SEELEY LAKE – A recent petition available at several businesses in downtown Seeley Lake asks the Lolo National Forest “to remove and replace the current ranger of the Seeley Lake Ranger District.” According to the petition’s author Seeley Lake resident Curtis Friede, the intent of the petition is twofold. First, it is to give members of the community a voice that he feels has been stifled. Second, it is to ask for change in leadership because the decisions made, including the management of the Rice Ridge fire and current closure of Big Larch Campground, have negatively affected recreation on the Seeley Lake Ranger District.
The petition states, “There is sufficient belief in this community that the current Ranger is incompetent in her duties and perhaps even negligent and we feel that her interests and actions to date do not mirror or represent the best interests of the Seeley Lake community or the surrounding area as a whole, in a manner consistent with community prosperity or the vitality and long-term viability of the natural resources for which she is responsible.
Our consensus is that the Ranger is failing to act and/or acting in ways which are a detriment to the long-term wellbeing of the Seeley lake community businesses and as a result detrimental to the long-term health and wellbeing of the community itself.”
While the petition does not name the current ranger or outline specific changes that need to be made, Friede said he is finally giving people a chance to communicate their feelings by putting their name on something asking for change.
“The purpose of the petition is to give people a voice,” said Friede. “If it wasn’t the Ranger who made the decisions, then someone else is incompetent. The Ranger, however, is the face of it in Seeley Lake.”
He said that at community meetings during the Rice Ridge fire and following specifically at the Rice Ridge Recap, conversation was shut down and many questions went unanswered. He added the interest by local residents in attending public meetings held by the Forest Service is waning because nothing ever changes as a result of any public input offered to the Forest Service.
Friede said last summer people couldn’t recreate here because of the fire and this year they can’t get a campsite because there are no campsites to have.
“They have already started to go somewhere else,” said Friede. “We can’t afford to have the Forest Service dictating the prosperity of our community.”
Lolo National Forest Supervisor Tim Garcia sent this statement via email regarding the petition, “The Lolo National Forest understands and takes seriously the important role it has in contributing to the economic well-being of the Seeley Lake community. All of the Lolo NF employees value that role and the relationship we have with the community.
We understand that the impacts from the Rice Ridge fire as well as other land management decisions come with tradeoffs, and sometimes uncertain outcomes, and we continually seek to find the balance between resource needs and public safety and minimizing any potential community impacts.
We are committed partners in the places where we work and live. The decisions we make and the role we play in the community is tied to the economic health of our communities which is vital for all the residents that live in the community. It’s very important to us to retain a positive working relationship with all members of the community, our regular community partners and those who may disagree at times with our decisions.
Working together as community members and partners promises the best solutions and outcomes to our shared economic well-being and prosperity.”
“[The petition] lets the [Ranger] know that the community wants say-so in what happens in their community with the Forest Service,” said Friede. “This community is going to stand up for their beliefs and their rights.”
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