Nearly 40 people came as far as Deer Lodge, Polson, Seeley Lake along with Thompson Falls and Missoula to the St. Regis Community Center last week. Everyone was interested, concerned, or already involved in the Lolo National Forest Revision that is creeping along.

Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest forest supervisor, was the keynote speaker with assistance from Abby Lane, Superior District manager, and Chris Gauger, Ninemile District ranger.  

The Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Policy at the University of Montana have contracted with the Forest Service to assist with the public engagement of the forest plan revision and they had several representatives for support with questions as another four to six forest service employees were scattered amongst the tables. 

Everyone in the room agreed the next 15-30 years of forest management hinges on the final draft of the plan. The area of concern is 2.2 million acres that touches or consumes seven western Montana counties and the last one was completed in the late 1990s.

“I’ve been given four years to get this done and I’m going to do it,” Upton shared. “All five rangers in the Lolo (National Forest) and I will be having lengthy conversations, and our planners will be brought in on the conversations. But again, I cannot express how important this 60-day comment period is for every idea, suggestion, complaint, or praise on a project is.” 

Diverse discussion consisted of opening gated roads and making new roads to access closed areas; hiking, cross-country skiing, electric bikes and mountain bikes; timber sales and slash piles; motorized recreation; threatened or endangered species; and the length of time before the new plan would be implemented. 

One attendee came from Rock Creek by Clinton because he’s extremely concerned about the future of that blue ribbon fishery. 

Roman Zylawy is a lifelong resident and said he doesn’t expect the hay-day of logging to return but today there are maybe six lumber mills in the entire state, and Mineral County alone had five at one time. Going from a robust timber and mining economy to recreation and tourism has been a jolt and he wants to be certain that Mineral County gets every last drop of whatever economic opportunities are available that the Forest Service is involved with. 

Brooke Lincoln from Haugan was attending to hear about multiple use recreation as the economy in the west end of the county relies on ATV and snowmobile enthusiasts. The Montana Nightriders Snowmobile Club and the West End ATV Association is the epicenter for motorized outdoor recreation in western Montana. 

Both memberships understand that working together with organizations like Wild Montana needs to continue so the creeks, critters and foliage that require protection are secure and the trails and roads that are open for riding remain open while working for new areas to play on public land. 

St. Regis rancher and state representative Denley Loge has timber on his property that he is logging but he, too, wants to have input acknowledging the balance of being good stewards of the land and the economic stability of the area. 

Mineral County Natural Resource Advisor, Willy Peck, has worked in the timber industry most of his life and understands the challenges, but also knows what was left out of the last Lolo National Forest Revision Plan that needs to be included in this new one. 

“We’re aware of the importance of this plan and how it will affect the area so we need to have a seat at the planning table. And we do, this time,” he said.

Both the Forest Service and several in the audience agreed that there is a language barrier with the terms like "suitable for production" and then "not suitable for production" which does not mean logging cannot occur. Does "fuels treatment" mean thinning the trees, prescribed burns, or removal of underbrush? A special appendix is in the plan for acronyms and terminology of the vocabulary being used.

Upton said toward the end of the meeting, “What I’m hearing from this room is economics. This is where you need to let us know what you want and need as we go through the comment process, knowing that not everything is going to be granted. But everything will be read and discussed.”

The spiral bound hard copy was held up for participants to see and were told that everything inside it is on the website. It isn’t cost effective to reproduce but the entire manual is on thumb drives at the Forest Service offices in the Lolo National Forests to borrow to download onto personal computers.