Dusty Trails

Travel

• The North Fork of the Flathead: The Gem of the Continent
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• Vilsack Warms Up on Tester’s Bill
  Last December, during a congressional hearing on the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (NFJA), the Department of Agriculture’s testimony was anything but encouraging to Senator Jon Tester (D-MT). However, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack unrolled a new approach to this controversial bill on Saturday including clear support for its wilderness and timber infr […]
• A Changing of the Guard At Plum Creek
  When he retires from Plum Creek Timber Co. at the end of the month, Hank Ricklefs will feel much better about stepping down from his position as vice president of northern resources and manufacturing than he would have a year ago at this time. “It was absolute turmoil,” he said of 2009. “No one had a solid feeling for where the bottom was.” […]
• Sage Grouse Misses ESA Listing By A Feather
  You might be all in a tizzy about whether Avatar or Hurt Locker won the big Oscar on Sunday. But a lot of folks in the Interior West—and enviro wonks from all over—were focused last week on a much bigger announcement: Will the greater sage grouse get federal protection under the Endangered Species Act or not? The answer? No. At least not yet. In a March 5 pr […]
• Recreation Fees Big Part of Public Land Privatization Plan
  For five years, I’ve been railing against the recreational fee frenzy going on within the Forest Service, and after reading hundreds of comments (online and offline), I’ve noticed a common theme that I should address. Why, many commenters ask, am I so concerned about these relatively small, pay-for-play fees when we’re facing colossal environmental issues su […]