevin Proescholdt writes, "An untrammeled Wilderness would allow ecological and evolutionary forces to operate without restraint, modification, or manipulation."

Using a new tool, Republicans have revoked plans that restricted mining and oil production on federal lands in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming.

Gayle Joslin writes, "In Montana, a state of 93 million acres, 87% has been industrialized, cropped, mined, and otherwise developed, leaving maybe 12% in a relatively wild state."

Barb Cestero writes, "As Montana changes, our world class recreation and wildlife are under greater stress."