The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

persistent snow pack.Lynx: Boles Creek is an important area forlynx; historic trapping records indicate thatPlacid and Owl Creeks east to Alice Creek havea consistent population of lynx. Dunham Creekand Monture Creek are very high quality lynxhabitat.Elk are dispersed from Placid Creek to theEast Fork of Monture Creek, the HorseshoeHills, and throughout Blanchard Creek and LostPrairie in the summer; they move southeast towinter range in the Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA,which is critical habitat. The corridor betweenthe summer and winter ranges is used heavilyby elk. In the winter, the Squeezer drainagehas high elk concentrations.Conservation ThreatsDevelopment around Seeley Lake andClearwater Junction is encroaching uponungulate winter range. There was a largesubdivision proposed just southwest ofClearwater in the Woodchuck Canyon.Forest Management: A widespread effort tothin the forest is wiping out lynx habitat. Fireand thinning has degraded much of the lynxhabitat in this linkage area but, if subdivisioncan be held at bay, the habitat will eventuallyrebound.Highways: Both Highway 200 and 83 may effecthabitat fragmentation and animal-vehiclecollisions. Highway 83 has been deadly for deer;unfortunately, the road-killed deer often attractother species, like bald eagles, then perching inharm’s way.be encouraged. The Blackfoot Challengeconservation effort is well established in theBlackfoot Valley.Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has workedwith Montana Department of Transportationon establishing a wildlife corridor under thepowerline easement that will cross Highway83. This corridor will connect the BlackfootClearwater WMA-Horseshoe Hills with theMissions.Within Poverty Flats between Salmon andSeeley Lake, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parkshas been working with Timber and MontanaDepartment of Transportation to establish acorridor. This will connect the Horseshoe Hillswith the Double Arrow Hills.There is land in the Beta Mountain area thathas been placed into conservation as animportant wildlife moverment area.Missoula County has placed emphasis onthe Woodchuck Canyon area southwestof Clearwater as an important wildlifemovement area for big game species and forestcarnivores.Conservation OpportunitiesMuch of this linkage area is within NationalForest and Wildlife Management Areas, andthus is protected. The Swan Travel ManagementPlan opens soon for public comment; this is animportant document for public participation;travel management will affect ungulate winterrange and vegetation management (importantfor lynx). The Legacy Project is an opportunityto influence management guidelines for 41% ofall private lands in the county. Concentratedzones for real estate development should146