Researchers urge roadless protections

Letters signed by more than 100 scientists presented to Gov. Schweitzer

Gov. Brian Schweitzer was presented with a letter signed by more than 100 Montana scientists, calling for protection of remaining roadless lands.

Schweitzer had called for input from county governments and others for a petition on roadless lands that will be submitted to the Bush administration at the end of the year.

Dr. Jack Stanford, director of the University of Montana's Flathead Lake Biological Station, led a delegation of scientists Wednesday morning who gave the letter to Schweitzer in Helena. The group included Dr. Richard Hauer, also with the biological station; Dr. Diane Boyd of Helena; Dr. Chris Frissel of Polson; Dr. Bruce Maxwell of Bozeman and Dr. Lance Craighead of Bozeman.

"Our collective experience and research shows that roadless areas are important buffers for water quality and wildlife, given the ever-increasing cumulative pressures of human activities in Montana," Stanford said. "Maintaining a roadless status increases the value of hunting and other recreational activities in Montana. A roadless policy should not hinder effective management of natural resources in any way."

National forests in Montana include about 6 million acres of backcountry that are accessed by trails, not roads. Roadless lands were inventoried in the 1970s, and debate about the management direction for those lands has occurred ever since.

The letter to Schweitzer cites several main reasons for protecting roadless areas: clean water and fisheries that can be affected by airborne and waterborne sedimentation from roads; wildlife that depend on roadless habitat reservoirs; curbing the proliferation of weeds and other invasive species that affect native vegetation.

Last year, the Bush administration asked western governors for input on management directions for roadless areas. Schweitzer asked county commissions for specific input about roadless lands on which roads may be necessary.

Last week, a task force appointed by the Flathead County Commission submitted majority and minority reports to the governor with recommendations for roadless areas. The task force majority called for removing roadless protections for the sake of preserving "management flexibility" in areas that currently have no roads. The panel's minority called for roadless area protections.

As the letter from the scientists suggests, Schweitzer is not only hearing from county commissions. He also is hearing from an array of conservation and outdoor groups seeking protections for roadless areas.

"We commend the governor and the Forest Service for listening to a broad range of folks with knowledge of the land and these special places in Montana," Stanford said. "Preserving these lands from roads means future generations of Montanans have a greater likelihood of enjoying clean water, world-class hunting and fishing and other amenities that we take almost for granted in the mountain regions of Montana today."

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.