The Old and the New

Maps of the Kootenai Forest comparing the old plan with the proposed new plan.

The Kootenai has provided maps on their website that show the forest marked with the new Management Area Descriptions. They also provided another map, called a crosswalk, that shows what the existing plan would look like on a map if the new descriptions were used instead of the old. By understanding the new descriptions and comparing how they would have been applied in the old plan and how they are likely to be used in the new plan we can see where the forest is going.

Wilderness is purple

Wild and Scenic Rivers is blue

Backcountry is light brown

General forest is green

The green represents areas 6 where timber production is allowed. Many other activities are also allowed. Some harvest may occur in the backcountry, 5a,b,c areas but only to accomplish a non-timber purpose. The green areas are referred to as general forest.

The three shades of brown represent backcountry areas, 5a, 5b and 5c. The lightest brown is non-motorized. The darkest allows snowmobiling but no summer motorized. 5b allows all motorized. Backcountry areas are generally roadless and unlogged.

The three shades of purple represent wilderness: light purple is designated wilderness and the medium is recommended for wilderness and the dark purple is a Wilderness Study Area mandated by Congress just as is designated wilderness. All wilderness will be managed the same. All recommended wilderness has been removed from the Kootenai Draft Plan. This is a considerable improvement over the original Starting Option that the KNF released in spring of 05.

The grey 1d area is called WildLands. This management category replaces much of the recommended wilderness on KNF but not on Idaho Panhandle. Some of the recommended wilderness was replaced with 5a, non-motorized backcountry. In the Ten Lakes area some recommended wilderness became a Special Interest Area and a small amount became general forest. The Whitefish Divide east of Grave Cr. is now designated wildlands instead of recommended wilderness.

All maps on these pages are produced by KIPZ and are available on their website. We have divided them for better viewing but the content has not been altered.

KIPZ Kootenai Draft Plan

KIPZ Kootenai Crosswalk

IF YOU CLICK ON ONE OF THE FOUR QUADRANTS OF THE STARTING OPTION MAP, WE WILL SHOW YOU A CLOSE UP COMPARISON OF THAT QUADRANT

Kootenai National Forest - Management Area Allocations						10/14/05
		87 Plan		Starting Option		Draft Plan
MA	Management Area	Acres	Percent	Acres	Percent	Acres	Percent
1A	Congressionally Designated Wilderness	93,500	4%	93,500	4%	93,500	4%
1B	Recommended Wilderness	74,500	3%	163,300	7%	0	0%
1C	Congressionally Designated Wilderness Study Areas	34,000	2%	34,000	2%	34,100	2%
1D	Wild Lands	0	0%	0	0%	124,400	6%
2B	Eligible Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers	0	0%	47,900	2%	43,900	2%
3	Special Interest Areas	13,400	1%	19,400	1%	59,300	3%
4A	Established and Proposed Research Natural Areas	4,900	0%	8,400	0%	8,400	0%
5A	Backcountry – Non-motorized summer and winter	330,300	15%	191,500	9%	204,400	9%
5B	Backcountry – Motorized summer and winter	0	0%	213,700	10%	141,000	6%
5C	Backcountry – Non-motorized summer, motorized winter	0	0%	0	0%	73,500	3%
6	General Forest	1,664,900	75%	1,433,600	65%	1,422,800	64%
7	Primary Recreation Areas	2,100	0%	12,300	1%	12,300	1%
	TOTAL	2,217,600		2,217,600		2,217,600

Kootenai National Forest - Summary of Management Area Allocations
		87 Plan		Starting Option		Draft Plan
MA	Description	Acres	Percent	Acres	Percent	Acres	Percent
MA 1's	Wilderness Values	202,000	9%	290,800	13%	252,000	11%
MA 2, 3, 4, 7	Special Designations	20,400	1%	88,000	4%	123,900	6%
MA 5's	Backcountry	330,300	15%	405,200	18%	418,900	19%
MA 6	General Forest	1,664,900	75%	1,433,600	65%	1,422,800	64%
	TOTAL	2,217,600		2,217,600		2,217,600

SUMMARY	Roadless 1ABCD, 4A, 5ABC	537,200	24%	704,400	31.76%	679,300	30.63%
BY	Non-motorized 1ABCD, 4A, 5A	503,200	23%	456,700	20.59%	430,700	19.42%
MFMU	General Forest 6	1,664,900	75%	1,433,600	65%	1,422,800	64%