| United States Department of
Agriculture Forest Service |
Nez Perce Clearwater
Bitterroot Lolo National Forests |
|
Addresses, Phone Numbers
and Nez
Perce National Forest
Clearwater National
Forest Lolo
National Forest
|
From the Rangers'
Perspective It has
been three years since we who manage the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness have
contacted you through a State of the Wilderness Report. During that interval there have
been many changes in the National Forests with responsibility for this
management. Budgets have
declined precipitously and many of the Forest Service personnel you have
become familiar with have moved on or retired. Forest organization structure has
changed in some cases (and will continue to into the foreseeable
future). At any rate, we are
back on track now and we believe that the wilderness will be better served
under the new budgeting and management paradigms. While such
change can be unsettling to some and frustrating to many, it can also be
energizing and produce a climate ripe for innovation. As a case in point:
all three National Forests now have zone wilderness specialists who
supervise up to three wilderness rangers, one of whom has lead
responsibilities. These people together manage all of the
Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. All of these are career level
positions. We feel this
arrangement will provide better unity of purpose and result in more
efficient administration.
In
terms of the current state of the wilderness, you will note in reading the
report that our monitoring data shows a continuing, generally upward,
trend in sites at problem areas.
This is good news and reflects the efforts by wilderness
professionals and volunteers to rehabilitate sites that do not meet
standards, and also the natural recovery process we observe when, for
various reasons, use of a site is reduced Our
volunteer efforts have increased dramatically, partially in response to
the budget situation, but primarily because it is a rewarding and
enjoyable experience for participants. These people have an opportunity
to enjoy a wilderness experience, companionship with fellow volunteers,
gain education and knowledge and secure a feeling of accomplishment when
the project is completed and successful. We expect this aspect of our
toolbag to increase steadily in coming years. The report acknowledges a number
of the individuals and organizations that have contributed many hours of
labor to accomplish our goals in 1999. Finally, we would like to
call your attention to our revised fire policy in the wilderness. A new policy was implemented in
1998 that aligns the Forest Service with other land management agencies in
terms of terminology, policy and philosophy, and makes it easier to work
together to achieve large-scale ecological benefits. Therefore, while you may no longer
see and hear the familiar term “prescribed natural fire”, you can rest
assured that wildfires are still managed in the Selway-Bitterroot
Wilderness as “wildland fires used for resource benefit” (Granted, the
acronym “PNF” sounds better to the ear than “WOOFUB”). We
would like to thank you for your patience over the past three years and to
report that we are well positioned to move into an exciting and productive
future in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Look through the report and call
us if you’d like further information or clarification. We, as always, look forward to
working with you over the next year.
|
Volunteer Projects Accomplished in 1999 Bitterroot National Forest The Bitterroot Back Country Horsemen assisted the Forest with 8 of miles of trail maintenance and packed 45 mule loads of supplies and equipment for the Coopers Flat Cabin restoration. Back Country Horsemen, World Class Outfitting Adventures, and other volunteers rebuilt the floor and replaced both gable ends with new shakes. Clearwater National Forest The Backcountry Horsemen of North Central Idaho supplied a volunteer who helped with maintenance at Fish Lake cabin, and built 2 puncheon bridges on Trail 220 leading into the SBW. Two IDAWA volunteers were stationed at Fish Lake airfield for two weeks. They helped with maintenance of the buildings, including rebuilding the outhouse and relocating the visitor information sign to a drier spot. They also provided information on bull trout, cleaned campsites, restored trails, recorded visitor use, and provided low impact messages for pilots. One IDAWA volunteer was stationed at Seven Lakes for two weeks and cleared trail, cleaned up campsites, and worked with visitors for better low impact practices. A group of 13 Iowa Student Environmental Coalition (ISEC) students and teachers worked at Hidden Lake and Hang Tough campsite for one week. They filled in tree wells, planted trees and shrubs, restored campsites, and cleared trail.
Volunteers watering transplanted tree at Hidden Lake Nez Perce National Forest Our volunteer programs have been very successful.
Connie Saylor-Johnson continues to work with the IDAWA-- an organization
of schoolteachers who work with environmental rehabilitation. The
Trailhead Host program is staffed by Back Country Horseman
(BHC). BCH also help with the Boise Horse Expo
display, various trail projects and facilities maintenance programs.
One noteworthy project initiated in 1999 was a partnership between BCH and
the Blount Company (Speer Bullets). Blount provided the funding to
build tubular steel stock hitch rails while Lloyd Johnson of the BCH
welded them together. The district has installed one of these while
the others will be installed as needed. Roger Ingram of BCH
continues to build specialized equipment for Moose Creek’s historic
packing program. In 1999 he built fifteen sets of pack boxes to
replace worn out boxes. He also assists the mainline packer with
mowing and fertilizing the Moose Creek Airstrip and the occasional pack
job. The Camp Manotowishy (YMCA group) continues to take on a
trail-brushing project a year. In 1999 they brushed about two-thirds
of Bailey Mountain. Until the present Moose Creek has been staffed full
time through the spring/summer season by district personnel. As of
last year we were unable to continue full time staffing so we have started
using a volunteer, which is working very well. The volunteer, Bill
Harlow, has worked for us in the past, so is well acquainted with the
Ranger Station and as a result does an excellent job.
Trail accomplishments in 1999:
Condition surveys were completed on 75 miles of trail. Reconstruction
and relocation was completed on Scimitar Trail # 36. Reconstruction
and relocation were begun on Watchtower Trail # 699. Moose Creek District
reconstructed three miles of Copper Butte and rehabilitated the bypassed
eroded sections with a volunteer project. . On the Clearwater, Blodgett Trail #4 was reconstructed to
Big Sand Lake, which included replacement of puncheon and improvement of
tread and drainage. Pouliot Trail #30 was reconstructed from Kooskooskia
Meadows to the top of Friday Ridge. Bridges were replaced on trail #220.
Water bars were installed on Cliff Creek #226, Surprise Creek #219, and
Upper Boulder #211. Heavy maintenance work was done on five miles of Eagle
Mountain #206 and Upper Boulder Creek #211. The End Butte portion of trail
#206 was reconstructed. The foot log to Stanley Hot Springs was removed
and rock work on the existing nearby ford was completed.
A problem
area is defined as an area that does not meet Forest Plan standards. In
most cases this is due to excessive use or abusive practices by people.
Hundreds of sites in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness have been identified
through previous monitoring as problem areas. Each year a portion of the
problem areas are monitored. During 1999,43 existing problem areas were
surveyed. Out of these areas 7 have been rehabilitated so they now meet
standards. These areas are:Colt Lake Basin, Greystone Lake, Little
Dead Elk Trail 5, Long Lake, Maud Lake, Trail 939, and Upper/Lower Sponge
Creek. Of the other problem areas surveyed in 1999, 17 areas are static,
13 have an upward trend,two have mixed trends, and 4 have a downward
trend. The four problem areas with downward trends area are: Chain
Meadows, Wind Lakes Creek, Granite/Bear Creek, and South Fork Lolo. Two
areas (Crags Lakes and Jct. Trails 211/644) are a mixed situation with
upward trends in impact levels but downward trends in site density.
By Joe Hudson
Review group on Doug Hunt’s packstring on the Selway River Trail (#4) headed upstream toward Running Creek) Selway Bridges Field Review The Moose Creek Ranger District hosted a wilderness field review from September 10th - 14th, 1999 to discuss and review a proposal to replace three bridges within the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. Fourteen individuals made the trip, seven Forest Service folks and seven members of the public representing diverse interests. The group set up camp at the Shearer guard station and was supported by the Moose Creek packstring. The trip provided an excellent opportunity for Moose Creek employees to get to know and understand perspectives from the folks we serve that use and care about wilderness. Being in the wilderness for four days eating, sleeping, and riding together allowed time to discuss many of the wilderness issues we face today. Several individuals had worked and/or lived within the SBW for many years and had many entertaining stories to share around the campfire about days gone by in the SBW. We all learned from each other and are richer for the experience. There was open, honest discussion on everyone’s part. We found that although we have differences of opinion on how best to address bridge replacement and other wilderness issues, we all had some things in common, including a love for the wilderness and a desire to protect the values that make wilderness special. Everyone also seemed to agree that more funding should be allocated for wilderness and that it should be spent making a difference on the ground. The bridges proposed for replacement are at the end of their service life. Support beams have significant rot and are deteriorating to a point to where they pose a safety threat. Some felt that we should minimize permanent structures and may not need to replace all the bridges and that fords might suffice instead. Others felt that it was important to consider the safety of the public and that the bridges were necessary and should be replaced. All in all it provided the District with a lot to consider and evaluate when making the decision on whether to replace the bridges and, if so, how to replace the bridges to minimize the impact to wilderness values.
Examining stringers on Goat Creek Bridge Some of the other issues, which were discussed, were; trail maintenance, invasive weed species, permit systems, wilderness funding, getting dollars to the ground, elk populations, and outfitter/guide management. As we all know, there is no shortage of issues that have the potential to affect wilderness. It will take a collaborative effort on the part of the Forest Service and all outside interest groups and individuals to address and resolve these issues. All agreed it was a worthwhile trip and that we should do it again. The Intermountain Research Station (in Missoula) has been conducting an ongoing study of post-fire woodpecker population dynamics in the Warrior Fire area. The Warrior Fire burned approximately 3000 acres in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Kurt
Kipfmueller is using dendrochronological techniques to examine the
interaction between fire and climate in the Selway-Bitterroot
Wilderness. Wilderness personnel continued to help with Regional 1 air quality monitoring by collecting water samples at Shasta Lake (on the Nez Perce NF).
There are a total of 32 licensed outfitters working in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The Bitterroot National Forest has 14, the Nez Perce National Forest has 13, and the Clearwater National Forest has 5. Most of the outfitters are considered traditional outfitters that provide horseback trips to remote locations in the wilderness.
Wildland Fire Use In The Selway-Bitterrroot Wilderness Clearwater, Bitterroot and Nez Perce National Forests The Days of Fire SuppressionBased in part on the large fires that occurred in northern Idaho and western Montana in 1910, a national policy of protection from fires was undertaken. Then came the days of fire suppression. In the early 1900s, land managers believed wildfires were catastrophic events. Wherever possible, they were quickly extinguished. The Selway-Bitterroot area and surrounding National Forests began to change Fire-dependent vegetation was being replaced by different types of vegetation, which affected the types and numbers of animal species that could live in the ecosystem. Prescribed Natural Fire Program Begins - 197In time, forest managers recognized that wilderness ecosystems are always changing and fire is one of the major agents of change in the renewal of these ecosystems. Fire has always been a part of these ecosystems and must be kept a part of them if they are to remain in a natural state. So, in 1972, the Forest Service instituted a prescribed natural fire program in a portion of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Fire, under certain "prescribed" conditions, was allowed to become a natural force once again. By 1979, the entire SBW was included in a prescribed natural fire program. The 1988 Fire Season and Yellowstone In 1988, the American public witnessed the fury of the Yellowstone fires daily through the media. Prescribed fire policy was described as a "let burn" policy. And, believing "let burn" meant little or no action, the wisdom of the prescribed natural fire program was questioned. As a result, the Chief of the Forest Service directed all units to put out all wilderness fires until fire management plans could be reviewed and revised to incorporate the lessons learned from the Yellowstone fires. Today's Fire Program Following the Chief's direction, the fire management plan for the SBW was examined and revised; it was approved by the Regional Forester on June 4, 1990. Once again fire was allowed to play its natural role in the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystems, and to shape the landscape as it has done for centuries. How is the Revised Program Working? The revised SBW prescribed natural fire program has worked well since 1990. Six hundred sixteen (616) fire starts have occurred during this period. One hundred (100) were managed as prescribed natural fires, burning 8,351 acres. The remaining 516 fires were classified as wildfires and burned 27,263 acres. A wildfire is defined as a fire that is unwanted since it is not meeting prescribed conditions. Appropriate suppression actions were taken on these wildfires. If the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness is to experience the amount of burning that occurred naturally in the past, many more fires will have to be allowed to play their natural role as prescribed natural fires in order to maintain the ecological relationship of fire within the wilderness ecosystem. New Federal Wildland Fire Policy As a result of the 1994 fire season and the tragic South Canyon fire in Colorado, the federal fire policy was reviewed. This policy was determined to be a sound policy but it was felt that a more consistent approach was needed in the interpretation and application of managing fire. A new federal wild land fire policy was developed and implemented in 1998. Under this new policy, terminology has changed. We no longer use the term "prescribed natural fire." The new term is now "wild land fire use for resource benefit." New decision criteria have also been developed along with a more consistent approach in the application of this concept throughout the federal wild land fire management agencies. What is Wildland Fire Use (Prescribed Natural Fire) and how is it Managed? Wildland fire use fires that meet resource benefits are lightning-caused fires that are allowed to play their natural role in the life cycle of a forest. Wildland fire use for resource benefit is the new terminology that replaces prescribed natural fire under the new federal wild land fire policy that was adopted and approved in 1998. Management of a wild land fire use event is much more complex than the commonly used term "let burn" implies. A description of wild land fire use event and the process used to manage them follows.
Close-up of Colt Killed fire on September 2, 1999 Wildland Fire Use for Resource Benefit Fire vs. Wildland Fire Under a Suppression Strategy - What is the Difference? When a fire starts in an area that has an approved fire management plan, a determination has to be made: Is it a "wild land fire use that meets resource benefits" or a "wild land fire that needs an appropriate suppression response?" A Wildland fire use that meets resource benefit fire is a lightning-caused fire burning under pre-planned, specified conditions (prescription) to accomplish specific objectives. It is a "wanted event." If a wild land fire use event exceeds prescription parameters, an appropriate suppression response action may be taken on all or a portion of the fire necessary to meet the protection objectives. It will be allowed to burn as long as it stays within the predetermined "prescription". A wild land fire that needs an appropriate suppression response is an "unwanted fire" where the damages outweigh the benefits. An appropriate suppression response will be taken to meet suppression objectives for each of these kinds of fires. 1). Within a maximum of two hours of the discovery of the fire, a team of experts in resource management must decide if it will be classified as a wild land fire use event or a wild land fire needing an appropriate suppression response. 2). Each day, the fire is evaluated by the team of experts. Fire managers and resource specialists continue to examine fire behavior, smoke conditions, the regional and national fire situation, and many other factors and report to the line officer. If the situation changes from the original assumptions, the deciding line officer must determine whether to allow this wild land fire to continue meeting resource benefits, or to declare it a wild land fire that needs an appropriate suppression response. This process is called a periodic fire assessment. It will be done daily when conditions warrant or during periods of inactivity, could be done once every several days. Data From 1999 Wildfire Use Wildfire Use in the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness in 1999 showed the following statistics: a total of 72 fires burned 4,110 acres. They ranged in size from 0.1 acres to 1,414 acres with most of them less than one acre. Out of the total of 72 fires, 29 were determined not to meet wildfire use objectives and were either suppressed or had some other control strategy applied on a total of 316 acres. The remaining 3,794 acres provided the benefits described above and were allowed to burn with the management and monitoring specified in the federal fire policy.
Panorama of Colt Killed fire on October 2, 1999 Upcoming Projects Affecting the Selway
Bitterroot Wilderness There will be sill log replacement at the Magruger Ranger Station. Restoration is planned for the Coopers Flat cabin, and site rehabilitation is planned in the White Cap area for an outfitter campsite. Trails that will have reconstruction or repair in the summer of 2000 are: Running Creek Trail, Eagle Creek Trail, Watchtower Trail, and the South Fork of Lolo Creek on the Bitterroot National Forest; Colt Killed Trail #50, Tom Beal Creek Trail #7, Pouliot Trail #30, Blodgett Trail #4, Maple Lakes Trail #939, Rock Garden portion of Boulder Creek Trail #211, and the Surprise Creek Trail #219 on the Clearwater. Stewardship of the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness challenges us to think beyond boundaries and budgetary constraints in order to fulfill our responsibilities to people and the land. More than ever, we must find ways to connect people with their “enduring resource of wilderness” while making decisions that protect this resource for generations yet to come.
If funding becomes available to provide subsistence for volunteers, the Clearwater National Forest is seeking volunteers to assist monitoring, data gathering, and visitor education in five separate positions: -Fish Lake Airstrip and administrative site -Stanley Hot Springs - Seven Lakes -The Crags -Elk Summit area (Big Sand, Hidden, and Wind Lakes) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Contacts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back Country Horseman of America | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
