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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!”
t s e B e h ‘T
’ ! l a c o L at
Next Sale: (last of the year)
First Interstate Buildings Ravalli Co. Fairgrounds
Thurs - Fri - Sat • Dec 6th - 8th • 8am - 6pm
Doll Collection, Tools, Antiques, Collectibles, Vintage Clothes & Hats, Great Christmas Gift Sale!
For info call Mike (520) 990-9658 • swansonsestatesales.com
Volume XXXIV, Number 16
For the birds
Established 1985 - Locally owned & independent
Report on impact of declining timber harvest on Bitterroot economy released
By Michael Howell
Patrick Barkey and Todd Morgan of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana delivered a summary presentation of the results of their study commissioned by the Board of Ravalli County Commissioners examining the history of the timber industry in the Bitterroot Valley. “First off, it’s pretty clear to anybody that lives here,” said Barkey, “that the whole scale of the wood products industry is very different today than it was in the history of Ravalli County.” He said it was worth looking in to what extent the harvest policy on federally managed land in the national forest had a role in the shrinkage of the wood products industry from the point of view of the logging and manufacturing activities that have always been a part of the economy here. “The question is to what extent that was a factor and finally to get at the core research question of this project is to ask ‘What if? - What would the economy look
Becky Peters, Bitterroot Audubon president, and Betsy Ballard, education coordinator, show off the new 2019 Birds of the Bitterroot Valley calendar. Victoria Howell photo.
Birds of the Bitterroot Valley By Michael Howell
No one does more for birds in the Bitterroot Valley than the Bitterroot Audubon Society, the local chapter of the National Audubon Society. They are more than a group of bird watchers. Of course, there is a lot of just plain watching that goes on, but they are really bird lovers, and it involves a lot of doing, as well. Audubon Society members are famous for not only watching birds, but getting to know them. And not just by name, but by their habits, and by the habitats they occupy as well, and the role they play in a complex environment. Sharing this kind of experience and knowledge, with the
community, is a big part of Bitterroot Audubon’s mission. One way they further this goal, according to Betsy Ballard, chair of the Education Committee, is by sponsoring the Audubon Adventures program for teachers and students. The program offers printed and online materials in a variety formats and subjects suitable for classroom groups, libraries, after school clubs, science and nature camps, home schoolers, as well as families with students in grades 3 to 5. There are over 38 different topics ranging from alligators and bees to whales and water birds, from forests and prairies to seashores and urban habitats. According to Ballard, nine teachers in the valley in seven schools took advantage of the pro-
gram. More information about Audubon Adventures may be found online at www.audubonadventures.org. She said they hoped to expand the program this coming year and suggested valley teachers try to sign up by December 1, 2018. Bitterroot Audubon also sets up an educational booth annually at the Bitterroot Youth Conservation and Education Expo and supports the associated scholarship program to summer camps. This year they had a bird’s nest display, a display about the hazards of baling twine for birds, an exhibit on bird friendly plants, and, of course the bird identification challenge.
Michalson has recused himself from the Council’s process of appointing a replacement, stating that it might be seen as a conflict of interest since one of the applicants, Jim Crews, is a close friend of his. Following a closed-door discussion between Holcomb and Barker at a previous meeting, it was announced that only three out of the four applicants would be interviewed. They are Jim Crews, Jerry Phillips and Annemarie McCormack. Each applicant was asked the same list of seven questions. McCormack has been a resident of Stevensville for 30 years. She is currently retired but worked for 40 years in the medical field. She characterized herself as “a problem solver and a doer” and
someone who can “bridge gaps and facilitate conversations.” Now that she is retired, she said, “I’m ready to give back to the community. I am willing, and I have the time.” McCormack said she was “a clean slate. I have no previous opinions about things. I am open to new ideas. I’m a fresh face.” She said that it was important for the council to work together and she was ready and qualified to help move things forward in a reasonable way in a reasonable amount of time. Her first task would be to familiarize herself with past and present budgets. Most important, she said, is listening to the citizens at best in a one on one scenario, such as
See BIRDS, page A2
Applicants interviewed for vacant Stevi council seat By Michael Howell
On Thursday, November 1, three applicants vying for a Ward 2 position on the Stevensville Town Council were interviewed by Councilors Robin Holcomb and Stacie Barker. The Council will be appointing a new council member at their upcoming November 8 meeting to fill out the remaining term of former Councilor Ray Smith. Smith recently resigned his position, claiming that he could no longer work with Mayor Brandon Dewey because things he believed were said in confidence to the mayor were then shared with Police Chief James Marble. There are a little over two years left to serve in the remaining term. Council President Bob
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
See STEVI, page A8
like if the harvest levels that had occurred historically had remained at the levels of 25 years ago,” said Barkey. Morgan, who works in the Forest Industry Research Program of the BBER, said they tracked delivered log prices and production and wage information. He said the timber industry began to decline in the valley in the early 1990s and production on the national forest lands dropped from around 60 million board feet (mbf) to about 13 mbf, leading to the closure of valley’s two large sawmills in 1998. According to Morgan, 88% of the forested land in the valley is located on the Bitterroot National Forest. “So, what happens in the Bitterroot is clearly relevant to lots of things, not just timber and wood products, but also to recreation and hunting and other public lands activities. But what we specifically looked at was timber harvest,” he said. He said as prices went up in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was “a big incentive” to log on private land and at the same time,
a large portion of that private land changed ownership and Darby Lumber took over management of Plum Creek lands. Another flurry of work on private land began following the fires of 2000 as salvage work increased on private and state lands again as well as proactive fuel reduction projects. But basically, the production from the national forest lands plummeted from the 60 mbf annually of the 19080s to about 13 mbf presently. According to Morgan, 13 mbf is also the current capacity that can be used by what remains of the wood products industry in the valley. He said this array of businesses includes log home manufacturers, three small sawmills, four post and pole operations and two Fuels-in-the-Schools programs in Darby and Victor. Then comes the snapshot comparison in which the analysts ask the “core research question of ‘What if?’” What would today’s overall economy look like if the harvest levels of the 1980s had been maintained? The short
$9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse. org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief
and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
See REPORT, page A12
Operation Christmas Child to hold national collection week
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, Bitterroot and Missoula Valley families are expressing their gratitude by giving back. Residents are filling shoeboxes with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items to send to children in need around the world. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received. During Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week November 12-19, local residents will collect shoebox gifts at seven drop-off locations in Salmon, Idaho, Hamilton, Stevensville, Missoula and Alberton. The Samaritan’s Purse project, partnering with churches worldwide, will deliver these gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. The Missoula Area Team volunteers hope to collect more than 10,000 gifts during the week. “We believe these simple gifts have the ability to send a tangible message of hope to children facing difficult circumstances,” said Missoula Area Coordinator volunteer Debbie Reinhardt. “It is exciting to see the community come together to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with millions of boys and girls around the world.” Valley residents are not alone in their effort to help children around the world. More than 150,000 U.S. volunteers including families, churches and other groups are joining forces to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In 2018, Samaritan’s Purse hopes to collect enough Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to reach 11 million children, with 10,000 coming from the Bitterroot and Missoula Valley area. For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 253-5721155, or visit samaritanspurse. org/occ. Participants can donate
Debbie Reinhardt, Missoula Area Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child, promotes National Collection Week scheduled for November 12-19. Reinhardt hopes the program will bring in more than 10,000 gifts.