Just south of Montana’s Pioneer Mountains in the Beaverhead River plain sits the town of Dillon, one of those small rural communities that form the backbone of the country. On a Saturday morning recently, residents had the chance to hear Senator Jon Tester explain his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, and he had a chance to hear their views.
Sherm Anderson, owner of Sun Mountain Lumber, took some time at the senator’s behest to explain why he joined with conservationists like Tim Baker of the Montana Wilderness Association and Bruce Farling of Montana Trout Unlimited in asking the senator to carry this legislation. The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act is one of those all-too-rare instances of consensus between previously warring factions—the timber industry and the conservation community. They’ve come together now to solve Montana’s problems on Montanans’ terms.
The bill would designate 76,000 acres in the East Pioneer Mountains as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System and establish a 129,000-acre West Pioneers Recreation Management Area. All told, Tester’s legislation will designate 677,000 acres of wilderness in 23 areas in western Montana.
Attending this gathering in Dillon, a beautiful spot with rolling grassy hills and green alfalfa fields where pronghorn graze and prance, I saw democracy at its best, most basic level, with 350 in attendance from a community with a population of 3700. It also struck me what a great model this legislation could be for resolving nettlesome land-use questions in other places around the nation. Win-win solutions for formerly feuding factions are certainly worth striving for. Our hat’s off to Senator Tester for showing the path.
For the wild,
Mike Matz
Executive Director
