U.S. Forest Service Grizzly Bear Management Policy Looks to Strengthen Griz Protection

The U.S Forest Service is working to update its grizzly bear management policy in the Helena, Kootenai, Lewis and Clark, and Lolo National Forests in an attempt to ensure grizzly bears are protected wherever they may travel in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (or NCDE).Lolo National Forest plan revision team leader Joe Kreuger explained why these changes are happening now.

"The grizzly bear population in the NCDE has met all of the requirements to meet full recovery," Kreuger said. "So now, we want to put in all of the relevant direction consistently across those national forests and then, once that is done, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can move toward removing grizzly bears from the Endangered Species Act."

The changes won’t happen until the public has a chance to weigh-in at a series of meetings, which are as follows:

• March 17, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Flathead National Forest Supervisors Office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell MT 59901

• March 19, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Riverstone Family Lodge, 6370 US Hwy 93N, Eureka, MT 59917

• April 7, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Seeley Lake Community Center, Seeley Lake, MT 59868

• April 8, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Rocky Mtn. Heritage Center (Ft. Missoula), 3255 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804*

• April 9, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Superior Ranger Station Conference Room, Superior, MT 59872*

• April 14, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Lincoln Community Hall, 404 Main St., Lincoln, MT 59639*

• April 15, 2015, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Stage Stop Inn, 1005 Main Ave. North, Choteau, MT 59422*

*Meetings in Missoula, Superior, Lincoln and Choteau will primarily address amendment proposed action.

Grizzly bears in the lowere-48 were put on the Endangered Species list back in 1975. Recent population studies indicate that Montana grizzly bears may have reached a sustainable population in 2011.