© Russell O'Leary
Senator Jon Tester today announced his Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, a forest stewardship bill aimed at protecting the state’s wild lands, clean water and outdoor traditions, while creating jobs to help struggling local economies. The bill unites three community-driven efforts in western Montana for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, the Lolo, and the Kootenai National Forests.
“Senator Tester’s landmark legislation is a “made-in-Montana” solution to decades-old fights over wilderness and forest management,” said David Dreher, Washington Representative for the Campaign for America’s Wilderness. “It will provide jobs, protect fish and wildlife habitat, and ensure that traditions like hunting, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding can be experienced here for generations to come.
“We applaud Senator Tester’s years of work to bring a diverse group of interests to the table in crafting this legislation. This balanced measure breaks through years of gridlock, and recognizes that our forests are big enough for everyone to enjoy.
“This measure will forever protect special places like the East and West Pioneers, the Sapphires, Lost Cabin, and Lima Peaks, while giving this ‘gold standard’ of protection to additional acres of some of the state’s most beloved wilderness areas, including the Lee Metcalf, Anaconda-Pintlar, and North Fork Blackfoot-Monture Creek,” Dreher added.
The Act will protect nearly 700,000 acres of wilderness across the three forests, and create more than 300,000 acres of new recreation areas. Certain other areas will be set aside for snowmobile riding. The Act has won the support of a broad coalition of Montana sportsmen, business owners, loggers and conservationists. When enacted, the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act will mark the first new wilderness in Montana in 26 years.
