Some question if Montana brucellosis plan worth the cost to bison

In the decade since five state and federal agencies came up with a plan to manage bison in and around Yellowstone National Park, no confirmed cases of cattle being infected with brucellosis from bison carrying the disease have been reported.

Many people involved in the effort say that’s proof the Interagency Bison Management Plan, or IBMP, is a success.

However, that success has come at a cost. Since the agreement was signed in 2000, more than 3,500 bison have been killed to stop the potential transmission of the disease.

Read the full article from the Missoulian here.

Glacier National Park in Montana celebrates 100th anniversary today

One hundred years ago, on May 11, 1910, the people of the United States set aside 1 million acres of their finest federal land, protecting the tremendous mountain scenery of Glacier National Park.

“Glacier National Park is like no other place on Earth,” said U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. “It’s the pride of Montana. Once you’ve seen it, you’ll never be the same.”

Read the full story from The Missoulian here.

Montana wants to buy ranch near Deer Lodge for wildlife area

he state is negotiating a roughly $17 million purchase of almost 28,000 acres of private ranchland just northeast of Deer Lodge.

And to pay for the purchase, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing to dip into the state's Natural Resource Damage Program money.

The property is part of Rock Creek Cattle Co.'s Spotted Dog Ranch and includes extensive native grasslands and serves as winter range for up to 1,000 elk.

It provides yearlong habitat for elk, antelope, mule and whitetail deer, moose and possibly up to 22 species of concern, as well as grizzly bears, according to FWP.

 Read the full story from the Montana Standard here.

Oil company gives up Montana leases near Glacier Nat'l Park

More than 100 oil and gas leases – covering nearly 170,000 acres on Glacier National Park’s western border – will be retired voluntarily by energy giant ConocoPhillips, as part of a plan to protect outdoor recreation in the region.

Early this year, the provincial government in British Columbia ended three decades of transboundary dispute by placing the Canadian Flathead off limits to mining and drilling. Previously, Canadian officials had proposed several developments in the river drainage, including gold, coal and coalbed methane projects.

Downstream interests in Montana had worried that such industrialization would harm critical fish and wildlife migrations, and that pollutants would flow into the state.

Read the full article from the Missoulian here.

Interior Dept. grants millions to protect land, trout in Montana

The Department of Interior has awarded the state of Montana $6 million to buy 3,600 acres of timber company land to protect trout habitat east of Missoula.

The agency says preserving the land along the West Fork of the Clearwater River will also provide a link between other roadless areas considered prime habitat for grizzly bears and Canada lynx.

Read the full article from the Great Falls Tribune here.

Idaho, Montana senators' bill creates tax credits for species work

In 2008, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo accomplished part of his plan to encourage landowners to work with the Endangered Species Act, securing a permanent tax deduction for species expenditures on private land.

Crapo, R-Idaho, is now trying once more to get Congress to approve similar tax credits, competing with a number of other tax proposals in the wake of the mortgage crisis and recession.

The senator on March 24 introduced the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2010, which would provide credits for both habitat protection easements and restoration work. Co-sponsored by eight other senators — including Jon Tester of Montana — it’s been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Read the full article from the Twin Falls Times-News here .

Montana OKs 3-year study of dwindling Bitterroot elk population

The Bitterroot's elk herd may yield some of its secrets starting next winter if everything comes together as planned for a major study in the southern end of the valley.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials have approved the long-awaited three-year study on elk survival and recruitment in the east and west forks of the Bitterroot River.

"I could have almost done back flips when I got the word the study was a go," said Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association President Tony Jones. "We are finally going to get to find out what's happening with the valley's elk."

Read the full story from the Ravalli Republic here.

Comment period on bull trout habitat in 5 states extended to April 5

A Washington congressman's concerns have stretched out the comment period for bull trout critical habitat in the Pacific Northwest.  All thoughts and suggestions were supposed to be in by March 15. Four days before that, Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., asked for more time.

"We wanted to have more public hearings and input from affected communities, especially along the Columbia River," Hastings' press officer, Charlie Keller, said on Tuesday.

The critical habitat designation covers 22,679 miles of streams and 533,426 acres of lakes and reservoirs in Montana, Idaho, Washington, Nevada and Oregon.

Read the full story from the Missoulian here.

Lawsuit challenges bison transfer to Turner's Montana ranch

A coalition of wildlife advocates Tuesday asked a Montana judge to overturn an agreement that allowed dozens of Yellowstone National Park bison to be transferred onto billionaire Ted Turner’s private ranch.

Four wildlife groups that opposed last month’s transfer filed a lawsuit in Gallatin County claiming that the animals are a public resource that should be shielded from privatization.

Turner has agreed to take care of the animals for five years. In exchange, he gets 75 percent of their offspring, or an estimated 150 animals.

The suit’s plaintiffs said the state should either move the animals onto public land or pay Turner to take care of them rather than give up their young as compensation.

Read the full story from the Billings Gazette here.

Montana wildlife agency: Clark Fork River rebounds after dam removed

People along the Clark Fork River are still getting used to the removal of Milltown Dam. But as far as the fish are concerned, it's history.

"Over the last few years, almost 3 million cubic yards of sediment has gone, and remediation is almost complete," Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Dave Schmetterling told a crowd
of fishing guides at the Clark Fork Coalition's third annual state-of-the-fishery gathering Wednesday evening. "And it's almost immediately had an effect on the watershed. The impacts of the dam removal are now behind us by a couple years."

Read the full story from the Missoulian here .