DNRC land meeting tonight in Bigfork

By ALEX STRICKLAND/Bigfork Eagle

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will hold a meeting tonight, June 12, at Bethany Luthern Church in Bigfork to discuss alternative options for a 440-acre parcel of state owned land in Woods Bay.

The 6 p.m. meeting will provide the community with an opportunity to pitch ideas or flesh out alternatives to the DNRC selling the land.

The parcel is being considered as part of the department's land banking program, which allows the DNRC to sell land and use the money to aquire another piece somewhere else.

When the possibility of such a sale was first broached two months ago members of the Woods Bay and Bigfork communities called a meeting at the Swan River Hall, where it was made abundantly clear that selling the parcel was strongly opposed.

Locals say the property is popular for recreation, as well as home to a variety of wildlife, including cougars, snowshoe hare and bears.

DNRC Kalispell Unit Manager Greg Poncin is heading up the meeting and said that his agency has heard the community's opposition to the sale "loud and clear."

But, he said, that doesn't change the fact that the parcel still fits the bill for land banking due to a lack of access and a lack of revenue generation.

Possible ideas for preserving the parcel include Natural Area designation, or a conservation easement to be sold to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.

"The challenge is to keep this thing moving and to keep people motivated to find a solution," he said.