As District Ranger for the Seeley Lake Ranger District, I’ve been sharing with you, through the Pathfinder, some of the details of the project work that the Seeley Lake Ranger District (RD) is involved with and what that provides to the community of Seeley Lake and the American public. In this edition, I wanted to share some information about one of the things that makes the Seeley Lake RD unique and successful in its ability to get work done on the ground: its designation as a Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) landscape.
Congress, under Title IV of Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, established the CFLRP (http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLRP/overview.shtml). This law allowed communities engaged in collaborative efforts to obtain funding to implement landscape restoration projects. There is too much information to share everything here but I want to provide a brief synopsis.
At about this same time the CFLRP Act was enacted, the Southwest Crown (of the Continent) Collaborative (SWCC) was actively engaged in developing a vision, ecological goals and restoration strategy for what has become known as the SWC landscape. It was delineated to be approximately 1.5 million acres in size, consisting of portions of the Blackfoot, Clearwater and Swan River watersheds and home to the small communities of Condon, Seeley Lake, Greenough, Ovando, Helmville, Potomac and Lincoln.
The SWCC group members represent diverse interests, including community conservation, economic development, wilderness, federal and state management agencies, timber industry, habitat conservation, land trust, restoration, rural development and educational interests. The SWCC submitted a formal proposal to Congress and the SWC landscape encompassing the Seeley Lake RD, along with neighboring Lincoln RD and Swan Lake RD, was selected as a project.
The purpose of the CFLRP is to encourage the collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes. We are headed into the eighth, of 10 years, provided for CFLRP as outlined in the SWCC restoration strategy. The funding has specific requirements and has enabled the Seeley Lake RD to implement a variety of projects that are specifically aligned with or designed to meet goals that were developed by the SWCC including restoring forest and aquatic ecosystem function, improving landscape-level biodiversity, resiliency and adaptability, enhancing recreational experiences and to reduce risks for those living in the wildland urban interface (WUI).
Of the total funding received, the CFLRP Act requires that 10 percent be spent toward monitoring. Four monitoring subcommittees for vegetation, wildlife, aquatics and social submit and complete monitoring projects. Examples of monitoring that has occurred in part due to this funding include citizen science stream monitoring conducted by students and partners to look at turbidity, flow and temperatures of local streams; integrated forest vegetation plots to evaluate effectiveness of treatments; seed germination testing to determine efficacy of seed mixes used on disturbed areas; and carnivore monitoring designed to detect forest carnivores through winter track surveys and bait stations.
As in every year since selection as a CFLRP project, the 2016 fiscal year report for all three ranger districts has been summarized and presented to Congress. Accomplishments are tallied to meet quantitatively-measured goals set by the SWCC and also described in a narrative.
Examples of 2016 reported accomplishments include: 1,267 acres of invasive weed management; 30 miles of stream habitat restored; 16 miles of system road maintained; 12,213 CCF volume of timber sold and 2,515 acres of hazardous fuels treated.
To date, we have exceeded our 10-year goal for six of our 18 targets (re-vegetation and reforestation, lake acres restored, miles of stream restored, wildlife security acres, trail improvements and campsites rehabilitated). We are at least 60 percent of the way toward reaching another five targets. We are less than 50 percent of the way toward six of our targets (vegetation restoration outside the WUI, road Best Management Practice (BMP) work and maintenance, road storage or decommissioning, stream crossings improved, trail decommissioning and commercial wood products). However, many of these goals are included in activities that have been identified and proposed in the Center Horse Landscape Restoration project which is scheduled to have a Record of Decision this year.
It is an honor to share the news that this year USDA Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell recognized the SWCC with the 2016 Chief’s Award for Sustaining Forest and Grasslands. We sincerely congratulate and thank the SWCC for their dedication and commitment that has led to successful outcomes. Building on past successful collaborative efforts, the SWCC has solidified working relationships built on trust and a shared commitment to the future of this incredible landscape where we are privileged to complete restoration work.
In addition to the ongoing CFLRP program that we coordinate with Lincoln and Swan Lake Ranger Districts, we also have our regular programs that are also critical to offer the goods and services desired by the local community and our national audience. We continue to sit at the table with the local trails planning group led by Clearwater Resource Council, we are actively engaged in wilderness stewardship management of the Scapegoat Wilderness as part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, we administer a lands program which permits uses of the National Forest for everything from road use, recreation residences and recreation events.
We have been working closely with the Driftriders Snowmobile Club to permit a new grooming shed which will provide better access and use for this maintenance activity which is tied to our agreement with them and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
We are working with Camp Paxson on a proposal to utilize this awesome and historic facility year round.
We are responding to the Federal Highway Department on their need to clear trees to facilitate safer travels. We will continue to keep you informed of projects and activities.
The Seeley Lake RD of the Lolo National Forest is looking forward to greeting community members and meeting new faces at our upcoming open house to be held Dec. 15 from 4-6 p.m. Appetizers and beverages will be served - while they last! We will be happy to share information about our past season and upcoming program of work for the winter and coming year. We hope to see you there!
To our health,
Rachel Feigley
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