Wildlife Conservation Society Releases New Report on Montana Roadless Lands

The renowned Wildlife Conservation Society released in June a monograph titled, "Conservation Values of Roadless Areas for Vulnerable Fish and Wildlife Species in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem, Montana" by Dr. John Weaver. The report details the ecological values of roadless land throughout the Crown ecosystem. We note in particular the section on the North Fork Flathead River watershed.  The full report can be found here.

The Wildlife Conservation Society

Dr. John Weaver has analyzed the latest information on vulnerable native fish and wildlife in 1.3 million acres of public land in Montana’s Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. His aim was to assess the biological value of currently undesignated areas of US Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands to inform the discussion and decisions about their future. Dr. Weaver focused on the current and future habitat needs of six species: grizzly bear, wolverine, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, bull trout, and westslope cutthroat trout.

The report is informed by nearly 300 scientific papers and the contributions of 30 biologists. It integrates spatial information on the six species’ geographic occurrence; movements and connectivity relative to Wilderness/Park lands; and opportunities for species to move and find resources in response to climate change.

In the report’s detailed maps, Dr. Weaver highlights the areas that contain critical habitat. Dr. Weaver recommends that 888,000 acres (67 percent of the roadless lands) be added to the National Wilderness system to guarantee the most secure protection. Another 310,000 acres (23 percent) are recommended to be managed as ‘Backcountry’ for non-motorized recreation and conservation.

The Crown of the Continent Ecosystem is one of the great wild landscapes remaining in the world. This independent scientific assessment serves as a guide for effective conservation planning, offering a chance to continue the legacy started in 1910 with the recognition of Glacier National Park.

The full report can be found here.