Officials with Glacier National Park are looking for public input on a plan to expand parking at the Apgar Transit Center. The additional space would help relieve crowded parking lots that are often full in July and August, according to Jack Gordon, project manager and landscape architect for the park.

Gordon said the project, which would add 60 to 70 new parking spaces at the transit center, could begin this fall, depending on funding availability, and would cost anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000. He also said the park is looking into expanding parking at the Apgar Village to provide more space for boat trailers, but that expansion may be further down the road.

“We don't want to build all these new parking spots only to find that we don't need them,” he said. “That's not the Park Service way.”

If additional parking is made available at the transit center, the park would then move forward with plans to move the Apgar Visitor Center to the transit site. Gordon said that could happen as early as next year.

The public can review the environmental assessment online at parkplanning.nps.gov/apgartransitparking and comments will be accepted until May 7.

 

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As a way to monitor the ongoing trend of grizzly bear recovery, wildlife biologists are about to begin capturing grizzlies in western Montana this month for an ongoing population study in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.

Biologists will begin monitoring the distribution and population of bears in their respective jurisdictions this month. In order to attract bears, biologists utilize natural food sources such as fresh road–killed deer and elk. Potential trapping sites are baited with these natural foods and if indications are that grizzly bears are in the area, snares or culvert traps will be used to capture the bears. Once captured, the bears are sedated, studied, and released in accordance with strict protocols.

All areas where work is being conducted will have warning signs posted along the major access points to the trapping site. It is critical that all members of the public heed these signs, the FWP said in a statement.

Throughout the summer months, biologist will work in the Blackfoot Valley, along the Rocky Mountain Front, in the Swan and Clearwater River Valleys, within Glacier National Park, and in the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River. Capturing will continue intermittently through the end of October. Traps will also be set periodically on private and public lands where bear/human conflicts are occurring.

The study is part of an interagency program between Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and tribal wildlife managers.

For more information, call FWP in Missoula at (406) 542-5500; FWP in Kalispell at (406) 752-5501; and the FWP Bear Management Office in Choteau at (406) 466-5100. Officials in Glacier Park can be contacted at (406) 888-7800; on the Blackfeet Reservation at (406) 338-7207; or on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Reservation at (406) 883-2888.

 

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Conservation of westslope cutthroat trout in the South Fork Flathead will be discussed at two upcoming meetings in Kalispell.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will be directing the presentations. The first will be hosted by Flathead Wildlife, Inc. at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12 at the FWP Regional Office, 490 North Meridian Road. The second meeting, hosted by Flathead Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, will be held 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 at the FWP Regional Office.

Biologists will summarize last year’s restoration project at Necklace Lakes and the post-treatment monitoring and restocking of westslope cutthroat trout that have occurred to date. Plans will also be discussed for the fall 2012 treatment of Lick Lake, which was historically stocked with nonnative Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Removal of these fish is necessary to eliminate the hybridization risk that they pose to the remaining populations of westslope cutthroat trout in the South Fork Flathead drainage.

These meetings will serve as the annual report back to the public regarding the South Fork of the Flathead Westslope Cutthroat Conservation Project.

For more information, contact Matt Boyer at 751-4556 or by email, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

 

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Montana State Parks has honored two local individuals who work at Lone Pine State Park in Kalispell with outstanding service awards for 2011.

Amy Grout, the manager at Lone Pine, has been named the Park Professional of the Year for Montana.

“Amy consistently represents Montana State Parks with her enthusiasm and gregarious personality,” Dave Landstrom, regional manager for Montana State Parks, said in a statement. “She is a team player and a true advocate of the entire park system.”

Eugene “Brownie” Brownfield was named the Volunteer of the Year for Region 1.

“On a moment’s notice, Brownie will stop what he’s doing, drop everything and race up to the visitor center to help out,” Grout said. “He is well-known and well-loved by visitors and staff alike.”

Montana State Parks honored eight individuals from across the state.

“One of the best aspects of my job is to recognize our extraordinary staff members and volunteers for their dedication and service,” Chas Van Genderen, administrator for Montana State Parks, said. “These individuals help to make our state parks great and keep our visitors coming back.”

In 2011, 1,304 volunteers provided more than 46,000 hours of service in Montana State Parks, a 21 percent increase over 2010.

 

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With hopes of opening the Going-to-the-Sun Road by mid June, Glacier National Park crews have begun spring snow plowing operations on the park’s roads.

The earliest possible opening of the Going-to-Sun Road in its entirety would be June 15, weather and road conditions dependent, the park said in a statement last week. Last year, a heavy snowpack and a wet, cool spring prevented crews from opening the road until July 13, the latest in park history.

Snow levels at high elevations across the park are currently above average for this time of year. The snow depth atop Flattop Mountain was recorded at approximately 165 inches, or almost 14 feet at the end of March. Snow levels at Many Glacier are at normal levels. U.S. Geological Survey snow survey crews recently recorded 91 inches of snow on the ground at Siyeh Bend, two miles east of Logan Pass.

The Chief Mountain Road, near the park’s northeast corner, has been plowed and will be allowed to melt out prior to opening. Crews are currently working on the Many Glacier Road encountering snow drifts up to 10 feet. This road will not open to the public until the third weekend of April at the earliest, to reduce stress on wildlife in critical winter range, the park said. Plowing of the Two Medicine Road will be underway soon.

On the west side of the park, crews plowed in the Apgar Village and the Camas Road. The Camas Road will be allowed to melt out prior to opening. The Inside North Fork Road will be allowed to open naturally, with no plowing scheduled.

Spring snow storms play a large factor in safely opening the road to two-way motor vehicle traffic. Once the plow crews are working in the higher elevations, visitors will be able to drive to Avalanche Creek on the west side and Jackson Glacier Overlook on the east side.

Due to rehabilitation activities between Avalanche Creek and Logan Creek on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, spring hiker and biker access may be reduced from previous years. Pets are prohibited on park roads that are closed to vehicle use.

Park officials are reminding visitors to stay alert for snowplows and other heavy equipment on park roads as well as areas of ice, slush, avalanche zones and fallen rock. Additionally, spring snowstorms can cause hazardous driving conditions and temporary road closures.

 

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The Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Forest Service will dedicate $40.6 million for land acquisition projects in 15 states including Montana in an effort to help safeguard clean water, recreational access and wildlife habitat and wilderness areas.

The money is made available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, created by Congress in 1964 to provide funding to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands. The fund receives the majority of its money through royalty payments from offshore oil and gas revenues to mitigate the environmental impacts of those activities, the DOA said. Those funds also are augmented by additional money or in-kind services of a variety of partnerships.

“The pristine wildernesses, flowing waters and majestic vistas help define what makes this country great,” Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said in a statement.

“These projects will help ensure a long future of quality open space for those hunters and anglers, hikers, campers and other nature lovers who enjoy America’s great outdoors. The funding will also reduce administrative costs and provide us increased flexibility in how we restore lands across the country.”

Lands are purchased from sellers at fair-market value or through partial or outright donations of property, the DOA said. Landowners may also sell or donate easements on their property that restrict commercial development while keeping the land in private ownership.

Montana has two separate approved projects. They are listed below:

Legacy Completion, Lolo and Flathead National Forests: The project will enhance resource management within and adjacent to the Crown of the Continent by protecting healthy watersheds, diverse habitats for threatened and endangered species, and open space on a landscape-scale and public access to high quality recreation opportunities. This parcel is a part of the Montana Legacy project, one of the most ambitious conservation projects in modern Forest Service history and includes a 111,740 acre donation from conservation partners. $2 million

Tenderfoot Part I, Lewis and Clark National Forest: The Tenderfoot watershed in Central Montana is remarkably diverse spanning areas from 3,200 feet elevations sub-alpine mountains to grass meadows and riparian areas. The acquisition parcels will provide high quality water and fisheries habitat for west slope cutthroat trout, and habitat for elk, moose, deer and many other wildlife species. The land offers incredible scenic views and extraordinary recreation opportunities, especially for anglers and hunters. $2 million

 

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The annual public meeting about the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex is scheduled for April 14 at the Seeley Lake Community Hall.

The public is being encouraged to attend and meet the National Forest Wilderness Managers and state Fish, Wildlife and Parks staff.

“This year is the 25th year that we will be collecting monitoring-data based on public participation and partnerships in managing the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and the wilderness plan," Deb Mucklow, BMWC lead district ranger, said in a statement.

The BMWC is comprised of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Great Bear Wilderness and Scapegoat Wilderness. The complex comprises of an area of more than 1.5 million acres, making it the third largest wilderness complex in the lower 48 states. The area is managed by four national forests (Flathead, Lolo, Helena, and Lewis & Clark) and five ranger districts (Spotted Bear, Hungry Horse, Seeley Lake, Lincoln, and Rocky Mountain.)

Recently forest managers and Fish and Wildlife staff prepared the annual newsletter, which is available on the Flathead National Forest web page under Special Places

The meeting will be held at the Seeley Lake Community Hall north of town on the east side of Montana Highway 83 near mile marker 15.

For more information about the public meeting, contact the Spotted Bear Ranger District at (406) 387-3800.

 

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Proposed guideline revisions for Montana's Upland Game Bird Enhancement (UGBE) Program are up for comment through April 13 on Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' website.

The revisions are necessary for implementing the new UGBE Program strategic plan endorsed by the FWP Commission in 2011. The proposed changes include fine tuning program requirements, responsibilities and application and funding processes. Others clarify project renewals, payments and reporting issues.

Eight public meetings will be held in early April to discuss the proposed rules. The Kalispell meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 9, beginning at 6 p.m. at FWP Region 1 headquarters on 490 North Meridian Road. The public may also provide comment through April 13 by mail to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attn: UGBEP Rule Comments, P.O Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620.

To review the revisions, visit the FWP website under "Submit Public Comments." Click on Commission and then Public Notices — ARM Rules.

 

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