Bitterroot National Forest officials gave the Ravalli County Commissioners a summary on Monday of the forest’s latest Travel Management Planning Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

The agency began its effort to review and update its forest-wide travel management direction late in 2007. Over the last 18 months the agency reviewed and assessed over 10,000 public comments on the plan, made some modifications based on that, and are now soliciting even more comment.

Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor Dave Bull emphasized that the current DEIS is just a draft.

“And we are once again hoping you will review the work we have done, and give us some additional feedback,” said Bull.

The goal, according to Bull, is a final travel plan that provides quality recreation experiences for motorized and non-motorized users while protecting the National Forest resources.

The new travel plan will designate what routes are open to motorized travel and what routes are not. The aim is to reduce conflict between motorized and non-motorized users.

The analysis consisted of a no action alternative (Alternative 2) that describes existing conditions and three other alternatives. Alternative 3 emphasized motorized access. Alternative 4 was developed to respond to demand for non-motorized opportunities. The preferred alternative, Alternative 1, reflects a mix of motorized and non-motorized opportunities that seems to best fit the landscape and the natural resources on the forest.

A series of Open Houses is planned to present the DEIS to the public from 4 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, August 11, in Hamilton; Thursday, August 13, in Darby; and Tuesday, August 18, in Stevensville. There will be weekly Open Houses at the Forest Supervisor’s Office in Hamilton starting August 19th.

Preparation of a Final EIS and Record of Decision will begin this fall. The Record of Decision and a creation of the new Motor Vehicle Use Map is expected to occur during late spring 2010. One can expect to see change of management on the ground in the summer of 2010.

Supervisor Dave Bull told the Commissioners that one thing about which he hears the most concern being expressed is the notion that the Forest Service is closing roads.

“This document doesn’t close any roads,” said Bull. “It simply addresses the preferred use of roads.” He said that any actual road closures would go through a separate process that would involve public participation and input at that time.

Copies of the document including the narrative and the 40 maps are available on a compact disc or CD. They can be mailed upon request or picked up at any District office or at one of the Open House events.

Paper copies are available for review at each of the Forest Service District Offices as well and at public libraries in Darby, Hamilton, Stevensville, and Missoula. Paper copies of the complete document are not available as hand-outs.

The entire document, including the set of 40 maps, is posted on-line at http://www.fs.fed.us/rl/bitterroot/projects/travel_mgmnt.shtml.

Community ‘visioning’ next step for Horizons program

Two Ravalli County communities – Darby and Stevensville - have been involved in the Horizons Program for the last six to eight months and are coming together again to start putting together a Community Vision. The previous months have seen success in actions that Stevensville and Darby identified through their community Study Circles and Action Forum.

Stevensville identified and implemented several action ideas including a Community Help Fair, which was held in May; a community garden continues to grow, and Stevensville community members can now locate many resources due to the publication “Helpful Resources for Tough Times” available at various locations.

Darby continues to bring many volunteers together to work on the Darby Bread Box Food Bank. The other ideas have included a Parks and Recreation district and a resource group for businesses in the south valley. The Bitterroot Barters, a group that was an off-shoot of the Darby study circles, has developed partnerships within the entire valley.

Virtually every step forward in the progress of humankind has started with a dream. Seeing something in the mind’s eye has been the first step to achieving it in reality.

Visioning is simply a process by which a community contemplates and discusses the future it wants, and plans how to achieve it. It brings people together to develop a shared image of what they want their community to become. Once a community knows where it wants to go, it can begin to consciously work toward that goal.

A vision is the overall image of what the community wants to be and how it wants to look at some point in the future. A vision statement is the formal expression of that vision. It depicts in words and images what the community is striving to become. The vision statement is the starting point for the creation and implementation of action plans.

By going through a visioning process, a community can: 1) better understand the values of its citizens and use them as a basis for planning; 2) identify the trends and forces that are affecting the community; 3) articulate a big-picture view to guide short-term decisions and long term initiatives; and 4) develop tools to achieve its vision.

On August 12 and 13, Darby and Stevensville community members will have an opportunity to participate in a visioning event. Darby’s Community Visioning will be Wednesday, August 12 at the Darby Community Clubhouse starting at 5:30 p.m. A meal will be provided, but anyone with a great favorite recipe is encouraged to share.

Stevensville Visioning will be held Thursday, August 13 at Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street, Stevensville, at 6 p.m. A meal will be provided as well.

Guest facilitator will be Jim DeBree, retired director of University of Wyoming Extension. Horizons is sponsored by MSU Extension Ravalli County, Northwest Area Foundation, Three Mile Lone Rock Community Foundation, Darby City Council and the Bitterroot RC&D.

Come be a part of a positive change in your community. Everyone is welcome. If this is your first Horizon meeting it does not matter. All ideas and “visions” are encouraged.

Both communities have many reasons to celebrate their successes but everyone should be prepared to continue seeing impact in their community. The Northwest Area Foundation Horizon’s program, which is administered through Montana State University Extension, is an 18-month program and both community programs will continue until April 2010. Grant dollars have been available to help break down barriers for participation by community members and to help further the projects selected through the various phases of the grant program.

Horizons is focused on poverty, leadership and community. It explores the perceptions and the sources of poverty, recognizing that it isn’t always just about lack of money. The program focuses on poverty because poverty impacts everyone in a community. The Horizons goals on poverty are for communities to identify it, commit collectively to do something about it and begin to take strategic action to change it.

For more information about the Horizons Program or questions about how to participate, contact your MSU/Ravalli County Extension Office at 375-6611 or stop in at 215 S. 4th Street, Suite G, Hamilton.

Hamilton School District Receives Stimulus Grant Funds

The Hamilton School District was recently awarded $135,934 in Quick Start stimulus grant funds by the Department of Commerce. The grants will be used to conduct an energy audit of the district’s buildings and complete two high priority energy projects in the district.

Radio Reading Service to hold fundraiser

Shirley, a widow in her early seventies who lives alone, has lived in the same small community in rural Montana for most of her life. She raised her family, helped to run the family business and volunteered at the local library. Several years ago, Shirley was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, which has slowly diminished her eyesight. Because she can no longer see well enough to drive or to read, this woman who was such a part of her community feels lonely and isolated.

Shirley is one of nearly a thousand patrons of the Montana Radio Reading Service (MRRS), the only reading service for blind and sight-impaired individuals in the state of Montana. MRRS has provided this service free of charge to anyone who needs it for over 30 years.

MRRS has over 70 readers who read the daily news and information in order to help hundreds of blind and low vision Montanans stay in touch with their local communities. MRRS is a statewide organization that broadcasts news and information 24 hours a day over a closed-circuit radio. Items such as obituaries, society pages, local news and even grocery ads are read (the Bitterroot Star included), all items which are not available on commercial radio or television broadcasts. Nine daily and over 20 weekly and bi-weekly newspapers are read 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and rebroadcast 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The remaining time listeners can hear excerpts from current magazines, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and other nationwide resources.

MRRS's main fundraiser is coming up shortly. The 8th Annual "Wear it Again" Jewelry Sale is Friday, August 14 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, August 15, from 8 a.m. to noon. The sale is at 830 South Avenue, Missoula, located in the basement of Immanuel Lutheran Church. There are over 10,000 pieces of new and used jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, rings, sterling silver, men's items, vintage, pins, watches, etc.) About 75% is sold for $1. Donations of jewelry are tax deductible. For more information contact 721-1998.

New pharmacist at HealthCare Plus

Richard Melvin is the new staff Pharmacist at HealthCare Plus Pharmacy in Hamilton. Richard received his degree as a Doctor of Pharmacy in 2005 from the University of Montana School of Pharmacy. He has been employed with HealthCare Plus and recently transferred to HealthCare Plus in Hamilton as the full time staff pharmacist. Stop by and say hello to Richard at HealthCare Plus Pharmacy, 1900 N. First St., Hamilton.

Bitterroot Wildfire Update for Monday, August 3, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.

Activity on the Kootenai Creek fire was relatively quiet over the weekend and continues to burn fuel within its existing perimeter. Monday’s air patrol reported a small spot fire on the south side of Kootenai Creek, at the west end of the fire and fire managers responded with helicopter bucket drops.

The smoky haze over the valley is being generated by wildfires in eastern Washington, British Columbia, and smaller fires just west of the ID-MT border on the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests. One can visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/smokereport/mostRecentUpdate.aspx to view satellite images of smoke plumes that affect western Montana airsheds.

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