A blog focused on the outdoors
BILLINGS — Federal wildlife officials are extending the comment period on proposed changes to a recovery plan for threatened grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park.
Tuesday's announcement gives the public until June 20 to weigh in on a plan that calls for maintaining a minimum grizzly population of at least 500 animals. That compares to an estimated 600-700 bears currently living in the Yellowstone area.
The plan also would give the government more flexibility in determining if too many grizzlies are dying.
The comment extension was requested by Earthjustice, an environmental law firm representing Defenders of Wildlife, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club.
Earthjustice attorney Tim Preso says the groups' concerns about the government proposal will be detailed in an upcoming response.
Tuesday's announcement gives the public until June 20 to weigh in on a plan that calls for maintaining a minimum grizzly population of at least 500 animals. That compares to an estimated 600-700 bears currently living in the Yellowstone area.
The plan also would give the government more flexibility in determining if too many grizzlies are dying.
The comment extension was requested by Earthjustice, an environmental law firm representing Defenders of Wildlife, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club.
Earthjustice attorney Tim Preso says the groups' concerns about the government proposal will be detailed in an upcoming response.
Comments (0) TotalBOISE, Idaho — Idaho wildlife officials are urging the federal government to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted in favor of delisting during its meeting last week, saying the state is in a better position to manage the species.
The commission approved a position statement that asserts the grizzly population have increased enough in core areas and warrant delisting.
Commissioners say prolonged protection for grizzly bears in Idaho is counterproductive to building and maintaining support for a healthy population.
Idaho has a couple of areas inhabited by grizzly bears, including eastern Idaho and the Yellowstone population and northern Idaho along the Montana border.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted in favor of delisting during its meeting last week, saying the state is in a better position to manage the species.
The commission approved a position statement that asserts the grizzly population have increased enough in core areas and warrant delisting.
Commissioners say prolonged protection for grizzly bears in Idaho is counterproductive to building and maintaining support for a healthy population.
Idaho has a couple of areas inhabited by grizzly bears, including eastern Idaho and the Yellowstone population and northern Idaho along the Montana border.
Comments (0) TotalBOZEMAN — An associate professor at Montana State University died of injuries suffered in a landslide in Nepal, where she was leading a group of students taking an honors program course.
Betsy Palmer, 54, was flown to a hospital in Katmandu and died of her injuries on Monday.
Palmer and 16 students were on an extended trek to a remote village in the Arun River Valley in the Himalayas when the landslide hit, university spokesman Tracy Ellig said. None of the students was injured.
Palmer arrived at MSU in 2001 and was an associate professor of education who taught statistics and research methods. She was leading a Great Expectations class of juniors and seniors who were studying economic development and education issues in the developing country, Ellig said.
"We're just devastated," Ellig told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. "She was extremely popular with students and will be deeply missed."
MSU officials were working with the U.S. embassy and the offices of U.S. Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Steve Daines to return the students and trip co-leader Anna Greenberg to the United States. The trip was originally planned to last until May 27.
Palmer met her husband in Nepal in 2005. They have 5-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. She spent the 2011-12 academic year doing research in Nepal and in 2012 won the MSU education department's outstanding research award.
"Betsy was a strong, spirited, amazing woman filled with graciousness and kindness for every person she met," said Jayne Downey, MSU education department head and Palmer's friend. "She cared deeply about her students and was passionate about finding ways to promote their success and well-being throughout their college experiences."
News of Palmer's death came just an hour before MSU's memorial for Dewitt Latimer, the school's chief information officer, who was killed in a motorcycle accident on May 5.
A university memorial service for Palmer will be announced at a later date.
Betsy Palmer, 54, was flown to a hospital in Katmandu and died of her injuries on Monday.
Palmer and 16 students were on an extended trek to a remote village in the Arun River Valley in the Himalayas when the landslide hit, university spokesman Tracy Ellig said. None of the students was injured.
Palmer arrived at MSU in 2001 and was an associate professor of education who taught statistics and research methods. She was leading a Great Expectations class of juniors and seniors who were studying economic development and education issues in the developing country, Ellig said.
"We're just devastated," Ellig told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. "She was extremely popular with students and will be deeply missed."
MSU officials were working with the U.S. embassy and the offices of U.S. Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Steve Daines to return the students and trip co-leader Anna Greenberg to the United States. The trip was originally planned to last until May 27.
Palmer met her husband in Nepal in 2005. They have 5-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. She spent the 2011-12 academic year doing research in Nepal and in 2012 won the MSU education department's outstanding research award.
"Betsy was a strong, spirited, amazing woman filled with graciousness and kindness for every person she met," said Jayne Downey, MSU education department head and Palmer's friend. "She cared deeply about her students and was passionate about finding ways to promote their success and well-being throughout their college experiences."
News of Palmer's death came just an hour before MSU's memorial for Dewitt Latimer, the school's chief information officer, who was killed in a motorcycle accident on May 5.
A university memorial service for Palmer will be announced at a later date.
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It's time once again for the Flathead Valley Trout Unlimited Annual Fundraising Banquet! Please join us on Saturday, May 18 at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish for all the festivities. There will be live and silent auctions, lots of raffle and door prizes and a good time had by all. The festivities begin at 6pm with a meet-and-greet happy hour, followed by a sumptuous dinner at 7pm.
Our grand-prize raffle this year features a 14-foot, full-wrap, self-bailing NRS raft package complete with rowing frame and oars. Everything you need for fun days on the river this summer. For information, or to purchase banquet tickets or raft-raffle tickets, please call Dan at 250-5064 or Chris at 260-1198.
For more information about Flathead Valley Trout Unlimited and what we do, please visit our website at www.flatheadtu.org.
This event is sure to be the social highlight of the season and is our only fundraiser of the year. Your participation will help Flathead TU to conserve, protect and restore wild fish populations in Northwest Montana. We hope to see you all there. You'll be sorry if you miss this one!
Our grand-prize raffle this year features a 14-foot, full-wrap, self-bailing NRS raft package complete with rowing frame and oars. Everything you need for fun days on the river this summer. For information, or to purchase banquet tickets or raft-raffle tickets, please call Dan at 250-5064 or Chris at 260-1198.
For more information about Flathead Valley Trout Unlimited and what we do, please visit our website at www.flatheadtu.org.
This event is sure to be the social highlight of the season and is our only fundraiser of the year. Your participation will help Flathead TU to conserve, protect and restore wild fish populations in Northwest Montana. We hope to see you all there. You'll be sorry if you miss this one!
Comments (0) TotalThe Hungry Horse Dam Visitor Center opens for the summer season beginning Memorial Day weekend.
Hours for the Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27, will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the remainder of the summer season, the visitor center will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting May 29.
The access road to the dam is off Highway 2 past the Hungry Horse/Glacier View Forest Service building.
Hungry Horse Dam stands 564 feet tall and was completed in 1953. It is located on the south fork of the Flathead River, 15 miles south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park and 20 miles northeast of Kalispell. For additional information call (406) 387-5241.
Hours for the Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27, will be from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the remainder of the summer season, the visitor center will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting May 29.
The access road to the dam is off Highway 2 past the Hungry Horse/Glacier View Forest Service building.
Hungry Horse Dam stands 564 feet tall and was completed in 1953. It is located on the south fork of the Flathead River, 15 miles south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park and 20 miles northeast of Kalispell. For additional information call (406) 387-5241.
Comments (0) TotalGlacier National Park is hosting two community meetings to share information about park activities and provide an opportunity for personal dialogue between management and local community members. A west-side meeting will take place Wednesday, May 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Teakettle Community Hall in Columbia Falls. An east-side meeting will be Thursday, May 23, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier.
Acting Glacier National Park Superintendent Kym Hall and other park members will give presentations featuring updates on summer park programs and the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation and spring plowing.
Acting Glacier National Park Superintendent Kym Hall and other park members will give presentations featuring updates on summer park programs and the Going-to-the-Sun Road rehabilitation and spring plowing.
Comments (0) TotalBree Fuqua logged over 172 miles in the first eight days of her trek along the Pacific Crest Trail. Fuqua was approaching the desert stretch near Palm Springs, Calif., last weekend and about to encounter Joshua Tree National Park. Her eighth day of hiking included 22 miles and 3,000 feet of elevation climb.
“The end of the day today was challenging, but incredibly beautiful,” she reported afterward.
Fuqua has been battling a cold and some sleep deprivation, but she cited some helpful advice that was given to her by a fellow coach at Glacier High — the only two things you can control are your effort and your attitude.
Fuqua, a 31-year-old special education and math teacher at Glacier High School, is attempting to walk 2,650 miles along the PCT. Over the next four months, she plans on following the rugged trail that winds north through California, Oregon and Washington before ending in British Columbia’s Manning Park. Except for a short stretch her sister plans to join, Fuqua is traveling solo.
RELATED: Journey of a Lifetime
“The end of the day today was challenging, but incredibly beautiful,” she reported afterward.
Fuqua has been battling a cold and some sleep deprivation, but she cited some helpful advice that was given to her by a fellow coach at Glacier High — the only two things you can control are your effort and your attitude.
Fuqua, a 31-year-old special education and math teacher at Glacier High School, is attempting to walk 2,650 miles along the PCT. Over the next four months, she plans on following the rugged trail that winds north through California, Oregon and Washington before ending in British Columbia’s Manning Park. Except for a short stretch her sister plans to join, Fuqua is traveling solo.
RELATED: Journey of a Lifetime
Comments (0) TotalMontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment on a draft environmental assessment for the Bass Lake Restoration Project.
The project includes a proposal to remove northern pike from Bass Lake and Mud Creek in Northwest Montana using a combination of netting, trapping and electrofishing, and restocking the lake with native westslope cutthroat trout, according to FWP.
This project would be conducted within the Mud Creek watershed located approximately six miles southeast of Eureka. According to FWP, the removal of northern pike would help restore native fish populations in the Tobacco River and Lake Koocanusa, which Bass Lake and Mud Creek feed. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund the project. The draft is out for a 30-day public review through June 8.
Copies of the draft environmental assessment are available at the FWP office, 490 N. Meridian Rd. in Kalispell; Montana State Library, 1515 E 6th Ave., Helena; Lincoln County Libraries, 220 W 6th St., Libby, 207 N 3rd, Troy, and 318 Dewey Avenue, Eureka; and the FWP website.
The project includes a proposal to remove northern pike from Bass Lake and Mud Creek in Northwest Montana using a combination of netting, trapping and electrofishing, and restocking the lake with native westslope cutthroat trout, according to FWP.
This project would be conducted within the Mud Creek watershed located approximately six miles southeast of Eureka. According to FWP, the removal of northern pike would help restore native fish populations in the Tobacco River and Lake Koocanusa, which Bass Lake and Mud Creek feed. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund the project. The draft is out for a 30-day public review through June 8.
Copies of the draft environmental assessment are available at the FWP office, 490 N. Meridian Rd. in Kalispell; Montana State Library, 1515 E 6th Ave., Helena; Lincoln County Libraries, 220 W 6th St., Libby, 207 N 3rd, Troy, and 318 Dewey Avenue, Eureka; and the FWP website.
Comments (0) TotalRead More Mountain Exposure
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