Forest Service: Motorized access will not be affected

COEUR d'ALENE - Motorized access to the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones, will not be immediately affected following release of the "Grizzly Bear Access Amendment."

The Idaho Panhandle, Kootenai and Lolo National Forests have completed analysis and released their decision for Motorized Access Management within the grizzly recovery zones.

The amendment "is a programmatic change, meaning no on the ground changes are directly authorized by this decision," according to a Forest Service press release.

"Many years of working with local communities and incorporating the best available science has resulted in a quality Forest Plan Amendment that takes into account the needs of the bears while providing the best possible balance with recreational, economic and administrative needs on our national forests," said Idaho Panhandle National Forests Supervisor Mary Farnsworth.

The forest supervisors for each forest selected Alternative E Updated, which amends the forest plans of all three forests to set standards for motorized access within the Selkirk and Cabinet-Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones.

Although this decision incorporates new standards, no site specific changes will be made without further NEPA analysis, including opportunities for public input, the release said.

The amendment sets standards that will be used to propose and implement changes to motorized access throughout the bear recovery zones on each forest. Changes to motorized access will be accomplished through separate, site specific NEPA analyses, including public comment and consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Full implementation of the standards across the recovery zones is expected to take up to eight years.

The Grizzly Bear Access Amendment sets specific standards for road density and percentage of core habitat for grizzly bears across 30 Bear Management Units within the recovery zones.

This amendment is expected to continue the current downward trend of grizzly bear mortality on national forest system lands within the recovery zones, but could result in 16 to 48 miles of currently open motorized routes being blocked and an additional 18 to 54 miles of open routes being gated once standards are fully implemented,

The decision's standards are based upon the best available science, public comment and recommendations made by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, an organization of federal and state personnel.