What a concept! Breaking the cycle of the historically adversarial relationship between resource industry and conservation groups, the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership shows what can happen when folks actually sit down, find common ground, and do the right thing. I believe that this state has to learn the art of compromise, understanding that the best solution usually lies within the middle ground. I am very excited to see this collaborative process applied on other forests and federal lands in the West.

Of course, this plan is not without its detractors. The bone-heads on both sides (motorized recreation and hardcore enviros) and their nonsensical, no compromise stances are and will continue to throw stones at the plan from the sidelines. The “multiple-use” groups, not necessarily the individuals, are the worst offenders – they don’t have a plan, they are not going to contribute an alternative plan, and they are dead set against any plan that involves any real conservation. These guys are the worst outcome of the red state mentality, “I have rights, but I have no responsibility” – the heights of selfishness are continually displayed in these people. The hardcore enviros are no better. Their “No compromise” philosophy leads to discord and mistrust with communities and industry in the West. They create or, at least, encourage enemies. I am sick of hearing about the evil rancher, the greedy logger or the bourgeois businessman, while these idiots sing stupid songs and chants at hearings and meetings, even when they have a legitimate point (they do have legitimate points more often than not). The ideas seem silly coming from the court jesters in corduroys.

Key Elements of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership Legislation

• Designates 570,000 acres of roadless country in 16 areas as wilderness.
• Establishes six “Stewardship Areas,” roughly equivalent to forest planning units
• Identifies 698,000 of forested acres as “eligible lands” for stewardship projects.
• Directs the FS to make a decision on one landscape-sale restoration project of up to 50,000 years in the “eligible lands” within a year of the bill passing.
• Directs the FS to mechanically treat 14,000 within two years and 70,000 within 10 years, with a priority on lands that have high road densities, ongoing impacts to wildlife and fish due to past logging and roading, are at high risk because of insects and high-severity fires, and which are in the wildland urban .
• Requires all projects carried out under the legislation to employ stewardship contracts, thereby funneling the value of timber taken back onto the landscape for restoration activities.
• Requires a post-project road density of less than 1.5 miles per square mile
• Requires that any roads necessary for a project have to be temporary.
• Requires INFISH riparian-protection standards for all projects
• Requires the Forest to establish a citizen-run Resource Advisory Council to advise it on identification of projects.
• Requires the RAC to establish multi-interest advisory committees to aid the forest in developing and monitoring projects.
• Requires the Forest to report back to Congress within five years on progress of activities directed in the plan
• All measures in the bill, except the wilderness designation, terminate in 10-15 years, when it is expected the next major revision of the forest plan will occur.
• Land-use allocations, standards and traveling planning not specified or directly implicated in
  the legislation default to the forest plan and other agency plans.
• The legislation has no effect on the appeals process or judicial review.

I encourage everyone to read about the plan at the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership website. The entire Montana legislative delegation has voiced approval of the plan, save for Denny Rehberg (surprise, surprise), please contact Mr. Rehberg (see contact information below)

Montana Congressional Delegation