Meeting called for to look at Forest Plan

On Thursday, Dec. 5, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., some of us will be meeting at the Kalispell Center Mall conference room. The audience will mainly consist of us who are interested in how our federal forest will be managed in the future.

As a state legislator representing the northeast corner of Flathead County, that certainly includes me. As someone whose living is associated with, who likes to hike, bike, fish or who otherwise benefits from our federal forests, that might include you also.

You can register for the meeting at www.eventbrite.com/e/stakeholder-process-orientation-meeting-tickets-4730387717.

In my view, the purpose of the meeting will be to establish how we can all get most of what we want from the forest without preventing our neighbors from getting most of what they want from it. I believe if we go into the discussion with open minds, we should all be able to feel good about the outcome we reach.

An idea I will present for consideration is to change the designation of what is presently labeled “recommended wilderness areas.” From what I have seen, and with the input of my constituents, I believe the designation of these areas should be changed to “primitive recreation areas.” There are at least three reasons to make this change:

1. Many of us would appreciate being allowed to take our pedal bikes on the trails in these areas. I have heard it was not the intention of the “wilderness area” designation to prohibit the use of bicycles in wilderness areas; yet that is what has happened.

2. It is normally more efficient for our local assets to be managed locally. This proposal will make it much easier to manage these forest areas for changing conditions, such as those that might be created by a warmer climate. It is much faster to get a decision from Flathead National Forest Supervisor Chip Weber than to get an act of Congress.

3. It will be more economical to make and maintain the desired trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. With the judicious use of chainsaws and other mechanical equipment, the lower cost will make it more likely we will have the trails we desire to recreate on in the future. These methods are presently used on many of our present hiking trails constructed outside of wilderness or recommended wilderness areas with very little disruption to wildlife or the human environment.

I would appreciate your support of this idea; but whether you are for it or not, I hope you show up at the meeting and make your views known.

Rep. Jerry O’Neil, R-Columbia Falls, represents House District 3.