Activity Report Explorer

Bozeman • Entered by Nancy Ostlie on April 2, 2020

Attend Montana Forest Action Advisory Council meeting

January 29, 2020 – January 30, 2020

Key Issue: Landscape Planning (Forest Plans, RMPs, TMPs, etc.)
Activity Type: Advocacy (rallies, lobbying, meeting decision makers, letters/calls/emails)

Short Description of Activity

Drove to Missoula Montana to attend a large meeting with many agencies assembled for the mission of advising Governor Bullock on which 80% of eligible lands in the state of Montana can be “treated” (logged) in the name of fire suppression. The mandate for the group comes from the Trump administration direction to log for “forest health” and to prevent catastrophic wildfire, something that has been discredited as not based on science or reason. Made notable public comment.

Reflection/Evaluation

If I had taken the initiative earlier than 01-20 to attend these meetings as a public observer, I might have had some companions to attend with me, and thus have a greater impact. But as it was, I had to drive eight hours total in bad winter conditions to Missoula Montana and stay in a hotel overnight at my own expense. But I found it to be powerful to have the attention of about fifty top policymakers in our state and region as they carried on in a ‘business as usual’ tone the plan to log 80% of eligible lands in the state of Montana to feed the timber mills, or to accomplish “Forest restoration” or forest health goals, including preventing catastrophic wildfire.
As it was there was only one scientist in the room (Tom DeLuca of UM) but the county commissioners and State Department of Natural Resources (DNRC) personnel, along with many representatives of private industry like Timber associations of Idaho and Montana, private logging consultants, and the Region 1 Forest Supervisor Leanne Marten all seemed to agree that they could announce and implement a plan by Sept. 2020 per the direction of Governor Bullock to log significant portions of the federal, state and local lands in our state. I was able to deliver public comment that challenged the lack of science, lack of consideration of any federal laws such as NEPA or the Endangered Species Act, or the Wilderness Act, and lack of legitimacy this group had to decide issues on federal lands.
I plan to attend other such statewide meetings in the future and encourage a group to attend with me. I have other documentation of this event/meeting and collaborated with many colleagues to take actions based on the event.