Bear Expert Opposes Trail-Running Permits, Forest Supervisor Objects!
(updated 7/1/19 and 10/21/19)
Dr. Chris Servheen says he opposes the issuance of Special Use Permits for ultra-marathon trail-running races in bear habitat and wants permits for mountain bike guiding to comply with interagency recommendations for minimizing bear-human conflicts.
His comments were submitted to the Flathead National Forest during a public comment period on several such permits.
Dr. Servheen was Chair of the Board of Review investigating the death of Brad Treat when he slammed into a grizzly bear while mountain biking at high speed on the Flathead NF.
The Board of Review, which included two Flathead NF staff, recommends that people not run or bike fast in bear habitat. The BOR based its recommendations on numerous instances of people and bears being injured or killed due to surprise encounters during running and biking.
Dr. Servheen wrote "Issuing such permits will send the public a very conflicting message about how to recreate in bear habitat and send a bad message about the veracity of agency advice about how to recreate safely where there are bears . . . doing so will contradict years of agency educational efforts."
Flathead Forest Supervisor Chip Weber objected to the recommendations of the BOR at the June 25 meeting of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee and in an opinion piece to newspapers. He falsely claims that trail running and fast mountain biking are no more likely to cause a human-bear encounter than walking or hiking.
News accounts and Swan View's response to Weber note that the BOR cites substantial research in support of its findings and recommendations.
Click here to read the Daily Inter Lake article "Bear Expert Opposes Permits for Running Events."
Click here for Dr. Servheen's comments.
Click here for the Board of Review Recommendations.
Click here for MT Dept. of Fish Wildlife and Parks' findings: "Increased speed can increase the likelihood of surprising a bear at close range. Even during planned events with numerous participants, negative encounters including fatalities, can and have occurred."
Click here for MTPR's story on the IGBC meeting.
Click here for the Missoulian article about Supervisor Weber's objections.
Click here for Supervisor Weber's guest opinion.
Click here for Swan View Coalition's letter to editors in response to Weber's objections.
Click here for "When Cyclists Collide with Bears," an excellent summary of bike-bear collisions and the research showing fast travel results in increased risk of surprise encounters between people and bears!
Click here for "Who Owns the Wild: Grizzlies or Humans? The fight to balance recreation with wildlife is coming to a head."
Click here for Swan View's press release expressing disappointment in the approval of the Whitefish Legacy Partners and Foys to Blacktail trail marathon permits and the dangerous precedent they set on the Flathead NF.
Click here for more background on this issue.
This article published on June 25, 2019 • [Permalink]
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Keith Hammer photo.
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February 02, 2021
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August 10, 2020
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June 08, 2020
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March 17, 2020
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Patagonia will match/double your donation to support the work of Swan View Coalition if you donate now!
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September 22, 2019
Your prompt donation to support our work will be matched/doubled by Cinnabar Foundation!
June 25, 2019
Dr. Chris Servheen says he opposes the issuance of Special Use Permits for ultra-marathon trail-running races in bear habitat and wants permits for mountain bike guiding to comply with interagency recommendations for minimizing bear-human conflicts.
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December 19, 2017
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November 17, 2017
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August 10, 2017
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July 05, 2017
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May 03, 2017
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April 24, 2017
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March 24, 2017
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February 06, 2017
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December 29, 2016
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December 21, 2016
Swan View Coalition wishes you a Happy Solstice, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!
December 19, 2016
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December 18, 2016
Please DONATE NOW to help us secure quiet habitats for fish, wildlife and people!
December 06, 2016
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October 30, 2016
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September 28, 2016
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September 20, 2016
Your short emails and letters are needed NOW to protect wildlands and wildlife habitat in the revised Flathead Forest Plan!
September 07, 2016
Here are links to SVC's comments on the Draft Revised Flathead Forest Plan, proposed grizzly bear amendments to four other NCDE Forest Plans, and their Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEISs).
August 16, 2016
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June 16, 2016
The Forest Service is holding open houses in Kalispell and Missoula, June 20 and 22, to unveil its Draft EISs for a revised Flathead Forest Plan and revised grizzly bear management on four other Forests.
Fish and Wildlife Service is holding a hearing in Missoula July 7 to take public comment on grizzly bear de-listing in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem that includes those five Forests!
May 23, 2016
Our Winter-Spring 2016 newsletter releases our new report "Roads to Ruin," describes how our investigations have already helped secure more road decommissioning for bull trout in the Swan Valley, and describes how the report will help us all wrestle with the revised Flathead Forest Plan and Grizzly Bear De-Listing DEISs due out May 27!
February 03, 2016
Your 5-minute letter is needed by February 11 to stop logging damage to a recovering burned area near the Great Bear Wilderness!
December 30, 2015
Swan View Coalition wishes you a Happy New Year and says Thank You for your support of our work in 2015!
December 23, 2015
Swan View Coalition wishes you a Happy Winter and Happy Holidays!
December 11, 2015
We need your help TODAY to stop Congress from attaching damaging logging riders to the must-pass spending bill!
December 04, 2015
Our Holidays 2015 newsletter celebrates spirited grass-roots conservation, faith, passion, and the support of our members!
November 24, 2015
Swan View Coalition wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving!
November 18, 2015
This is the last call to have your donation matched by Cinnabar Foundation!
November 05, 2015
Only a few weeks left to have your support of our work doubled by Cinnabar Foundation!
October 28, 2015
Though burning wood to produce electricity releases more carbon into the atmosphere than burning coal, the European Union says it releases no carbon at all - a bald-face trick of accounting that may be followed by the U.S.'s EPA!
October 23, 2015
Researcher Diana Six faults logging as a misguided substitute for forest thinning by beetles!
October 11, 2015
Facts are getting in the way of attempts to blame fires on a lack of logging and to blame a lack of logging on environmental lawsuits!
September 20, 2015
Our Summer-Fall 2015 newsletter looks at the politics of logging and wildfires, and tracks the millions of dollars the Forest Service is paying its collaborative "partners!"
June 02, 2015
A celebration of Bruce May's life will be held Sunday, June 7, 2015 at the Whitefish Community Center, 121 Second Street, Whitefish, MT, from 3-6 pm!
April 30, 2015
Wilderness slide show by author Frederick Swanson May 13, 7-9 pm, at the Swan River Community Hall!
April 17, 2015
Our Spring 2015 newsletter provides a bit of background and 7 points we'd like you to consider making in your comments on the Proposed Flathead Forest Plan by May 15!
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