Round Two of Public Input
for the new forest plans in both planning zones began
when the Regional Forester decided that the KIPZ and WMPZ forests could
use the new planning regulations. Both planning teams then
developed a single alternative and presented it to the public for
comment.
WMPZ
There have been 56 public meetings on the Bitterroot and Lolo
forests during Round Two and six - (6), (XI), (one more than
5) - on the Flathead. The Bitteroot and Lolo meetings were a
continuation of the in depth discussions held in Round One. Three
of the Flathead meetings were educational. That is to say they
consisted of one show and tell and two bus rides. The other three
meetings were held with the Bob Marshall wilderness group and focused on
wilderness management.
KIPZ
The working groups were also re-convened on the KIPZ forests.
The KNF officials tried very hard to get a consensus on the MWA
wilderness east of Eureka but the overwhelming majority of the attendees
to the Eureka meetings opposed additional wilderness while supporting
the existing management in that area. Finally KNF agreed to change
the collaboration rules in order to get some agreement. Complete
or consensus agreement was replaced by some unstipulated majority
rule.
A final meeting was held in Eureka and MWA packed the meeting with its
members. Several non-MWA members left in disgust. The facilitator
broke the attendees into several smaller groups who were supposed to
agree on some issue statements. Many of the resulting statements
were in conflict with one another and there was no attempt to resolve
the differences. This meeting accomplished nothing except to
highlight the differences between the two sides.
If the KNF really wants to incorporate local public opinion in the
forest plan, all they have to do is look at the tabulated
issue comments from their original round of meetings in 2002.
But if they had done that, the Starting Option would have looked much
different.
KNF has changed the Starting Option,
presumably in response to public input. The biggest change is that
all recommended wilderness, both new and old, has been replaced by a
category called WildLands. However, this category will be managed
almost the same as wilderness. Since this category is a new
invention of KNF, it does not come with any legal precedents and may
give KNF more flexibility in management. Whether forest managers
choose to use that flexibility or not is another question.
Round Three
Both KIPZ and WMPZ have released their Draft plans for
public comment. The deadline is July 31, 2006 for WMPZ and August
10, 2006 for KIPZ. All except two of the public meetings were
held in the first three weeks after the plans were released.
The Flathead NF will hold an open house on Thursday, June 15 from 4 to 8
PM at the West Coast Hotel in Kalispell and a hearing on Saturday, June 17
from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Kalispell High School.
We will host a public meeting on
Tueday, June 13 from 6 to 9 PM at the Flathead Fairgrounds. Food
will be served for a donation.
AGENDA OF OUR MEETING
Using a power point
presentation, large maps and handouts we will give you a
- Comparison
of the old and the new forest plans.
How they are different and how that will affect you.
- MFMU
assessment of the new plan. What
is good and what is not. We
will give you the specifics on changes that need to be made and why.
We will show you where to lookup the parts we object to.
We will even provide sample language to include in your
comments which we encourage everyone to make.
- We
will prepare a primer on how to make the most effective comments and
what to expect at the hearing.
