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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. A Newsletterfor Employees and Retirees_ISSUE 3_May - June 1999 Idaho's Forests in Trouble hat do you mean our forests are Changes in forest type and density in fact unhealthy — they look green to do create hazardous conditions for resi¬ me!” According to a recent sur¬ dents. As Stan Hamilton, Idaho State For¬ vey conducted in Idaho, 80 percent of par¬ ester, explained, “ We have more and more ticipants think Idaho’s forests are iust people moving into or adjacent to forested fine! areas. The threat to lives and property is The reality is Idaho’s forests are in growing. We must work with landowners trouble. "The Douglas-fir bark beetle, and communities to reduce the risk of wild¬ root diseases and other influences are fires, insect and disease epidemics, and changing the forests,” said Jim Byler. pa¬ create sustainable forests.” thologist in Idaho. “Some change has Some options to actively manage the land been rapid and some has taken decades include prescribed fire, thinnings, regen¬ to develop.” erating young forests of desirable species The change in tree species is dramatic. after fire or logging, and restoring water¬ Since the 1950’s, western white pine has sheds by eliminating roads that are not declined 93 percent; ponderosa pine, 44 needed or are damaging to water quality. percent; and western larch. 72 percent. Regional Forester Dale Bosworth com¬ Getting the Other bad news; Aspen is showing a mented, “In the past, the debate over land high incidence of decay and is being re¬ management was focused on what should Message placed in many places by conifer forests. be taken from the land. Today, we need to Whitebark pine forests are greatly dimin¬ refocus on what we are going to leave on ished. particularly in the northern part of the land.” to the the State. On the upswing is Douglas-fir Through activities like stewardship con¬ and spruce fir. tracting we are increasing wildlife habitat, People improving watersheds, and reducing the What We’re Doing risk of uncontrolled wildfires. The goal is to leave the kind of forests that can sustain us. In addressing the issue, Idaho land by Dave Atkins, ecologist managers are giving education high pri¬ The full story of Idaho’s forest condition and Charlene Schildwachter, legislative is related in a recently released 30-page ority. “Informing and educating our cus¬ and marketing specialist, RO report. Health of Idaho’s Forests. For a tomers and partners about the condition copy, please contact Dave Atkins in the RO. of their forests is one of the first steps IBM address: datkins/r 1, or telephone 406/ toward making positive changes,” stated 329-3132; or call Jim Byler, telephone 208/ Dayle Bennett, Idaho entomologist. “We 769-7342. all have our work cut out for us!” U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Northern Region Missoula, Montana 2 undersized culverts in the project areas to The Douglas-fir Bark improve watersheds. In turn, these wa¬ Beetle Saga Continues.... tershed and road improvements will en¬ hance fisheries and wildlife habitat. Forests Take Action to Address Epidemic One 4,000-acre area of particular con¬ cern to land managers was granted emer¬ gency status by the Chief of the Forest Service. This status allows for quick ac¬ by Nadine Pollock, George Washington & JDefferson National Forest, detailed to the 1PNF Colville National Forest—means that staff tion around the residential area of Hayden are dealing with two forests, two regions, Lake and Fernan Lake on the Coeur d’ espite the complications sur¬ two states, and even two sets of regional Alene River District of the Idaho Pan¬ handle National Lorest. rounding the Douglas-fir bark forester sensitive species lists. In this "emergency status" area, removal beetle epidemic in northern The selected alternative, widely sup¬ of dead and dying trees as well as water¬ Idaho and eastern Washington, the Forest ported by the public, calls for removal of shed and road improvements may begin Service has now selected an official course dead and dying Douglas-fir trees on ap¬ 30 days after the decision announcement. of action. In early June, after an extensive proximately 24,000 acres. Lorest Service staff were particularly con¬ public involvement effort, the forest su¬ By removing dead and dying trees, the cerned about the risk of wildland fire pervisors selected an alternative from likelihood of intense wildland fires both spreading to populated areas and the risk those presented in the Draft Environmen¬ in the forest and adjacent populated areas of beetles spreading to host trees on pri¬ tal Impact Statement. is lessened. Timber harvests to establish vate land. The project is not an easy one in terms young western white pine, ponderosa pine, While no management action can stop of logistics. It involves analysis of more and western larch are included in the treat¬ the bark beetle epidemic, the recent course than 200,000 acres of land with diverse ments, along with salvaging dead or dy¬ of action set in motion reflects a practical watersheds, road networks, and vegetative ing trees. common sense approach in managing the composition. And the project area—R-l’s The forests will also relocate, recon¬ epidemic while moving the forests to a Idaho Panhandle National Forests and R-6’s struct, and obliterate roads and replace long-term, sustainable condition. Protection and Enjoyment of Wilderness: The proposal would limit groups to 16, including stock and people, and campfires couldn’t be built closer than one-quarter mile of certain high-mountain lakes. Can You Havig added, “We’re also proposing to by Jack DeGolia, establish the Goat Llat and East Lork Bit¬ public affairs officer F Have Both? Beaverhead-Deerlodge terroot Research Natural Areas. We want National Forest to eradicate weeds, provide clearer guide¬ lines relating to fish stocking — get rid of orest Service mangers of wilder¬ Those proposed changes include a free trails that hikers have created, and reduce ness are faced with a quan¬ permit system and limiting group size vis¬ the size of some camping areas.” dary: how do you support pub¬ iting the 159,086-acre wilderness, located The proposal also would cap outfitting lic enjoyment of wilderness and, at the southwest of Anaconda. Anyone now en¬ and it outlines how new outfitting propos¬ same time, protect the pristine qualities of tering the wilderness is asked to register, als should be dealt with. these areas. but the new proposal would require hik¬ “We feel the Anaconda-Pintler Wilder¬ One answer is being explored by ers and others in the wilderness to carry a ness is a unique place,” said Havig. Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Bitterroot permit to be filled out at trailheads. “These changes can only benefit future National Forests’ staff who manage the “These permits are not meant to be re¬ visitors: we’ll be ensuring the Anaconda- Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. They are strictive but will give us a chance to share Pintler will be as special a place for them proposing changes to the wilderness’s information, such as low impact camping as it is for us.” management plan to safeguard the pris¬ techniques with visitors and also collect Lor more information, call Deb Gale at tine qualities of the wilderness as well as information on the number of people us¬ the Lorest Service’s Wisdom Ranger Sta¬ the quality of the wilderness experience ing the wilderness,” said Wisdom District tion (406) 689-3243. The public comment by the public. Ranger, Dennis Havig. period on the proposal ends July 15. 3 A Message From the Regional Forester N o doubt you’ve heard does not have confidence in our record¬ that this fiscal year keeping. Our ability or inability to ac¬ Region One is giving count for the dollars Congress gives us high priority to the identification of is a factor in almost every discussion we all our physical assets. That means have with the appropriation committee. cataloging every road, dam, bridge, The 1995 audit by the Office of the visitor center, campground, physi¬ Inspector General gave the Forest Ser¬ Dale Bosworth cal improvement—everything that vice an “adverse opinion” as a result of is considered “real property.” This our financial records. Currently, the counting procedures priority. Now we monumental task is being con¬ Forest Service and the Department of have to pay the piper. We have to de¬ ducted nationwide throughout the Defense, the only government entities liver. If we can fix these problems, I Forest Service. with extensive real property, are prevent¬ believe future Forest Service budgets We recognize that this means ing the government from clearing its fi¬ will be positively affected. other important work may not get nancial statements. Once we know what has to be done, done this summer. I want to make Related to that problem is our inabil¬ our region is good at organizing and sure you understand the reason ity to meet new accounting standards ini¬ doing it. We have our assignment. Ex¬ why. tiated by the Federal Government in the cept for safety and fire protection, The bottom line is that Congress, early 1990’s. But the problem pre-dates there’s not a more important job this who through their yearly budget those new standards. For the past 20 to year or next, until we get it accom¬ allocations, keep our doors open, 25 years, we just haven’t given our ac- plished. Partners Help with Landmark Prescribed Burns At right, l to r. Bob Farrell, Wyoming Hotshots; Gary Karamidjiam, Theodore Roosevelt NP; Rusty Jensen, TRNP. Rusty lights a test fire at the beginning of burning operations. by Jennifer Berger and Kurt Hansen, On April 19, interagency team mem¬ Medora Ranger District, bers ignited 472 acres within the park’s Dakota Prairie Grasslands D south unit. Engines patrolled the black- lined perimeter of rolling, silver sage-dot¬ ted grasslands while firefighters kindled akota Prairie Grasslands re¬ matted grasses. Flames fanned by light, cently joined forces with vari¬ southerly winds branded a mosaic pattern ous Federal agencies to con¬ across the acreage, completing the bum duct the first prescribed bum in 50 years within 6 hours. Close proximity to Inter¬ of Theodore Roosevelt National Park state 94 and a busy county road added to Dakota Prairie Grasslands staff hope to (TRNP) history. the challenge of safely exercising this task. participate in future cooperative pre¬ The park is located within North The goal was to stimulate growth of na¬ scribed burn plans, including ones that Dakota’s million-acre Little Missouri Na¬ tive grasslands species to improve habitat cross USFS/NPS boundaries. TRNP an¬ tional Grasslands, managed by the Medora and forage for park wildlife, including bi¬ ticipates reintroduction of fire into wilder¬ and Mckenzie Ranger Districts of R-l’s son, elk, wild horses, mule deer and ante¬ ness tracts of its north and south units. The Dakota Prairie Grasslands. Personnel in¬ lope. The bum will revitalize a segment intent is to mimic natural fire behavior by volved in the bum included people from of park ecosystem and reduce its hazard¬ having periodic, low intensity burns to the two ranger districts, Wyoming Inter¬ ous fuel load, as well as help control ex¬ decrease the likelihood of a 1988 agency Hotshots, National Park Service otic plants like crested wheatgrass and Yellowstone-like conflagration over the and U.S. Fish & Wildlife. leafy spurge. long term. 4 d-ea vitMsam flip Skier Visits Up casein oWmocmESB? Over La; Season by Pat Antonich, RO recreation man¬ ageTment assistant otal skier visits on the 12 alpine ski areas that operated on na¬ tional forests in northern Idaho and Montana this past ski season were The lodge on top of Blacktail Mountain. Due to existing roads and skiable terrain, the lodge and parking lot are at the top of the hill, so you can ski from your car. up 10 percent over the previous sea¬ son. The season started off slow due to by Allen Rowley, public affairs specialist Flathead National Forest With over 13 miles of ski runs and 1440 lack of snow and severe cold weather feet of vertical drop, there will always be prior to Christmas. Heavy snows later uietly and without fan¬ room to ski even when the lifts may be a in the season, particularly in western Q fare, Blacktail Moun¬ peak capacity. In keeping with the family Montana and northern Idaho, helped tain Ski Area, located south¬ orientation, 70 percent of the terrain is de¬ make up for the slow start. The con¬ weesstt ooFrrRcaall ispell, finished its first season signed for intermediates. The remaining tinued high Canadian exchange rate of operation this April. It is this country’s 30 percent is equally split for beginners continues to affect visitation from Ca¬ newest ski area and the first to be approved and experts. nadian skiers. on Forest Service-managed lands since Blacktail Mountain developed repeat The most popular ski areas during 1978. customers immediately upon opening. the 1998-1999 season were Big Moun¬ The approval for a new ski area required Now that the first season is over, word of tain, Flathead National Forest; Bridger much study, documentation, and analysis. the new area is spreading and next year Bowl, Gallatin National Forest; and The end result was a decision in May 1997 looks to be even stronger. Red Lodge, Custer National Forest. by the Flathead National Forest to permit the construction and operation of the ski area under special use permit. By Novem¬ ber 1997 work on the site began. The first skiers were able to use the new slopes in mid-December 1998. It is de¬ signed as a day-use area, as opposed to a destination resort. The facility is all on public land with no private land tracts for subdivision, housing, retail and lodging development. The area has a fully accessible lodge at the top of the mountain with a cafeteria, restaurant, lounge, rental shop, and day care. Swan Lake Ranger Chuck Harris said “the lodge is so comfortable you feel like you are at a friend’s house.” Outside there are four lifts, including a triple chair, two double chairlifts, and a surface lift with a total capacity to handle up to 2,000 Inside the lodge, just waiting for some snow and customers. skiers. 5 Trapper Creek Job Corps Students Volunteer for Community Job Corps Working on buildings. Left to right, Shaun Mohan, Justin Reynolds. National Youth Service Day, sponsored by Dixie L. Dies, public affairs officer by Youth Service America, has been held BitOterroot National Forest across the nation for the past 11 years. This year. Job Corps was one of the na¬ Putting in new dirt floors. n an exceptionally beautiful tional partners for the event. The day has Left to right, Perry Hamilton, Scott Fisher, spring day, some 200 students been set aside to recognize the year-round Jeremy Martinez. from Trapper Creek Job Corps service and volunteer efforts of young were at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds people, recruit a generation of participants, in Hamilton, Montana, trimming trees, and promote young people as resources painting grandstands and corrals, washing to their communities. and painting buildings, and putting in “It is really a win/win situation,” said “new” dirt floors. Jim Kaney, deputy director for Trapper The students, aged 16 to 24, were vol¬ Creek Job Corps, unteering their services as part of National “Students can use their trade skills as Youth Service Day. Except for 11 students well as learn to support their community. on special assignments, the entire corps And the community got some work done participated. that otherwise probably wouldn't have been completed.'’ Painting corrals. Front to back, Amanda Vincent, Maureen Serawop, and Ron Murphy. "Happy Trails" Bringing a Dream to Reality by SOcott Bixler. RO realty specialist n Saturday, April 24. scores of traveling from the southern part of participants joined Missoula Missoula to McCormick Park and the District Ranger Dave Stack Riverfront Trail system. and Missoula city officials at Southgate The Forest Service’s participation con¬ Mall in celebrating the dedication of sisted of the RO lands staff issuing a trail Missoula’s Bitterroot Branch Trail. easement to authorize public access to a The “rails with trails" project will pro¬ tract of National Forest System land lo¬ vide a multipurpose trail, 2 1/2 miles long cated at the Regional transportation facil¬ and 10 feet wide, along the Montana Rail ity at 14th and Catlin Streets. Link’s right-of-way. With the issuance of this easement, a This asphalt-paved trail will allow bi¬ community dream of over 20 years is close cyclists and pedestrians to avoid most to becoming a reality. Left to right: Dave Stack, Bruce Allen. Missoula streets and parking lots while 6 - Center Celebrates by Paul Lloyd-Davies, partnership coordinator 100,000th Visitor Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpre five Center, Lewis and Clark National Forest S everal days shy of the Lewis and Clark Na¬ tional Historic Trail Interpretive Center’s first anniversary, the 100,000th visitor walked through the door April 30. Visiting Great Falls to per¬ form in a jazz festival, Ted McKain of Kalispell was in for a big surprise. I’m in shock! I’ve never won anything before,” McKain said, as he was greeted by center staff holding a banner, bouquet of helium balloons and a gift bag packed with Lewis-and-Clark-related items from the Por¬ tage Cache store. He also received an annual family pass, which was purchased by center staff and donated for the event. In an interesting twist, McKain, 50, a Great Falls High School graduate, is a nephew of Interpretive Center vol¬ unteer Lois Reynolds. Noting that 60,000 visitors had been expected at the center its first year, center director Jane Schmoyer-We¬ ber said the higher visitation pointed out the center’s quick ascendancy as a premier Montana attraction. Jane Schmoyer-Weber, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center director, congratulates Ted McKain of Kalispell as the center's 100,000th visitor. In the background are business management assistant Kaye Dobrocke and interpreter Huel Willis. Volunteers at the Lewis & Clark National Center hours: Historic Trail Interpretive Center Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Volunteers have played open daily an important part in the 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. good service at the Center. "Without our volunteers, the public Labor Day to Sept. 30 would not be served as open daily they are now," said 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. center director Jane Schmoyer Weber. Oct. 1 to Memorial Day "Their contribution the Weekend first year equated to open Tuesday-Saturday seven full-time staff." The center staff prepare for the busy summer season. From left: front row, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Paul Lloyd-Davies, partnership coordinator; Steve Schaller, interpreter; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Billy Maxwell, interpreter; Jane Weber, director; middle row, Hue! Willis, interpreter; Neil Wynn, engineering technician; Ann Goldhalin, education coordinator; Dionne Half, visitor information clerk; back row. Sue Buchel, Closed Mondays interpretive services specialist; Kaye Dobrocke, business management as¬ during the winter. sistant; Dee Pretty On Top, visitor information clerk. Not pictured: Lynette Scriver, visitor information clerk. 7 Students Dig into Archaeology! Left: Elk City students (grades 2-4) show Zone Fulbright how to find artifacts in the screen. Photo by: ReaAnn Loomis, Elk City second grade teacher older students as they pulled each item out a pit and navigated their way around a by Zone Fulbright, archaeologist of the ground. All of the kids, from kin¬ compass course set up in the school yard. Red River Ranger District, Nez Perce NF dergarten through eighth grade, took part Even their teacher finally learned the ba¬ A in “bucket digs” — wash tubs filled with sics of using a compass! dirt or sawdust that were seeded with arti¬ The final program of the week had the s part of Idaho Archeology facts. After excavating their “pit,” each fifth and sixth graders practicing oral his¬ Week, Elk City students spent student watched as their dirt was screened, tory interviews. They wrote histories of time with Red River Ranger hoping their bucket had the least artifacts their moms for Mother’s Day, and inter¬ District Archaeologist Zane Fulbright, that had gone undetected. viewed friends and relatives to gather in¬ learning to excavate and identify artifacts. The higher level math class then took a formation. They practiced by preparing Kindergarten kids, already familiar with turn at orienteering and staking out a pit, questions and interviewing each other. We pottery from watching the “Sherdy the using good old geometry and the even did some taping so the kids could Storyteller” video, excitedly identified Pythagorean theorem to make certain that hear how they sounded. potsherds. Sherdy. by the way, is an ani¬ their pits were square. The students will use their skills even mated potsherd - and a potsherd is a pot¬ After the impromptu math lecture and more when they help to compile a history tery fragment. compass lesson, we went outside (after the of the Elk City School, interviewing mem¬ Lithic tools and historic logging and fresh end-of-April snowfall) and laid out bers of the community and former Elk City mining artifacts were identified by the test pits. The kids did a super job! By the students. They’re going to do great! end of the session, all the kids had staked Customer Service Talking About Customer Service Corner and Doing Something About It! Babete Anderson, with the Beartooth District, Custer National T by Gloria Weisgerber, RO customer service coordinator Forest, recently got her name and pic¬ ture in the local Red Lodge newspa¬ here's no shortage of good cus¬ Participants were full of ideas and sug¬ per, the Carbon County News. The tomer service in Region One. gestions for priorities. The first task out¬ paper nominated Babete for that But there is a shortage of a re¬ lined by the group is now accomplished. week's Random Acts of Kindness gion-wide network to plan for and sup¬ There is a formal customer service net¬ award “in recognition of her unfail¬ port staff efforts to encourage a customer- work in place. Forest supervisors and di¬ ingly sunny manner in dealing with the driven organization. rectors have selected an official contact public. At a time when speaking with On April 8 in Missoula, representatives person for each forest as well as for each government employees is generally district and RO unit. from almost all the forests and units in The goal of the new organization will less fruitful and enjoyable than talk¬ the RO gathered to take stock of the be to lead self-managing forest and RO ing with an answering machine. region’s customer service program. They staff unit teams and to network across the Babete’s cheerful demeanor and help¬ discussed ways to strengthen our cus¬ region in an effort to achieve individual ful service are a breath of fresh big- tomer service network, to make our pro¬ as well as regional objectives. sky air.” gram more visible and consistent, to se¬ A conference to support R-1 ’s customer Hats off to you, Babete, for that cure buy-in by staff, and to encourage service program will be held May 16-18, smile in your voice! more and better training. 2000, in Great Falls. 8 Tragic Plane Crash in Wilderness Claimed Ten Lives A Personal Rememberance I by Cindy Schacher, archaeological technician Nez Perce National Forest t was June 11, 1979, a beauti¬ Within minutes the worst was confirmed. The DC-3 was down in the Selway River. ful spring day, bright with sun¬ The next few moments and hours were shine and hope for a great sum¬ a blur. The one vision that has stuck clearly mer. The clean air, with a hint in my mind was that of a young man riding of pine, is still fresh in my up to us on a white horse. The horse was mind. my dad’s. Trigger, and the young man was My father, Art Seamans, was the dis¬ Bryant Stringham who had been on the trict ranger at Moose Creek. Our family DC-3! He had escaped relatively un¬ was fortunate to spend our summers at the scathed, one of two passengers who sur¬ remote ranger station. The years spent at vived to tell of their experience. Moose Creek were full of wonderment, We learned later that an engine had over¬ learning, and enjoying the great outdoors. heated, causing the pilots to shut it down. My mother, sister, and I had flown into Then the other engine blew a piston, which Moose Creek Ranger Station the day be¬ started a fire and caused the propeller to fore annual spring orientation in a Cessna seize, twisting the engine from the plane’s 206. We were originally scheduled to fly wing. The pilots did their best to land the in the following day on a DC-3 with the powerless, unbalanced aircraft in the river majority of the district crew, but my mom at Dry Bar, the only straight and quiet decided we should go in ahead of time so stretch of the plunging Selway River, but that she could bake a cake for everyone the plane fell a few feet short. on orientation day. On that sunny spring day, June 11,1979, ten people lost their lives in one of earth’s As we settled in for the summer season most magnificent places, the Selway-Bit- on June 11, we sat on the wood steps of terroot Wilderness. They were on their our wall tent awaiting the arrival of the way to a few months of adventure and hard DC-3. work to help manage and preserve that Spring orientation was a time for all the rugged land. employees to get acquainted and learn That there were two survivors, Bryant about the job they would be doing. It was Stringham and Charles Dietz, is testimony a fun time, a time when the Forest Ser¬ to the skills of pilot Marvin (Whitey) vice truly felt like family. Every year new Hachmeister and co-pilot John recruits arrived to try their hand at the gru¬ Slingerland, both who lost their lives. eling work of the backcountry and get to Three of the passenger victims were ca¬ know and experience this wonderfully reer employees: engineers Ronald Hagan rugged country. and Robert “Andy” Taylor, and Moose Aviation has been part of the Selway- Creek resource assistant Donald Bitterroot Wilderness since 1932 when the Easthouse. Patrick McGreevey, Philip first airstrip was completed at Moose Leber, Catherine Hodgin, and Robert Creek. Clearing the strip of its thick veg¬ Cook were seasonal employees. Thomas etation was difficult and took many hours Terkeurst was volunteering for the sum¬ of human muscle and mule power to ac¬ mer. Ten died, but their loss reverberated complish the job. In 1959 the second, across the country, touching the lives of hundreds. longer airstrip was constructed. Twenty years have passed, but those We were anxiously awaiting the arrival who lost their lives in the line of duty that of the DC-3 when we got the word that tragic day will not be forgotten. Please something was wrong. Grangeville dis¬ take a moment to honor these fine people, patch had lost contact with the plane. forever members of our Forest Service Everyone was shocked and felt helpless. family.

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