Public Meeting On Proposed Caribou Critical Habitat Gets Feisty

Back in the news again are our 3 caribou, and the feds' plan to section off 600 square miles of N. Idaho and Washington as critical habitat for the trio.  Of note, again, is that 3 caribou is the average count over the past several years.  Last year, no caribou were counted in Idaho or Washington.

That has locals wondering why we need critical habitat for a species that is virtually not there.  Ah hah, says the environmental groups, accusing the locals of missing the point.  And that shouldn't need much explaining.

By policy, the feds are required to assign critical habitat for species that are managed under the Endangered Species Act.  Environmental groups finally sued the feds enough, that the feds were finally forced to make their way back into the dark, wet, tea-partied backwoods of Idaho's north country.  I wouldn't want to be in their shoes either.

But they showed up, and took it in the teeth from around 200 locals.  The locals will do anything to stop this federal "land grab" (their words) that would harm an economy dependent upon access to the Selkirk woods, where the critical habitat is proposed, a place where logging and sport snowmobiling has already taken hits by federal regulations.

I believe the locals' attempts will ultimately be futile.  But it's important to fight.  This situation should be eyed as a prime example of how federal government bureaucracy really gums things up in areas where it should just get lost.

You can read more on the public meeting here.

~ J. Bunch

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Squeaking & Why The Caribou Issue Is Important

As I reported here and here, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed that nearly 600 square miles of North Idaho and Eastern Washington be designated as critical habitat for the woodland caribou that frequent the area.  And just to give you some specific numbers, in case you are just getting up to speed on the issue, we are talking about 3 caribou that are sometimes seen in Idaho.  No caribou have been counted in Washington.  Most of the woodland caribou reside permanently in British Columbia.

But this 600 square miles in the Selkirk Mountains is within the borders of Boundary County in Idaho, and residents there have concerns about the designation - most notably are questions on how it will affect the economy and access to the area.  

"There has been tremendous concern raised in Boundary County, where most of this critical habitat is proposed, about what this proposal will do to the people here as regards its impact on the local economy, recreation, limitations on how that land may be used and accessed, how our emergency service providers can go about responding to situations on these lands when fire breaks out or when someone's life is on the line," commission chair Ron Smith said. "We're looking for a lot of answers, and we look forward being able to present the questions."

County Commissioners acted quickly and formed coalitions with other counties and various interested parties.  After Boundary County formally invoked the U.S. Constitution in order to establish a working relationship with the USF&WS, the feds responded by agreeing to hold meetings and hearings before the final decision will be made on the designation.

But the USF&WS was stunned that the local residents who might be impacted by the designation wanted answers to questions, wanted to raise concerns, and wanted their voice to be heard.

Thanks to the efforts of Boundary County Commissioners, working with the KVRI, the USFWS, whose representatives appeared stunned by the vociferous outcry expressed January 9, as they expected only an informational meeting with a dedicated group of people they have worked with for years largely outside the public eye, may now have a better understanding of the concerns of the community, and they will be better able to prepare their information and data so as to provide the detailed information the citizens of Boundary County are demanding and need.

Stunned?  Wow.  

Most of you won't be impacted by any caribou any time soon.  But there is a likely chance that you will be impacted by the USF&WS, especially when they might find themselves twiddling their thumbs, and looking for something to do.

So learn the lesson from Boundary County.  Squeak when things don't seem quite right.  Instead of being plowed over with a critical habitat designation handed down from on high, a designation that they have no idea what the consequences might be, they squeaked.  And in return they received an agreement to hold two public meetings, where information can be obtained, and two public hearings, where the informed public can raise their concerns.

What will happen in the end?  There will be no vote.  In the end the USF&WS will do what they want.

As an example for those of you on the far side of the state from the caribou issue, keep an eye on the Bear River Watershed Conservation Area that is being proposed by the USF&WS (here is that story).  They want to work to purchase conservation easements from willing sellers in the Bear River Watershed in Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah.  If this proposed program provokes any questions on how it will affect you, sqeak.

Here is the full story from www.ruralnorthwest.com.

~ J. Bunch

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Our 3 Caribou: Counties Starting To Get Fired Up

About a month ago I reported that the Federal Guvmint is proposing that nearly 375,000 acres of North Idaho be designated as critical caribou habitat.  Now N. Idaho counties are forming a coalition to fight that proposal, realizing that the designation could hurt the economy and hamper public land access.

The Feds are taking your comments (how nice), but realize that your comment carries as much weight as the comment that comes in from the sand filled sandal of a dread-locked L.A. hippie.  And it seems that there's a lot of that type who like to tell us up here in the Northlands how to manage our wild.

From the CDA Press:

Bonner County is pressing ahead with efforts to challenge the designation of habitat for endangered woodland caribou.


The board adopted a resolution Tuesday insisting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service coordinate with the county regarding habitat designation for endangered caribou. Commissioners also resolved to contact other commissions in the Panhandle, Montana and Washington state in order to build a coalition.

Commissioners here further hope to draw in state lawmakers, agencies and Idaho's federal delegation.

"I'm set up to contact Lincoln County, Pend Oreille County (and) Boundary County. Shoshone County proactively emailed me this morning. They want to join our coordination process," Commission Chairman Cornel Rasor said on Tuesday.

You can read the full article here.

~ J. Bunch

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You and the Woodland Caribou

I was always a little baffled by the IF&G's big game rule brochure when it stated that there is no open season for caribou in Idaho. Caribou in Idaho? Where and how? I thought caribou only existed in the far north tundra, slurping up lichen as they migrate.

Turns out, a few of them prefer the forests, and abide in portions of North Idaho and Washington in the Selkirk Mountains, slurping up lichen off of our old growth forests.

Now, when I say a "few" of them, I mean that literally. Like three (3). In 2008, the IF&G surveyed the Selkirk Mountains for Caribou. In that range, which extends into Northeast Washington and British Columbia, 46 caribou were found. 43 were counted in B.C., and 3 were observed in Idaho.

In case you're interested in exactly where those 3 caribou were spotted in Idaho, below is the survey map:

Supposedly, the woodland caribou once roamed the northern U.S. in greater numbers. But in 1984, they were put under the Endangered Species Act, and have had protection there. In 1999, the population in the Selkirks was 48, 6 of which were located in Idaho. The population has remained steady since then, with an average of 2.555556 (exactly) caribou observed in Idaho during the last 9 surveys going back to 1999.

So what should we do about it? Well, I think having caribou in Idaho is a pretty neat idea. Especially if they grow to such a number that I get to hunt them someday. But the fact of the matter is I probably won't, and neither will my grandchildren. The woodland Caribou in the Selkirks is likely not a viable herd. Augmentation efforts in the past have not helped increased the population. And sometimes the "playing god" activities of wildlife agencies just makes my head spin. Like when they promote wolf, grizzly, and caribou all in the same area.

But the Feds have different ideas with their, er... our land. And how nice it was for them to let us know. They plan on designating 375,562 acres in Washington and Idaho as critical habitat for the caribou. While this proposal will not restrict any private land that doesn't have any federal strings attached, it will mean changes on federal land, and with lands that do have federal strings attached. Which means, unfortunately, since almost all lands these days have federal strings attached, that our three caribou might turn out to be a pain in the butt for more than a few Idahoans.

The anti-common sense of introducing animals into an area, in order to augment an unviable population of animals, and then to pull every string possible to ensure that population grows, is nothing more than a power grab at land, and job justification and security. Wildlife officials love it. Environmental groups and their lawyers love it. And we pay the bill in more ways than one.

More info on what the US Fish & Wildlife Service has planned here.
You can state your comments on the plan at this site.
And finally, you can read the 2008 IF&G survey study here.

~ J. Bunch

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