Bravo for Badger-Two Medicine Travel Plan

The Badger-Two Medicine represents some of the finest remnant unprotected wild country in the lower 48 states. It is an integral biological part of the Glacier/Bob Marshall ecosystem. All species that have evolved here are still present. Not only does the Badger-Two Medicine represent wonderful wildlife habitat and some of the finest scenery in the ecosystem, but it also contains some of the most critical wildlife habitat in the ecosystem. National Forest lands here contain some of the best winter ranges for elk, moose, deer, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep. They also contain critical spring range for Grizzlies from as far away as the South Fork of the Flathead River.

Despite the incredible beauty and wildlife habitat that this country represents, its quality has been repeatedly degraded by unchecked ATV and snowmobile use. Illegal trails have woven across the foothills and the once-quality hunting experience has been reduced to people hunting from ATVs. Fragile sub-alpine meadows are braided with tire tracks where people have joy-ridden across them. The sensitive Westslope Cutthroat Fishery on the North Fork of Badger Creek has been impacted by fishing pressure from day-fishermen who are driving in on their ATVs from Marias Pass, 14 miles away.

After years of this abuse, the Forest Service has finally decided to act in favor of protecting the Badger's priceless resources by disallowing off-road ATV and snowmobile use in their proposed Forest Travel Plan. This decision came about as the result of years of public meetings and comment letters and studies of impacts to the resources.

I commend this decision. I look forward to a once-again wild Badger-Two Medicine where the land and its wildlife can recover from years of abuse and neglect.

Lou Bruno

East Glacier

To the editor,

I read with much happiness the recent decision of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to protect the Badger-Two Medicine area of the Lewis and Clark National Forest to most motorized travel and to do away with many of the roads by either not maintaining them or rehabilitating them, a step the Forest Service calls "decommissioning."

In my younger days I was a smokejumper with the USFS and was privileged to fly over much of Montana's back country in an effort to protect our wild lands from fire. What I noted was the shear number of roads that permeated our "wild country" and actually how little "wild country" we actually have left. By this decision the USFS has taken a powerfully symbolic and a real step towards preserving and expanding our wild lands for current and future generations. Now when my son becomes a smokejumper and flies over our great state he'll see more beautifully wild, undeveloped and non-roaded lands than his father.

Thank you, United States Forest Service, for doing the right thing.

Ernest J. Gray

East Glacier Park

To the editor,

Being a Tribal member, my husband was born and raised on Badger Creek east of the Badger-Two Medicine. We made our home and raised our children there as well. For us, the Badger was where we camped, hiked, fished, watched wildlife and, in recent years,'spread my husband's ashes. Over the years, whenever possible, we fought for preservation and protection of the Badger. There is a long history of local people giving voice to the Badger-Two Medicine whenever its land or wildlife were threatened.

Over the past couple of decades, my husband and I have been concerned with the increasing motorized use in the Badger and the destruction of habitat that use has created. I have seen first hand the damage done to a mountain meadow when the four-wheeler track became too deep and they moved the trail over, or the damage done to fragile wet areas by four-wheel traffic. I am so pleased with the strong stand that the Tribe has taken in favor of non-motorized travel in the Badger.

The Badger has significant cultural significance. For me, it's about the beauty and solitude. It's about the high-quality wildlife habitat. It's about the connection that a person feels to a wild landscape. Through meetings with the public, conferring with the Tribe and consulting with relevant agencies, the Forest Service has taken a thoughtful, measured approach and developed a fantastic travel plan for the Badger Two Medicine.

Donna Caruso-Hirst

Valier

To the editor,

The new travel plan for the Badger-Two Medicine area of the Rocky Mountain Front gives much needed protection that has been lacking until now to this beautiful and important area. For too many years illegal and irresponsible off-road motorized use has led to an increasing degradation of the landscape, wildlife habitat and wilderness qualities of the region.

The Badger-Two Medicine has valuable biological diversity and uniqueness, home to several endangered species. It has significant cultural importance to the Blackfeet people. It provides opportunities for peace, tranquility and spiritual restoration for visitors.

Restrictions to motorized access, along with enforcement of these restrictions, will protect these values and ensure quality wilderness experiences. This travel plan deserves our support, and our thanks to the Lewis and Clark Forest, and the Blackfeet Tribe for their support.

William Cardin

East Glacier Park

To the editor,

I am a new mother of an adventurous boy. I am in awe that I live in such a beautiful, protected part of the world. I was very happy to read yesterday about the United States Forest Service protecting my neighborhood — the Badger-Two Medicine — from most motorized use.

I have read about the "disconnect" in this country between our children and nature: Children just don't play in the great outdoors the way they did when my parents were children. It is impacting the health of our children and our society.

I am excited to see an organization such as the Forest Service protecting wild lands for our future generations and for my new son's Blackfeet heritage. I will be able to say to my son, "Go outside and play. Pack a lunch. I'll see you at dinner time."

The adventures I had as a child, the unstructured play with my friends, the amazing and sometimes scary encounters with wildlife, and the care and respect I learned for the world around me are all gifts from my childhood that the Forest Service has also given to my son by protecting the Badger-Two Medicine.

Denise Mason

East Glacier Park

Support for Siderius

To the editor,

We understand Mr. Ken Siderius is planning to become a candidate for a position for the Board of Trustees of Flathead Electric Co-Op, Inc. Therefore, this letter has been written as a recommendation for Ken.

The Siderius families have provided generations (three or more) of honorable, conscientious public-minded individuals to the citizenry of the Flathead.

Ken Siderius has fit well into his families' mold. I have been privileged to have almost daily meetings with Ken and a number of our mutual friends for coffee for 40 years or more. Throughout his life, Ken has worked as an outstanding teacher, school administrator, coach, a credit to the school systems; he has served the Flathead Valley and our state of Montana. He virtually seems to have positive relationships with everyone he meets.

For me personally, it is an honor to recommend Ken for Flathead Electric's Board of Trustees and I doubt your business will be successful in locating an individual who can better serve utilizing positive common sense, or will have more Flathead Valley support and be a general accreditation in every way.

A.J. (Jack) King

Executive Vice President

Valley Bank of Kalispell