The National Wilderness Skills Institute was held May 24 – 26, 2022 with training for wilderness seasonals and volunteers. You can check out sessions below.
The Forest Service and National Park Service now recognize each other’s training and certification programs. The agreement between the National Park Service and the US Forest Service has been updated to recognize that “Each Agency will accept the saw program training, evaluation, and certification conducted under the other Agency’s program for individuals working under agreement for a volunteer partner or cooperator organization on lands managed or areas administered by each Agency.”
Poudre Wilderness Volunteers Video Nominated for an EMMY
Several months ago, CBS KCNC-TV Denver aired a documentary entitled Scarred: Lessons Learned from The Cameron Peak Fire. It included several vignettes, one of which was about the work PWV is doing. As part of marketing, they teased out the documentary by airing extended versions of the vignettes prior to the actual show. The PWV story was aired first. Several of the video clips were provided by our Photo/video team and CBS was very complimentary of the quality we provided.
The 29th annual National Public Lands Day celebration will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2022. The date is different every year, but it always falls on the fourth Saturday in September.
What is National Public Lands Day (NPLD)?
NEEF’s National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. It is held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. NPLD is also a “Fee-Free Day”—entrance fees are waived at national parks and other public lands. NEEF (the National Environmental Education Foundation) coordinates National Public Lands Day.
NPLD brings together hundreds of thousands of individual and organizational volunteers to help restore the country’s public lands. These are the places Americans use for outdoor recreation, education, and just plain enjoyment. The lands encompass national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, forests, grasslands, marine sanctuaries, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as state, county, and city parks that are managed by public agencies but belong to and are enjoyed by all of us.
Through volunteer service on National Public Lands Day as well as grant support to local organizations, NEEF helps ensure people of all ages and abilities have the opportunity to connect with public lands for recreation, hands-on learning, and community-building—now and in the future. LINK TO WEBSITE
The Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is a community of wilderness minded and hardworking individuals dedicated to bringing citizens and youth to wilderness to work, live, and play. Since 2006, SBFC has helped steward the 4-million-acre Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, across Idaho and Montana.
Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee released a draft report outlining an actionable plan – and associated costs – for removing the lower Snake River dams (LSRDs) and replacing their services. The report clearly shows removing the LSRDs is not only feasible but fiscally responsible to improve the region’s long-term infrastructure and to save Idaho’s iconic salmon and steelhead. READ MORE
On a crisp, late fall day last year, less than 200 feet made all the difference on Idaho Highway 55.
Just after 2 p.m. on November 18, 2021, a traffic safety vehicle guided a line of cars through the tight construction zone in the canyon alongside the picturesque Payette River. A rumbling sound rocked the air. High above the road, tons of material crashed down from the blasted cliff face and spilled across the highway.
The slide came a mere 150 feet from crushing the Traffic-Corp pilot car and any others following behind on their way through the Central Idaho artery. It took weeks for the road to reopen to traffic.
This was the second of three major landslides that closed the corridor over the course of less than a year from March of 2021 through January, disrupting traffic between the Boise area and Valley County for days at a time. The slides all occurred within the construction zone for ITD’s ambitious multi-year project to flatten the curves of the winding, crash-prone highway snaking through the canyon.
- Six-month investigation
- Early rumblings of instability
- First slide rocks the project
- Second slide strikes in spot with years of concerns
- Major slide hits Cut 8
- Cost overruns
- Third time’s (not) the charm
- ‘I will deny everything’
- Why did ITD build in the canyon in the first place?
- Timeline of events
On May 30, 2022 Charles Chick and I drove to Lowman to meet up with Todd Brown (BCHI, region 1, train the trainers sawyer) and Savanah Steele and some other USFS summer crew. The purpose of the day was for Chick and I to renew our C certifications and to enhance our skill set. Savanah team wanted to renew their B-Feller certification before starting the seasons work. The day started with Todd picking a “C” bucker problem for Chick and I to work on. While there were lots of down logs to cut, he needed to find one with a high level of complexity. The one he found met that requirement not because of a complex bind but because it was located on a steep hillside and just getting there almost took climbing gear. We made the climb, cut the log and completed that requirement, we then spent the rest of the day on mostly level ground, but the challenges just kept increasing.
One of the demonstrations was how to approach a hung up tree, so Todd ask that I intentionally hit a tree with one I was falling. I succeeded almost to well with a direct hit. Todd then explained a number of different ways to safely finish bringing the hung tree to the ground, the safest being to winch it out with a come-a-long. I did my best to following his advice but the tree had other ideas and I succeeded it pinching my bar and the tree was still stuck.
While the rest of the team watch we tried to wedge it over without success. As I was starting a second saw to try and finish the job, the tree made a large cracking sound and dropped to the ground taking my saw with it. A new safety brake handle will be required to put that saw back in service.
When not cutting ourselves, Chick and I worked as instructors with the rest of the group, working on different skills and by the end of the day everyone had completed their requirements for recertification and were ready for the coming season. Thanks to Todd for making the drive down from Grangeville and working with the group.
The weatherman indicated it would likely be a wet weekend, better than the holiday weekend last week, but rain was likely. Friday was cloudy but dry so travel up to the trailhead was uneventful unless you got caught in the backup caused by a multi-car wreck between Horseshoe Bend and Banks. If you were it could add an hour or so to your travel time. By 18:45 everyone who signed up had arrived and set up their camps. An improvised dinner was shared and Jenelle Weeks asked if we still had a set of dominoes in one of the chapter camp boxes. A quick search turned up a double set.
One of the tables was set-up and members gathered to play or watch. Play continued until it was getting to hard to see the dots on the dies. Smiles and laughter were common and all enjoy the time together. By 21:30 the camp settled down for the night.
At 06:30 the camp started to stir. As stock were being given breakfast those who’s humans were a bit slow where protesting that they had to wait. By 07:15 the tables were filling with items for breakfast and the smell of coffee and hot chocolate filled the air. As we were washing up, a few rain drops fell so people pulled on their rain gear as they saddled up.
A short distance up the trail was a large log suspended in the air above the trail, that just lit up Charles Chick and Rob Adams eyes. What a great training opportunity! Saw gear was unloaded and PPE was put on and the log was evaluated for binds and other hazards. A cut plan was developed and Rob and Tracy Zamzow did the saw work.
The rain steadily increased throughout the day and by 12:30, four miles up the trail the team found a place to stop, have a snack and head back to the trailers. So this is what it is like to ride alone the pacific coast! After reaching the trailers, the group consensus was that hot showers and our own beds were what we wanted next so we packed up and made the trek back to highway 55 and home. All the rigs were covered with mud by the end of the drive. The rain was a factor on this project but didn’t in any way diminish the enjoyment of the weekend.
It seems the lower Snake River dam debate is always one side against the other: fish versus agriculture, hydropower versus alternatives, or “my science” versus “your science”. The question is: Who is actually winning?
We know fish and fish reliant communities aren’t. There are annual discussions about what restrictions will be put in place for fishing: shortened seasons, reduced limits, or entire stretches of water closed to fishing all due to worsening fish returns. Our hatchery system was built specifically to mitigate the loss of harvestable wild salmon and steelhead to the hydropower system, but increasingly we worry if we’ll have enough hatchery fish return to provide minimum broodstock needs, let alone a recreational fishery. Luckily, this year’s spring chinook return is looking better than previous years and is forecasted to be near Idaho’s ten-year average. This is good news, but combining wild and hatchery goals for a healthy and harvestable population set by the Columbia Basin Task Force, we’re forecasted to be about 25% of Idaho’s 217,000 fish goal.
Shippers seem to be making out well, but only because the rest of us pay for it. Wheat is the main commodity shipped through the lower four Snake River dams, about 90% of which is shipped overseas. Our taxpayer dollars currently prop up every barge – the latest estimates are well over $30,000 per barge – to keep river transportation cheap. I’m not saying the dams don’t provide value to those who barge, but it comes at a cost to taxpayers. Our dollars keep shipping cheap, not the barges themselves. Why not take those dollars and use them in a way that will boost the area’s economy through necessary infrastructure upgrades that help fish and support rural river communities at the same time? If we consciously choose a system that has so few winners at everyone else’s expense, then we have a system that is failing us all. If there is a way to provide transportation services for farmers that don’t impact their bottom line and get our fish back – and there is – let’s do that.
Even power consumers aren’t really winning. Much of Idaho’s power comes from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), a federal power marketing administration required to sell energy at cost. BPA is currently about $15 billion in debt, and recently had its borrowing authority more than doubled to accommodate its coming debt growth. This should concern BPA customers, whose rates are slowly rising in an attempt to pay off that debt. Yet another cost is borne by us all. Not to mention 30% of each BPA bill goes towards projects aimed at recovering fish, an effort that simply hasn’t worked.
Our current system clearly has many losers. Don’t we want this to change? Bypassing the lower Snake River dams would cost money, but it wouldn’t be wasted. It could transform the region. The investments for infrastructure, energy, and fish would be a boon for our communities, providing economic diversity and resiliency. The jobs created would give our young people the opportunity to stay here instead of them leaving to make the money necessary to raise and support a family.
Washington state, Oregon and Washington D.C. are currently looking at potentially bypassing the lower Snake River dams. I for one would like to see Idaho’s interests at the table advocating for us, rather than sitting on the sidelines and watching our future be decided by someone else. We need long-term, durable solutions that make everyone whole. I believe this is possible and then, for once, we can all win.
Vacation was an ailing concept before the pandemic; covid finished it off. Oh, we still go places, but we never really leave work behind. Whether canoeing, hiking, snorkeling, spelunking or just suntanning, we’re always saddled with answering emails from the office.
Is this writerly chore really inescapable? Neigh. The good people of a small northern nation have a solution: “Let the horses of Iceland reply to your emails while you are on vacation!”
In a gorgeous (and hilarious) public service announcement posted yesterday, the Icelandic tourist bureau offers the services of three equine secretaries:
- Litla Stjarna: Types fast, but might take a nap.
- Hrímnir: Assertive. Efficient. Shiny hair.
- Hekla: Friendly, trained in corporate buzzwords.
The service – “Outhorse Your Email” – reins in all your correspondence and sends it to a coastal field at the foot of snow-capped mountains. There, majestic horses tap out replies to your emails on a giant keyboard. Or sometimes, they just gallop across the keyboard, which I’ve decided is the way I’m going to start responding to certain people’s messages.
Sigríður Dögg Guðmundsdóttir, the head of Visit Iceland, the country’s tourist information bureau, tells me, “The idea, of course, was a bit out there when we first heard this, but we trust the process.” (How Iceland’s horses learned to type emails.) She and her team were responding to surveys that suggest 65 percent of people look daily at their work email even while on vacation. “So we thought, ‘Okay, here’s a problem. Is there something that Iceland can offer to help?’ And so we employed three Icelandic horses to do just that.”
To be honest, they are not particularly articulate writers, and their spelling is worse than mine, but once the horses have responded to all your email, you can also ride them around the countryside. “That,” Guðmundsdóttir adds, “is actually a wonderful way to experience Iceland.”
HOW
Excellent reference for useful knots for stock users
Book used by the USFS at the Nine Mile pack station
WHY
This book covers the why behind many packing practices
Packing Tips- Lots of helpful information on packing and riding in the back country.
Check out the Pack Saddle Info Guide and other useful information on this site.
Packing equipment: Outfitters Supply / Outfitters Pack Station
Skills Clinic Books & Handouts
Minimum Impact
Tips & Trips
Hello
In years past, the Messenger Index has run a small article to help promote the annual fund raiser yard sale benefitting Squaw Butte Back Country Horsemen (SBBCH), a local volunteer organization.
Below is the yard sale information. Thank you.
It’s Coming! Most Awesome Yard Sale May 21 2022
Saturday May 21 you just may find that treasure you have been searching for.
Squaw Butte Back Country Horsemen (SBBCH) will be hosting their Annual Most Awesome Yard Sale fundraiser on Saturday May 21 at the Gem County Fairgrounds Emmett Idaho. An awesome variety of gently used items have been procured from around the county and from the SBBCH members themselves. Fabulous finds will include furniture, household items, clothing, books, children’s items, outdoor gear, tools, craft items, horse stuff, and more.
There is sure to be that treasure you have been searching for.
Doors open at 8 AM. Find those treasures and we will make them yours.
Our annual yard sale is a successful fundraiser and the proceeds help defer the expenses the chapter incurs in supporting its mission to perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s back country and wilderness. These expenses include chainsaw maintenance, tools purchases, Wilderness First Aid & CPR training, maintaining chapter human and equine first aid kits, and providing certified weed free hay at project work weekends.
The Squaw Butte chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Idaho works to insure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use and assists the various government and private agencies in their maintenance and management of those resources.
Contact information for SBBCH is:
President: Heather Donesky
Email: president@sbbchidaho.org
Phone: 530-615-1326
Hello All,
I have been trying to get this update out to our state members since I came back from the BCHA Convention with no luck. So I have grabbed the contact emails off our BCHI website for each chapter and would appreciate each of you forwarding the below information to your chapters. Also if the email I am using is no longer valid can you please update me on the current email as I have more information to forward to our state members.
The meeting in Kansas City, MO in April was excellent for networking, information gathering, getting things accomplished and getting to know some folks from all over the country. This is my third national convention but the first in person convention, WOW what a difference.
The following is what I deem the most important but I will send other bits of news from time to time.
1) The volunteer hours report went thru some heavy discussion for a couple of days. In the end the decision was made to let each state do the type of report they want to do or the type they have been doing. There will be two types of forms on the BCHA website, we can use whichever one works for our state or the one you are using now. Each state tracks a little different subjects depending on what their state/federal agencies request/require. And the state information to these agencies is really the most important for this whole process. What happens with the BCHA collected data is very simple, Randy Rasmussen, paid Public Lands liaison, only needs the final big number of dollars. He said the folks he talks to do not deal in the details, just the big picture and that very large number works perfectly for him. BCHA gathers the final number from the state reports easily and then gives Randy the few overall figures needed.
2) The new officiers are:
Chairmen – Sherry Copeland
Vice Chairmen – Mark Himmel
Treasure – Tif Rodriguez
3) Committees and Committee Leads
Contract Review – Mark Himmel
Chapter Support Grants – Bob Wagner
Education – Craig Allen
Expansion – Freddy Dunn
Fundraising – Tif Rodriguez
Marketing & Media – Mark Himmel
Membership – Dennis Serpa
Partnership – Darrel Wallace
Public Lands – Brad Pollman
Volunteer Hours – John Chepulis
Youth – Greg Schatz
Nomination – Jim Allen
Any BCH member can be on any of the above committees. They all would gladly take more members and if you want additional information regarding any of these committees, please feel free to call/email myself or the head of the committee.
I hope this information helps to bring you up to date on the BCHA and some convention activities, there will be more to follow. Always feel free to contact me with questions, concerns, suggestions and anything else.
Respectfully,
Idaho National Director
Pat Bogar
As we are heading into the 2022 field season, here are some additional emphasis areas/refresher topics and Lessons Learned links that could be helpful during your saw trainings and refreshers.
- Training/Recertification/Evaluation — As we are onboarding new and returning employees, May and June are two of the busiest months for saw trainings, evaluations, and recertification’s. Currently in Region 4 with over 2500 certified sawyers, we have several trainings and evaluations taking place amongst our partners, volunteers, and USFS employees. It doesn’t matter if you are a “Bucking Only” volunteer organization or an Interagency Hotshot Crew, using chainsaws or crosscuts, preplanning for a medical emergency is just as important in a training scenarios as it is in an operational scenario. Do we treat ‘training’ cutting situations different than we treat ‘operational’ cutting situations? Where should an evaluator be during the cutting operation? Where should the rest of the students be? How many people are ‘okay’ to be around the base of the tree because its training? Here are some Lessons Learned that may be valuable to you as you begin your refresher and chainsaw trainings:
- Change in Complexity — We do a good job determining complexity of a saw operation in a somewhat static environment prior to even turning on the saw. We go through each component of OHLEC looking to identify hazards, determine leans and binds and then essentially develop and articulate a plan to safely put a tree on the ground or buck a log off a trail. Based on the OHLEC size-up we ask our ourselves the question, “Do I have the skills and ability to safely complete this cutting operation?” However, once we put the saw into a tree we are creating a dynamic situation where complexity can easily change based on a number of factors; i.e., rotten wood fiber that was not previously identified, incorrectly identified leans or binds, unintentionally cut more wood than planned, created a dutchman or bypass changing the intended direction of fall, or the tree began to fall and is now hung-up. All of these scenarios would cause your plan to change and for complexity to change. If your cut plan has changed from what you originally had planned for, take a tactical pause and understand something different is happening than what you expected to happen. Take a breath and determine if you still have the skills and ability to safely complete the cutting operation. Remember it is always okay to walk away from any cutting operation and look for alternative methods to safely meet the objective. Here are some resources that may help aid in conversation around changing complexity.
A reminder that the Interim Directive (ID) that extends sawyer certifications will expire on Dec 31, 2022. Please continue to seek opportunities to do recertification’s when possible. Thank you for all the work that you do and please let me know if you have any questions. Please share as appropriate.
21st Century Conservation Service Corps
The 21st Century Conservation Service Corps puts thousands of young people, veterans and emerging professionals to strengthen America’s infrastructure, boost local economies, and modernize the way government works. The 21CSC initiative supports partner organizations and service, training, education and employment opportunities for young people to learn and work on lands, waterways, and cultural heritage sites across the country. 21CSC includes Public Lands Corps, a work and education program for young people and veterans. Please contact your local Forest Service unit to learn more about how 21CSC partnerships work.
Youth Conservation Corps
The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is an exciting summer youth employment program that engages teenagers, ages 15 to 18, in meaningful work experiences on forest lands and prairies, national parks, wildlife refuges, and fish hatcheries.
Resource Assistants Program
The Resource Assistants Program is a rigorous, immersive work and learning experience for emerging professionals interested in conservation and/or natural and cultural resources, environmental management, research and development, and other career opportunities with federal land and water management agencies.
Pathways
Pathways Programs provide paid employment opportunities with the Federal government for high school students,
undergraduates, post-graduates and recent graduates:
- Internship Program – Opportunities for students to explore Federal careers while still in school, Students may
be hired on a temporary basis for up to one year (NTE Intern) or; for an indefinite period (Indefinite Intern). - Recent Graduates Program – Available to individuals who have completed qualifying degree or certificate
programs within the previous two years. Qualified veterans may have an extended application period due
to military service. - Presidential Management Fellows Program – For individuals who have completed an advanced degree
within the past two years.
Job Corps
Job Corps is a residential education and career training program for qualifying young people ages 16 through 24. Job Corps members learn a marketable skill, may earn a high school diploma or GED, make lifelong connections, and learn citizen stewardship values while succeeding in today’s demanding workforce. Maximum age limits may be waived if an applicant has a documented disability.
Related blogs:
- USDA Offers Tribal Students Career-Track Scholarships in Agriculture
- From Internship to Public Service Career: A HACU Success Story
- Job Corps Student Overcomes Health Barriers to Realize Forestry Dream
- First Employee Hired Under New Direct Hire Authority for Resource Assistants
- Job Corps Centers Recognized for Excellence
- Employment and Mentoring Opportunities Support Youth and Veteran Programs Across the U.S.
VSReports Portal Training (FS Partners)
Thank you for joining us yesterday for our VSReports Portal training for FS Partners. Attached please find a copy of the presentation. The recording has been posted on our SharePoint site: VSReports Portal Training (FS Partners)-20220414_110234-Meeting Recording.mp4 or you can also watch it here: https://youtu.be/qbFtDCaiwtk.
We are working on a user manual and a fact sheet to provide more information about the VSReports Portal. Finally, we are still looking for volunteers to assist with the soft launch of the application, if you are interested in participating, please email us at sm.fs.21csc@usda.gov.
Anna Daly writes: The Appaloosa was named Idaho’s state horse for the role it played in the state’s history. In the 1700s, the Nez Perce tribe first started breeding the horse, which provided the tribe with more mobility and was used for hunting and fishing.
“The Nez Perce tribe became excellent horsemen and breeders, creating large herds renowned for their strength, intelligence, and beauty,” the Appaloosa Horse Club website notes. The tribe was known throughout the Northwest for their hunting skills and craftsmanship. These skills allowed the Nez Perce to trade for necessary goods and services.
In the mid-1800s, settlers flooded the Nez Perce reservation – leading to the Nez Perce War of 1877. According to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, the Appaloosa horses helped the non-treaty Nez Perce, under the guidance of Chief Joseph, elude the U.S. Calvary for several months.
Settlers referred to the tribe’s horses as “a Palouse horse” in reference to the Palouse River in north-central Idaho. Eventually, the name evolved, becoming “Palousey”, then “Appalousey” and finally “Appaloosa”.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, more interest in the breed gradually began to grow as Appaloosas began appearing in Western roundups and rodeos – according to the Appaloosa Horse Club. The club, which was charted in 1938, works to preserve and improve the Appaloosa breed. Headquartered in Moscow today, it’s one of the leading equine breed registries in the world – according to its website.
On March 25, 1975, Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus signed a bill naming the Appaloosa as the state horse.
Today, you can learn more about the state’s horse by visiting the Appaloosa Museum and Heritage Center in Moscow.
This page is dedicated to disseminating information about the current Eagle City Council proposal for a shooting range north of Eagle on Willow Creek Road.
The Eagle Foothills equestrian/hiking trailhead is currently at extreme risk. The City of Eagle is in the process of acquiring the land from Spring Valley developers and proposing a shooting range on 80 acres with a fenced parking lot where horse owners and hikers have freely parked for many, many years. Many of us and people living in the area are concerned about the loss of a quiet place to go and to live. Dogs and horses do not mix with the sounds of gunshots. We aren’t against a shooting range being built; just NOT at this location.
Over the years, equestrians have lost access to miles of riding due to lack of parking and lack of access to BLM due to private land. Once access is removed, it’s gone forever. The Eagle Foothills trailhead is one of the few remaining areas where clubs and groups of people have space to park and ride and/or hike together.
Residents who live nearby risk the loss of home values with resulting noise and traffic. Future homes will also be affected.
An open house was held in early March and a survey made available to the public. Testimonies were again heard at a following meeting as were the results of the survey. It seems few people knew of the open house and the survey as only about 600 people (not all Eagle residents) responded with approx. 60% in favor of the range. Even people within “shooting range” weren’t aware of the meetings and surveys taking place resulting in little representation against the proposed shooting range. With 33,000 people living in the city of Eagle alone, the survey should have had much greater publicity to obtain greater accuracy of the data.
The land is being donated for a park. In our opinion, a park should be accessible for all to enjoy, including children, animals, and non-weapon enthusiasts. Please write to Eagle City Council members NOW as they are proceeding with their studies in favor of the shooting range. We’ve included a letter you can copy/paste and the email addresses of the council members for your convenience.
City of Eagle plans public shooting range for foothills
City Council Shooting Range Open House
Email Mayor and City Council Members:
Jason Pierce – Mayor
Charlie Baun
Brad Pike
Melissa Gindlesperger
Helen Russell
City Council (general email)
Clerks at City of Eagle
Copy/Paste/Edit the letter below or create your own:
Dear Mayor Pierce and City Council Members,
As an Idaho resident, I respectfully ask that you reconsider your proposal to contruct a shooting range at the Willow Creek location. The noise and traffic will negatively impact Eagle’s charm, way of life, and property values.
Equestrians and hikers alike have used the area for many years as a close in quiet retreat for riding horses and walking dogs. Groups of children enjoy exploring the sights and sounds outside of busy city life. It’s one of the few places to get to quickly with easy access.
Please consider an area with less environmental impact for building a shooting range. Why not leave the area natural as it is now or provide a park with plenty of car and trailer parking? Really, why ruin a place that’s so special to so many people?
Sincerely,
The Wilks Bros are back in the legislature, now attempting to change rural development rules.
Somewhat absent since working to revise Idaho’s trespass laws, they are now backing a bill that would wrest local control from counties for their own ends. The bill would force all Idaho counties to exempt certain land subdivision requirements, paving the way for large landowners to skirt county ordinances put in place to manage growth sustainably in rural areas.
Why does this bill matter for wildlife or hunters and anglers: unmitigated growth is a serious threat to important open space vital for habitat and ecosystem connectivity. The bill would make it easier to subdivide large agricultural corridors and rural, working landscapes into fragmented parcels, converting farmlands and woodlands into sprawl.
The Wilks’ bill would accelerate habitat fragmentation, but such ill-conceived growth didn’t just spur opposition from land-users. The bill is in response to Valley and Adams County ordinances reigning in unchecked growth in the wildland-urban interface and in dangerous places like near the McCall airport or in flood plains. County planners – who would be left on the hook to provide emergency services, infrastructure like graded and plowed roads, reviewing septic tank compliance and so on – panned the bill as unwise. Valley County Commissioner Sherry Maupin said county residents were “starting to scream for managed growth.”
This bill would nullify those local voices.
Luckily, the quick outpouring of opposition from agriculture interests, sportsmen, and local and county interests moved the bill’s sponsor – Rep. Terry Gestrin (R- Donnelly) – to pull it. But the concern here is a trend of wealthy development interests introducing legislation (see Trident’s bill) to fundamentally change the way the state and counties address development of our treasured landscapes, paving the way for poorly planned growth to benefit the few at the expense of the many. And all of this on the heels of the latest Western Colorado College Poll revealing over 2/3rds of Idahoans are concerned with poorly planned growth/development.
The Wilks Bros’ bill and the Trident bill are dead for now, but Idaho is on the map and developers and real estate speculators aren’t losing interest any time soon. The bills will be back and next time the efforts of Trident, the Wilks, and all those like them, will be better hidden.
There is a lot at stake to lose here and we will work hard to keep Idaho, Idaho.
** Stray observation: DF Development’s Business Manager Scott Carlton Carlton threatened Valley County, saying the rule change “is likely to prevent DF Development from reopening any roads on its property to the public.”
The Time Has Come
As the legislative season winds to a close we at the Idaho Wildlife Federation have begun to emerge from behind our desks where we’ve been wintering – closely monitoring natural resource activity at the Idaho state house.
With spring comes a sense of anticipation – the all-too-familiar mix of anxiety and excitement.
For instance, just as the first spring Chinook begin their ascent of the Columbia River, the rubber is meeting the road as local, state, regional and federal elected officials consider the true cost of losing Idaho’s salmon and steelhead and what it would mean for the beloved rural character of Snake and Salmon River communities.
Similarly, as COVID (fingers crossed) continues to fade, and live events return, we’re overjoyed to get back out into all the communities across the state we love and shake hands, break bread and share stories of the hunting, fishing and public lands we all enjoy. We cannot tell you enough how much we appreciate your continuous support and flexibility over these past few strange and complicated years.
The work has been done, and will continue. All we ask, is that you take it with you this spring:
EMBRACE Idaho’s abundant and pristine public lands as you traverse your favorite turkey woods.
IMAGINE the restorative potential of a healthy return of salmon and steelhead in rural Idaho communities after a long day fishing.
REMEMBER that everything within sight impacts the habitat of your preferred species of pursuit.
There’s been a lot of talk about it. It’s time to BE about it.
We’ll see you out there –
Daniel Ritz
Communications and Outreach Coordinator, Idaho Wildlife Federation
Email: DRitz@IdahoWildlife.Org
S212 – Brushing & Bucking
Unit 0 – Introduction-Course Objectives
Unit 1 – Safety Requirements (Supplemental Information embedded in powerpont.)
Unit 2- Chainsaw Parts, Maintenance and Operation (Supplemental Information embedded in Powerpoint.
2019 Complexity Powerpoint
Unit 4A: Chainsaw Tasks and Techniques: Handling, Bucking, Limbing, and Brushing and Slashing
Unit 4B: Chainsaw Tasks and Techniques: Handling, Bucking, Limbing, and Brushing and Slashing (Field Proficiency)
Here is a link to the NWCG site where there is some pre-work materials, student workbooks for S212, etc…
https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/training-courses/s-212/course-materials
Regarding a certificate if you wish to issue one it would read- Forest Service Sawyer Training – S212 (Unit 0,1,2,4A)
Link to City of Eagle Web Page
Summary of public input
The location of this park is where the current Eagle foothills horse parking lots is!
A hiker was injured after he and his dog were charged by a moose south of Pocatello earlier this week.
Idaho Fish and Game says the man was on the Gibson Jack trail in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest Wednesday morning when the incident occurred. The hiker says he was unaware of the moose when it charged him from behind.
“The moose stomped him two or three times before withdrawing,” Fish and Game says.
The man was able to hike out to safety.
Authorities say conflicts with moose are pretty rate, but the animals can be defensive if they are startled.
Here are some tips from Fish and Game if you do encounter a moose.
- Keep your distance, at least three car lengths between you and the animal. Never approach a moose, especially a female with her young.
- If recreating with dogs, maintain control of your pets with leashes and don’t allow them to chase moose or other wildlife.
- A moose will often bluff by pawing the ground and licking its lips. If it lowers its ears, a charge is likely forthcoming!
- If a moose charges, run. Try to keep a tree or other object between you and the moose, or climb a tree if necessary.
- If you find yourself on the ground, curl in a ball and do your best to protect your face and head. Try not to make noise. Moose charge because they perceive you as a threat. If you are curled up on the ground quietly, you will likely appear less threatening.
- Discharging a can of bear spray may also deter a charging moose.
- If you have any questions about recreating around wildlife or if you have a wildlife encounter to report in southeast Idaho, please contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at 208-232-4703.
The Idaho Transportation Department is resuming construction on SH-55 between Smiths Ferry and the Rainbow Bridge on March 14. The stretch of highway will be reduced to one-way alternating traffic. Drivers should anticipate 15-minute delays.
In mid-April, ITD will begin four-hour closures from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Construction on Highway 55 near Smiths Ferry has been ongoing since September 2020. Crews are working to widen shoulders, install guardrails, and minimize roadway curves.
The project area has been the site of three rockslides. In January 2021, two rockslides closed the roadway for about three weeks. In January 2022, another rockslide closed the road for several days.
“We are going into spring with lessons learned from last year,” said Jason Brinkman, ITD engineering manager. “We have spent the past winter working with geotechnical experts and the project team to change designs based on new information gathered after studying the areas where slides occurred.”
The spring construction schedule is expected to last through May.
SALMON-CHALLIS INFORMATION
Salmon-Challis National Forest:
Salmon-Challis National Forest – Home (usda.gov) Salmon-Challis National Forest – Recreation (usda.gov)
Salmon-Challis National Forest – About the Forest (usda.gov)
Salmon Community: https://www.cityofsalmon.com/
On The River | Visit Salmon Valley, Idaho
Salmon, Idaho Experience – Bing video
One Of The Most Unique Towns, Salmon Is Perfect For A Day Trip In Idaho (onlyinyourstate.com)
Challis Community: https://challischamber.com/
Mackay Community: http://mackayidaho-city.com/
Submit the attached form and a brief resume to Gina Knudson at the email below.
Interested applicants or those desiring further information may contact Gina Knudson, Partnership Coordinator at gina.knduson@usda.gov or 208-756-5551.
SACRAMENTO (BRAIN) — The group of trail and forest advocates settled its federal lawsuit filed in 2019 against the U.S. Forest Service, whom it said allowed Class 1 e-bikes on non-motorized trails in the Tahoe National Forest without conducting a public study.
The Order of Dismissal was signed by the Department of Justice on March 31, 2020. Since then, the Tahoe National Forest included about 32 miles of trails in question into an existing assessment study — the East Zone Connect Project — that the USFS approved for Class 1 e-bike use in December 2020.
The Back Country Horsemen of America, one of the plaintiffs, participated in the process.
“We were pleased to find that the Forest Service checked all the necessary boxes in its examination of its proposal to allow Class 1 e-bike use on otherwise non-motorized trails,” said Randy Rasmussen, director of public lands and recreation for the Back Country Horsemen of America. “We did not object to, nor litigate, the outcome of the East Zone Connect Project.”
According to the lawsuit, before opening non-motorized trails to e-bike use, the Tahoe National Forest should have had a public study that includes analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act to assess the impact of the decision.
Other plaintiffs included the Backcountry Horsemen of California, The Wilderness Society, the Gold Country Trails Council, and the Forest Issues Group.
“To be clear, on the e-bike topic, the BCHA has always been about process, meaning that the public needs to be involved in federal agency decisions regarding where, and under what circumstances, e-bikes are allowed on existing trails enjoyed by the public,” Rasmussen said.
Lawsuit allowing e-bikes in Tahoe National Forest settled
At the prompting of BCHA and allies that include the American Horse Council, last month the Forest Service national office circulated a memo to all national forests and national grasslands titled “Recommended Best Practices for Managing Stock Use Sites at Developed Campgrounds.” A copy of that memo can be found here.
We encourage BCHA chapters and volunteers to review this memo and, importantly, to use it as a reason to schedule a meeting with personnel at your local national forest to assist you to achieve the following objectives:
- Ensure the memo was received by the local Forest Service office,
- Discuss with forest staff the magnitude of the problem locally and the memo’s relevancy and implications, and
- Come to agreement on what adjustments in the management of equestrian campsites within Forest Service jurisdiction might be implemented in order to communicate to the public the need to prioritize equestrian campsites for use by parties with stock.
Background
Last year, BCHA approached the Forest Service regarding what options exist to minimize the extent to which parties without stock were occupying designated equestrian campsites throughout the National Forest System. We pointed out that agency policy for developed campgrounds prohibits parties from “Bringing in or possessing a saddle, pack or draft animal except as authorized by posted instructions” (Code of Federal Regulations, Section 36, subsection 261.16(l)). That is, parties with stock are prohibited by law from occupying Forest Service campsites that are not designated for equestrian use.
Yet, there is no corresponding regulation that prevents parties without stock from occupying developed equestrian campsites. The problem of occupied horse camps escalated across the nation during the COVID pandemic, when many families and others chose close-to-home vacations in favor of long-distance travel. The Forest Service memo describes well the implications to stock users of this growing problem.
Horse Camp Incident Report Form
BCHA and its allies developed a Horse Camp Incident Report form for members to capture and record incidents where parties without stock are occupying Forest Service equestrian campsites. The form can be found here. An online version of the form can be downloaded to your smart phone; it can be accessed here.
The purpose of the form is to support BCHA should we need to make the case for new regulations to prevent parties without stock from occupying equestrian campsites. BCHA is pleased that the Forest Service issued the aforementioned memo to field staff; it represents a logical first step to apply education to help lessen the problem.
We don’t know that education alone will prove sufficient to solve the horse camping problem. By collecting your accounts of incidents in the field, we might better document the magnitude and geographic extent of the problem. Consequently, BCHA is relying on its members to provide data from the field of your observations, should we need to promote further solutions.
Special notes:
- Always be courteous to other campground users. It’s likely that any party without stock has occupied an equestrian campsite because regular campsites were already taken or reserved.
- Remember, it’s not illegal for others to camp in an equestrian campsite. Plus, some folks might not know the difference between an equestrian and regular campsites (seriously!) or why their occupancy of an equestrian campsite might force us to travel far distances in order to find a legal campsite—if not forced to return home, an outing ruined.
- If you end up speaking with such parties, use these talking points to educate them about the scarcity of legal campsites for equestrian use and what happens when parties without stock occupy equestrian campsites.
PRINT INCIDENT FORM // ONLINE INCIDENT FORM
Managing Horse Camp Sites_whitepaper_FINAL
Travis Dotson and Alex Viktora discuss the Tree Felling Accident Analysis – a report comparing 53 different tree felling accidents.
Topics covered include:
Predicting Tree Reactions
Hung-Up Trees
Helmets
Two People at the Base
Area Control
Escape Routes
Accidents During Training
If you have anything to do with chainsaws on the fireline…tune in.
Download the report at: https://www.wildfirelessons.net/viewdocument/tree-felling-accident-analysis