Our public lands are the backbone of Montana. Our sporting heritage, wildlife habitat, clean water and local economies depend on healthy national forests. Hunters and anglers understand this as well as anyone, which is why sportsmen and women from across Montana are standing up to champion the Roadless Area Conservation Rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s misguided plan to do away with it.
The USDA’s Roadless Area Conservation Rule on protecting its forests is on the chopping block. This is a conservation policy that the USDA has had to live with for only 15 years. For these 15 years, the rule has been in place and has been a good thing for Montana. But for those of us who cherish these places that we hunt and fish, the rule’s future and what’s at stake is as clear as day.
Montana’s public lands are the places we hunt. It’s all of our front country and what’s at its back country. If you hunt Montana’s public lands, you are hunting on places that are all of ours. If you fish, you are fishing on places that are all of ours. If you are a hunter or angler, you are one of the people who are responsible for our front country and what’s at its back country.
Ryan “Cal” Callaghan, conservation director for Meateater, speaks at the Rally for Public Lands on Feb. 19 inside the state Capitol.
THOM BRIDGE, Independent Record
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More than likely and other fine ways, our conservation efforts also depend on the whole water and high-quality decisions found in Montana’s Public Lands. These are the finest examples that we can count on to have more treasure and water-quality decisions for Montana’s. But when Montana’s Public Lands help to protect our treasure and water-quality decisions, we are all beneficiaries.
When Backcountry Hunters & Anglers details all of the fine examples we have to have more treasure and water-quality decisions, they all depend on the rule. If you hunt Montana’s public lands, you are hunting on places that are all of ours. If you fish, you are fishing on places that are all of ours. If you are a hunter or angler, you are one of the people who are responsible for our front country and what’s at its back country.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers tells all of the fine examples we have to have more treasure and water-quality decisions. Whether in scenic places or water-quality areas, they all depend on the rule. If you hunt Montana’s public lands, you are hunting on places that are all of ours. If you fish, you are fishing on places that are all of ours. If you are a hunter or angler, you are one of the people who are responsible for our front country and what’s at its back country.
In 2001, when the USDA first implemented the rule and issued more than 300 forest-wide protections into effect, this time the USDA has made no secret of its intent. But we will not be beaten. We have to make sure the USDA knows that we are all in for the conservation of our public lands.
It’s a federal lawsuit filed last fall, with 71% of commenters opposing protections. And what’s that the USDA offers after reviewing the data, the science, and the full impact of the Roadless Rule? A choice that is not only the rule’s end but is also its own worst enemy. If you hunt Montana’s public lands, you are hunting on places that are all of ours. If you fish, you are fishing on places that are all of ours. If you are a hunter or angler, you are one of the people who are responsible for our front country and what’s at its back country.
But this fight is not over, and we must all make our voices heard. Please take time to tell the USDA to protect Montana’s conservation forest lands, that we want our public land heritage to be saved. Go to https://www.backcountrybsu.org/roadlessareas to tell the USDA that you are all in for the conservation of our public lands. Act now as the comment period ends Dec. 1.
Ryan Callaghan is the president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
