By Judy Hoy, Stevensville
We can see that insect populations, particularly pollinators, here in Montana have declined significantly. We also know most vertebrate and many invertebrate species are dependent on insects for survival, including us! The following is clearly stated by Article IX of the Montana State Constitution: “The Legislature shall provide adequate remedies for the protection of the environmental life support system from degradation and provide adequate remedies to prevent unreasonable depletion and degradation of natural resources.” Our Montana Constitution demands this! The Montana Legislature should be taking all necessary steps to protect Montana’s native invertebrate species, which are absolutely essential to Montana’s environmental life support system. Insects, especially, are extremely vital natural resources, without which most of the vertebrate species on which we depend for survival will go extinct, and then so will we. Government officials in Helena can’t tell me who protects native insects and other invertebrates in Montana. MDFWP doesn’t! The survival of you and your family, other mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds totally depend on the survival of native insects and other native invertebrates. It is important for everyone, especially children, to ask for Montana’s extremely beneficial native invertebrates to be protected before it is too late!