Northern Region news

14 Pages·1994·1.8 MB·English

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

a S£>/1
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A Newsletter for Employees and Retirees ISSUE 11 November 1994
ven the scorching summer sun vertebrates, including jhe mighty Tyran-
couldn’t deter the group as they nosaurs rex and the Triceratops.
scraped the hillsides in search of By chanco, one of tho. participants in
the mighty T-rex, and scoured last year’s workshop had discovered a
the badlands for remnants of the ceratops tibia on Custer land while deer
ancient inhabitants of what was hunting. He recogpized both the bone
once hundreds of square miles and the formationdt was in, and reported
of humid swamp...” it to the forest geologist. As part of this
It may sound like a line from a novel year’s workshop, the entire group vis¬
but it describes what actually happened ited the site and excavated the ceratops
to a small group of employees and vol¬ bone. Initial indications are that this is a
unteers when the Custer National For¬ major site, both for possible dinosaur
est sponsored its second workshop in remains, and for other significant verte¬
paleontology during earlier this August. brate fossils. Evaluation of the site is
Last year, the Custer, in cooperation planned as the next step in the process.
with North Dakota Geological Survey pa¬ The workshop’s next stop was a site
leontologist Dr. John Hoganson and For¬ discovered last year by another hunter.
est Service paleontologist Barbara Several specimens, including the skull
Beasley, presented a paleontology work¬ of a prehistoric crocodile-like creature
shop attended by over 40 people from (Champsosaur), were excavated by the
"1 over the Nation. The group this year group. This second area has all indica¬
is equally diverse, including geologists, tions of being an unusual and important
lands specialists, miner¬ fossil site, and its evaluation is also be¬
als .specialists, foresters, a botanist, a ing planned.
Badlands
st, a public affairs officer, and a The Custer has had a Memorandum
supervisor/archaeologist (Nancy of Agreement with the North Dakota
iden;iaew supervisor of the Custer Geological Survey since 1986 regarding
tiorial Forest). paleontological resources of North Da¬
One factor common among all par- kota. These workshops have been an off¬
by Carol McCoy Broum,
.ticipants was an extremely high interest shoot of that MOA and have demon¬
Geologist
in learning more^ about and protecting strated the benefits to both agencies of
Custer National Forest
this unusual, rare, and valuable resource. collaborating on such efforts. Through
As a result, this-workshop concentrated the workshops, the Custer is developing
; ' on providing additional experience in a cadre of personnel with the interest
discovering, identifying, and excavating level and skills to identify and manage
: fossils. Once again, the session was led the fossil resources in which the forest
by Dr. Hoganson. is particularly rich.
The lands of the Custer are particu¬ If you are interested in participating
larly conducive to fossil deposits. There in future Custer National Forest paleon¬
is significant evidence at least part of tology workshops, please contact Carol
the badlands were once humid swamps McCoy-Brown (C.Brown:R01F08A or
inhabited by ancient turtles and prehis- 406/657-6361). We also welcome ques¬
fyf toric alligators and crocodiles. Elsewhere tions and inquiries from other forests
in the Custer, fossil remains suggest pre¬ who may be developing or wishing to
historic habitation by some of the larger develop a similar program.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Northern Region Missoula, Montana
Harnessing the Future
• • •
It's a Long
Montana
and
Way to
North Dakota
Girl Scouts
Manhattan
Join Forces
T
he streets of Manhattan are a long way
by Rick Ellison,
Girl Scout trail crew and supervisors near
Civil Engineer Techinician way from the trails of the Bob Marshall
Hyalite reservoir
Gallatin National Forest Wilderness. For New Yorker Amy Ng, the
familiar sounds of honking horns were re¬
| --- irl Scouts from Bismarck, North cialist Nancy Halstrom. General information
placed for a brief period this summer by the
V^/Dakota and Bozeman, Montana, volun¬ on trails and trail construction was given but
high pitch whoots of owls and the constant
teered several days of their summer vacation primary emphasis was placed on the safe use
to construct a portion of a hiking trail along of hand tools. roar of Hahn Creek rushing by the camp site.
the recently enlarged Hyalite reservoir, 16 Following the orientation, the 15-member Amy, along with five other high school
miles south of Bozeman. It was a joint effort crew proceeded to build 1,800 feet of trail in students from all over the country (New
three days. It wasn’t an easy task, consider¬
put together by Girl Scout leaders and Gallatin York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vir¬
ing what was involved: excavation and clear¬
National Forest personnel from the Bozeman
ing of the trail, root and rock removal, ginia, Washington), volunteered to com¬
District and the Gallatin Supervisor Office’s
switchback construction, native log and rock plete needed work on Hahn Creek Trail in
Engineering unit. The project was educa¬
waterbar installation, and drain dips. “the Bob” July 18-August 15. The students
tional for the girls, which was a forest objec¬
Despite the 90-degree temperatures that
tive, and it achieved another goal of complet- first week in August, the enthusiasm of the were recruited by the Student Conservation
ing a trail using all volunteer labor. crew and their leaders and the quality of their Association (SCA), which contacts high
Before any work began, the forest took the work was outstanding. Excellent job by a schools for students interested in complet¬
opportunity to acquaint the girls with careers crew that ranged in age from 13 to 17—not ing conservation-related projects.
for women in the Forest Service, a presenta¬ long in years, but certainly in energy and
The Forest Service is one of the cooperat¬
tion made by Bozeman district resource spe- spirit.
ing agencies that uses SCA as a means of
involving young people in their programs.
The funding for the program comes from the
Getting students, who pay for their own transporta¬
tion to the job site; the SCA, who make
Young People
scholarships available for students who
would otherwise be unable to participate;
Involved in
and the cooperating agency, which pays for
food and supervision.
NATIVE FISHERY
David McEvoy, paramedic with Missoula
Emergency Ambulances, and Andrea
by Ken Furrow, Stephens, a science teacher at Big Sky High
Biologist Technician, Lolo National Forest Young men and women hard at work on
School in Missoula, were the SCA supervi¬
Eustache Creek
I
sors on site. Dave Arbach, forestry techni¬
n July, Lolo National Forest employees 13, YMCA coordinators and Ninemile Dis¬ cian for the Spotted Bear Ranger District,
and young people from the YMCA com¬ trict and Supervisor's Office personnel
served as Forest Service supervisor of the
bined efforts to enhance and improve fish placed log structures, rolled and carried
project.
habitat on a portion of Eustache Creek, a boulders for stream placement and tore
tributary to Ninemile Creek. Eustache Creek apart the fish barrier. Everybody had fun The crew did an excellent job and pro¬
historically was important as a spawning with the young people working exception¬ vided a needed service for the Forest Ser¬
stream for native species coming out of the ally hard. vice. They arrived with a great attitude that
Ninemile Creek and the Clark Fork River. The results of this project will be moni¬ carried them through four weeks of hard
The lower portions of the stream have been tored over the next several years for popu¬ manual labor. In the meantime, they had a
heavily channelized by past placer mining lation changes and for the effectiveness of
terrific time.
with little to no habitat available for the the structures. The participation of the
native fisheries. A man-made fish barrier YMCA and the Forest Service personnel by Fred Flint, Assistant District Ranger
was also in place which inhibited movement made the day’s labor successful for district, Spotted Ranger District
into the upstream portions of the drainage. for the kids and—with luck—for the fish. Flathead National Forest
Young people between the ages of 11 and
...and Saving the Past
The
CanyonCreek
KILNS
fay Jack de Golia,
Public Affairs Specialist
Beaverhead National Forest
F
or the last two summers, crews of
volunteer masons and others have
climbed on scaffolds surrounding
3 of the 22 charcoal kilns along Can¬
yon Creek in the Beaverhead Forest.
Lying eight miles west of Melrose,
Montana, the kilns are among the
few reminders left of a booming min¬
ing and smelting operating that took
Above: Early mining camp of Glendale, MT.
place there and in the next drainage
Courtesy the Beaverhead County Museum.
south at a town called Glendale.
The volunteers have worked to sta¬
Left: The Canyon Creek kilns - among the few
bilize three 25-foot high, beehive¬
reminders left of the mining and smelting
shaped ovens used to tum wood into operations in the area.
charcoal in the 1880’s. Built by the
Hecla Consolidated Mining Com¬
pany, the kilns were stuffed with wood
that was slowly burned. The resulting char¬ coal a month. shape. Three, in particular, will withstand a
coal then went to fire the smelter at Glendale When the ore played out, Glendale and few more winter snows, spring thaws, sum¬
and turn ore into $22 million worth of silver, the kilns were left to the elements. Time has mer heat, and fall winds, and tell their story to
lead, and copper over the lifetime of the reduced Glendale to a roofless brick barn, a more curious people who stand and wonder
operation. At their height, the kilns pro¬ pile of slag, and a smokestack without a about these odd-looking structures.
duced more than 100,000 bushels of char¬ building. Most of the kilns remain in good
Sourdough
by Cindy Schacher, Archaeology Technician
T
Nez Perce National Forest
Peak
lhe historic 1927 Sourdough Peak Look the State Historic Preservation Office, vol¬
out, located near the Gospel Hump Wil¬ unteers at Sourdough Peak assisted with the
derness, has a special place among look¬ preparation and placement of new wall logs,
Lookout
outs in Region One. It consists of a log general clean-up of the lookout interior, scrap¬
cabin with a cupola, based primarily on a ing of old paint and applying a fresh coat to
model design created by the Forest Service window shutters, sanding of the maple hard¬
in the 1920's. However, during construc¬ wood flooring, and the rebuilding of the rock
tion, the local builder modified the number and mortar foundation. Volunteers also as¬
and placement of the windows to create a sisted Cindy and Ali with the recordation of
continuous band of windows encircling the historic can and bottle dumps and trails asso¬
building. ciated with the lookout. This recordation
Preservation of these unique character¬ included mapping, sketching and photograph¬
istics was the aim of the Nez Perce Na¬ ing.
tional Forest in a recent restoration project Volunteers traveled from as far as Ne¬
completed this summer, headed by Forest braska, Chicago, and Florida to take part in
archaeologists Cindy Schacher and Ali this remote back-country project. Also par¬
Abusaidi. The effort was supported by con¬ ticipating were volunteers from Grangeville,
tractor and former Forest Service employee Peck, Lewiston, and Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.
Bruce Dreher and the Forest Service Pass¬ The enthusiasm and intense labor from all
port In Time (PIT) Program. PIT is part of participants was greatly appreciated. Forest
National Heritage Resource Program which Service employees will return to the site this
provides opportunities for individuals to fall to complete the project. When the work
work with professional archaeologists and is completed Sourdough Peak Lookout will
historians on projects involving historic or be restored to its original grandeur so that we
prehistoric resources. and future generations may enjoy a “peak”
Following a course of work approved by into the past.
Sourdough Peak Lookout
4
by Jack de Golia,
Public Affairs Officer
and starts walking toward you. What do you
Deerlodge &
Beaverhead National Forests do?
for
The Lewis and Clark National Forest’s
Rocky Mountain District may be able to
help you avoid getting into this situation.
The Forest will be constructing the Nation’s
Crystals first Grizzly Bear Interpretive Trail at Marias
Pass Historical Site, a developed rest area
and campground located on the southern
border of Glacier National Park. This handi¬
C capped-accessible trail will be about .7 miles
long and will wind through prime grizzly
Vystal Park, located along
habitat.
/the Pioneer Mountains Sce¬
The trail will teach people about the
nic Byway in the Dillon Ranger
lifestyle of the great bear, while informing
District, is a unique crystal dig¬
them about ways of avoiding encounters
ging area. Thanks to the efforts of
and conflicts—conflicts that could result in
the Butte Mineral and Gem Club
a person being seriously injured or even
over many years, anyone may stop
killed. The trail will also stress the impor¬
in with a shovel, trowel, or even a
tance of careful actions to keep the grizzly
popsicle stick and dig for quartz
bear, a threatened species since 1975, from
crystals.
disappearing from one of its last strong¬
The club first kept the area open
holds.
to the public by maintaining a min¬
Several agencies and organizations have
ing claim on it. Later, it supported the
/•>-> taken an interest in this project.
ranger district’s effort to have the area
Glacier National Park assisted
withdrawn from staking of mineral
with preliminary trail design
claims to provide for public recreational
access to the crystals. The withdrawal The and will edit interpretive mes¬
sages. Montana Department
order was Secretary of the InteriorBruce
of Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Babbitt’s first official act after being
f is assisting with interpre¬
confirmed as by the Senate in early 1993.
tive messages and design.
Now, people flock to Crystal Park
throughout the summer season, to search Meeting JBlackfeet traditionalists
have provided insight to
for hexagonal, clear or slightly purple
their past and current
crystals.
Grizzly
views of the grizzly and
The club recently received a Regional
will be involved in the writ¬
Forester’s award in recognition of their
cooperation with the Forest Service in Trail ing and design incorporated
of the sign incorporating
the management of Crystal Park. The
their views. Glacier County,
award was presented this past July by
by Shawna Zechmann,
in conjunction with the De¬
Chuck Wassinger, director of the Interpretive Specialist,
partment of Transportation,
Region’s Lands and Minerals unit, who, Rocky Mountain Ranger
js providing trail and inter-
accompanied by Katie Bump and Phyllis S Lewis & Clark National
f pfetive design assistance as
Denton from the Beaverhead National
o you’re hiking in the North j well as being a Challenge Cost Share
Forest, attended the club’s annual meet¬
Mountains on a beautiful summer day, partner.
ing in Butte.
ambling down a trail thick with wildflowers. As a spin off, General Norman
Stated Dillon District Ranger Barry
You are enveloped in scenic splendor, ab¬ Schwartzkopf, the national grizzly bear
Hicks of the club’s efforts, “They have
sorbed in the wildness around you. As you spokesperson, and the Center for Wildlife
been constant, enthusiastic cooperators,
round the next bend, you see something large Information (CWI) plan to dedicate the trail
true to their vision for Crystal Park.
and covered with fur in a small grove of in the fall of 1995. CWI is another Challenge
They have managed to get the attention
aspens. You walk a few steps closer to get a Cost Share partner in this project.
of the Forest Service and share their
better look and perhaps a photo when the The interactive nature of the interpretive
vision with us. We could not have the
animal suddenly stands on its hind legs to get exhibits should make a lasting impression
quality recreation site we have today at
a better look and smell of you. It’s a bear. The on trail users. It’s an exciting project that has
Crystal Park without them."
brochures on bears you received at a nearby great value to people and wildlife alike. For
national park are on the back seat of your car, questions or comments about the trail, con¬
unread. The bear suddenly drops to all fours tact Shawna Zechmann at [phone].
5
The R-l
Another Banner
Pack Year for the
Northern Region
Train
Pack Train
in the
by Bob Hoverson, Forester,
Ninemile Ranger District
Gallatin
N
orthern Region Pack train manager
Bob Hoverson and his assistant Dave
L to R: Patricia Hesch, York have spent another extraordinary
Steven Listman on
season on the road with the Region’s
"Grace," and Bob
mule train. The forests anddistricts nomi¬
nated many outstanding projects for the
pack train, more than twice as many as
by Patricia Hesch, could be accommodated.
Forester
An estimated 80,000 people in Mon¬
Hebgen Lake Ranger District
tana, Idaho, and Washington were able
Gallatin National Forest
T to have personal contact with this unit
during the 1994 season and we made
he versatility of the Region One Pack tions, about 30 children and their parents are appearances in 12 of the 13 forests in
Train, led by Bob Hoverson and Dave brought to Big Sky from all over the country. Region One. The Big Horn Sport Show
York, shone through this summer during the The kids’ favorite part of the camp is “Hebgen in Spokane, county fairs, the College
mules’ visit to the Madison District, Lake Day” where they spend the day at National Finals Rodeo and working with
Beaverhead National Forest, and the Hebgen Rainbow Point, boating, barbecuing, and young cancer patients were just a few of
Lake District, Gallatin National Forest. The watching the Nine Mile Pack Train do their the special events in which the pack train
two-week “hitch” in southwest Montana this stuff. participated this year.
July started with a work project in the Madi¬ This year, Bob and Dave rode into the The pack train, which is available free
son, packing timbers up the Bear Creek picnic area leading the string, and then spent of charge to any forest or ranger district
drainage to replace a bridge in the Lee Metcalf about 45 minutes introducing the mules and in Region One, offers a “state-of-the-
Wilderness. explaining all their equipment. The kids had art” display and program on minimum
The week ended with a day of low impact plenty of questions and afterwards we all impact camping and stock use; can pack
camping lessons for about 25 local outfitters. joined them for a picnic lunch. Kids have large volumes of equipment, materials,
Most of the outfitters present have been in told camp organizers they love to see the and supplies to remote back country or
the business for many years, but they were mule team and look forward to it each year. wilderness areas; and are a very popular
all obviously interested in Bob’ s agenda, and The busy week in West Yellowstone con¬ and professional representative of the
took home some new “light on the land” tinued with a demonstration in the city park Forest Service in parades, fairs, and other
ideas. and a demonstration at a summer camp for special public events.
The pack train moved on to West local kids. The week was wrapped up with a Get ready to nominate your pack¬
Yellowstone, where they were hosted by the packing workshop for the community. About ing project or educational program
Hebgen Lake District. Bob and Dave packed 30 folks joined Bob and Dave at the district’s for next season! Beginning December
water bars and trail markers into the beauti¬ corral for a few hours of instruction in pack¬ 1, the Northern Region Pack Train Board
ful Bacon Rind Country, followed by a day ing methods, and of course, another cook- of Directors will again be accepting re¬
of packing fence posts to the Cabin Creek out. As much as the district enjoys having the quests for this unit to provide work,
Cabin. The posts will be used to build a new team come to town, I think Bob and Dave education or show type services. An
corral next season. look forward to coming because they know information packet detailing just what
With their work out of the way, the “fun” they will be well fed! this unit can do for you as well as infor¬
sessions began. It has become an annual Both the Madison and Hebgen Lake Dis¬ mation on how to request the pack train
event for the string to participate in the tricts have benefited greatly from the work is available by contacting Bob Hoverson
Hebgen Lake Day of the Eagle Mount/Big that the Region One Pack String has done in or Lynne Sholty at Ninemile Ranger
Sky Kids Summer Camp. Eagle Mount is a the last couple of years, and we, as much as Station, 20325 Remount Road, Huson,
program which provides a week’s worth of the children of the community, hope that Mt 59846, or telephone [phone]
activities for young cancer patients and their Bob, Dave and the “crew” will come back in or by DG at R01F16D04A.
families. Each year, through private dona¬ years to come..
6
Beth Paragamian of the Idaho Panhandle public meetings,” stated Trout Unlimited
National Forests has been selected Northern Westlope Chapter President Steve Schombel.
Region Interpreter of the Year for 1994. A co-participant in planning for the Rock
Beth will represent the Northern Region in Creek drainage was Orville Daniels, recently
national competition for the Gifford Pinchot retired supervisor of the Lolo National Forest.
Excellence in Interpretation Award which is As a result of many months of analyzing the
given to the outstanding National Forest comments from these meetings and from thou¬
Interpreter in the Nation each year. sands of letters and other comments, the two
Beth is a full-time watchable wildlife spe¬ supervisors announced a suspension of all tim¬
cialist in a unique collaboration between the ber harvest in the Rock Creek drainage for the
Forest Service, Idaho Department of Fish next 10 years of Forest Management Plans.
and Game, and Bureau of Land Manage¬ Daniels received the prestigious Trout Con¬
Job Corps ment, each of whom contribute to her salary. servation Award not only for his work in Rock
Beth has been enormously successful in Creek but in recognition of his achievements
working with partners to develop wildlife during the whole of his 37 years with the Forest
Celebrates interpretive sites and programs. She also Service. “Throughout his career Orville Daniels
designs and delivers education programs, has been concerned with the environment and
coordinates special events, and writes ar¬ proper management of the Lolo National Forest.
30th ticles, newsletters, and scripts. Although his duties included much more than
Beth’s skills as an interpreter are nowhere trout conservation, we feel that his career in
more apparent than when speaking one-on- summary deserves consideration,” Schombel
Anniversary one with the thousands of captivated stu¬ commented.
dents and Forest visitors that she personally
contacts each year in over one hundred
by Marlette Lacey, presentations. Effective team player, pro¬
Administrative Officer fessional educator, tireless worker, broad Carla Kurtz, of the Medora Ranger District,
gauge thinker, and inspiring interpreter are
Trapper Creek Jobs Corps Center Custer National Forest was one of two Forest
all terms that describe Beth Paragamian.
Service employees selected nationally to re¬
She is an excellent choice for Northern
ceive the Women's Equality Day award.
Region Interpreter of the Year for 1994.
Recognized was Carla’s work and leadership
In September, 300 students and in many women-related issues. For the past two
staff from the Trapper Creek Job years she has assisted the Dickinson Commu¬
Corps Center signed a scroll dis¬ nity Federal Emergency Management Assis¬
tance Board, and currently is serving as its
played on Capitol Hill October 3-
president. The board supports through grant
7, along with scolls from all 111
funding many charitable causes involving the
job corps centers throughout homeless and needy. She has worked as well
America. Students crafted the with the Domestic Violence/Rape Crisis Board,
scrolls, valued at $450 each, from particularly in the area of counseling and pre¬
vention. For the past 4 years, Carla has been
materials at their centers.
instrumental in the planning, preparation and
Job Corps is the Nation's oldest
execution of the Custer National Forest’s Na¬
and largest Federally funded resi¬ tive American Youth Practicum. She has also
dential job training, education, and actively recruited Native American women for
job placement program for disad¬ Forest Service employment.
Hearing her name called at the award’s cer¬
vantaged youths. Students, who
emony in Washington, D.C. proved an emo¬
range in age from 16-24, could Beth Paragamian and her friend
tional time for
have joined the country ’ s burgeon¬ Widget, the saw-whet owl. Carla, who re¬
ing population of underemployed, called all the
undereducated youths. Instead they struggles she
had been
are seeking a basic education, job
through to
training, and many other services Trout Unlimited, a fisheries con¬ achieve equal¬
needed to lead productive lives. servation group, honored two Re¬ ity. Said Carla,
Sheldon Old Chief, a member of gion One forest supervisors with a “I was proud to
the Blackfoot tribe and currently a “national award. be represent¬
On September 24, Deerlodge ing Region
student at Trapper Creek, said, if
rorest Supervisor Van Elsbernd One, Custer
given 5 minutes with the Presi¬ Received a award for Distin¬ National For¬
dent, he'd tell him, “It is a pretty guished Service to National est, Medora
good place, and helped to turn my ^^pnservation Policies for Cold Ranger Dis¬
life around. It is a good opportu¬ "Vainer Fisheries. Noted was his trict in North
work in public Involvement in forest man¬ Dakota, and
nity to get an education, vocation,
agement of the Rock Creek drainage. Van the women of
and develop one’s social skills. Elsbernd took the lead in organizing two the U.S. Forest
For me, the Job Corps is the way.” large public meetings on management of the Service.
area. “These meetings were very fair and Carla Kurtz
open and could serve as a model for future
7
Creating a
Path
for
Front row, L to R: Charles Stuart, Marlette Lacey, Katie McReynolds, Steve Sherman, Yolanda Harris, Leslie
WAeldon, Proscilla Overton and Marcus Bowen.
Others to Back row, L to R: Jonathan Green, William Corthen, Art Hilton, Willie Sykes and Cliff Paradise.
ugust 11 emerged as a time of unity for AASG members voiced many issues and
the African American Strategy Group concerns at the meeting. A recurring theme
l(AASG). The AASG convened at the focused on recruitment, retention, training,
Follow Regional Office to discuss concerns facing and mentoring. The group regarded mentoring
African Americans in Region One. Cur¬ as an important factor throughout the Forest
rently, 17 African Americans are employed Service; perhaps as important as skill and
by the Region, comprising less than 1 per¬ talent when employees strive for acceptance
cent of the total workforce. Eleven are per¬ and greater professional development. With¬
manent full-time employees, four are sea¬ out these essential career components, reten¬
sonal employees and two are co-op students tion of employees is difficult.
by Yolanda Harris, Contract Specialist, and
under the 1890 program. The meeting elicited feelings of energy and
Marcus Bowen, Criminal Investigator
The AASG met with Regional Forester great expectations. Members of the AASG
Lolo National Forest Dave Jolly and Deputy Regional Forester view ourselves as pioneers in a new frontier
Chris Risbrudt to offer assistance and sup¬ and feel compelled to leave a clear path for
port, as the Forest Service strives toward its others to follow. We look forward to the
goal as a multicultural organization and an forthcoming challenges with a great deal of
employer of choice. The local AASG fo¬ optimism.
cused particularly on helping Region One If you have any questions or would like to
to attain its workforce diversity goals as inquire about the AASG, contact Yolanda
they relate to African Americans. Harris, Lolo National Forest, [phone].
spotlight
numerous other jobs, such as bakery, dairy, began praying. Outside the window of the
construction, railroad, food service, carpet plane you could see it was getting very
cleaning, house moving and sawmill work dark for 2:30 in the afternoon. We landed
just to stay alive. in Honolulu in one of the worst storms
How I Spend My Time Away from Work: ever recorded on the island. Something
Boating with my family and friends; during like 24 inches of rain fell in a 20-hour
the school year, following my son and daugh¬ period and life-threatening flooding was
ter around in a variety of activities involving occuring. Our hotel was sand-bagged for
both athletics and education; skiing. our protection and enjoyment. The beaches
My Dream Vacation: Is about the one I’ve were flooded with dirt and garbage that
Dan Davis
Name-. already taken to Hawaii that turned out to be had come from the flood choked creeks.
From: Beach City, Ohio the Vacation from Hell of which I’m still The weather people described it as a 100-
Profession: Wildlife biologist, having nightmares instead of dreams about. year catastrophic event. I had my own
Clearwater National Forest Therapy is not helping make the payments term....It (the storm) lasted for 4 more
What Job REALLY Is: I help manage either.... Okay, there’s a little more to the days and nights. The rain. The cold. We
conflict! Conflict between people and the story. From the day we got married, my wife did not bring the proper clothing. Oh sure,
uses of natural resources, particularly as it has always wanted to go to Hawaii. I vowed, we did see some sunshine on the second
relates to wildlife habitat and popula¬ never, and for 22 years held out. Then, in a island but the damage was already done
tions. moment of weakness and from the effects of for me. Will I be going back to Hawaii any
Best Part of My Job Is: Is the totally aging, I suprised my wife with two tickets to time soon???? Let me just say it will take
unexpected—unpredicted everyday op¬ two islands, seven nights in Hawaii. We longer than 22 years for me to dry out.
portunities that allow me to share infor¬ rented Hawaii videos. We read Hawaii travel My Greatest Adventure: Leaving home
mation and help resolve a problem. At books. We planned and we planned this once at age 19 and coming West never to return.
times these opportunities are overwhelm¬ in a lifetime trip. Everything went just fine Achievement I'm Most Proud of: Rais¬
ing and stressful but the bottom line is that until about 30 minutes from landing in Ho¬ ing two wonderful children, with a great
I really do love what I do. nolulu. I should have sensed something was wife, in a home that I built while trying to
Previous Life: I have worked for Idaho seriously wrong when the natives on the become the forest wildlife biologist on the
Fish and Game in a previous life and flight sitting next to us got on their knees and Clearwater National Forest.
8
fh
by Ann Acheson,
Regional Air Quality
Specialist
W
e know that air pollution from burn¬ demesses would have almost no capacity to
ing of fossil fuels and an industrial neutralize incoming acid rain.
way of life has the potential to signifi¬ Lichens: Lichens are monitored because
cantly impact wilderness. Air pollution can they are sensitive to air pollution and they
change the biology and chemistry of wilder¬ accumulate pollutants in their tissue which
ness lakes, streams, and soils, and degrade act as an historical record of the pollutants
clear skies and vistas. Air pollution can which have impacted an area. Lichens being
influence plant and animal reproductive pro¬ inventoried and monitored show normal dis¬
cesses, nutrient cycling, and insect, pest and tribution and population and little pollution
pathogen interactions. impacts.
Forthe above reasons, and tocomply with Visibility: Monitoring results indicate that,
the 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments, the except in localized areas. Region 1 still has
Northern Region is monitoring lake chemis¬ some of the cleanest air in the country, with
try and biology, lichens, and visibility in visibility averaging between 100 to 150 miles
several of our wildernesses. The Clean Air on an average day. The cleaner the air is,
Act requires that we protect Class I wilder¬ however, the more quickly it can be degraded
ness areas from adverse effects of air pollu¬ by air pollution. In other words, if the air is
tion. Class I areas include all wilderness pristine, it only takes a small amount of
greater than 5,000 acres that existed when pollution to cause a major reduction in vis¬
the amendments were passed. In Region ibility. In dirty air, it would take a large
One, those wildernesses include: Bob amount of additional pollution to cause the
Marshall, Cabinet Mountains, Selway-Bit- same visibility decrease.
terroot, Anaconda-Pintler, Gates of the Because we do not yet have data docu¬
Mountains, Mission Mountains, and the menting what is in the air, we have not been
Scapegoat. able to define what causes visibility impacts
in our Region. Our wilderness areas are de¬
What are the monitoring results? pendent on fire so we obviously know that
visibility is, has always been, and will con¬
tinue to be affected by smoke from forest
Lake chemistry and biology: Emissions
fires. We do not yet know, however, the
from sources such as coal burning power
degree that man-made pollution sources such
plants can cause major chemical and bio¬
as power plants, smelters or major urban
logical changes in a sensitive lake or stream
areas affect visibility.
ecosystem. “Sensitive” is usually defined
The air quality that affects Region One
by the capacity of a system to buffer incom¬
wilderness is still generally good to excellent.
ing acid due to air pollution. Our monitoring
However, only by protecting sensitive wil¬
has found no lakes changed by air pollution
derness attributes such as lakes, vegetation,
but some likely to change if subject to even
and visibility from man-made air pollution
small amounts of air pollution or acid rain.
impacts can we protect the integrity of the
For instance, certain lakes in the Selway-
wilderness resource for future generations.
Bitterroot and the Cabinet Mountains Wil-