West Swan conservation plan finished for Plum Creek land

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has written a draft environmental assessment for the proposed West Swan Valley Conservation Project located about seven miles south of Swan Lake in Lake County, within the east half of the Swan River State Forest.

The state agency proposes to secure permanent conservation management on up to 9,500 acres of important fish and wildlife habitat on land currently owned by Plum Creek Timber Co. The three alternative methods to achieve this outcome include purchasing a conservation easement, purchasing fee-title ownership or a combination of conservation easement and fee-title ownership. No action is also an option.

The public comment period for the draft runs through 5 p.m. Sept. 7.

A public meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Swan Lake Community Center, located behind the Swan Lake Fire Hall just south of mile marker 71 on Montana 83.

Copies of this draft are available on the Fish, Wildlife and Parks website at fwp.mt.gov under Recent Public Notices. Copies also are at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region One office, 490 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; the Flathead County libraries in Kalispell and Bigfork; Polson City Library; Swan Lake Library; and Swan Ecosystem Center, Condon.

Direct written comments to Nancy Ivy, FWP, 490 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell, MT 59901; or e-mail to nivy@mt.gov.

For further information, contact fisheries mitigation coordinators Joel Tohtz, at 406-751-4570 or e-mail jtohtz@mt.gov; or Alan Wood, 406-751-4595 or awood@mt.gov.