Kinnikinnick
Chapter Of The Idaho Native Plant SocietyKinnikinnick
Chapter Of The Idaho Native Plant Society
Website: www.nativeplantsociety.org
October 22nd, 2004
Gael
Bissell
Habitat Conservation Biologist,
FWP
490 N. Meridian Road
Kalispell, MT 59901
Via Email: gbissel@state.mt.us
RE: Bull River/Lake Creek Conservation Project
We would like to thank the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for acknowledging the importance of the land being considered for inclusion in the proposed Bull River/Lake Creek Conservation Project.
Purchasing and designating these lands as a wildlife management area would provide protection from development and motorized access for the lands in question. These actions also promote the preservation and health of the entire ecosystem in the proposed Scotchman Peaks / Cabinet Mountain Wilderness area. A healthy and intact ecosystem needs to be as free as possible of threats from its fringe.
The health of native plants is directly impacted by the vitality of its resident wildlife population. Preserving these vital wildlife corridors impacts the larger and integrated ecosystem existing throughout this region, on both sides of the Montana and Idaho Border.
The health of our own watershed in the Lake Pend Oreille basin begins with preserving riparian habitats upstream. We applaud the actions that this project takes for preserving large amounts of these vital and fragile wetlands upstream in the Bull River basin.
We support the non-motorized approach to recreational opportunities, as they are compatible with managing these lands as a wildlife corridor. Restricting motorized access is also an important step in limiting the spread of noxious weeds throughout the entire ecosystem and preserving the health of our native plant populations.
In order to further preserve the integrity of the entire Cabinet Mountain ecosystem, as well as the proposed wildlife corridor, we would also urge the MDFWP to continue their dialogue with Plum Creek regarding protection for adjacent lands in Section 3, R33W, T27N.
Sincerely
Molly O'Reilly
President