The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

damage. The river is now revived but there isthreat of renewed mining interest.Forest management: State and BLM own mostof the lynx habitat here; the BLM has beendoing a lot of forest thinning, which threatensremaining habitat. The Garnet Range is heavilyroaded from past logging. There is a lot of PlumCreek Timber Company land within this linkage.Winter range management in this forest iscritical, and affects, ungulates and carnivores,especially wolves. On the Plum Creek TimberCompany land there is massive, large-scalehabitat thinning, which could wipe out the lynxhabitat.Climate change is a threat. As spring snowmeltoccurs earlier every year it affects natal denninghabitat of wolverines. A decrease in cold nights,and subsequent increase in bug kill, wouldtotally affect lynx habitat. Boreal forest isintolerant of fire, and could be removed if a fireoccurs.Noxious Weeds (leafy spurge, spottedknapweed, Dalmatian toadflax) are a big issue.West of the Continental Divide in Montana,with elk populations increasing, noxious weedsaffect elk use. Elk will avoid winter range withsignificant spotted knapweed.Conservation Opportunitiesand focus on zoning, with possibly smartgrowth development on Plum Creek TimberCompany land. It is also an opportunity towork with Plum Creek on forest managementthat supports wildlife. The Blackfoot Challengeis already working collaboratively betweenagencies, timber companies, and privatelandowners. From Bonner to Rogers Pass there ismuch conservation on-going with the BlackfootChallenge but there is an opportunity still tokeep working with the USFS on the ForestPlan.In the 1970s and 1980s, Montana Fish, Wildlifeand Parks did a management study on elk andlogging, and moose in the Chamberlain Creekarea. This happened before Plum Creek TimberCompany roaded the area. It has been roadedsince then but there is a cooperative roadmanagement group trying to keep road densitydown. There is also a weed advisory groupfocusing on chemical and bio-control to enhancethe weed condition here.The Milltown Dam Removal project will resultin a new state park in the area. This park willbe managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parksand may provide opportunity to work towardwildlife friendly management objectives.There is relatively limited development withinthis linkage area, which is important for longdistance movement for animals like wolverines.There is relatively limited development andstill an opportunity to protect several importantmovement links across Highway 200 from Bonnerto Ovando.There is an opportunity to work with someprivate landowners on an elk management.The Elevation Mountain area is public landowned by the BLM. This area appears to beimportant grizzly bear and elk habitat, and itis critically important to lynx. Public pressureon the BLM to preserve the boreal forest isimportant.Though Plum Creek Timber Company sold offsome of the lynx habitat to the State, this mayhelp open the door of opportunity to engage185