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Guest Profile

The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project: Helping Keep Montana . . . Well, Montana!

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It’s not often you see the Blue Ribbon Coalition – an organization that promotes off-road vehicle use – working with the Montana Wilderness Association and the Montana Wildlife Federation. But the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP) is that kind of project. Hunters, anglers, outfitters, guides, snowmobilers, ranchers, loggers, local businesses, county commissioners and numerous others have joined forces to cut through the contentious divisiveness that hinders public land management today and reach common ground. As Connie Long of Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters puts it: “This is a grassroots, made-in-montana, collaborative project.”

For hunters and anglers, that’s good news. The West Fork of the Clearwater River, the North Fork of the Blackfoot, Monture Creek, the Wild Swan Front, Grizzly Basin . . . this beautiful landscape and its rivers sustain wild elk, mule deer, whitetail, bighorn sheep, native westslope cutthroat, bull trout and an abundance and diversity of other wildlife. The BCSP will help ensure it remains that way, protecting and enhancing Montana’s hunting and angling heritage while also helping to maintain and create jobs in the forest and recreation industry and support a healthy, viable community.

The project has already resulted in the creation of 138 jobs, bringing $33 million into the local economy through forest health and restoration efforts, reducing noxious weeds, restoring streams and selective, sustainable logging. It also entails the creation and maintenance of about 2,000 miles of multiple-use trails and the addition of 83,000 acres to the Bob Marshall, Scapegoat and Mission Mountain Wilderness areas. In other words, there’s something for everybody. This cooperative effort will help ensure the Blackfoot Clearwater area remains a good place to live, work, visit, hunt, fish, hike, backpack, snowmobile, and otherwise enjoy. It helps keep Montana . . . well, Montana!

This is why the Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF) has supported this effort for nearly a decade and is part of the coalition calling for congressional action to make the BCSP official.

How can you help? We’re asking everyone who supports this effort to contact the Montana Congressional delegation – Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines, and Congressman Ryan Zinke – and urge them to introduce and support legislation that will implement the BCSP.

“It’s a project we all agree on,” says Loren Rose of Pyramid Lumber. “It’s time to get it done.”

To learn more about the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project and how you can help, please check out: http://www.blackfootclearwater.org

Montanans recognized for their conservation contributions

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At the Montana Wildlife Federation’s Annual Meeting on May 14, 2016, the group recognized several Montanans for their achievements in protecting Montana’s wildlife, habitat, and public access to the outdoors. Awardees included Lorry Thomas (Anaconda), John Borgreen (Great Falls), Alex Diekmann (Bozeman), Laura Lundquist (Bozeman) and Alan Charles (Helena).

“Montana’s unmatched conservation legacy is the result of dedicated people from all walks of life who put in long hours fighting for wildlife, habitat, and access to the outdoors” said Tim Aldrich, past president of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “Future generations will be able to experience the outdoor opportunities we enjoy today because of these conservation leaders.”

Lorry Thomas

Montana Conservation Heritage Award

Lorry Thomas accepts MWF award MWF President Kathy Hadley (left) presents Lorry Thomas (right) with a Montana Conservation Heritage Award.

A resident of Anaconda, Lorry Thomas has spent his entire life leading and helping in protecting our public lands, waters and wildlife and assuring public access to these public trust resources for the benefit of future generations. For decades, Lorry has rallied the Anaconda Sportsmen’s Club to fight – and win – for wildlife and public lands. He was a founder of the Coalition for Stream Access and the Coalition for Access to State Lands and has been an influential voice at the Legislature.

John Borgreen

Montana Conservation Heritage Award

John Borgreen accepts MWF conservation award MWF President Kathy Hadley (left) presents John Borgreen with a Montana Conservation Heritage Award.

John Borgreen has spent a lifetime devoting his knowledge, skills, experience and time to conservation of wildlife, waters, special places and the public’s opportunity to be involved in fair chase hunting and fishing. His obvious appreciation and love of all things wild and free have connected him with a number of organizations whose missions were based on deeply-held conservation values and a commitment to civic engagement.

Alex Diekmann

Les Pengelly Conservation Professional

Alex Diekmann's family accept MWF conservation award

Alex Diekmann is this year’s recipient of the Less Pengelly Conservation Professional Award. Alex passed away last February. MWF resident Kathy Hadley (left) presents Alex’s son Liam and Alex’s wife Lisa with the award.

As a project manager at the Trust for Public Land, Alex was involved with the conservation of 93,351 acres in Montana with a value of over $168 million and donations of nearly $73 million. Alex’s many projects in Montana and the complexities involved in them demonstrate his amazing abilities to identify strategic landscapes and work with entities to achieve outstanding conservation outcomes for all of us for all time. Alex passed away earlier this year.

Laura Lundquist

Conservation Communicator

Laura Lundquist accepts MWF conservation award MWF President Kathy Hadley (left) presents Laura Lundquist with the Conservation Communicator of the Year Award.

A resident of Bozeman, Laura has covered environmental and outdoor issues in Montana as an award-winning newspaper reporter and freelance writer. Laura’s investigation of conservation issues is always thought-provoking and well-documented, educating people about the issues and helping them get involved in the decision-making process.

Alan Charles

Special Achievement in Landowner-Sportsmen Relations

Alan Charles accepts MWF conservation award

MWF Board Member Tim Aldrich (left) and MWF President Kathy Hadley present Alan Charles (right) with a Special Achievement Award for his tireless efforts to improve relations between landowners and hunters and anglers.

Alan works as the landowner-sportsmen coordinator for the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, where he facilitates a variety of programs to bridge the divide between these two important communities. Over the years, Alan has worked tirelessly to help form positive relationships between landowners and hunters and find common ground that facilitates much-needed solutions where problems exist.

Montana Hunters and Anglers Applaud Wildlife Commission’s Endorsement of Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project

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DSC_3205 Photo Credit: David Stalling & son fishing for trout within the proposed recreation area of the BCSP

The Montana Wildlife Federation applauds today’s decision by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to support the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project (BCSP). The five-member, governor-appointed citizen committee, which oversees the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, voted unanimously today to approve a resolution endorsing the effort.

“The commission’s support recognizes the value of this cooperative project for Montana’s fish and wildlife, and hunting and angling heritage,” says Kathy Hadley, president of MWF. “It’s a great example of local citizens coming together to reach balanced compromises that protect and enhance healthy forests, fish, wildlife, hunting, angling, other recreation, jobs and traditional Montana values.”

The BCSP is made up of a variety of individuals and organizations of diverse backgrounds – including ranchers, loggers, hunters, anglers, county commissioners, snowmobilers and environmentalists – to shape the management of our public lands in and around the Seeley-Swan Valley. MWF is a partner and strong supporter of the project.

“By working together, we are cutting through much of the divisive, partisan rhetoric that shapes so much of our public lands management today,” says Mack Long, a hunter, guide and owner of Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters, “and showing that we, the people on the ground, can achieve workable and viable solutions.”

Project partners are urging Montana’s Congressional delegation to introduce legislation to approve and implement the BCSP.

To learn more, visit the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project

Montana hunters and anglers applaud defeat of anti-clean water amendment

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In April, the US Senate narrowly defeated an amendment to block efforts by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Army Corps of Engineers to clarify the Clean Water Act and protect isolated wetlands and headwater streams.  The amendment, by Senator John Hoeven (North Dakota) would prevent the EPA from implementing the Waters of the US rule. This rule was developed after a decade of work to clean up confusion over the application of the Clean Water Act.

“Montana’s streams and wetlands are crucial to our hunting and fishing heritage” said Dave Chadwick, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “They also support our economy, by providing the habitat for fish and wildlife that drives $1.4 billion in annual economic activity based on hunting and fishing.”

Senator Hoeven’s amendment did not receive the 60 notes needed to pass the Senate. Montana’s senior Senator Jon Tester voted against the amendment and in support of Clean Water. Senator Steve Daines voted for the amendment.

“We are grateful to Senator Tester for standing up for Montana and voting against this short-sighted amendment” said Chadwick. “Montanans are fortunate to have a senator who sees through the political rhetoric and supports the common-sense protections for the streams and wetlands that are so crucial to our state’s outdoor economy.”

The Waters of the US rule is fair, clear, and based on the best science. The rule defines the situations when the law does and does not apply, providing consistency for landowners and developers. it also includes extensive exemptions for agricultural activities. The EPA’s independent Science Advisory Board reviewed the rule and found it to be scientifically and technically accurate.

“Montana’s streams and wetlands need this common-sense, science-based rule to protect habitat and provide certainty for developers. Churning up confusion and taking potshots to score political points belittles the importance of headwaters streams and wetlands to Montana’s economy” said Dan Vermillion, a fishing guide and owner of Sweetwater Travel in Livingston, Montana.

In addition to the wildlife habitat values, approximately 54% of Montana’s population uses public drinking water systems that rely on clean surface water. When those waters are degraded, it dramatically increases the costs of treating that water. That’s a cost borne by taxpayers.

A bipartisan poll conducted last summer by the National Wildlife Federation found that more than 8 in 10 of the hunters and anglers (83 percent) supported the application of the Clean Water Act to headwater streams and wetlands. 82 percent agreed with the statement: “We can protect our water quality and have a strong economy with good jobs for Americans at the same time, without having to choose one over the other” and 67 percent said they would have a more favorable opinion if their senator upheld the Waters of the US rule.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to Visit Montana, Discuss Public Lands Legacy

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On May 3, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will be joining Senator Jon Tester here in Helena to talk about our public land legacy. MWF’s own Chris Marchion will also be making some remarks.

We’re excited that Secretary Jewell will be in Montana, where we have done so much to protect our public lands, our hunting and fishing heritage, and our outdoor economy.

I hope you can join us in turning out a good crowd! The event will begin at 10:30 AM, and it will take place at the Devil’s Elbow Campground on Hauser Lake – about 15 minutes from Helena.

It’s an easy drive to get there: just take York Road to Lakeside, then drive another 2.2 miles to the campground.

If you need any additional information, don’t hesitate to contact the MWF office at mwf@mtwf.org or 406-458-0227.

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.