Our Winter-Spring 2013 edition of Swan View's News tells why wolverine are threatened by climate warming and what you can do to help!
Click here to view or download this newsletter.
Below is the table of contents:
Please DONATE NOW to help us continue our work!
Thank you for your support!
A new report by Headwaters Economics finds three economic measures to be positively associated with protected public lands: per capita income, growth in per capita income, and growth in per capita investment income.
The study finds that, on average, counties with national parks, wilderness, and other forms of protected public lands benefit with increased economic performance.
Click here to read Headwaters Economics' release of its report.
Click here to read or download the report.
A Montana District Court has issued an order effectively ending this winter's wolverine trapping season, in anticipation of the imperiled wolverine being listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.
"This is great news that this year's wolverine trapping season is over," said Swan View Coalition Chair Keith Hammer. "Hopefully, wolverine will soon gain the threatened species protections they need so desperately, including a permanent ban on the intentional killing of wolverines."
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, however, says it will oppose ESA status for wolverine in Montana and, barring that, try to keep its trapping season in spite of federal listing. Click here to read the San Francisco Chronicle article.
Click here to read our press release.
Click here to read the Joint Motion that has now been signed as a Court Order.
Click here for more background on our lawsuit to end the trapping of imperiled wolverine.
Our thanks go out to Western Environmental Law Center and the other plaintiffs in this lawsuit for hanging tough for wolverine - and to all of you that support our work!
(Read Full Article)
Flathead National Forest has withdrawn its Griffin Creek logging project in the face of appeals filed by Swan View Coalition and others.
On November 26th, 2012, the Flathead refused to modify the project during a meeting to attempt resolution of the appeals.
Already heavily logged, heavily roaded and riddled with invasive weeds, the majority of the Griffin Creek watershed is already considered by Flathead National Forest to be "functioning at risk."
Swan View Coalition and other appellants argued more logging and road building will simply make matters worse.
They also argued the project is an irresponsible burden on the American taxpayer, building more new roads when the Flathead already receives less than one-sixth of the funds it needs to maintain its existing road system.
The project would build another 12 miles of permanent road, cut logs from 2,300 acres of forest and cut smaller trees on another 2,800 acres.
Click here to read Swan View Coalition's appeal.
Click here to read the Flathead's letter withdrawing the project.
The Flathead National Forest has cancelled its plans to kill up to 270 of its best and biggest larch trees just to collect the seed!
MANY THANKS to those of you that were among the 97% of commenters opposed to killing the big trees when there are so many non-lethal ways to collect larch cones and seed!
Let's hope the Flathead has continued good success with its larch nursery and continues to recognize it need not kill big larch trees to meet its seed collection needs!
Click here to read the Flathead's cancellation letter.
Click here to read our prior alerts in this matter and for background information.
Montana District Court Judge Jeffrey Sherlock has issued a temporary restraining order stopping Montana's wolverine trapping season!
The order was issued on the eve of the trapping season set to begin December 1, in response to a lawsuit filed by the Western Environmental Law Center on behalf of Swan View Coalition and several other conservation groups.
Judge Sherlock concluded "Balancing the loss of a ‘recreational harvest opportunity' against the possible damage to a potentially endangered species, the Court finds equity lies in favor of issuing a temporary restraining order."
Click here to read WELC's press release.
Click here to read the Missoulian article.
Click here to read the Court Order.
Click here to read more about our lawsuit.
Click here to make a donation!
Twas the eve before trapping season When all through the woods All the creatures declared WELC delivered the goods!
Our Holidays 2012 edition of Swan View's News looks at our accomplishments and the path ahead - as the Flathead National Forest prepares to revise its Forest Plan!
Click here to view or download our Holidays 2012 newsletter!
Below is the table of contents:
Please DONATE NOW to help us raise $14,000 in December to support our work and meet our year-end budget!
Thank You and Happy Holidays!
It's been 28 years since a bunch of neighbors banded together to protect the visual and ecological integrity of the Swan Range from clear-cut logging, road-building, and recreation run-amok.
We at Swan View Coalition wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and THANK YOU for your loyal support of our continued work!
May you spend considerable time with friends and family this coming week, enjoy the places you love, and hold in your hearts those who cannot.
You can help support Whitefish Legacy Partners trails for hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers today!
All it takes is two quick emails from you!
1. Click here to help Whitefish Legacy Partners urge the State Land Board to approve Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation's (DNRC's) implementation of Partners' trails, recreation and land licenses north of Highway 93 - with the blessings of the City of Whitefish!
2. Send an email to DNRC's Greg Poncin at gponcin@mt.gov and urge him to:
a. Support Whitefish Legacy Partners trails, recreation and land licenses south of Highway 93 in the Spencer Mountain area.
b. Establish clear criteria and standards for determining which previously unauthorized "free-ride" bicycle features will be removed, retained or reconstructed to protect public resources and public safety on Spencer Mountain.
We feel this is an opportunity to support a well-organized effort to ensure multiple uses of public trails are compatible with one another.
Click here to read Swan View's letter to Mr. Poncin.
Click here to see Mr. Poncin's letter and map inviting public comment on management of the Spencer Mountain area.
Click here to see a larger version of Whitefish Legacy Partners' map of its overall project.
Click here to read the Daily Inter Lake's article describing how the several parts of Partners plan fit together.
Swan Lake District Ranger Rich Kehr has announced breakneck biking "challenge features" will be removed from the Beardance and Crane Creek Trails this fall and next spring!
This after hiking the trails on October 16 with his new recreation staff, trail volunteer Ron Cron, and Swan View Coalition Chair Keith Hammer.
He deserves your thanks and your urging he remove ALL of them!
Please email Ranger Kehr today at rkehr@fs.fed.us and consider the following:
1. Thank him for finding breakneck biking "challenge features" like ramps and jumps must be removed from these trails to protect public safety and comply with trail objectives of being shared with hikers, horseback riders and other mountain bike riders.
2. Urge him to identify as "challenge features" and remove all log ramps not needed to cross wet areas already remedied by trail tread relocation and rock work. Only three of the many log ramps are actually needed as bridges for foot and bike over wet areas.
3. Thank him for restoring the upper two miles of the Beardance Trail to its historic location, rather than shifting use to an old road infested with weeds and not cleared of fallen trees.
Click here to read the Bigfork Eagle article about his decision.
Click here to read Swan View Coalition's request that Ranger Kehr clarify which log features will be retained to "provide trail passage over wet areas." Our letter PDF includes a 25-photo array that provides the big picture of what went awry on these trails, in violation of "tread lightly and leave no trace" ethics.
Ranger Kehr has sent the message breakneck biking ramps and jumps can't be built at will nor interfere with the use of trails shared by hikers, horseback riders and other mountain bikers.
Your email to him today can help insure the line he draws is clear and need not be revisited time and again on Crane Mountain and elsewhere!
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