Three Rivers plan promotes unity but some see holes

For more than three years, Three Rivers Challenge has presented itself as a group that embraces the needs of all stakeholders when it comes to timber, recreation and wilderness on the Three Rivers Ranger District in Kootenai National Forest.

Robyn King, executive director of the Yaak Valley Forest Council, envisions the passage of federal legislation that would not only protect the region’s ecosystem, but also serve the needs of motorized and non-motorized recreationists while creating the type of incentives that would guarantee the survival of the timber industry.

It’s that wood processing component that excites King and many others in the group that was formerly known as the Lincoln County Coalition.

“We finally have a map of common ground and have the intent to save and create jobs in wood processing,” King said. “When we really got started looking at maps, nobody liked the way the Forest Plan went. That’s when our group really said ‘let’s take the recreation and wilderness pieces and see what it can do for timber.’”

“To me, the job component is the most important,” said Jerry Wandler, an instructor at Flathead Valley Community College’s Lincoln County Campus and president of the Troy Snowmobile Club. “The icing is the wilderness and recreation – motorized and non-motorized – that will be created with legislation.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those who say there are no certainties in place when it comes to the recreation and timber management components.

“Hats off to everybody who has worked on this and they have good intentions but the roads to our broke, rural timber communities have been paved with good intentions,” said Rep. Chas Vincent (R-Libby). “Until there is some conditional language and guarantees of the additional components, I think that’s what it is.”

The inclusion of conditional language is a must in the eyes of Vincent.

“To me, there must be a return of some of what we have lost if we are going to give any more wilderness,” Vincent said. “I personally believe we have enough wilderness in Lincoln County. But I’m willing to talk about wilderness if we get something that we’ve lost.”

Vincent proposes the implementation of a trigger mechanism in any proposed legislation. And if such conditional language could be included, he believes it could be replicated in other places to guarantee recreation and timber management along with the wilderness protection.

“We get 30,000 acres of managed Forest Service ground, which would take 10 years,” Vincent said. “That’s 3,000 acres per year at the completion of that 10 years. If they’re able to get those 30,000 acres managed, that pulls the trigger for the wilderness.”

Vincent said the exclusion of a trigger represents the Achilles’ heel of the entire proposal.

“We’re told that it’s not politically feasible to have that conditional language in the bill,” Vincent said. “If the trigger mechanism is in the proposal, I would fly to D.C. and testify on its behalf – if they would want me to testify. Without it, I can’t support it.”

King said the group has been diligent in its endeavor to include all viewpoints.

“On bill collaborations like this, there are always going to be folks who say it wasn’t inclusive enough,” King said. “I would say we have worked very closely with commissioners, elected officials, local businesses and we have set a place at the table if you choose to join us.”

The group says it envisions the creation of approximately 50 jobs through wood processing in the designated special project area. Part of those jobs would tackle wildland-urban interface challenges in an effort to avoid catastrophic fire.

Wandler said the group’s proposal is an all-or-nothing issue.

“To find some way to guarantee the job component is the tricky part. We want it, but Congress can’t guarantee jobs,” Wandler said. “If it doesn’t fly for everyone’s benefit, then we drop it completely. All of our work will be for naught, but not at the cost of the others.”

King has the perspective that special places can be protected while active management is completed on the ground. In addition, she would like to see legislation include a mediated appeals process so differences can be settled outside of a courtroom.

“Some say there’s enough wilderness,” King said. “Obviously, we disagree with that because of the special qualities of the Yaak ecosystem.”

Draft Legislation

Following is the lead-in description of the Three Rivers Challenge Cooperative Stewardship, Restoration, Recreation and Conservation Act of 2009:

A bill:

• To sustain the economic development and recreational use of National Forest System lands and other public lands in west Lincoln County, Montana.

• To reduce gridlock and promote local cooperation and collaboration in forest management.

• To produce forest diversity and wood fiber to accomplish measurable habitat restoration using stewardship contracting while generating a more predictable flow of wood products for local communities.

• To better prevent and manage wildland fire and better protect adjoining private land and property.

• To protect recreation (motorized and non-motorized).

• To protect certain backcountry areas.

• To protect hunting and angling.

It is understood that all parts of this legislation are interconnected and that all parts move together.

Source: www.threeriverschallenge.com