Forest Planning: Bitterroot National Forest Plan

Summary: The Bitteroot is considered one unit with the Flathead and Lolo Forests for Forest Plan purposes. These Forests are referred to as the Western Montana Planning Zone (WMPZ).

The Bitterroot Forest Plan will not be released until the Forest Service decides how to proceed under the court ruling against the 2005 planning rule. Individual projects will continue under the old rules and through NEPA processes. A best guess for the release of the plan will be sometime in 2008.

MWA supports:

1. Wilderness Designation for these areas:
• Blue Joint
• Sapphire Mountains
• Stony Mountain
• Allan Mountain
• Additions to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area
• Additions to the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area
• Protection and expansion of the Sapphire Crest Trail (Trail #313)

2. Prohibition of road building in roadless areas, preservation of watersheds, closure of “user-created” roads to motorized vehicles, prohibition of motorized use in recommended Wilderness areas, prohibition of motorized use on roadless area trails, and provision of real protection of wildlands under the new “Backcountry” designation.

3. Restoration of the historic Sapphire Crest Trail on the Lolo, Deerlodge, and Bitterroot National Forests and a right-of-way across private land south of Pattee Canyon.