ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES in rocky mountain coniferous ...

highways. Of course, all roads are constructed to minimize soil erosion. Our po 1 icy
is to install gates on new road systems entering drainages not readily accessible t 0
vehicles in the past.
Champion Timberlands is involved in several programs to improve conditions for
plants and animals in the forests. We are and have been an active cooperator with
other agencies and private individuals. By limiting areas to walk-in hunting only,
we can improve protection for game animals and provide better hunting for the pub1 ic.
At present, we are involved in the Hoodo, Chamberlain, and Morrison walk-in hunting
areas. Also, I am now working with the Montana Fish and Game Department to obtain
their help in enforcing individual road closures on old road systems. By doing this,
we can provide continuous limited access to drainages rather than having the whole
drainage opened or completely closed. Champion has a1 so been extensively involved in
the Blackfoot Corridor proposal with the private landowners and the fish and game
department to help regulate recreation on the Blackfoot River. Other examples of
environmentally supportive actions that occur daily are: leaving snags for birds
that nest in tree holes, protecting and 1 imiting logging in areas where bald eagles
nest. In one case, we moved a road 200 feet (61 m) downhill to avoid ruining an
Oregon junco's nest that had been found on the ground. These are not isolated
exampl es, each forester has his particular wil dl ife story.
Finally, we work with the Air Quality Bureau to protect Montana's air quality
during the fall slash-burning season. This year we are the local airshed coordina-
tors. As cooperators we are required to send in a burning plan that includes section,
township, range, elevation, fuel tons per acre and total acres of each burn. The
coordinator will be in daily communication with the Air Quality Bureau and will
notify groups on days when weather conditions would cause slash burning to create
excessive air pollution.
In sumary, we at Champion Timberlands are attempting to meet the environmental
and biological requirements of the forest in such a way that when new restrictions
are necessary, we can assure the public that Champion has already put these restric-
tions into effect and they are a part of our day-to-day operations.
Earl Salmonson
Chief, Forest Management Bureau
Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
Division of Forestry
We in the Division of Forestry are responsible for the management of approximately
490,000 acres (198,303 ha) of State-owned forest land. We are also responsible
for providing technical forestry assistance to owners of small private woodlands. We
have several foresters taking advantage of this symposium, which is an indication of
our strong interest in the various papers that were presented.
The Division of Forestry is mandated by State law to protect and manage State
1 ands to provide a sustained income to the trust, as well as to provide for the
mu1 tip le-use of these lands. We are also mandated by the Montana Environmental
Pol icy Act to provide an environmentally sound program in the management of these
1 ands. A1 though we currently are applying the results of some of the research presented
here, a considerable amount of new knowledge will help us to better manage
State lands and fulfill our obligation to the trust.
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