Economic prosperity forum focuses on recreation

The most recent in a series of economic prosperity forums was held in Libby’s Ponderosa Room Wednesday evening to discuss the topic of monetizing the recreation opportunities of south Lincoln County.

The forum, hosted by a coalition of local businesses and organizations, brought guest speakers Greg Fortin and Lee Boman to Libby to share stories of their opportunities, challenges and successes in the recreation industry with local community and business leaders.

Fortin owns Glacier Adventure Guides, a company that provides guided, non-consumptive tours of the Glacier area. He spoke about the unique challenges faced by communities surrounding federal lands, but also about the successes his company has had in working with the United States Forest Service to create multiple-use recreation opportunities in the national forests and parks.

He stressed the need for local business owners wishing to tap into that market to take advantage of existing facilities, such as the possibility of using existing but unmaintained logging roads as mountain bike trails. In that manner, he said, new recreation opportunities can be presented without a great deal of upfront expense.

“What is important,” he said, “is to recognize the value of the forest. To find uses that work for everyone.”

Lee Boman, who represents the non-profit group Seeley Lake ROCKS (Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports) discussed the importance of thorough planning and execution.

Boman’s group utilized grant money available from the Montana Department of Commerce to fund a feasibility study before they launched their project, an ambitious Nordic ski area.

Boman said his group hopes to have a completed and homologated Nordic ski destination by 2025, which he hopes will attract international attention as a destination. Homologation means official confirmation of the ski terrain to international competition standards. That designation, he said, is necessary in order to attract international competition events. “It’s also useful as an ice-breaker,” he said, displaying stickers reading “I got homologated at Seeley Lake.”

Boman’s research showed the financial potential of increasing tourism and recreation around Seeley Lake. He said 10,000 visitors per year results in more than $1.5 million in additional dollars into the area’s economy. Those dollars are spent in local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and retail outlets.

Following the guest presentations, Kootenai National Forest Supervisor Chris Savage spoke about the forthcoming regional recreation strategy for the northwest’s national forests. The plan, which he anticipated being ready for public input next year, would provide a template for a recreation plan specific to the Kootenai National Forest.

Savage stressed the importance of partnerships to the forest service, and his desire to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones. Those partnerships, he said, help the forest service and the communities market the recreation opportunities that exist and find new opportunities for multiple-use recreation adventures.

Several local business and organization representatives also presented their ideas and successes, including biking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and shooting sports.

The event was sponsored by the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce, Revett Mining, Kootenai River Development Council, Molly Montana Real Estate, Idaho Forest Group, Clearwater Montana Properties, Lincoln County Tourism Bureau, Lincoln County Asbestos Resource Program, Montana Wilderness Association and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.