The following is an introduction to the full scope of comments that Montana Backcountry Hunters & Anglers recently submitted to the Helena National Forest in partnership with the Montana Wildlife Federation in regards to the Blackfoot Travel Management Plan & Big Game Security Amendment.
Dear Forest Supervisor Kevin Riordan:
The following comments are submitted in response to the Helena National Forest proposed Big Game Security Amendment (Big Game Standard 4a). We request these comments be entered into the public record, and each of our comments be individually analyzed and addressed in the subsequent analysis and NEPA process.
Montana Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (MT BHA)and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), and Montana Wildlife Federation (MWF) offer the following comments to implementation of an unvalidated and scientifically unsupported proposed amendment to Helena Forest Plan Standard 4a for Big Game Security (Appendix F). The proposal would potentially damage big game security on Elk Herd Units that do entirely fall within the Administrative Boundary of the Helena National Forest by allowing degradation of forest cover well below 30% of an EMU. In addition, all necessary criteria of the model that is being proposed to amend Standard 4a are not described in the proposed amendment and therefore are not assured of being applied...
Click here to read the remainder of MT BHA & MWF's comments.
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