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Visit us online: wildlandscpr.org

The Road RIPoRTeR

smm sos 2012. Vom 17 No. 2

GrIzzly Bears Help resre Bull ruHaBIa FlaHead aIal Fres!By Keith Hammer, Swan View Coalition

A Look Down the Trail, by Bethanie Walder. Page 2

Grizzly Bears Help Restore Bull Trout Habitat, by KeHammer. Pages 3-7

Get with the Program: The Boss. Pages 8-9

DePaving the Way: ORV Management Bullied IntoSubmission, by Bethanie Walder. Pages 10-11

Odes to Roads: Closing the Distance to Roads, by ToPetersen. Pages 12-14

Policy Primer: Integrated Resource Restoration, by ARissien. Pages 15-17

New Resources: Page 18

Biblio Notes: Bibliographic Databse updated, by SopVernholm. Pages 19-21

Around the Ofce. Page 22

Membership Info. Page 23

Below: Bull trout. Photo by Joel Sartore National Geographic Stock with Wade Fredenber.

Montana contractor removing stream-side road ll onthe Flathead National Forest. Photo by Paul Harvey.

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2012 Wildlands CPR

Wildlands CPR revives and protects wild placepromoting watershed restoration that impro

sh and wildlife habitat, provides clean waterenhances community economies. We focus

reclaiming ecologically damaging, unneeded and stopping off-road vehicle abuse on public

P.O. Box 7516Missoula, MT 59807

(406) 543-9551

www.wildlandscpr.org

Director

Bethanie Walder

Development DirectorThomas R. Petersen

Science Program DirectAdam Switalski

Legal Liaison/Staff AttornSarah Peters

Policy SpecialistAdam Rissien

Washington/OregonField Coordinator

Marlies Wierenga

Program AssociateGrace Brogan

Journal EditorDan Funsch

Board of DirectorsSusan Jane Brown, Dave Heller,

Marion Hourdequin, Crystal Mario, Kathi NiBrett Paben, Jack Tuholske

lkIG Bak a BIG reekBy Bethanie Walder

A Look Downthe trAiL

Big Creek has been restored, and removed from the Clean Water Acts list of water-qualityimpaired streams! Why? Because of road reclamation! Its a pleasure to include this as ourcover story, especially because Big Creek (on the Flathead National Forest in northern Mon-

ana) was one of the rst projects we engaged in as an organization, back in 1996. The streamad just been listed as impaired under the Clean Water Act, and the Flathead National Forest wasne year into their ten-year plan to rightsize their road system to comply with Endangered Species

Act protections for the grizzly bear. That convergence created a great opportunity to promote roadeclamation.

ast-forward sixteen years which seems like a really long time. But in the world of watershed

estoration, its a blink of an eye, at most. To learn about all the ups and downs during that decadend a half, check out the great cover story by Keith Hammer. Sufce it to say the conclusion wasot foregone Swan View Coalition, Friends of the Wild Swan and at key points, Wildlands CPR,ll played important roles watch-dogging the Forest Service to ensure their plans for this watershed

would be effectively implemented. In the end, the agency reclaimed more than 66 miles of road,nd upgraded or removed nearly 70 culverts, dramatically reducing the amount of sediment enter-

ng the Big Creek watershed. As Keith points out, at the start of this process, Big Creek had moreoad miles than stream miles. Thats no longer the case, but the roads that do remain provide ampleecreational and resource management access for the area.

ig Creek is an important example for a variety of reasons. First, the stream was listed as impairednder the Clean Water Act because of excess sediment, and the agencys plan to x the problemscknowledged that roads and logging were the primary culprits for all that sediment. But second,

ctivists had previously led a lawsuit to protect grizzly bears from the impacts of roads on that for-st. The resulting plan to address grizzly bear habitat needs also included language to protect bullrout, and thats one of the primary reasons that this story had such a happy ending. Big Creek hadumerous legal and funding handles that enabled Swan View Coalition and other activists to en-ure the Clean Water Act objectives for the area would be met and that the restoration plan woulde implemented. In too many instances, streams remain on the water quality limited list forever.

his is even more signicant as we consider the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) recentnnouncement about a new national rulemaking process regarding the regulation of logging roads

or their impacts to streams. RIPorter readers may recall several articles over the last 2 years abouthe NEDC v. Brown lawsuit (RIPorter 16.2; 15.3), which found that logging roads should be regu-ated and require permits as point sources of pollution under the Clean Water Act. In late May, thePA nally released their plan to comply with the litigation. But instead of proposing a permittingrocess, they have proposed changing the denition of industrial practices to exclude most aspectsf logging (and therefore the associated logging roads). This could enable them to avoid requiring

CWA permits for logging roads. Instead, they propose to ensure roads wont damage water by de-ending on Best Management Practices, which are typically voluntary. For more on this story, checkut our NEDC v. Brown page on our website, including a link to a fact sheet about the strengthsnd weaknesses of Best Management Practices.

We can only hope that Big Creek moves from a great, but somewhat lonely example, to one ofmany examples of the proven benets of reclaiming roads to improve water quality. Though wereavoring this victory, it leaves us hungry for more.
http://www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/depaving-way-logging-roads-and-clean-water-don%E2%80%99t-mixhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/depaving-way-logging-roads-and-clean-water-don%E2%80%99t-mixhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/content/nedc-v-brownhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/content/nedc-v-brownhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/depaving-way-logging-roads-and-clean-water-don%E2%80%99t-mixhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/depaving-way-logging-roads-and-clean-water-don%E2%80%99t-mix

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GrIzzly Bears Help resre Bull ruHaBIa FlaHead aIal Fres!By Keith Hammer

In Montanas northwest corner, the Forest Serviceand Montana Department of Environmental Quali-ty (DEQ) recently announced theyve succeeded in

estoring the Big Creek watershed in the FlatheadsNorth Fork, a key bull trout spawning stream. This ishe rst stream in Montana removed from DEQs listf impaired waters and it is truly good news!

While the agencies deserve credit, grizzly bears andull trout deserve credit too! After all, the bears in-isted over 60 miles of logging roads be decommis-

ioned in Big Creek to provide them with adequateabitat security. And bull trout and other sh insistedtream-bearing culverts be removed from those oldoads to help restore the entire watershed.

he story of Big Creek is about how advocacy, pub-c education and, often, litigation are necessary toay the foundation upon which success can be built.begins with listening to the needs of sh and wild-fe and ends with people also beneting from habi-at protection and restoration.

Griz nfuence Flathead Fret Plan

Grizzly bears have been speaking out against forest roads for decades, by eitherdying near them or giving them the cold shoulder. Wildlife biologists studyingbears use statistics to rephrase it this way: bears that linger near roads are atgreater risk of being killed by people and those that avoid roadside areas toavoid people give up considerable habitat they need for survival. For bears,when it comes to roads its damned if you do and damned if you dont!

Despite this, the Flathead National Forest (the majority of which is occupied bygrizzly bears) issued its 1986 Forest Plan calling for increasing its road system by50% (from 4,000 to 6,000 miles). Their Forest Plan, however, did not comportwith a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) ten-year study of Grizzly BearEcology in the Swan Mountains.

That study found that grizzly bears avoided both open roads and, because ofcontinued human access, roads closed to vehicles with just a gate or berm. Swan

Grizzly bear sow and cub. Keith Hammer Photo.

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BIG reek resred, cont

Culvert wash-out on Flathead National Forest. USFS Photo.

A Bupy ad n theWay t Big reek!

o help get Amendment 19s road decommissioning off on theght foot, Swan View Coalition, Friends of the Wild Swan and

Wildlands CPR hired Pacic Watersheds Associates (PWA)

n 1996 to present a three-day public road decommissioningworkshop at Big Creek. Though re-contouring an entire road isften our preferred method of decommissioning, the workshopocused on the more cost-efcient methods of removing culvertsnd re-contouring stream-side areas.

Montanans for Multiple Use (MFMU) held a protest at BigCreek, objecting to the workshop and road reclamation. But aedicated FS engineer attended the entire workshop, including full day in the eld with PWA beforehand. Soon after, thelathead embarked on its program of hydrologic decommis-ioning aimed at road treatments that both provide wildlifeecurity and protect sh and water quality.

ut hurdles remained. Swan View Coalition and Friends of theWild Swan led efforts to defend the Amendment, with helprom Wildlands CPR at different points along the way. We suc-essfully jumped most of those hurdles, but also clipped a few.

View Coalition (SVC) and Friends of the Wild Swan(FOWS) asked the Flathead to develop standardslimiting the total density of roads in bear habitat and,when it refused to work with U. S. Fish and WildlifeService (USFWS) to do so, we turned to the federal

courts, and won. As a result, in 1995 the Flatheadissued Amendment 19 to its Forest Plan, laying out aten-year plan to reduce total road densities throughthe reclamation of an estimated 650 miles of road.(Editors note:Wildlands CPR was largely foundedon Swan View Coalitions successful work to docu-ment roads and their impacts to wildlife like griz.)

Bull trout and other native sh harmed by road sedi-ments also got their say in Amendment 19 thanks tosheries biologists with the Flathead and FWP. Bi-ologists included language requiring that all stream-bearing culverts and associated road ll must beremoved when roads are reclaimed or decom-

missioned. Otherwise, the culverts would inevita-bly wash out and ush entire chunks of road down-stream.

Amendment 19, though initiated out of utmost con-

cern for threatened grizzly bears, was written tobenet other wildlife like elk, as well as sh andwater quality. USFWS, anticipating objections fromfolks who may not understand the harm forest roadscause to sh and wildlife, required the Flathead Na-tional Forest to develop and implement a publicinformation program on the positive effects of roadclosures for sh and wildlife, water quality, and oth-er Forest resources.

The Flathead fell at on its public education pro-gram. Separately, three of its former employeeshelped lead Montanans for Multiple Use (MFMU) inits opposition to Amendment 19.

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he rst hurdle, and one that helped set the tone for the next de-ade, came in 1996 through a controversial restoration planlong the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir. The Paint-Emeryroject, a collaboration between Defenders of Wildlife, National

Wildlife Federation, and the Intermountain Forest Industries Asso-iation, paired road decommissioning with logging. The proposal

was peer-reviewed, with the nal report concluding that the desireo harvest timber products should be explicitly recognized here ashe driving force. The peer review also stated it was unclear the

xtent to which road closure entails gating only, gating plus culvertemoval, or reclamation/obliteration.

A legitimate concern indeed. In May 1999, the Flathead attemptedo -- thereafter -- leave stream-bearing culverts in decommissionedoads because it would save money while allowing the Flathead toconsider the road reclaimed.

wan View Coalition and Friends of the Wild Swan led a noticef intent to sue, reminding the Flathead that Amendment 19 re-uires removal of the culverts not only to protect water quality andsh, but also to provide more effective road closure for wildlifeecurity. After consulting its attorneys, the Flathead abandoned its

nd-run, concluding SVC and FOWS were right.

n addition, the Paint-Emery stewardship contract didnt pan out asrojected. It failed to generate the funds needed to decommission

he promised 116 miles of road, though the logging was com-leted. This is, unfortunately, not an isolated case, and acts as aeminder to why Wildlands CPR, SVC, FOWS and others continueo advocate for independent funding for road reclamation.

Properly removed culvert in Big Creek. USFS Photo.

All of the collaborators walked away, and SVC and FOstepped in to pick up the slack. After nearly a dozen yeapressure, the decommissioning was nished in 2011 with stimfunds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment A2009. Culverts were removed, streambeds restored, and the rowere rendered impassable to motor vehicles - this would not been the case if simple earth berms had been installed. As a rof this reclamation in Paint-Emery, the wildlife are secure, the wquality is improved and sh passage is restored.

And then came the next hurdle. In 1996 the Interagency GrBear Committee (IGBC) threatened Amendment 19, though had initially supported it. The Committee proposed returninseasonal road closures for grizzly bear security, even thoughran afoul of the research. This biased attempt to gut Amend19 was roundly criticized by conservation groups and indedent biologists alike. The attempt was nally abandoned in 2after a formal peer review by three independent wildlife bioloconcluded that, the simplicity of A19 and its ability to penently secure areas for grizzly bears makes it a powerful tool iconservation of the grizzly bear.

While we cleared these two hurdles, the Flathead also tried minish Amendment 19 by creating site specic Forest Plan amments to reduce requirements for road decommissioning, inclu

yet another attempt to leave culverts in, this time to facilitate wsnowmobile use. FOWS, SVC and Wildlands CPR sued agthese efforts, taking our case to the Ninth Circuit. Unfortunatethis instance, the court sided with the Forest, silencing the voicbulltrout and grizzly bear.

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Big reek and the Big Picture

Amendment 19s integrated improvements to wild-life, water quality and sh came to the rescue in BigCreek, which was listed by Montana DEQ as im-paired in 1996. Big Creek was listed specicallydue to increased soil erosion and sedimentationfrom logging and road building.

Watershed restoration plans for Big Creek and otherwatersheds on DEQs impaired list languished,however, until a lawsuit led by Friends of the WildSwan and others set a timetable for establishing theplans. The Big Creek restoration plan was nalizedin 2003 and, following considerable restorationwork, the watershed was removed from the im-paired list in 2012!

Culvert removed, streambed restored. Paul Harvey Photo.

Had the IGBC succeeded in stiing the voice of zly bears (expressed through sound research

independent peer review), all the road gates iworld would not have restored the Big Creek wshed for bull trout. That required decommissio61 miles of road; removing 47 culverts; repla19 culverts; improving 89 miles of roads tocrease storm-water runoff; re-vegetating 25 acreroding uplands; and improving the amount of lwood in headwater streams that feed Big Cree

Though Amendment 19 proposed this work tovide grizzly bear security, it required the removall stream-bearing culverts to protect and restoreter quality and sh habitat! Had the Flathead g

its way in 1999 and later simply dozed these rshut with a berm, Big Creek might still be listewater-quality impaired.

Big Creeks restoration and removal from Montalist of impaired waters is a success story larbecause Amendment 19 remains essentially inThough compromised from the outset by not reing full re-contouring, it still accomplishes the mity of watershed restoration objectives.

The restoration of Big Creek was more than a sicollaboration between the Flathead and DEQ.

quired citizen action, public education, litigaand scientists maintaining their integrity to meeneeds of sh and wildlife.

Kelly humps make for ineffective road closures as they easily crossed. Road reclamation is the only sure wayincrease habitat security. Photo by Dan Funsch.

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pilgue: Big Benet t Fih,Wildlie and Peple

estoring water quality in Big Creek benets not only

sh, but wildlife and people too. Road decommis-ioning in Big Creek continues to provide increasedabitat security for threatened grizzly bear and bigame species like elk. Increased habitat securityenets not only sh and wildlife, but anglers, hunt-rs, and people looking for quiet places away from

motor vehicles to hike, take photographs, swim, oroak their feet in a cool stream!

ut thats not all. All this work requires restorationworkers. The Flathead estimates the road decommis-ioning contracts alone were worth some $600,000,roviding much-needed high-wage, high-skill jobs.

And those workers went on to buy local groceries,ardware and fuel for their crews, pickups andeavy equipment.

Contractors and the people they depend on alsoeneted, of course, from the work provided improv-

ng drainage and stream crossings on another 89miles of road in Big Creek, re-vegetating 25 acres ofroding uplands, and carefully placing tree trunks ineadwater streams to restore and re-stabilize them.deally the Flathead will complete an economic as-essment of the overall benets of this program, but

hey have not done so yet.)When Big Creek was rst listed as impaired, thewatershed contained 188 miles of logging roadsompared to 150 miles of streams. Unfortunately,his situation is not uncommon. Forest-wide, over halff the Flatheads roaded watersheds contain more

miles of roads than streams!

hank goodness that restoration programs likeAmendment 19 simultaneously benet sh, wildlifend people. And thank goodness Amendment 19as thus far withstood the worst of the threats against

- many of which would have us believe watershedsuffer from too many trees instead of too many roads.

Heres the lesson from Big Creek: True watershedestoration programs will persist only if we listen to

the voices of sh and wildlife, protect the integrity of the research that transthose voices into scientic ndings, stand up for biologists when their work iing ignored or misrepresented, and challenge their bosses when they attembreak the law and make sh and wildlife sit in the back of the bus. Swan V

Coalition and Wildlands CPR will continue to press the Forest Service to athis lesson far and wide we hope you will, too.

Keith Hammer has served as Chair of Swan View Coalition since 1984helped co-found Wildlands CPR.

Once the epicenter of Montanas logging industry, the Flathead is becoming morevalued for its sh and wildlife resources. Photo courtesy of US Forest Service.

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ProgrAm UPDAtes, sUmmer soLstice 2012

get withthe ProgrAm

By Thomas R. Petersen, Development Director

He Bss

As you may have noticed, our Pro-gram Update section of the RIPorterhas been highlighting a particular

taff persons work, be it getting our rsthotos of mama grizzly bears and cubs oneclaimed roads, tracking down off-road ve-icle damage on horseback (or, accidental-y, off horseback), or our Oregon staff team-ng up and scoring some major victories.

ut who is behind all this? Sometimes be-ind the scenes, sometimes in front, is Theoss. No, not thatBoss, but our own Ex-cutive Director Bethanie Walder.

Now, we dont really call her The Boss well, not often at any rate and when wedo, it is pretty tongue in cheek and thatsfor a few reasons.

First, Wildlands CPRs organizationalstructure is a far cry from a typical hier-archical format. With seven staff includ-ing Bethanie were a small group of peers,and as youve seen in the Program Up-dates, a talented group with solid experi-ence to the extent that we do a good bitof our work independently: Sarah with ourlegal issues; Marlies with our Oregon and

Washington rightsizing and coalition wwith the Washington Watershed Restion Initiative (WWRI); Adam Rissien Policy; Adam Switalski with researcheld crews; Grace keeping our ofcening effectively and efciently as wesome social media and fundraising; me with organizational development.

And this independence is the way Bethand Wildlands CPR, like it, almost reqit, because it is the nature of our wand the culture of the organization. WBethanie has regular meetings with

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pogm ut, cont

ne of us, plus our regular weekly staffmeetings with all of us, were kind of likeolden retrievers on those stretchy leashes:

we love to run and have our freedom ando go pretty far out on our own, but thereslways line to bring us back so we donttray too far. Or, in an analogy that maye a little less restrictive and a little moreccurate, staff are like the spokes of a

wheel and Bethanie and Wildlands CPRhe center hub around which we all spin.

A second reason that Wildlands CPR hasn atypical structure is that Bethanie func-ons as a program staff in addition to an.D. For instance, she ies to DC every

uarter or so to meet directly with top For-st Service ofcials about rightsizing pol-cy, or to educate decision makers aboutontinued funding for Legacy Roads andrails. She ies to Seattle to meet with ourxisting and potentially new funders. Sherives to Utah (way less expensive than y-

ng, though it is a 7 hour drive in our newar, Kenny) to meet with Forest Servicetaff there in Region 4 about integratedesource restoration and/or transportationlanning. She participates in campaignalls to help develop strategy and other-

wise engage in the multiple campaignswith which were involved.

rofessional, articulate, knowledgeable,nd strategic, Bethanie is a main reason

hat those top Forest Service ofcials andecision-makers know about, and respect,

Wildlands CPR. We dont rant and rave,nd Bethanie, who ultimately is the face of

Wildlands CPR, has built a reputation foreasonable, open-minded, yet rm discus-ions and meetings.

ast, Bethanies managerial style is a fas-inating combination of these two things:ands off, allowing (requiring) indepen-ence in staff, and hands on, as a small

organization also requires her to be di-

rectly involved in programmatic issues.Some days, for example, Bethanie and myentire conversation consists of good morn-ing and see you tomorrow. Other timeswere working for two days straight ona grant proposal, e-mailing the proposalback and forth and sticking our head intothe others ofce every fteen minutes toclarify a certain section.

But when push comes to shove, she IS theBoss. To us, and to those we work with.For instance, the Forest Service DC ofceresponded to our little BMP censorship is-sue (see Our News and Views on ourwebsite of March 15, 2012) by callingBethanie about the controversy. Funders

Elizabeth Fleming, Laurie Macdonald and Bethanie Walder. Photo copyright Marcel Huijser.

from Seattle, northern California, and

land call to talk with Bethanie about spic campaigns and programs even tbeyond our immediate scope of work

And have I mentioned all the admintive work? Budget? Bethanie. Workingthe auditor, and bookkeeper? BethaBoard liaison? Bethanie. Program Hiring? Bethanie. You get the picture,its a picture of incredible competence17 years of effectively running this snimble, organization, rst called RORIP, then Wildlands Center for PreveRoads, then Wildlands CPR.

The Boss? You bet. We wouldnt haany other way.

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FF-rad VeHIle MaaGeMe BullIed

suBMIssIBy Bethanie Walder

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DePAvingthe wAy

Headlines about bullying in schools are common, and manyorganizations are dedicated to addressing bullying and itseffects. A search on the topic reveals too many resources to

eview, but its clear that bullying also occurs outside of schools: incademia, in the workplace, online, and politically, as more pow-rful political parties or countries bully the less powerful. Its alsolear that bullying is perpetrated by many different types of people

nd entities. Whats less clear, however, are the origins and causesf this behavior. Perhaps societys failure to control school bullyings partially responsible for political bullying, and if that is the case,can only hope that recent efforts to stop bullying in schools mightay off with more civil discourse in future generations.

hough Im no expert on the subject, it seems to me that the Forestervice (FS) is a frequent victim of bullying from many constituents,nd through numerous means. And while all interest groups andtakeholders can be expected to assert appropriate political pres-ure to inuence agency decision-making, theres a point wherehat pressure crosses the line into intimidation and bullying.

ullying the agency takes many forms, from the mild (like threatening to violateroposed regulations to try to prevent them from being enacted) to the extremesuch as assaulting staff or bombing FS facilities e.g. the Humboldt-Toiyabe NFombing in 1995). The Congressional oversight hearing is one form of politicalullying endured by Forest Service and other agency staff. Staffers are routinelyalled to Capitol Hill to testify at these hearings and answer any number ofointed questions from both sides of the political aisle. Held by both the Senatend House on any topic at all, oversight hearings often devolve into polemiciatribes against the witnesses giving testimony (and by extension, the sittingdministration in the case of agency staff).

Unfortunately, when the victims of bullying back down, it can embolden the bullynd lead to more of this behavior. Wikipedia puts it this way: for (bullying)

o succeed, the bullying-cycle must also (include) a certain chronic inadequateesponse on the part of the target (or targets). That is, a response that is seen byoth the bully and the target as insufcient to prevent the chronic bullying-cycle

rom repeating itself... Watching the Forest Service with this in mind, its discon-erting to see how effective bullying might be.

During the past few months, the FS has been theject, in my opinion, of some heavy-handed presand bullying related to off-road vehicles and tplanning. First, and as reported in the last issuthe Road-RIPorter, the agency recently faced escing intimidation over their publication of a newComprehensive Framework for Off-Highway VeTrail Management. The guide was publishedin use when off-road vehicle organizations reathey didnt like some of the language. It appthat a collection of off-road vehicle organizaconvinced Senator Barasso (R-WY) to pressure

Forest Service to pull the document, with succes

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dpving th W, cont

fter Senator Barasso railed against Forest ServiceChief Tidwell at an oversight hearing, the Forestervice pulled the guide from its website. The ORVrganizations pressed the agency in public and pri-ate, focusing on two things: language in the report referring to ORV recre-

ation as a dragon that needed to be tamed(which we agree was inappropriate), and;

the inclusion in the guide of Wildlands CPRsBest Management Practices as an appendix(their opposition, in the form of letters to ofcials,press releases and news articles included nu-merous falsehoods, completely misrepresentingthe data and tone of Wildlands CPRs BMPs).

he second example began in March, after theWallowa-Whitman National Forest (WWNF astern Oregon) released the Final Environmental

mpact Statement (FEIS) on their travel plan. Initiallyhey faced a restorm of controversy from a smallroup of locals, and like the ORV Comprehensive

Guide, the pressure quickly elevated to Congressio-al intervention, culminating in the withdrawal of theEIS prior to a nal decision. In this case, oppositiono the new travel plan was fueled by misinforma-on, leading hundreds or thousands (depending on

which news article you read) to turn out at meet-ngs. Local conservationists, who didnt really likehe plan all that much, worked hard to support thegency in their efforts to correct the misinformation,ut the crowd would not be silenced. They turned

ut at meetings held by both Oregon Senators and Congressman, which only added more fuel to

he re. Congressman Walden (R-OR) proposed in-roducing new legislation that could affect not justhe Wallowa Whitman, but all Forest Service travellans, by requiring the agency to reconsider or pullecisions if the public opposed them: an invitation to

bullying. The Congressman took it one step further and threatened to the cuFS budget so they couldnt implement the travel plan. So, the WWNF pulledplan for more review. This, for a plan that was seven years in the makingthat thousands of local residents had already commented on and just dlike the nal decision.

Bullies regularly use threats and intimidation to get their way, even if that doesnt make the most economic or ecological sense. Unfortunately, intimidaworks. One lesson we should learn from all this is that bullying will continube a problem for the Forest Service if they continue to acquiesce to bullies. Weach circumstance is different, and some decisions are made to protect the sof staff, the agency needs to stand up for its management decisions and it

thority. Retreating in response to bullies only reinforces bad behavior.

Of course, different stakeholders will always be pressing the agency to inumanagement, and every decision will make some unhappy. But if the aghas made a legally and ecologically justied decision, within the context of management authority, then staff from the forest, regional, and national lshould defend that decision. In doing so, they would send a message to bthat public involvement must be based on civil discourse and respect withiprocesses established. Applying rm pressure to inuence an outcome isthing, bullying is another, and the agency should not tolerate it.

Wildlands CPRs off-road vehicle BMP Guide became a focal point for thecontroversy.

Not all off-roaders are bullies. Photo courtesy of Bureau ofand Management.

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oDesto roADs

lsIG He dIsae rads

By Tom Petersen

Irecently attended a thesis defense of an environmental studiesgraduate student at the University of Montana (in fact, it wasour very own Program Associate, Grace Brogan). Her thesis

evolved around the idea of distancing, that is, identifying theap that exists between product and consumerand how to close, or at least narrow it. This includes, for instance, the distanceetween the food we eat and the farmer (or farm company) thatroduces it. Or between the jeans we wear, and where and how

hose jeans were made: cotton grown organically on a U.S. farmnd woven in a Jersey factory? Or, more common, cotton grown

with numerous pesticides, and shipped towho knows where?China? India? Cambodia? for spinning, weaving and manu-acturing.

Graces thesis defense reading focused on her own personal expe-ence and exposure to distancing. How, for example, she had

worked with youngsters at an arboretum trying to teach them byhowing them where maple syrup comes from by tapping maplerees and processing the sap to make syrup. Oh, I get it, oneoungster said to Grace, its a trees milk. Little by little.

ome of these gaps are easier to narrow than others. The mostommon examples are the boom of farmers markets in many ofur towns and cities. Just last Saturday I strolled through the Mis-oula Farmers Market (one of two) near the Clark Fork River. Thearly season brought bright lime green leaf lettuce from the Bitter-oot Valley just 10 miles south of Missoula, deep forest green kaletarts from the Clark Fork Organic farm in the Missoula Valley, andven some hothouse tomatoes from Paradise, Montana, a tellingame for this warmer micro-climate and (very) small town at theonuence of the Clark Fork and Flathead Rivers about an hournd half northwest of Missoula.

he food gap is more obvious (local vs. imported), and closing the

nergy gap a little less so, especially traditional energy sourcesf natural gas and coal. I turn up my thermostat on cold Montana

winter mornings and the furnace kicks on, the natural gas from,where? I couldnt tell you, maybe some place in eastern Montana,ut with energy bought and sold on a market that is mysterious

o me, it could come from almost anywhere. That distance, liter-lly, could be great. Certainly the conceptual distance Im talking

aboutin this context trying to wrap ones head around howditional energy markets workis greater in regard to energy food.

But solar energy, on the other hand, can narrow that gap. lectors on your roof that help supplement your heat sourceabout as direct as you can get, and that distance, conceptand physically, is a lot smaller.

Thinking about closing this distancebetween lettuce eater lettuce grower, between jean wearer and jean manufactor between energy producer and energy usermade me

aboutmaybe not surprisingly for a Wildlands CPR staffroThat is, how we can close the distance between road buildroad planners, roads themselves, and us road users. I suggeswe need to get closer to roads, not farther away.

How do you get close to roads? Wildlands CPR photo.

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to ro, cont

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his is what I mean: most of us, including myself, take roads forranted. This is due in part, I think, to the ubiquitous nature ofoads: they seem to be everywhere we go. They ARE everywhere

we go, right? Ha! At least when were traveling via a motor: to thetore, to work, to school, and yes, to that favorite trailhead, ski hillr shing spot. When Im traveling on a road, I rarely contemplateow that road was designed, or whyhat road was built where it is. I justo, thinking more about my destina-on than how Im getting there. Theres a distance, if you will, between theoad and me.

hat distance closes somewhat when Iet off a main road, say an Interstate,nd onto a state or county road. May-e it has to do with speed, or the re-uction of it when Im on those smaller

oads. The landscape moves by slow-r, and I start to see more of wherem going, and where I am, at the mo-

ment. I feel a little more connected tohe world Im traveling on, and by.

Get off those state and county roadso a smaller public lands road, say aorest Service road that leads to myavorite shing spot on a blue ribbonrout stream near my home in Mis-oula, (unnamed but known for its fatutthroat trout) and that smaller road

umps and jostles me and my car to aloser attention, and even sometimeso a complete stop as I inch around blind curve, sandwiched between

he rock hard cliff and the clear coldtream just feet away down slope.

he road and I merge somewhat, theistance between us narrows, and asget out of my car at my favorite shing spots pullout, I instantlymell the butterscotch scent of Ponderosa Pine and the sweet citrusf Mock Orange. The footpath to the river is the only thing now

hat separates me from those cutthroats (or at least hopes of cut-

hroats) and I can see, clearly, where this road has taken me. I canee that its endpoint is shing, at least for me, that day.

ut we cant always go from major thoroughfare to county roado walk near streamside all in a few hours to help close the gapetween roads and ourselves.

I think about a story I read from the author Gary Snyder. Hscribes driving through the desert of central Australia with a Pelder. While narrating the landscape for Snyder, the elder suddbegan speaking rapidly about a mountain they were passinganother hillside, then a boulder, then lizards, acacias, wallaSnyder writes, I realized after about half an hour of this that

were tales to be told while wa[Snyders emphasis], and that Iexperiencing a speeded-up versiwhat might be leisurely told oveeral days of foot travel.

So we can move slower, slow dowmovement and our thinking. You how this is: when you bike to worsame landscape you pass whening passes by slower, gives you aer view of your neighbors purple

in bloom, or you may notice ossailing over the river nearby, or smell the musky cottonwood alonbank.

How else can we get closer to roHow do we keep closing that dista

First, we can recognize that everyhas impacts: the lettuce we eat, ojeans we wear, the energy weand the roads we drive on. Its ncourse, that we stop using these th

(including roads; even Wildlandshas never advocated for no roabut that we stop and think for aute that what were using has impEven one of the greenest comparound, Patagonia, Inc., honestlymits that their efforts at only borganically grown cotton and ing t-shirts with that cotton are m

overseas, increasing transportation/energy costs (oil, gas) impacting U.S. and local jobs and contributing to climate cha

Second, we can realize that most of the time road impacts

food, clothing and energy impactsare ones we cant directlyWe dont see the truck driving the lettuce from Californias cevalley to the upper Midwest; we dont see the heavy pesticidon much of the cotton grown for our jeans; nor do we see thesive amounts of carbon dioxide produced by a coal-red pplant.

Flathead National Forest. Photo by Adam Switalski.

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to ro, cont

imilarly with roads, we dont see a perched culvert blockingpstream sh passage, we dont watch trout or salmon futilely leap-ng to get through that culvert, only to splash back down because

sits too high; we dont see poorly planned roads that paralleltreams being cut away, sending large amounts of sediment into

he stream and dirtying drinking water for downstream communi-es (more than 66 million Americans in 3400 communities getheir drinking water from Forest Service lands). Nor do we actuallyee a grizzly bear or an elk turn around when they spot a road,ften deterred by the human presence they have found on it.

o we can drive less and move slower to help close that con-eptual distance, to see more clearly our connection to travel, butimply doing that doesnt reduce the number of roads. If one old oroorly planned road can wreak havoc on a watershed by wash-

ng out, think of what three or six or ten roads can do. In 1996, forxample, huge ood events damaged roads, trails, campgroundsnd other facilities on the Siuslaw National Forest along the Or-gon coast. Landslides and debris torrents from dozens of roadnd culvert failures spoiled many stream systems.

How did the Siuslaw respond, how did they close the distanceetween roads, their impacts, and road users? They reduced theumber of roads. The Siuslaw allocated $7 million (over 10 years)o x the forests road system (using a combination of funding fromhe Legacy Roads and Trails fund that Wildlands CPR helped se-ure for the Forest Service, and other sources), by removing oldr poorly planned roads, and stormproong needed roads (up-rading them with bigger/better culverts, better drainage, etc, so

hey are better able to withstand storm events).

And did it make a difference? No doubt about it. January 2012was, like in 1996, an extreme winter of heavy rainfall on the Or-gon Coast. Slopes gave away under the pressure of so much

water, creating landslides. Roadways collapsed and other roadswere closed because of water, fallen trees and branches. Travelwas difcult.

ut because of the Siuslaws road removal and maintenance workince 1996, the Siuslaw withstood this record-breaking storm, onlylosing 26 miles of roads while 631 miles remained open. Keypen roads on the Siuslaw provided critical connections for resi-ents and emergency vehicles, after county and state roads were

losed in the storm. In addition, sediment impacts to importantoho salmon streams were reduced.

How do you and I close the distance to roads? What can weConceptually, we can increase our understanding of the impof roads, and we can travel slower across the landscape to bsee where were going.

But how can we reduce the number of roads? After all, remoand maintaining roads take more than a pick and a shovel, aton of money to boot. We can choose to use roads less by bitaking the bus, or car-pooling. When dozens do this, and hundreds, time and time again, that decreased road use can mless maintenance costs for roads, and even fewer roads becof the decreased public need for them. In addition, we can sup at public meetings where our land managers are deciding roads to keep, and what roads to get rid of, and weigh in king the impacts of roads can be severeeven if we dont alwsee them.

Communities growing demand for fresh, sweet lettuce closeddistance between local lettuce lovers and local growers, with ers markets now blooming in towns and cities across the cou

And a demand for well-planned, ecologically responsible rocan lead to a road system, and a distance, that is smaller.can all help close that gap.

Tom Petersen, Wildlands CPRs Development Director, is amer high-altitude Colorado truck farmer whose tasty spinach, coli and leaf lettuce was sold to local communities.

Photo by Dan Funsch.

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PoLicyPrimer

eGraed resure resraI

a eW Way d BusIess?By Adam Rissien

contin on nxt g

Will IRR be able to repair the Forest Services damaged approach torestoration funding? Photo by Dan Funsch.

In 2009 Secretary Vilsack announced a new restoration visionfor the Forest Service by stressing the need to manage our na-tional forests rst and foremost to protect our water resources,

while making our forests more resilient to climate change. In anffort to implement that vision, the Forest Service is testing a newudgeting approach, called Integrated Resource Restoration.

he Forest Service emphasis on restoration is nothing new to thosehat follow agency policy. During the Bush Presidency, many proj-cts in the western United States focused on restoring re-adaptedcosystems and increasing forest resiliency, albeit with timberarvest as a key tool. That emphasis on vegetative managementaised many questions as to what qualies as real restoration,nd we still struggle with this conundrum. (click here).

However, with Secretary Vilsacks announcement, Wildlands CPRoped the Forest Service would shift to a more holistic restorationpproach: one that will emphasize clean water and ecologically-ased watershed restoration. The creation of the Legacy Roads &rails Program, the Watershed Condition Framework, and a com-

mitment to rightsize the road system bolstered our hope and illus-rated how the agency is focusing more on increasing watershedntegrity than ever before.

Unfortunately, these efforts need signicant funding from Congress,n unlikely scenario given the current trend of declining federaludgets. So in order to better focus limited dollars and providereater exibility for managers to conduct restoration work, theorest Service proposed a new way to do business the Inte-rated Resource Restoration (IRR) program. We reported on this in

he RIPorter in 2010 and 2012, but in this Policy Primer we take aloser look at the programs structure and performance measures.

Hitry and structureRR rst appeared in the Presidents FY11 budget, but Congresswas skeptical for multiple reasons, ranging from cost, to account-bility, to shifting priorities, to how the agency would track ac-omplishments and outcomes. In response, the Administration pro-osed a revised IRR for FY12 and Congress eventually adopted a

hree-region pilot, rather than an across the board national budget-ry shift. The pilot includes the Northern (R1), Southwest (R3), and

ntermountain (R4) Regions.

The Forest Service describes IRR as follows:

The NFRR [National Forest Resource Restoration] budgeline item (BLI) brings together key management resourcesnecessary for maintaining and restoring ecosystem function under one umbrella and directs funding to achievepriority work in the most important places. (Final ProgramDirection, p.14-22).
http://c/Users/Bethanie/AppData/Local/Temp/(http:/www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/what%25E2%2580%2599s-name)http://www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/will-restoration-funding-stand-out-crowd-or-be-lost-saucehttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/will-restoration-funding-stand-out-crowd-or-be-lost-saucehttp://c/Users/Bethanie/AppData/Local/Temp/(http:/www.wildlandscpr.org/road-riporter/what%25E2%2580%2599s-name)

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contin on nxt g And we thought city streets were expensive to maintain!Photo by Dan Funsch.

raditionally, the Forest Service funds restoration projects throughmultiple programs, each with their own BLI and target. For ex-mple, a project to stabilize a stream bank, decommission a road,

reat weeds and thin a tree stand would use funds from three orour different BLIs. Under IRR, instead of utilizing several individualne items, an individual forest would pay for this through the new,ombined IRR line item.

he Forest Service combined the following line items/programs toreate IRR:

Timber Products Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management Vegetation & Watershed Management Hazardous Fuels Non-Wildland Urban Interface Legacy Roads & Trails

y combining different funding programs, the Forest Service has

reated greater exibility to use its budget. For example, the agen-y has previously received specic funds to produce timber, butnder IRR the money that was pooled in from the timber budgetaryne item could pay for any IRR activity, including road decommis-ioning or prescribed burning. This also works the other way; Lega-y Roads & Trails funding could end up paying for timber harvests.

n the grundIf IRR becomes permanent, the agency will no longer have spebudgets tied to set targets, rather they will have a suite of pemance measures and targets that must all be met with IRR fundThe Forest Service identied the following specic restoration

formance measures:

Number of watersheds moved to an improved condition class

Miles of road decommissioned Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced Acres treated annually to sustain or restore watershed

function and resilience Volume of timber sold

In conjunction with the national agenda for accelerated restion, the Washington ofce has set aggressive targets for timber volume and road decommissioning mileage under the

Based on our conversations with the pilot regions, both arenicantly increased. While were pleased about decommissiomore unneeded roads, were concerned about increasing timvolume targets.

Because IRR is now the only line item in the pilot regions, all ects should, theoretically, t within the IRR programs restorapurpose. For the rst few years, however, the agency will to use projects that were already in the works prior to the IRRthority. Thus regardless of whether a project is based on ecocal restoration principles, it will be implemented through IRR.expect it would take a minimum of three years to see the agshift the scope of work to more fully meet the proposed objecof the IRR.

Ideally, several newer agency tools will help set those futurerestoration priorities. For example, the Watershed CondFramework, the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restorationgram and the road rightsizing effort are all planning framewthat can identify restoration needs. As an example, one pemance measure outlined above is the improvement of watercondition classes this is directly tiered to the Watershed Ction Framework (click here for more information). Similarly, decommissioning mileage is directly tiered to rightsizing analMany of the treatments to improve a watersheds condition

may also count towards other IRR targets (e.g. decommissioroads, thinning to reduce re risk, treating weeds, or restorinenhancing stream habitat).
http://www.wildlandscpr.org/files/Policy%20Primer.pdf.http://www.wildlandscpr.org/files/Policy%20Primer.pdf.

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poic pim, cont

Accounting for, and controlling the spread of, user-createdroutes is a costly management challenge. How effective IRRis in dealing with this problem remains to be seen. Photoby Dan Funsch.

All of these options are part of an effort to focus limited dollars onreas most in need of restoration treatments. It remains unclear,owever, how IRR funding will be prioritized. Will it be more im-ortant to meet one performance measure (e.g. timber harvest)

han another? Will they focus on watersheds that need only a smallmount of work to move up to a higher watershed condition rather

han focusing on more important ecological priorities? Will tim-er sales that have no ecological restoration value still be offered

hrough the IRR to ensure the agency meets their timber targets? Forxample, would a 40-acre clearcut in a high-elevation lodgepoleine stand really be considered restoration?

he agency has also identied acres of watershed treated to sus-ain or restore function and resiliency as a performance measure.As with our concerns above, acreage treated could become an-ther euphemism for timber harvest. This acreage treated perfor-

mance measure includes a variety of activities under nine second-ry targets:

Timber Sale Treated Acres Forest Vegetation Improved Forest Vegetation Established Range Vegetation Improved Soil & Water Resource Improvements Invasive Plants Noxious Weeds on Federal Acres Habitat Enhancements Terrestrial Habitat Enhancements Lakes Forest Products Fuels Non Wildland Urban Interface(Final Program Direction, p.14-25).

eting the preie (evaluatin)This new Integrated Resource Restoration program offers bothtions and opportunities. IRR could result in more projects thagrade culverts, stabilize stream banks, or decommission roIt could also result in more timber harvesting both to meet ecological restoration objectives and simply to meet targets.IRR pilot forests have much to prove. Each region will have toa compelling story that not only reports accomplishments, butdemonstrates if and how IRR achieved real restoration outcomthe pilot is to become the new funding model for the entire ageThey must also assess the challenges that arose as a result onew IRR authority to clearly articulate the costs and benesuch a shift. However, we cannot rely on the agencys story aThose tracking IRR in each region will need to evaluate speprojects and the program as a whole to see if they meet truetoration goals such as rightsizing the road system or implemepriority watershed action plans. Ultimately, IRR may result in cer water, better functioning habitat and increased overall eco

cal integrity of our national forests. It could also be a new nto an old saw where traditional timber sales are simply carestoration; it will take diligent research to make this determinaOne thing is sure, we need full agency disclosure and detareporting in order to make any conclusions.

Find Out MOre

The Forest Service is hosting a free webinar to introduce

the IRR program to stakeholders. The webinar willbe on July 16 from 2:00-3:30 eastern time. It will be

recorded and available for review after the event if you

are not able to attend. They have 200 spots available.

Sign up early to learn more about how the agency

envisions implementing this program and to ask your

own questions about what it will mean for your nationa

forest. To reserve your spot, click here.
http://nff.wildapricot.org/Default.aspx?pageId=471105&eventId=511398&EventViewMode=EventRegistrationhttp://nff.wildapricot.org/Default.aspx?pageId=471105&eventId=511398&EventViewMode=EventRegistration

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ed V. BrW/

lea Waer aWeve recently added a new resource tour website consolidating all of the infor-

mation related to the NEDC v. Brown casend the associated political and legal chal-

enges. Well be regularly updating theage as changes occur, so please keep anye on this to keep up to date about thetatus of the case and how it is affecting the

Clean Water Act. Visit www.wildlandscpr.rg/content/nedc-v-brown.

new resoUrces

rads are H

WIH ur parerIt seems that roads have been a focus for several of our partners over the lasmonths. Check these out:

Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Itive: Y2Y Newsletter

Conservation Northwest: Roads and Wlife.

eW rV repr

releasedResponsible Trails America (RTA) recentlyreleased a new report about state regula-tions related to off-road vehicles: VisibleIdentication of Off-Road Vehicles: A TrendToward a Uniform Standard.

The report focuses on visible identicationwhich, they argue, solves one of the big-gest remaining obstacles to preventing il-legal ORV useidentifying the rider.

Its nice to see that only 9 states received afailing grade (F), while 12 received an A.Theyve also separately posted an interac-tive state-by-state map thats not included inthe report itself.

RTA produced a similar report in 2011, therst of its kind. The report is an update, de-tailing how state laws have changed andprogressed (or regressed) over the past

year. In addition to their overviews andsummaries, they walk through the speciclaws in each individual state, so you can

very easily learn about how your state isregulating this off-road vehicle issue. Itsworth a look.

erus deaIlsresraIBeeFIsA new report released by Ecotrust takes look at the many benets of restoration:

rom tangible improvements in ecologicalealth to the less easily measured socio-conomic ripples. With an Oregon casetudy that spanned nearly a decade, Eco-rust documented over $100 million in eco-omic outputs resulting from about half thatmount in expenditures. They estimatedetween 616 and 865 jobs were created

n the process.

Visit this link to read a blog on the report:ttp://blog.ecotrust.org/digging-deeper-n-restoration-jobs/

Restored road on the Kootenai National Forest, Montana. Photo by AdamSwitalski.
http://www.wildlandscpr.org/content/nedc-v-brownhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/content/nedc-v-brownhttp://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1109042460850/archive/1109858135168.htmlhttp://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1109042460850/archive/1109858135168.htmlhttp://www.conservationnw.org/resources/newsletter/newsletter-pdfs/springsummer2012-cnwquarterly.pdfhttp://www.conservationnw.org/resources/newsletter/newsletter-pdfs/springsummer2012-cnwquarterly.pdfhttp://www.responsibletrails.org/images/2012_50statereport_final.pdfhttp://www.responsibletrails.org/images/2012_50statereport_final.pdfhttp://www.responsibletrails.org/images/2012_50statereport_final.pdfhttp://blog.ecotrust.org/digging-deeper-on-restoration-jobs/http://blog.ecotrust.org/digging-deeper-on-restoration-jobs/http://blog.ecotrust.org/digging-deeper-on-restoration-jobs/http://blog.ecotrust.org/digging-deeper-on-restoration-jobs/http://www.responsibletrails.org/images/2012_50statereport_final.pdfhttp://www.responsibletrails.org/images/2012_50statereport_final.pdfhttp://www.responsibletrails.org/images/2012_50statereport_final.pdfhttp://www.conservationnw.org/resources/newsletter/newsletter-pdfs/springsummer2012-cnwquarterly.pdfhttp://www.conservationnw.org/resources/newsletter/newsletter-pdfs/springsummer2012-cnwquarterly.pdfhttp://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1109042460850/archive/1109858135168.htmlhttp://archive.constantcontact.com/fs037/1109042460850/archive/1109858135168.htmlhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/content/nedc-v-brownhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/content/nedc-v-brown

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Bibliography Notes summarizes and highlights some of the scientic literatuour 20,000 citation bibliography on the physical and ecological effects of roadoff-road vehicles. We offer bibliographic searches to help activists access impo

biological research relevant to roads.

WIldlads pr updaes key researH lBy Sophia Vernholm

contin on nxt g

BiBLiogrAPhynotes

ntrductin

Wildlands CPR recently updated our road andoff-road vehicle bibliographic database,and the online, searchable database now

tands at more than 22,000 entries! The database con-ains citations and their accompanying abstracts forhousands of journal articles, government reports, andonference proceedings, along with numerous otherources of information. Below we provide background

n the database and a sample of what you can nd in, along with instruction on how to conduct a search.

We all know that culverts are ugly, but if youd like to know why they are so destructo water quality and sheries, consult Wildlands CPRs bibliographic database. Phoby Dan Funsch.

he original reatin the Databae

Wildlands CPR is dedicated to promoting science-based public lands management. Keyo this goal is providing easy access to the most recent scientic research regarding thempacts of roads and motorized recreation on wildlife and many other topics. More than5 years have passed since Wildlands CPR rst developed the database to provide es-ential information to public and private land managers, decision-makers, environmentaldvocacy organizations, and the general public. A compilation of pertinent articles, re-orts, and literature, the database is designed to help decision-makers and land managers

make informed, science-based decisions. It is also intended to help empower the publicnd advocacy organizations who engage on these issues.

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Bibio ot, cont

contin on nxt g

In 1995, Wildlands CPR (then ROAD-RIP) partnered with distinguished conser-vation biologist Reed Noss to assemble a bibliography of literature discussingthe ecological effects of roads. Since then, this bibliography has been updatedevery two years to ensure all newly published material is available to agenciesand the public. The database is built from source databases including biologi-

cal, ecological, natural resource, agricultural, and environmental databases. In2012 we used 17 primary key words and 89 secondary descriptor words.

This years update added approximately 2,000 citations to the database, in-creasing the overall number to more than 22,000. The impact of roads on theenvironment, wildlife, and air and soil quality continues to be a concern in theU.S., and increasingly for many countries worldwide. From the harmful effects

of de-icing salts, to the effectiveness of wildlife crossing structures, to the potentialenvironmental benets of a high speed rail system, to an increase of asthma,blood pressure, and certain cancers in humans due to their proximity to roads,the database contains a wide array of citations about road and motorized rec-reation impacts. Browsing the citations alone can be quite fascinating as wellas educational. Here are some examples of research articles recently added tothe database:

Wolves studied in Finland were shown to use roads and low-uselinear elements for transportation but avoided high-use roads andareas of high human habitation. However, the presence of low useor high-use linear elements appeared to have little to no effect on thesuccess of hunting and pup rearing (Gurarie et al. 2011).

While high speed railway systems are meant to reduce dependenceon conventional transportation there are concerns about how theywill affect the environment. The proximity of the tracks to sensitiveecosystems must be considered as well as how to minimize disrup-tions to the environment and communities that will suddenly havetrains speeding through at 220 miles per hour (Goodman 2010).

Wildlands CPRs remoteameras are verifying

what many researchtudies have also shown:

hat many species ofwildlife make use ofeclaimed roads.

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Bibio ot, cont

Highway crossing structures have beenproven to be quite effective in allevi-ating fragmentation of the habitats ofmany species. However, overpassesand tunnels arent effective for every

species. Flying squirrels are one suchexample. Recently, wooden crossingpoles were erected in areas of busyhighways and high squirrel populationso that ying squirrels can glide acrossand reconnect with populations on theother side of the highway (Kelly 2011).

It has long been known that de-icingsalts have a detrimental effect on areasimmediately adjacent to roadways.Recent studies have shown that the ap-plication of de-icing salts are actuallyaffecting a much broader area for amuch longer time period than originallythought. The concentrations of roadsalts in aquatic and terrestrial ecosys-tems are shown to adversely affectorganisms during sensitive life stagessuch as reproduction (Findlay and Kelly2011).

is important to remember that this database doesot provide access to the full-text articles themselves,ut instead is a compilation of citations and ab-

tracts. To nd the actual article, you have to takehe citation as provided and track down the articleself. Google Scholar and university collections arewo of the best places to locate the full-text articles.

searching the Databae

o access the database, simply click here or openhe Wildlands CPR website: www.wildlandscpr.org.Choose the Resources Page (on the top of thecreen), and then Bibliographic Database (on theidebar to the left). This opens up the search form,

which operates like most standard on-line searchools. The rst eld is for the words you want toearch, separated by a space. For example, if you

want to search roads and vegetation, type roadsegetation into the eld and all citations containingoads and vegetation will display. There is an exclu-ion option which limits your results. To exclude aerm, simply type it into the second eld. For exam-

reFereesFindlay, S.E.G., and V.R. Kelly. 2011. Emerging indirect and

long-term road salt effects on ecosystems. Annals of the NewYork Academy of Sciences 1223: 58.

Goodman, J. 2010. Not So Fast. Governing 23. (8): 21-26.Gurarie E. et al. 2011. Summer movements, predation and habi-

tat use of wolves in human modied boreal forests. Journal ofOecologia 165: 891.

Kelly, C. 2011. Flying squirrels successfully using crossing struc-tures. Wildlife in North Carolina 75(1): 36.

ple, if you want to search roads and vegetation but not heavy metals, type rvegetation into the rst eld and then heavy metals (with quotation minto the second. The quotation marks will instruct the search to exclude all rethat contain the phrase heavy metals, and these results will not be displa

ncluin

This bibliographic database is a great resource for anyone interested in th

fects roads and motorized recreation have on our wildlife, our landscapes,our health. The breadth of information and collection of citations offered inresource is unique. Contact Adam Switalski, Science Program Director, ifhave additional questions or for more information about the database.

Soe Vernholm is an undergraduate at the University of Montana studResource Conservation and Wilderness Studies.
http://www.wildlandscpr.org/bibliographic-database-searchhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/http://www.wildlandscpr.org/bibliographic-database-searchmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.wildlandscpr.org/bibliographic-database-searchhttp://www.wildlandscpr.org/http://www.wildlandscpr.org/bibliographic-database-search

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AroUnDthe office

The weathers been a bit crazy this spring, including both unseasonable highsand lows as we bounce our way to summer. But at least the roller-coaster

weather hasnt stopped us from getting out in the eld and starting up a hostf summer eld projects

WelceWere pleased to welcome two new eld crews for this summer. First, KaganKaszuba and Jason Blakney started a six-month eld season with us in early May,onducting eld inventories on Lolo National Forest roads. Their eld work is partf a ve-year partnership weve entered into with the Lolo National Forest. Werelso pleased to report that Kendall Four Seasons Subaru made a signicant do-ation toward the purchase of a 2010 new to us Subaru Forester to use for thisartnership. Jason comes to us from the University of Idaho, while Kagan recentlynished his studies at the University of Montana.

We also entered into a second agreement with the Lolo National Forest to moni-or the effectiveness of road reclamation work in the Southwest Crown of the Con-nent Collaborative Forest Restoration Project. Cody Steckly and Sophia Vern-olm will start working on this project in June, with a three-month eld season.Sophia just completed our bibliographic database update, as well, see pages9-20.) This eld project is related to the Legacy Roads and Trails monitoring that

weve previously implemented in the Northern Region, and Cody will be work-ng a few extra hours to keep tabs on that previous research. Were delighted toave both crews on board for the summer and look forward to seeing the resultsf their work.

Were also happy to welcome back several volunteers and partnerships relatedo that Legacy Roads and Trails monitoring from the past. Friends of the Clear-

water will be conducting photo monitoring athis summer on the Clearwater National Fore

addition, Bob Ward and Phil Knight, who bothticipated in our 2011 monitoring projects, wihelping us keep that research going on the Gaand Helena National Forests this summer.

In other words, weve got a lot of folks out tcollecting data around the forests in the northergion this summer keep an eye on Get withProgram in the next issue of the RIPorter to ndmore about what we learned.

hankA big thank you to Missoulas Kendall Four SeaSubaru, as mentioned above, for donating 1/the price of a nearly new Subaru Forester foeld work. We had a great open house here aofce to promote the Lolo National Forest paship and to thank Kendall Four Seasons for sponsorship.

Wed also like to thank Cinnabar, MUSE, NorthFund for the Environment, and Patagonia for support for our work. And another thank you to

you who donated to our email fundraiser in Mand April your support is critical to our contisuccess.

Wildlands CPR photo.

7/31/2019 RIPorter 17.2


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Phone

Organization/Business Name (if applicable)

Type of Membership: OrganizationIndividual/Family Business

Thank you for your support!

Payment Option #2:

Credit Card Pledge

$10/Month (minimum) $20/Month other

Payment Option #1:

Electronic Funds Transfer

from Checking Account

Please include a voided check. All information will be kept conden-

tial. Transfers will be processed on the rst Friday of each month, orthe following business day should that Friday be a bank holiday.

NOTE: If you would prefer to make an annual donation,

please visit our website (www.wildlandscpr.org) or send your

check to the address below.

Charge my: ___ Visa ___ MasterCard ___ American Express

Credit Card Number: _______________________________

CSC Number: ________________ *(see below)

Expiration date: _____________________________

Signature: ________________________________________

* The Card Security Code (CSC) is usually a 3 - or 4 - digit number, which is notpart of the credit card number. The CSC is typically printed on the back of a creditcard (usually in the signature eld).

Please send this form and your payment option to:

Wildlands CPR P.O. Box 7516 Missoula, Montana 59807

I/we authorize Wildlands CPR to deduct the amount indicated above

from my checking account once per month.

$5/Month $10/Month $20/Month other

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Lower Canyon Creek, north end of the East Pioneer Mountains, MonPhoto by Bob

riporter 17.2

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