This is an effort by concerned foresters to stop the destruction of roads on public land throughout the United States.

FLATHEAD NATIONAL FOREST (public lands) Road Reclamation (destruction)

[How you ask?]
By Culvert Excavation and Waterbar Installation

The destruction and abandonment of your public roads continues on the Flathead National Forest. Currently in the South Coal-Mathias Creek Drainage of the Glacier View Ranger District adjoining Glacier National Park. The Coal Creek drainage flows into the North Fork of the Flathead River. All bull trout habitat.

For the purpose of "Wildlife Security" from people, and under the new Forest Service agenda, "watershed restoration".

Forty one (41) stream crossing culverts, 18 to 48 inches in diameter are being excavated from under the roadbeds. Removing the stream culverts allows the streams to cut new channels in the mud, consequently sediments are flowing into Mathias and Coal Creek. Coal Creek is a bull trout spawning stream closed to fishing. The bull trout is now listed endangered.

In addition to the stream crossing culvert excavations, there are 318 waterbars dug across road surfaces on about 12 miles of road that diverts ditch water to run across the road surface. Cross drain 18" steel culverts were in place in original construction but have now been rendered useless and in many cases by-passed.

The South Coal-Mathias drainage is a relatively small drainage of about 10 square miles. Much of the roads destroyed are in very close proximity to the Creeks. In places, only a stones throw. There are also some fragile soils involved. Is this action too much disturbance in one months time? For such disturbance and destruction, the Montana Fish wildlife and Parks issues Montana Stream Protection Permits (124 for stream disturbance) to the Forest Service. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has viewed photos of the destruction and condones the actions.

This road destruction and abandonment isolates about 50 years of forest management, public recreation, and access for fire purposes. Fully vegetated cut and fill slopes and road surfaces are stripped bare over the culverts Some culverts are located in very steep draws. Thousands of cubic yards of soil are relayed by excavator to the road surface to be drifted by dozer up and down the road for disposal. Some culvert outlets are 50 foot downslope from the road surface. Host culverts with running stream water are dug out while allowing the water to run through the culvert fill material while being excavated.

Under the current Forest Service Chief's agenda, it is known as "Watershed Restoration". It defies the bull trout issue, Montana's Best Management Practices" for private timber land owners and loggers, and above all defies all common sense. There are not any better examples of stream degradation available. It is apparent that the practice will continue until all the public land roads are closed and destroyed or until the public resists. Which will it be?

Why are our forest roads being closed and destroyed?

CALL TO ACTION!!!

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