INVENTORY OF CONSERVATION
RESOURCES
FOR
MISSOUJ,A COUNTY, MONTAN A
October 1992 Update MISSOLJL\ COUN-IY KOARD Of COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MISSOULA COUNTY COURTHOUSE MISSOULA, MONTANA 59802
(406) 721-5700
BCC-92-524
October 21, 1992
This Inventory of Conservation Resources is used to help direct growth and to protect valuable resources in Missoula County. Area residents and visitors are fortunate to have such abundant resources in relatively sound health and Missoula County is committed to protecting these resources for coming generations.
Special thanks is due to the numerous private and public agencies that contributed to the updating of the Inventory. Without the cooperation of individual landowners, management agencies and local interest groups, the resources we have today would not be here to pass on to future inhabitants of Western Montana. It is with appreciation to these people and groups that this document is dedicated.
Sincerely, /)
/, _zt{k {:a_ __ __ ;;lfi:.tn--;7 Barbara Evans, Chairnlan TABLE OF CONTENTS
Int:roduction Page 1
Study Area Page 1
Use of Inventory Page 2
Regional Overview Page 4
Historic Resources Page 7
Recreation Resources Page 15
Ecological Resources Page 25
Agricultural Resources Page 38
Open Space Resources Page 44
Composite Values Page 48
Bibliography/Organizations Page 51
MAPS
Location Map Page i
Regions Page Sa
Historic Resources Page 9a
Recreation Resources Page 18a
Species of Umitcd Distribution Page 28a
Big Game Winter Range Page 34a
Agriculhlral Resources Page 39a
Open Space Resources Page 43a
Other Significant Ecological Resources Page 15a
Composite Resources Page 19a _:::::InventorY of Conservation Rf'~~ontccs for Missoula County Page 1
INTRODOCTION intended that recognition in this document of the importance of a particular area or land Focus scape feature requires landowners to con serve it, but rather offers owners choices re garding such conservation.
Expected Readership
Although this document was de signed for usc by Missoula government of ficials, it is expected the readership will in dude profcs..,.ionals in areas of expertise such as wildlife, botany, zoology, geology, history and environmental studies. Additionally, it is expected that individual landowners who are interested in voluntary techniques of land conservation will wish to read this material. 'lhis report was designed to meet the needs of each of these specialized audiences.
Study Area
Missoula County is located astride an ecologically rich portion of the northern Rocky Mountains (see Page i). ·r1le srudy area encompasses the entire county, but privately-owned lands are the primary focus (sec Page Sa). Private lands consist mostly of valley bottoms and foothills which were originally homesteaded. Corporate-owned private lands tend to occupy forested moun tain slopes and arc interspersed among public lands.
'l11e following report is an inventory Conservation Categories Addressed In of conservation resources found in Missoula This Inventory County with a focus on private lands. 11lis inventory was developed as part of a pro five categories of conservation re gram to supplement non-regulatory fonns of sources arc addres..,.cd in this report: historic land conservation by use of volunlary con resources, open space resources, recreation servation techniques. 'I11is document is not a resources, ecological resources, and agricul county plan, nor is it intended to become the tural resources. 11lere arc many ways in basis for any new regulations. Rather, this which the broad variety of natural resources report is an examination of known public re could have been considered. However, be sources and how they relate to the quality of cause the focus of the J'vtissoula Open Space life enjoyed by both visitors and residents of and Agricultural Land Conservation Program Missoula County. is on voluntary, compensating conservation 'Ihis study is ftrst and foremost an in techniques, categories have been chosen for ventory of what conservation resources exist compatibility with conservation purposes within the county. 'I1lC character and distri defined in federal law (P.L.96-541; Tax lmtion of significant natural and cullural re~ Treatment Extension Act of 1980) and sup sources are described. Clean water, wildlife, ported by Montana law 0\lontana Open open space, recreation and cultural identity Space Land and Voluntary Conservation arc valued by the people who live here and Easement Act of 1975} contribute to the special quality of life found in this portion of western Montana. H is not Inventory of CortSG"'fValion Resources for Mls.<>onla County - Page 2
History of this Project 1\tis._•;;cmla land usc and conservation planning consultants, Bruce A. Bugbee & As AJthough there is a substantial sociates, invited by the City to discuss im amount of public land in !he county, many plementation of these goals, was sub of rhc conservation resources important to sequently a:-;ked to prepare a proposal local resident<; occur on private land. In the outlining how each could be addrcs._<;ed by past, agriculture and forestry were the domi voluntary methods. '!he proposal (\escril>ed a nant land uses. Forest harvest, canle ranch two year program to be funded joinlly by the ing and fanning acrivities were not incompat City and County of Missoula. ible with the maintenance of the above ·the first year of the program called described resources. Ilowevcr, during the for a countywide inventory of conservation last twenty years, the land usc pattern has resources found on private land, as well as a changed. ·nH.~ Missoula urban area grew speciflc project on Mount jumbo to protect from 58,263 residents in 1970 to 76,016 its open space· and recreational values. '!he residents in 1980, an increase of 30%. In second year was to be used to identify con 1990, the population grew to 78,687, an in servation opporltlnities and to train city and crease of 3.5% A population of 96,800 county personnel in usc of voluntary con residents has been projected by the year servation techniques, such as conservation 2000 (27% increase). Extensive land sub easements, land exchanges and partial de division and residential development in rural velopment approaches. Missoula Coumy areas, as well as rising recreational usc pres Commis.•,;ioner.s voted to fund the resoun:e sures, are displacing Missoula County's inventory. 'f11c City funded the Mount natural and historic resources. Jumbo project. In 1983, Missoula County planning officials, faced with this and other issues, Use Of 1bis Inventory initiated public involvement aimed :.H updating the Missoula County Comprehen Voluntary conservation techniques sive Plan. Rural residents expressed a variety provide an effective complement to regula of concerns. \'1/hile many indicated they tory systems of land usc control. In order for would like to see open space, recreational programs which utilize w>llmtary conserva lands and wildlife habita£s remain un tion techniques to succccc[, conservation developed, concern was expressed regarding priorities must be .set. In this inventory, areas zoning and subdivision regulations which where public values are concentrated on could be used to implement rhc com private lands arc defined, and the impor prehensive plan. In response, the County tance of these values to the public is ex COirunissioners and Planning Board began to amined. 'l11is inventory is a foundation for look for altcrmllive.s. the voluntary protection of private lands. In May of 1984, the Missoula Depan Each chapter in this report is similarly ment of Parks and Recreation developed a formancd. First, there is a gener~tl overview. list of four goals for open space. 'f11ese goals Second, the geographic distribution of key were: resources is mapped. '!hen, significant con 1) Develop a strategy for conservation servation resources found in each of the of Mount Jumbo using voluntary, eight regions of the counly arc described. compensating means. The la.sl chapter of the rcpon provides dis 2) Work with county nllkials to iden cussion which combines cri!ical resource tiJ'y areas of high environmental, components and Their relationship to each recreational, hislorical or open other and to .subdivision development .space value. pallerns in the county . 3) Work with county officials to de 'l11is report incorporates existing re velop a coordinated approach for source informalion and did nol develop new idcnlifying and preserving open data except for the scclion on open space. space. Field reconnai&sance was minimal except 4) Establish a procedure for the dona during the open space inventory. Hesearch tion of open space land or was systematically conducted lo collect and conservation easeincnt"i. analyze as many studies about i\1issoula as could be found. ·nlat material has been con- Jnv(."fltory of Cmlscrvatiol) Kcsourccs for 1\-~tssoula coumy solidated, and the infonnation in this report represents a previously unprecedented col lation of infonnalion about the natural values of this area. Individuals were contacted who were considered to be especially knowl edgeable about the county's V REGIONAL OVERVIEW subalpine zone, dominated in most areas by whitcbark pine, subalpine ftr, Englemann spruce and alpine larch. The next lower zone is the montane zone which !,<; character ized by the prevalence of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine in mosr of the county and by cedar, hemlock and western l:!rch in the Seeley-Swan region. Within the montane zone, the occurrence of fire favors the devel opment of .sera! ;_lspcn, lodgepole pine and western larch forests. Below the montane is the foothill zone, a dry area of basin-fill and rocky slopes dominated by shrub,<; and gra.s.scs with areas of open ponderosa pine parklands and pockets of Douglas fir/ponderosa pine forests in moist areas and on north ,<;lope.s. ln drier portions of the re gion, high ahitudc gra.s.s\ands rnay be bor dered directly by the montane zone with forests absent of ponderosa pine. ·nwse hunchgrass prairies stand out as inclusions in a forested landscape. River and creek wet lands, which support deciduous coltnnwood forests, mois!Ure-loving shrubs and herba ceous vegetation, comprise the floodplain zone. Climate The climate of !vlissoula County, in cluding the :unount of precipitation, varies greatly with elevation. Each vegetation zone, Missoula County encompas._<;es an from valley bottom to mountain peaks, has a area of 2,625 square miles, or about distinct climate. Mis..<;oula Valley is semi-arid 1,700,000 acres. 'l1lC county's landforms with only abom !3 inches of prccipilalion provide the broad framework on which !he annually and a l2.0-day frost-free period. complex panern of climate and vegctalion 'is The Seeley-Swan area receive> twice as much t.~xpresscd. 'l11e prcscm landforms and prcnpi!ation 'rJw high mounlains experi vegetation of this county arc contained ence 60 inches or more per year, mostly in within a broad region of the west known as the form of .snow. May :md june are usually the Rocky Mountain Forest Province the wettest monlhs, and July, August and Douglas Fir and Cedar/! Iemlock/Dougla.s Fir September the driest. ·n1c cou111y i.s in Forest Section (Bailey). 'l11is region i,<; typi fluenced predominantly I )y Pacific air mas,<;cs fied by rugged, glaciated mount:tins .sepa from the wc.st. Occasionally Arc!ic air in rated by structural valleys occupied by river.s_ trudes from the north. ·nle valleys arc Local relief ranges from approximately .3,000 generally sheltered from winds, and inver to 10,000 feet. sions can develop during winter months. Strong easterly winds occur on:asionally Vegetation when Arctic air spills over !he Continental Divide from ca,<;tern Montana. Summers arc The l'v1is.soula County portion of the sunny and dry, wilh highs generally in the Rocky Mounw.in Forest Province is character upper BOs and low.s in 1he -iOs and '50s. ized by wdl-dcftned vegetation zones. 1he However, lows can dip into tile j{),<; at any uppermost zone in elevation is the alpine !ime throughout the .summer. \\linters arc zone, characterized by alpine meadows and cloudy in the valley.s and cold. january is the the absence of trees. Below the alpine is the coldest month with lows as wuch as 30 j::_-'_ Inventory of Conservation Resources for MiSSOula County Page 5 below zero. Snowpack varies from a few inches in Missoula to 12 feet in the high The Regions mountains. Ulis snowpack feeds rivers and creeks in the spring and a late May or early Eight regions have been recognized June discharge peak is the norm. Although within Missoula County, based on settlement, flooding can occur at this time, ice dams can land use pattern, topography, watershed cause rivers and creeks to leave their boundaries and other factors (sec Page 5a). channels in winter months, too. Gradual 'i11csc regions arc Seeley-Swan, Potomac snowmelt, groundwater inflows and oc Greenough, Clinton-Tur.1h, Evaro, Missoula casional sununcr showers sustain stream Valley, I.olo, Frenchtown-Huson, and flows and irrigation ditches during the dry Nincmile. Each region has a distinct char sununer months. acter and its residents possess a specific, local identity. 11lC large, forested Seeley-Swan region is characterized by a wide valley containing numerous lakes, rivers and creeks. Seeley take is its main community in the south, Condon in the north. Private, Wildlife non-corporate land is not plentiful and tenets to be located around lakes and along Route Missoula County possesses diverse 83. Recreational homes, tourism and related and high-qualily wildlife habitat. Large activities arc co-dominant with forest hoofed browsers include elk, mule deer, products and its related activities. Champion white-tail deer, and moose. 'Ihe county has International Corporation and Burlington large deer and elk hcrcl'> sustained by critical Northern (Plum Creek) own substantial acre winter range habitats. Big horn sheep and age. The Bob Marshall and Mis.sion Moun mountain goats fmd favorable habitats in tain Wilderness Areas border this region to mountainous terrain. Black bear arc found the cast and west. throughout the county. 'Ihc threatened 'lhe chief feature of the Potomac grizzly bear is found in remote mountains Greenough region is the Blackfoot River. and along rivers and streams of the Evaro 'l11c privately-owned lands within the agri .and Seeley-Swan regions. Small manunals cultural valleys at Potomac, Ninemile Prairie include beaver, muskrat, oner, mink, skunk, (Greenough) and Clearwater junction are porcupine, weasel and raccoon, among bordered by rolling, forested mountains in others. Predators consist of mountain lion, mostly corporate ownership. 'llte forest bobcat, lynx, coyote, red fox, wolf and products industry is a key segment of the badger. Raptors include bald and golden local economy. Recreational use within the eagle, red-tailed hawk, osprey, prairie falcon, Blackfoot River corridor is intense during turkey vulture, kestrel, several species of summer months. Subdivision and residential owl, and others. Ground squirrels, voles, development is occurring in the forested, gophers, mice, rabbits, fish and small birds edge of the Potomac Valley. Potomac is the form a substantial prey base for these birds. region1s only community. Blue, spruce, and roughed grouse occupy 'lhe Clinton-Torah region, named for forested terrain and grassland edges. Ring those communities, is centered along the necked pheasants have been introduced Clark Fork Hiver. 11lis region is primarily a along rivers and arc doing well in some travel corridor, and I-90 bist~cts it. Non-cor places. Sharp-tailed grouse may be found in porate private l;:md exists as a mile-wide the upper portions of the Blackfoot River corridor along the river. 'lhe Garnet and drainage. Sandhill cranes and great blue Sapphire ranges border this region to the heron utilize wetlands throughout the north and south, respectively. 'these moun county. Waterfowl include Canada geese, tains arc in corporate, state, and federal trumpeter swan, mallard, pintail, gadw-.J.ll, ownership. Substantial subdivision and teal, widgeon, merganser and golden-eye. residential development activity is taking ·nlC fishing resource includes rainbow, cur place. throat, brown, brook and other species of 'I1te lighily-populated Evaro region trour as well as mountain whitefish. consists almost entirely of land within the Inventory of Conservatloil ltesources for Mi~>sou!a County Page 6 Flathead Indian Reservation. However, the the north and Nincmilc Divide w the .south. Evaro area itself is not within the reservation. A narrow strip of private agricultural land 11te land pattern is mixed between tribal and exists in the valley bottom from Pine Creek non-tribal ownership. Agricultural land uses to the Clark Fork River. 'Jhe mountains arc are still common, but subdivision and com in Forest Service ownership. "!he Ninemile mercial development is occurring at an Ranger Station and Ninemile Store arc com a Ianning rate. ll1e jocko River flows through munity focal points in thi.s rural region. the eastern half of this region and the Rattle Subdivision and residential development is snake Mountains fonn its south-easterly rapidly occurring in the region. border. l11e iv1issoula Valley region lies at the Cultural l-egacy center of rhc county and is dominated by the City of Missoula, East Missoula, Bonner, "11Hc- history of Mis.soula County has Milltown and surrounding urban develop had a la.sting impact on the economy of ment. "lhc Bitterroot River and numerous today's residents. Native American.s, creeks tlow into the Clark Fork Hiver within explorers, trappers, miners, loggers, farmers this heavily populated area. 'I he Rattlesnake, and ranchers shaped the county1s cultural Garner, Sapphire and Bitterroot Ranges rim legacy. The prc.sent land ownership pal tern the valley. "i11is region has the mo.st non began when homesteaders, railroad and corporate private land of any in the county. mining companie.s first came to the .stat(~. Subdivision and residential, commercial and Farmers and ranchers chose irrigablc and industrial development ourside the city limits sub-irrigated valley lands in proximity to arc significant features. Hattle.snake, Grant, water or they chose areas suitabfc for dry Butler, O'Brien, Pauec Canyon and lvlillcr land cropping or range. Railroad land grants Creek valley.s contain :'>ignificant stringer.s of covered similar areas as well as adjacent development radiating from the urban core. forested slopes in checkerboard ownen;hip 11JC Lnlo region contains the Biller with public land. ivtountainous terrain gen root !Hver, Lolo Creek and their adjacent erally has remained in public ownership. valley.s. J,olo and the surrounding area has Ilowcvcr, large corporate interests own grown tremendously in the last two decades. significant mnounts of forestc{\ tnountain 'fhe Lolo Creek area contains some non slopes. 'l11c early economy of the county corporate private land between GrJve Creek was flrmly based in agriculture, mining and and Lolo. Champion International Corpora the timer industry. finn and Burlington-Northern (Plum Creek) Today, only the timber industry and own substantial acreage in the mountains agriculture have maimaincd their impor above the creek in a checkerboard pattern !;mcc, "I11C cilarac!cr of tlw county has with Fore ..-,t Service lands. The Bitterroot changed dramatically over the ycar.s. While, Valley i.s a broad, structural fcatun: bordered tcchniully, agriculture is still The pre by the Bitterroot Range on the west and the dominant land usc, it account.s for le.s..'> than Sapphire Mountains on the east. 'l11e valley 10;(, of the total earnings in The county bottom and basin-fill bedrock benches are in (Mis.soula CounTy Agricullural ProtecTion private ownership and the mount;:tin.s arc in Study). Tremendous growth has taken place federal and corporate hands. in non-farm activiHcs. "Jhe current economy "ilte Frendltown-I luson region of Mi&'>OU!a County is based on the wood cont~lins the Clark Fork Valley from the old products industry, trucking:, government, the I larpcr's Bridge site west to the county line. University of Montana, wholesa]c/relail trade, Agricultural usc and residential development recrcation/t IDSTORIC RESOURCES enter Montana and the \1-H.ssouht area came by way of Asia_ '' Some 12,000 years ago, ncar the end of the last Ice Age, much of the earth's water was frozen in glacial icc. '11lis resulted in a lower .sea level and the creation of a land bridge between present day Alaska and Siberia. II is believed the flrsr humans entered North America by foot across this now~suhmcrgcd land ma&.;;. "lhcse hunter gatherers followed herds of caribou, woolly mammoth, camd and giant bison through an icc-free corridor into i\tontana, the i\·tissoula area, and beyond. '11te first Indian artifacts found in the county arc of the Paleolithic period and come from the Clearwater junction area. great diversi!y and ar- 'l11e.se arc "Cio\'iS" spear points, some 12,000 cheological resources arc found on private years old. Massive Glacial Lake i\Hssoula land in Mis.'>oula County. 'l1H~sc resources filled most of the valleys within the county include paleo-Indian and Nativ(~ American until about 10,000 years ago. Once rhe lake artifacts, occupation sites and trails, as well as drained, these early Indians were able to historic structures and land areas associalcd hunr and gather food in these low-lying with Caucasian scttlcmcnl which began in areas. For t!tou.sands of years, small groups 1805 with the Lewis and Clark expedition_ moved around the landscape leaving behind '!he National Hcgistcr of llis!oric the most lasting evidence of their prc~encc - Places' inventory was exTensively used to scattered projectile points_ provide information in this section. Some re 'lhe first known semi-permanent oc sources arc described and mapped in detail, cupation .sites developed abom 5,SOO years while others are mentioned only in general ago. 'lhe Columbia Plateau and Snake River terms. Rural historic buildings and sites arc cultures strongly influenced local b:mds located on £\-tap 'I11ree. Urban structures, during this "Pi and white cullures. Horses allowed the Flat~ protection or aid in prioritizing a property for heads greater hunting success and initiated conservation. seasonal trips to eastern Montana to kill In 1805, the Lewis and Clark expedi bison and west to harvest salmon for winter tion was sent by President 'Jliomas Jefferson larders. "lhe T.olo Trail was used by Nez to explore 1he territory contained in the Perce, Flathead and other tribes as a major touisiana Purchase. Prc.sent-day Missoula travel route. Flarhcad Lake was a cultural County wa.s included in that mas..<;ive area center and a meeting place for nearly all which cncompas..;;ed some of the least char western Montana tribes. At the time of white tered wilderness on the continent. In the fall sei!Jcmcnt, the Missoula County area was of 1B05, the expedition entered 1he Bitterroot used by Flathead, Kootenai, Pend Oreillc, Valley and camped for three days ncar Lolo Blackfeet, Nez Perce and Shoshone tribes. Creek at a site they called Traveler's Rest. 11lc evidence for the long+standing Indian guides then Jed the explorers over presence of various Indian cultures in iv1is Lolo Pass and eventually on to the Pacific soula County comes from a wide array of Ocean_ On their return trip cast to St. Louis, artifacts and sites. 11te culture of Stone-Age Lewis and Clark again traversed the Lolo people has been transmitted to us through Trail and reached Traveler's Hcst on June 30, flake knives, scrapers, spear and arrow IH06. On july 3, the expedition separated in points, awls, mauls and pipes. '!hey worked order Lo explore more terrain. Clark and his in black obsidian (from the Yellowstone and party made their way up The Hiuerroot and Snake river areas), brown basalt, red jasper, eventually reached Yellowstone country. white silicate, green mudstone and various Lewis took a smaller party ;lnd passed hues of chert, flint and quartzite. Pictographs through the l'vfis._<;(JU]a Valley, crossed the of animals and hunters adorn bedrock walls. Clark Fork River at Raulcsnake Creek, moved Stone cairns, scarred trees, and bent marker through 1-lellgate Canyon, and proceeded up trees defined ridgcline trails. Rock shelters on the well known "Trail to the Buffalo" along mountain tops provided places out of the the Blackfoot Hiwr. wind and may have had ceremonial pur English and French explorers, traders poses. Tipi rings and heanhs tell of occupa and trappers moved through the county tion sites. Hock quarries, chipping sires, tool during The ncxl decades. A trapper named manufacwring sites, look-out trees, and piles 1)avid 'Ilwmpson who worked for the of bison bones provide the further details of Northwest Company is generally credited how Native Americans lived on this land with naming l\·Hssoula, based on a collection scape. of Indian references to the area. "Missoula" Hivcr and creek corridors and hot roughly means 11 at the water of surprisc,11 re and cold springs arc the areas in which 95% ferring to numerous Indian ambushes which of archcologicJ.l and cultural ar!ibcl.s have rook place in what Prcnch trappers called been found. Flat terraces, Jake outlets and "Porte d'Enfcr" or I lcll's Gate. strc;un confluences appear to have been In "JS11, a Jesuit priest, Father favored for camping, much as they arc today. DeSmet, arrived in Mis..<;oula Valley to work Low terraces were occupied during fall and with the Flatheads. Many Indians had been winter, due to cottonwood forests which converted to Catholicism years before by a provided a source of firewood ncar water French priest named Ignace Lai\·1oussce. and offered protection from cold winds. Father DeSmet established St. tvtary's mission Spring and summer camps were made on in the Billcrroot Valley ncar Stevensville. 'I his windier, higher terraces in order to escape mission would become a private trading post mosqui!oes. Because arrowheacb or other known as Fort Owen, until purchased back artifacts may be found on terraces beside by the '1Blackrohes11 in 1&56. Still later, a nearly every river, large creek and lake in the gr;:mder St. Mary's mission would be built at county, the mere presence of a projectile St. Ignatius in the present Flathead Reserva point or other feature is not evidence of a tion. 'l1le DeSmet School (IB~5) was named significant archeological find. Ilowever, for F:Hher DeSmet. many sites in the county have had their By the 1850's, more whites were archeological importance con11rmcd and re moving west in search of fortune in the gold corded. The presence of a known archeo fields of California, Colorado and Oregon. logical site may be a determinant in public Some stayed to farm and ranch. In 1853, 1- Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula Conmy Page- 9 Isaac Stevens was appointed territorial gov famous episode as..<>ociated with 1he Fort took ernor of Washington, which then included place in the summer of 1877, during the first Montana. Because confrontations were in year of its existence. creasing between Indians and whiles, Word reached Missoula that Chief Stevens saw the Indian presence as an ob Joseph and Chief Looking Glass were leading stacle for Transcontinental roacloo; and railroad a large band of non-reservation Nez Perce lines. On July 9, 1855, Stevens met with Flat east across the Lolo Trail. 'I1le Indians were head, Kootenai and Pend Oreille chiefs. 'Jhe moving to the nunas digging grounds of the site for this gathering was Council Grove, a Big I tole Valley and then on to the bison favorite meeting place of the Indians, located henb of eastern Montana. On July 25, west of Missoula on the Clark Fork Hiver. Captain Hawn's cavalry led five volunteers to 11te resulting treaty established the Flathead a .site some five miles up Loin Creek. Reservation in the Mission Valley where the Trenches and earth breastworks were built three tribes would live together as the Flat for protection. 'l11e Nez Perce arrived and head Nation. But the last Flatheads under camped to the norlhwesf. A conference was Chief Charlo did not leave the Bitterroot held between Captain Hawn and Nez Perce Valley until 1860's. chiefs. 'l11e chicfoo; only wanted peaceful pas '!he Homestead Act fostered the de sage through the Biuerroot Valley, as they velopment of many ranches in 1\-tis..vmla and their ancestors had made for hundreds County. In 1861, Francis Worden, C.P. of years. Hawn said he would grant permis I Iiggins and Frank Woody opened a general sion only if the Indians surrendered all their store in I Icllgate Canyon. 'I11e Higgins and weapons and ammtmifion. 'I11C chiefs did not Worden store was built with timbers pro agree to these terms. 'l11e citizen volunteers, vided by David Pattee. It was the f1rst after hearing the Nez Perce were peaceful, structure ever built in Missoula County. More lefl Rawn and returned to !heir ranches and would follow. homes. At dusk, on july 28, Chief joseph and Gold soon changed many things. the Nez Perce ascended a ridge to the south Strikes at Bannock, Virginia City, Alder and simply skirted the cavalry, who were Gulch, Marysville, Helena and Garnet dug-in at what is now called Fort Fizzle. brought thou.saml<> of people up the Missouri Later, the US. Cavalry, under Colonel to Fort Benton. Some prospectors followed Gibbon, chased the Indians to the Big Ilole the Mulhtn Road to Missoula County_ Gold and atwcked. This .site is now recognized as was soon discovered at Garne!-Coloma, Elk the Big f-Iole National Baulefield. Chief Creek, Nincmile, tolo Creek and other areas_ joseph's band escaped afrcr heavy losses, 'I11e productive C~arnet-Coloma district con only to be caught in winter, some 30 miles tained a series of strikes which caused a south of the Canadktn border. It was then sequence of short-lived towns to spring up that Joseph said, ''I will fight no more for~ and die out. ever" and surrendered. In response to increased mining and Hanching, fanning, logging and population growth, C.P. Iliggins, Frank commercial busines._oo; increased markedly in \Vorden and David Pattee formed the !\fis._<;oula County during the late. 1800's and Misvmla Mills Company. A sawmill was built early 1900's. The coming of the Northern next to the Clark Fork Hiver about four miles Pacific Hailroad to ,\lissoula in 1883 caused downstream from the Ilellgatc Store. 'l11i.s an economic boom. Dozens of sawmills development marked the birth of what we existed to supply lumber for the railroad and now calt Missoula. growing town. /\fining opemHons continued During the .summer of 1877, Fort in the mountains. More homesteaders spread Mis..'>Cmla was built by the US. Army. This out oyer all portions of the county, lured by military installation was one of eleven con the prospect of owning their own land, creat structed in Montana between 1866 and 1892. ing an independent existence and perhaps Included in the Fort's history arc noteworthy achieving subst:mti;li weahh. In the early periods such as the 25th Negro Infantry 1900's, a land speculation scheme in !he Hegiment (188R), Civilian Conservation Corps Bitterroot Valley caused thousands of acres (1933-1910), World War li Prison Camp to be subdivided into "Apple Orchard" tracts, (1911-1917) and the present use of the area which were .sold at unheard of prices of up as a recreation center. However, the most to Sl,OOO per acre. '\'his land boom soon :Inventory of Conscrvalion Resource!'; for Missoula County Page 10 busted. However, huge arca.s remain .sub The Regions divided. Mis..•mula experienced rebtive eco 'I11e following information provides nomic prosperity and a tremendous building details for historic and cultural resources expansion from the 1890s through 1915. As found in each of the county's eight regions. the county scat and regional r:ommercial Jnfonnalion includes site.s and structures on center, the city soon had banks, a conn or officially eligible for the National Register house, a university, a library, churches, of Historic Places (NlU IP), sites and struc~ blocks of retail stores and numerous hotels. tures locally recognized as significant and 'lllC PoreS! Service was formed in l90S, and .summaries of archeological features. Land Mis,.;;oula became an administrative center. areas adjacent to significant properties which ·nte coming of the Milwaukee Railroad in contribute to their historic or culmral integ 1910 strengthened the city's economy further. rity may also have public value. Prosperous businessman built fine homes. By 1915, most of Missoula's familiar landmark SccleywSwan buildings had been constructed, and the city An Indian trail heading to the buffalo had taken on much of its modern aspcc!. herds once ran from the Jocko Valley down Private rural land remained in agricuhural Finley Creek to Placid Lake and then on to use. 'l11e forested mountains were managed the Blackfoot Hivcr. Occupation sites and by the Forest Service and various private rock tool manuhKturing sites exist around corporations. The economy was based nn many lakes within this region. the wood products industry, govermnent and NHRP Sires and Structure:-;: retailing. Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp, 'l11e 1960's marked the beginning of Seeley Lake. the mo:-;r significant change in the county's Eligible Sites and Structure~>: none. landscape during its 12,000 years of human occupation. Rural land.s, once the domain of Potomac...G:rcenough ranches, fanns and small settlements, began Indian occupation site~> ;mrl artifacts to be subdivided and developed for non arc common along the Blackfoot River. 'l11e farm purposes. As a result, wildlife habitat, most ancient anifacts ( l2,000 years old) open space, recreational Ojlp(lfllltlilie.s, llis found in the county have been discovered toric fcawrcs and agricultural cnrcrpriscs be ncar Clearwater junction. Going-to-the gan to disappear. BufEtto Trail, u.scd by the Indians, paralleled the Blackfoot river and was traversed by Merriwether Lewi.s in 1806. The mining camps and towns of the Garnet, Coloma and Yreka districts arc .still partially intact. Numerous buildings, railroad grades and :->tamp mills remain from the mining era. Gamel is a gho.st town preserved by cffons of the nurean of Land ;'l·lanageuwnt and is popular with rccrcationists year round. 'lhe history of the Blackfoot. River Valley encom passes trapping, homesteading and logging activilics of the Anaconda Company and others. NIHil' Silcs and Struclurcs: none. Eligible Sites and Structures: none. Orhcr significant Site.s and Structure.<.: 'I he Potomac and Sunset I Iill (Clreenough) Schoolhouses arc historic buildings whose importance awaits evalu ation. Inventory of Conservation R(~'l.onrccs for Missoula Coumy Page 11 Clinton~Turah Grand Pacific Hotel. '!his large hotel Indian artifacts arc found on the was built in 1902 across Railroad Street from terraces along the Clark Fork River. The the Northern Pacific (BN) Railroad Line. Re Mullan Road and two railroad lines run its habilitated in 1981 for apartments, now entire length. called Park Place, it is located at l18 West NRI IP Sites and Structures: none. Alder. Eligible Sites and Structure.s: Carnegie Public Library. 'this small, 'lllc Mullan Road. Much of the Nco-Classical masonry structure !milt in 1903 J\lullan Road route is now believed to be is now the Missoula Museum of 1he Arts and followed by 1~90 or local frontage roads. is located at 335 North Pauee Street. 'lhc Emmet P. Hkhard john R. Toole House. I lome of a Homestead, (1911). '!his early homestead is Mi.<;soula busincs..sman who held a prominent located on Rock Creek. position in the Anaconda Copper Mining Company under Marcus Daly. 'l1tis well-pre served example of Neo-Cias..sical architecture Evaro was built in 1903. It is presently the Kappa 'I11c i'v1ission Valley and Flathead Lake Kappa Gamma Sorority House located at was once a cultural trading center for many 1005 Ccrald Avenue. Native American tribes. Sites and artifact.<; arc Missoula County Courthouse. 'lhe common. 'I11is region is entirely with the present Nco-Classical sandstone courlhousc Flatl1ead Indian Hescrvation. was builr in 1908 following the plans of NRHP Sites and Structures: none. tl·lis..soul~t architect A.j. Gill.son. 200 West Eligible Sites and Structures: none Broa(lway. officially recognized. Palace HoteL 'l11is is one of Missoula's early downtown hotels (l909). Missoula Valley 'J"hc bottom floor was renovated for a restau Much has been wriHen abom the rant and other businessct>. It is located at 117 history of Missoula and the surrounding West Broadway. valley. References arc available in this re Belmont Hotel. 'l11is brick hotd was port's bibliography. Numerous archeological built near the Northern Pacific (BN) depot in sites exist in the ,\li.ssoula Valley. Many 1909 and was part of early downtown structures and land areas have achieved vari i\-tissoul:t. In 1982 the Belmont wa.s rehabili ous degrees of olficially~recognizcd historical tated into apartments. It is hKated at 130 significance. North 1Iiggins Avenue. Sites and Structures on the NRIIP: Nonhero Pacific Railroad Depot. Flynn Farm: 'l11e 1872 horne:-:read of '!his turn-of~thc-ccntury depot presently 1\·Hcliacl Flynn, an Irish immigrant, located houses a micro-brewery and other uses. For we.st of Mis..<>Oula off Mullan Road. A red years it was the BN's pas._.;;enger and freight brick house was built in 1M3. It i.s an ex~ depot. ample of early Missoula county homesteads. University Apartments. 'Il1c.se turn 'l11e surrounding area is subdivided with in of-the-century row apanmcnts arc located on creasing residential devdoprncnr_ Roosevelt ~trcet. St. Francis Xavier Church. '!his large, Milwaukee Depot. '11Iis 1910 H.omancsque Revival srrunure has been a structure was the first and only depot of the tvtissoula landmark since 1892 when it was Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway in con.structed at the corner of Orange and Pine Missoul;l. '!he depot wa.s sold to private in~ Streets. vcstors and extensively rehahili!att~d in 1980. Higgins Block. '!his 1899 landmark lt now hou.scs offkcs. 2'50 Station Drive. structure wa.s originally C.P_ lliggins' Western JM. Keith House. '11lis W Balian Renaissance Revival building is ). tl-·1. Herzog House, 1210 Toole located at 200 East Broadway. Avenue. Fred T. Sterling House. constructed Knowles Building, 200-212 South in 1912, this Arrs-and-Crafts Bungalow-style 'I11ird Avenue \Vest home was designed by A.J Gibson and buili Southside Historic District, (roughly by a prominent Mis..<>oula busines,<;tnan. It is bounded by the Clark Fork Hivcr, Iliggins located at 1310 Gerald Avenue. Avenue South, South Sixth West and Orange John S. Johnson I Iouse. 'I his fine Street)_ Queen Anne-style residence was construclcd Montgomery Ward Building, 201 in 1912. It is located at 112 West Alder. North Higgins Avenue. A.]. (;"ibson Ilousc. '!his was the Zip Auto Building, 251 West Main home of the noted Mis..'>Oula architect who Street. Built in 1938, rhi.s Art Moderne, designed the County Courthouse, Main Hall poured concrete building still operates as an and numerous Missoula mansions. 'lhis 1913 automobile repair service. renovation of an 1889 structure is located at Dixson-Duncan Block, 232-236 North 402 South Second Street. Iliggins. 'llte Wilma 'lhcater. Since its con Graham Apartments, 315 East Broad- struction in 1921, the .stage of this rheatcr Jws way. been graced by the l.os Angeles Mis ..<;oula Hotel, 111-147 West Main Philharmonic Orchestra, Will Rogers, John S!reet. Philip Sousa, Ethel Barrymore, Carlos E.S. Paxson House. 'Ihis structure at J\1omoya, Mahalia jackson, Mark '1\vain and 611 Stephens was the fonner home of the many other notable performers. It is also well-known J\tontana artist who painted the used as a movie theater. murals in the Missoula County courthouse. Forkenbrock Funeral Home. '1his Apartment Building, 116 West Spruce Colonial Revival structure (1929) is now the Street. (;.eraghty Funeral I lome ar 23-1 East Pine Atlantic llotcl, 519 north Iliggins Street. Avenue. Fort 1\·lis.soula I li.stork Districr. "'I he Brunswick Hmcl, 22.1 Railroad Street. Port11 complex, which dares to 1877, includes Garden City Drug, 118 North Higgins numerous buildings and grounds. IT was Avenue. listed on the register April 29, 1987. (Jieim Building, 265 West Front Old DeSmet School. 'I1lis 1895 Street. building was constructed of brick made from Hammond Arcade, lO 1 Sourh Higgins pink Cladal Lake J\·fis.soula days from the Avenue. nearby airporr terrace. 'I1ti.s structure was a I Icllgatc Lodge 58.) BPOE, 120 North school and community cc.nter for rhc town of Pattee Srrect. DeSmet, which once existed nearby. J.isred Independent Telephone Company February 28, 1991. Building, 207 East Main Street. Presco1t House. '11tis large, frame Labor Temple, 208 Fast Main Street. house on the University of Monlana campus Lucy Boilding, :-no North Higgins was built by the Prescott family in 1897. The Avenue. University owns the struuure, but J\k Marsh and Powell Funeral I tome, 221 Prcscou, Jr., continues to live in the house West Spruce Street. and to maintain extensive flower gardens. 1\.-tasonic Lodge, 120- U6 l\ast Broad- 'I11e house is continually the subject of way. discussion regarding irs removal or rdocalion J\lissoula Laundry Company, 111 East to make room for traffic improvements. Spruce Street. Afler public forums in l991, the Campus Missoula Mercantile (Bon), 11tl Nonh Dcvelopinent Committee recoinmemlctl IIiggins Avenue. '11lC "Mere" was established saving the building with a number of sug in 1866 and rapidly became one of the hlrg gested uses for the structure. eM mercantile enterprises between the 'l\vin Easl Pine Street Historic District, Cities and Seaule. Most of the building w;ts (roughly between East Pine Street, J'vtadi.son consrructed between lAA2 and 1891. Street, East Broadway and Pattee Street). i\·fodcl Lnmdry and Apartments, 131 West Alder. :_ 11wentory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County Page 13 cans and tcwis and Clark, fell into disuse in For further information and updated listings, the late 1800s. 'l1le first rough road over contact the Mis.__<;oula Historic Preservation Lolo Pass was built by the Civilian Conser\'a Officer, 200 West Spruce, I\-Hssoula, J\lontana tion Corps in 1935, and the modern highway '59802. Phone: 106~523~1650, attention Allan was constructed in I96L Current usc of the Mathews. old trail includes backpacking and bicycling tours. Sites and structures eligible for NRHP; Traveler's Rest. '!his campsite ncar Miller Creek Site. A scatter of rock Loin was used by the Lewis and Clark ex paleo-Indian artifact.<; such as side-notched pedition on both legs of their journey west to projectile points, mortar bases, fire cracked the Pacific and cast to Sr. Louis (1805-1806) hearths and net sinker weights arc located at Fort Fizzle. Rough fortifications used this site in the lower reaches of the Miller in 1877 by cavalry from Fort Missoula in their Creek drainage basin. failed auernpt to stop the Nez Perce Indians University of Montana Campus under Chiefs Joseph and Looking Glass. (listing pending in summer, 1~92). Breastworks arc still slightly visible and Miscellaneous I listork Buildings. military buckles, spurs, and rifle carTridge Several buildings in Missoula have been cases arc occasionally found. identified as eligible for the Register as part Sites and structures eligible for NlU IP; of a I-ItJD~funded inventory of the City. Mud Creek Ranger Stations. '11wse Contact the City of Mis.__<;oula for additional arc log structures built in 1922 as Forest information (.106) 523-4650. Service facilities. Other significant siTes and structures: Other significant sites and structures: Lewis and Clark Houte. 'Jhi~> 1806 Woodman Schoolhouse. The frame roUle through Missoula of explorer Merri . cant for ils architecture as a wcll~prescrvcd example of the vernacular Greek Revival ec clesiastical style, and for its ethnic associations wilh the selllement and devel opment of Frenchtown Nlnemlle Early Indians quarried rock for points and knives in the mountains of this region. Artifacts and occupation sites ~llso exist, mos!ly near water. Features related to Forest Service activities and private homesteading characterize the history of this region. Sites and structures on the NRHP: Nincmile Ranger Station. Numerous significant structures exist in this Forest Service facility which originated during the early 1900s. It was known as the "Hcrnount Station " due to horseback duty common to the era. Sites and strunures eligible for the NRitP: \'Vhitetail Archacologic:tl Site. Located on a side drainage of Ninemilc Creek, the surface and subsurface contain projectile point fragments, ovoid knives, scrapers and o1her ancient artifacl.s. Upper Eustar:hc Cabin. 'l1Jis isolated log :o;tructure was built in 1918 but is typical of cabins used during the 1860s gold rush. tnvcnrory of Conservation Resources for J\.Jissoula County Page 15 Forest and the J\·lom;ma Department of Fish, Wildlife and Pmks, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes cooperated in the implemenrarion of Memorandums of Understanding which pledge cooperation between agencies. "l1lcse "MOlls" hdp limit overlap, decrease regulatory review of major development proposals and provide a proactive method of predicting, and meering, future recreation needs in the area. Recreation Demand tvtDF\VP's 1988 State-Wide Comprcl1ensivc Out 11tese licenses arc a pre-requisite for acquir using their land. If conflicts continue to result ing a fishing or any of the various hunting in limited hunting access to private land, licenses. The number of all licenses is in public pressure will come to bear on gov creasing moderately according to fvfDPWP ernment agencies to manage public lands for personnel and in 1990 total license sales ex recreational purposes rather than for other ceeded 150,500 in Region II. values such as commercial timber harvest Region II averages about 287,000 and livestock grazing. fishennan days annually. About one-third of I..andowner conflicL<> with river and local residents fish. Fishing license sales in lake users arc also a significant issue. Irre crease two to d1rec percent per year. Due to sponsible public usc, inadequate facilities, population increases angling pressure is ris and insufficient numbers of public sites have ing. Habitat is being lost due to stream bank caused problems related to garbage disposal, alterations, dewatering, land subdivision and Jaw enforcement, trespas..'>, fires, and destrUc development tion of private property. 'J11c Montana Legis Region 11 ranks second of all seven lature pa.s.."Cd a law in 1985 which assures MDFWP regions in hunting recreation days public usc of rivers between seasonal high for elk, mule deer, moose, and black bear, water marks. 1l1is law was a compromise and is third in hunting activity related to designed to meet the needs of both land white-tailed deer and mountain goat. Elk owners and recreationists. provide the greatest attraction to hunters, Recreational usc of Lolo and Flathead and therefore, contribute significant eco National Forest is increasing steadily. 'l11e nomic benefit to the county. 'fhe majority of majority of usc is dispersed. Jn 1989, big game hunting takes place on public 1,338,500 total recreation visitor days (RVDs) lands, but substantial numbers of white occurred on the Lolo National Forest and in tailed, upland game binl<>, and water fowl are 1991 1,196,900 days were logged. Of the taken on private lands. Significant quantilies 1989 RVDs, 955,000, or 71%, were for dis of big game winter range arc privately persed activities and 383,500, or 28.60/o, oc owned. Winter range is a criTical factor in curred on developed Forest Service camp determining the size of the herds. Upland grounds and other facilities. Of the dis game birds and water fowl also attract sig persed activities 71% of the total RVDs oc nificant hunting activity. Trapping takes curred in non*wilderness areas. Prom 1983 place for mink, muskrat, beaver, wca:>el, through 1989, total HVDs increased 11.5%, bobcat, skunk, coyote, raccoon, badger, fox, dispersed activities have decreased 0.5%, and Canada lynx (a total of one is pennitted usc in developed areas have increased 62%. state-wide), wolverine, and martin. Nearly all Although a relatively small amount of the species of interest to both recrealional hunt Flathead National Forest is located in ers and non-hunters depend on private land Missoula County, recreation usc patterns are for some critical phase of their lifccyclcs. similar. 'lhc primary conflicts on National Most of d1e land along rivers and Forests arc between motorized and non major creeks is privately owned. '!11e de motorized recrealionists such as :mowmobil mand for access across private land to public erskros..<>-country skiers, power land and waterways is rising and will be a boats/paddlers or hikers/horseback riders. major issue in future decades. 'lhercfore, all Surveys cited by the Missoula County private lands bordering government owner Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan in ships which arc managed for recreation can dicate the most popular recreation aclivHy in be considered a key resource value (sec Missoula County is pleasure driving. 'J11is re Page 1&'1). inforces lhe strong relationship between this Relations between landowners and activity and scenic open space resources hunters, off-road vehicle users, and river shown on Map Five. 'Ihc next most popular users are particularly prone to problems due aclivitics arc picnicking, walking (preferably to high demand and occasional irresponsible ncar water), camping and fishing. Many recreation. I.andowners elsewhere in residents of Mis.soula County live in the ur Montana arc selling long-term hunting leases ban are:l and are also concerned with devel to private user groups who agree to police oped neighborhood facilities ranging from the property during hunting season and pay tennis courts, pool, ice skating rinks, play a fcc to the landowner for the privilege of grounds and athletic fields. Major land ac- 1:--: :rnventory of Conservation Rc..'>Ourccs for MiSsoula County Page 17 quisHions along the Clark Pork River in the 6. pos..<>essing ecological importance urban area have significantly expanded the (for example, the importance of elk opportunities for non-motorized recreation winter range to wildlife viewing); on both north and soutl1 river banks. Adcti 7. of educational importance (nature tional purchases and development are an study, local history, agricultural ticipated by several groups, including the methods); Missoula Redevelopment Agency. 8. providing access to public lands; Ute Missoula County Parks, Recrea 9. suitable for district, community or tion and Open Space Plan outlines four neighborhood parks; and levels of developed parks: regional, district, 10. providing public trails. community and neighborhood. Regional parks provide outdoor recreation in a natural Iligh quality natural environments setting. 'Ihc Blackfoot River Corridor and tlte provided major recreation opportunities. Clearwater River chain of lakes and canoe Recreation demand is substantial and is esca trail are examples of recreation complexes of lating. 'lhesc natural areas are also in great regional significance. Districl parks are gen demand for conversion to potentially discor erally improved recreation sites of 100-300 dant intensive land uses such as residential acres, such as Fort Missoula. Community and recreational subdivision and develop parks cover about 50 acres and arc exempli ment. Ironically, the same qualities which fied by Playfair, McConnick and Greenough attraCT recreational use also attract devclop parks. Neighborhood parks arc 1-16 acre Inent pressure. sites (often located at schools) which are the focal point of a neighborhood. Greenway preservalion provides passive recreational The Regions usc and is bcsr exemplified by tlte Rattle snake Greenway which connects the urban 11te following summaries highlight area wil.h the Ranlesnake National Recreation the recreational character of each of Missoula Area and Wilderness. All levels except County's eight regions_ Proximity to rivers, neighborhood parks are addressed in the creeks and lakes is the conunon thread following regional descriptions. which unifie:;; the recreation resources of the regions. 'lhese resources arc largely found Recreational Needs on private lands. '11te MDF\VP and the U.S. Fi:;;h and Wildlife Service (FWS) have evalu A detailed county map indicating all ared and rated fisheries and recreation areas of existing or potential recreation use potential of almost all of Montana's rivers and would not be meaningful - almost all public creeks. 'lhc ranking criteria include occur~ and private lands would be included for one renee of state or federally designated tlucat reason or another. 'l11c Lolo Forest Plan as ened or endangered fish species, fish specie~> well as state, county and city planning of high interest to the state, and habitat res documents provide detailed lists of recrea toration, reclamation or mitigation potential. tion areas, parks, campsites, picnic areas, In Missoula County, the absence of threat fishing access sites, boat ramps and other ened or endangered fish species resulted in facilities. While not all the following types of rankings based on the habitat quality for land arc shown on Page 18a, they all serve species with strong recreational interest such important recreational functions. 'lhese in as rainbow, cunhroat, brown and other trout. clude lands: 'I11e ranking system includes tlvc designa 1. bordering rivers, creeks and lakes; tions. 2. visually and/or physically accessi ble, adjacent to public roads; Clas..<> l; llighest Value Fishery Re 3. of scenic interest; source: 1. of historic or archaeological impor Class ll: High Priority fishery Re tance; source 5. suitable for recreational develop Clas._-, III: Substantial Fishery Resource ment; Clas,<; IV: Moderate Fishery Resourct.:! Class V; Limited Fishery Resource Inventory of Conservation Resources for i\·Hssou!a Coumy J'age 18 Jl's snowmobile activity. State-wide, 19R9- Specific updated visi!ation figures for 1990 snowmobile use increased approxi some sites in each region arc unavailable due mately 7A% over 19AA-89 totals with 21, 361 to funding rcslrictions in the MDFWP. How~ vehicles being counted. Popular trails in the ever, according to both Forest Service and Seeley Lake complex include Seeley Lake to Fish, \'7ildlifc and Parks sources, general rec Ovando, Rice Ridge-West Morrell, Double reational usc continues to grow, especially in Arrow, Marshall-Mount Henry and Fawn Western Monlana. Creek. 'Ihis system is managed by MDFWP, using g;:ts tax funds. Current facilities appear Seeley~Swan sufficient to meet present and projccred de mands. Cross-country skiing is also popular. 'lhis lightly populated region pro Some 12 miles of recently constructed vides diverse, high quality, year-round rec groomed trail exist northeast of Seeley Lake. reation experiences of national significance. 'lhe Ovando to Seeley Lake 50 kilometer 'l1lC spectacular Mis..'iion Mountains and Bob cross-country ski race takes place in Marshall Wildernes..., Area draw Momanans as February. well as recrcationists from all over the coun '!he Seeley Lake-Jocko Road is a try, to hike or ride horseback into this back three season recreation travel route linking country. 'l11is is a headwaters region of lakes the Evaro region wilh Seeley Lake. Many and small streams. 'I he valley bottom portion logging roads which wind through this re of the region is a moist forested landscape. gion arc similarly used for vehicular recrea- 'Jhc Clearwater Hivcr is a Clas..<> II fishery. lion. Owl and Placid Creeks are Class III fisheries. '!he Swan River is rated a Class II Clas..'i IV fisheries include Marshall, Deer and fishery. Numerous informal acces..s points the West Fork of the Clearwater- Salmon, exist on the Swan Hivcr. Class III streams in Seeley, Inez, Alva, Rainy and Clearwater arc dude Glacier, ITolland, Beaver, Kraft, the principle lakes located along the Clear Condon and Cold Creeks. Elk, Rutnhtc and water Hiver. 'I1H~sc, along with Placid and Cooney Creeks arc Class IV although Elk Marshall lakes, comprise a regionally impor Creek was recently identified as the most tant recreation complex. Boating, camping, important hull trout spawning area in the picnicking, hiking, wildlife watching and Flathead Forest. Lindbergh and flollnnd fishing arc focused on the Clearwater River Lakes serve significant recreation functions. chain of lake resources. Agency personnel 'lhe Holland take area is the region's princi indkate greater access is needed to the pal acces..<> point for entry to the Bob ht:trshall Clearwater River between Seeley and Salmon Wildernes..<;. I tolland Lake Lodge is a well lakes. Public recreation facilities and private known commercial establishment providing interests mingle throughout this area. Facili lodging, meals and access to lake and wil ties arc reported to be adequate, but strained derncs..<; activi!ics. Lindbergh Lake has a and during summer weekends, camp~ Forest Service campground. '!his lake and grounds are full. 111c Salmon Lake ::10d Placid nearby Ctlacier Creek are !he main !railheads lake State Recre::Hion Areas are particularly for entry into the Mission tvtountain Wilder~ popular. Recreation pressure on the Seeley ness. T.ake Ranger District, ac•ording to the most '!he Seeky-Swan region is a popular recent (fuly, 1992) estimaTes of the District hunting area. White-tailed deer is the princi Hanger, increased in ex•ess of lO ftlled with wildlife. Along with osprey, bald threaten the beauty and past use of this eagles, white-tailed deer, moose, mink and scenic river corridor. Private, corporate and an occasional otter, many songbirds, public land owners, together with 'f11c thrushes and waterfowl inhabit the riparian Nature Conservancy, joined to addre."iS the corridor. Species of fish include trout, bass, future of the corridor. After some five years perch and kokanee salmon. 11te Clear of work, 11Je B!ack}Oot Rive-r Con&'>tVtUion water's slow moving waters and easy return aud Recrealion 1l1anagement Plau was shutdc, a 1/2 mile hike, make this a particu completed (TNC, US. Bureau of Outdoor larly unique and aur.aclive resource. 'lhe Recreation, 1976). '1\vo general topics were Seeley L.1.ke Ranger District is in the process addressed: land conservation and recrea of developing disabled acc~ss along th~ tional use. canoe trail. A rapidly growing clientele also In 1976, long before the river access visits the District's newly 0992) constructed law was passed, landowners along the wildlife viewing blind ncar the District office Blackfoot recognized the river agcment Agreement, the public has the right take place here. 'lllC Coloma-Garnet area is to responsibly enjoy the Blackfoot River. And popular with both skiers and snowmobilers. the private landowners receive a partner in '!he BI.M rems cabins in Garnet TO the public. monitoring public usc and enforcing rules Hunting for elk, mule deer, moose stated in the agreement. 'lhis private-public and black bear occurs in various hunting partnership conccpr can be applied to any dislricts throughout this area. Walk-in only river corridor in Mis..•;oula County. hunting exists in the Greenough area. Sub 11te MDFWP compiles visitor usc sta~ stantial elk herds move about the region and tistics at v.uious sites, based on eslimatcs and winter in the Clearwater Game !{angc or on automatic vehicle counter data. During the nearby private lands. In 1985, five hunting summer of 1976, an estimated 15,000 visits licenses for antlered bull moose were issued occurred within the Blackfoot Corridor. lly for the district while six will be i.s..<>ued in 198.\ this had increased to at least 48,000 for 1992. Furbearers arc trapped in the moun the .same period. 'Jhis is more th;m a 300% tains. increase. During the same period in 1986, visits fell to 33,500. Primary usc areas and Clinton~ Turah their 1986 summer visitors arc: County Linc- 1,700; l{oundup-5,000; Ninemile Prairie- Again, water-oriented recreation 2,000; Hivcrbend-3,300; Belmont Creck- dominates the pattern of usc in this region, 1,300; \'\/hiuaker Bridge-1,900; Thibidcau- which is .split by the Clark Fork River. 'l11e 1,000; Sheep Flats-1,500; Johnsrud Park- Clark Fork is rated a Class ll fishery despite 13,300 and Marco Flats-2,500. All but Whit its history of mining related pollution prob taker Bridge and 'lhibidcau have increased lems. Access to the river is generally ade visiiOr numbers since 1976. 'lllese numbers quate. A minimum of 24,900 recreational do not translate directly into user days, as an \'isitors used the river in the summer of 19&:.i. unknown percentage of visitors may be 'lhe most popular developed .<;it e.<> are TUr<~h counted at several sites. (ll:,IJOO visitors, 1986), Beavertail Hill (10,100 'Jhc Clearwater River in this region is visitors, 1986), and Schwartz Creek (1,600 rated a Cla.s..<; Ill fishery. 'Jhe principle usc visitors, 1986). lJ.sc of the Clark Fork is be areas arc Clearwater Cros..<;ing (11,200 1986 lieved higher than the dara indicates due to visits) and Harper's Lake (32,600 19H6 visits). substantial fishing at informal .sites. Conser Usc is increasing for rhc.sc two siKs. 'lhe vation of the river corridor will ensure a same activities cornmon to the Blackfoot scenic recreation resource and help maintain River arc popular along the Cle:lrwater. the present fishery. I towcvcr, access is more limited and floating Rock Creek is a Class I fishery. 'I11i.s opportunities were, until recently, greatly nationally acclaimed .stream received rec hampered by wire fcnclng. On June I, -1985, ognition in 1972. as a 10 state recreational the MDFWP and Jwo dozen volunteers in waterway." Special fishing regulations stalled new fences with '~Smith River (Jatcsu imposed in the late l970'.s have greatly im to allow Boaters to pas..<; unimpeded. "£11i.s provt:d the creek's trout fishery. 1\lDFWP per effort represented a landmark of cooperation sonnel indicate that the confluence of Hock between recreationi.sts and landowners. Creek are fishing, hiking and camping. '(lie jocko supplies crirical winter-spring habitat for a River and its forks arc Class I fisheries. "lhis local elk herd which provides wildlife view nationally significant resource is accessed ing from homes and commercial downtown from the Jocko-Seeley Lake Road and ad locations - one local bar/restaurant provides jacent logging roads. Acccs._<; TO rhe Raule binoculars for elk viewers. Pattee Canyon snake Wildernes...<> is possible from the South has been dosed to large groups because of Fork of the jocko River. Acces._<; to the Mis traffic safety, vandalism and littering prob sion Mountain Wilderness exists from the lems. Recreation agencies indicate that a Middle Fork of the jocko. Snowmobile usc suitable large group picnic site with a ball occurs at jorko Pass. Agency Creek is a field and shcJ[ers is needed dose to town. Clas..ible in the scope Mis..<>oula Valley contain many well known of this report to addres..<; the many detailed, peaks. Lolo Peak, Blue Mounwin, Squaw site specific developed and dispersed rec Peak, Point Six, Stuarl Peak, l\·1ount jumbo, reation resources available. Numerous rec Mount Sentinel and Mount Dean Stone are reation plans and programs exist simultane frequent destination of hikers. Trail access is ously in this populated core of the county. more (kvclopcd to some peaks than others. Agencies and programs include Mis..<;oula "Tltcsc peaks, along wilh Waterworks I !ill, County Parks, Recreation and Open Space; McCauley Butte and many other hills, form City of Missoula Park Board and department; the framework for an infonn.li J)Ut compre Mis.. Clark Fork River at Kelly Island is increasing. areas. 'Ihe MDFWP and Champion Inter However, unlike the Clark Fork, there arc national installed a public rifle range in the significant gaps in its access system. Sub~ Deep Creek area. stantial river recreation is.sues remain un~ Usc of Snowbowl and Marshall resolved. 11Je LotH?!" Rillf-"11nOt RiiX"t" Rec downhill ski areas is increasing substantially. reation Managemmll Plan (Stolba, et at.) New runs have been created at Snowhowl. identified the following as chief problems: Marshall has also expanded its runs, and Jack of safe, convenient public acccs...o;; un both areas have added snow-making ma authorized usc of illegal or dangerous access chines and increased tl1e available hours of poinLs; lack of adequate and safe parking; night skiing. Skiing has also diversified to littering and trash dumping and unsafe include telemark skiers and snowboardcrs, swimming at certain places. Existing acccs..<; both of whom arc increasingly common on points in the Missoula Valley Hegion from the slopes. south to north include Buckhouse Bridge, Bicycle recreation and commuting is Fort Missoula, Blue Mounrain, 1\.·taday Bridge increasingly popular in this region. 'l11c City and Kelly Island Fishing Acces..'> Site. Maday of Missoula has a bicycle coordinator to con Flats was developed in response to the need duct safety classes and other educational for a 5-10 acre Hshing acces._<; site. 'Ihc Buck programs. ,\laps of urban and mountain house Bridge site has major parking and biking routes arc available. Races arc held safety problems. 'Illc Fori Missoula site has frequently. 'lhc route of the annual Tour of high, steep banks. 'I1te Blue !\.fountain acccs..<; the Swan River Valley (TOSRV) begins in area is presently restricted by limited parking Mis..<;oul:.l, winds up I Hghway 200 along the and water access. The u.scfulnes._-. of the Blackfoot River to Clearwater Junction, turns Maday Bridge site is severely hampered by north through the Seeley-Swan region and the land ownership pauern, limited parking kads b;Kk to Missoula via the Evaro region. and steep hanks. In addition to access and In 1990 there were over 500 riders and in fadlities issues, The conservation of The ri 1991 a cap of 700 riders was inst111lcd. parian corridor is also widely recognized as Wirh the increasing popularity of the foundation for all recreation resource mountain biking, the Haulesnake Recrcalion management. Area has become a favored destination. Pri R;Hllcsnake Creek is a Class Il fishery. mary activities arc fishing, day-trips and Miller, G-rant, O'Brien, Deer and Plant Creeks camping. Pattee Canyon and the old !\-til arc Class TV fisheries. Rattlesnake Creek lies waukee Railroad right-of-way along the at the heart of the Raulcsnake Wilderness Clark Fork arc abo among the bike routes and National Recreation Area. In 1989, 1991 most commonly used. Mis..'> Wildlife viewing is a periodically im due to the creation of separate trails. ·n1e portant recreational acHvily in the Milltown problem of dogs on ski trails continues. Co East Missoula area when a local herd of operative management of !his area by vari Rocky Mount~1in Sheep venture onto hillsides ous agencies has thus f;u been .successful in and cturing spring break-up when they visit providing high qualify recreation to an in meadows and fields in the area. creasing number of rccreationists. Vehicle usc on Jogging roads is I.olo popular in this region, partinilar!y !he Graves Creek-Petly Creek loop road. Hunting for ·the lolo region provides year round elk, moose, deer and black bear occur. Ac recreation opportunities near water and in ces..s to lolo Peak and 'l11c Sclway-Billerroot the mountains. ·nlC Bitterroot River here is a Wilderness Area is provided from formally Class II fishery. 'I11is extremely popular designated !railheads on 1\fonnon Creek waterway has seventl significant recreation Road and rhc south fork of Lolo Creek. management problems. 'lllC primary access points are the Chief Looking Glas..<; fishing Frenchtown-Iluson acces.." (25,100 visitors annually) located at the county line, Hiversidc Park and the sew The Class 1l Clark Fork River provides age treatment plant at Lolo. MDFWP iden the focus for recreation in this region. tifies the gap between Chief Looking Glass I Iarpcr's Bridge, Erskine Fishing Access near and Loin as one of two top priorities for land Huson (5,600 annual visiTors), Petty Creek or casement acquisition. Lola Creek, from Fishing Acccs..o;; site (7,100 annual visitors) are the confluence of its east and west forks, is !he main developed access points. Un also a Class ll fishery. Fonnal access is pro developed infonnal .sites exist at Frenchtown vided ::u Lee Creek and Lewis and Clark and at railroad and highway bridges over the campgrounds. Other access site~ arc com river. Access '!he rural landscape of the Ninemile attracts many people for pleasure drives and informal, low-key activities. 'l11e area may also be used for hiking. Squaw Peak is a popular climb. Fonnally desigmlled trail heads exist in Stoney and Sixmile drainages. McCormick Peak is reached by frail from McConnick Creek Road. Reservation Divide provides many other hiking options. Vehicular recreation is pursued over Siegel Pass in Sanders County. '!11is roU!c can be used as a loop back to Mis.soula via I-90 or Highway 93. Elk, deer, black bear and other species are hunted in the mountains which form the Nincmilc Rcscrvalion Divide ranges. Horseback riding is popular with both hunt ers and non-hunters. Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula Coumy _ Page 25 ECOWGICAL RESOURCES wildlife feeding can actually cause wildlife fatalities in numerous cases, and wild life/hum;:~n conflict in most cases. The following reconnaissance, although not a detailed account, provides a description of the significant ecological re sources found in ;\tis._<;oula County. Emphasis has been placed on private land. "lhc ac companying maps illustrate areas which contain those resources. Ecological Overview Missoula County is ecologically wealthy_ Some 300 species nf birds, 2.) .species of waterfowl, 20 .species of small game, nine species of big game, and numer Missoula County residents live in a ous reptile, amphibian, and insect species landscape filled with an impressive array of usc the various ecosystems. Riparian, grass ecological resources. Wildlife, some of which land, parkland, forest, and alpine com arc threatened and endangered species, high munities which mantle !he county's land quality mountain and plains ecosystems, and forms contain -a di\'crsc array of plants on unique riparian ecosystems arc distributed which all species of wildlife ultimately de throughout the countfs mountains and val pend. Highly produc!ive river, creek, and leys. Although public land harbors sub lake habitals support Hshcrks and the com stantial quanlitics of na!Ural resources, many plex food webs on which fish rdy_ Individ species and ecological communities physical condition, num~er an_d distr~bution Birds of big game animals whtch wtll survtve the winter. Rig game have two major biological requirements which must be met on winter range: available forage and thermal cover. Forage for elk and mule deer is generally found on lower elevation south and west facing slopes where grasses and shrubs pro vide food. Scattered trees at the edges of forests often have snow free areas around their trunks, even when the more open sites are buried in snow. Winter thcnnal cover is provided within forest stands adjacent. to feeding areas. Such srands reduce wmd Missoula County is unique in its velocities and resulting low chill factors; they habitat diversity for all bird spcclcs, and in intercept snow, reducing snow depths under particular, birds of prey. Many of these the trees which allows for more available species arc listed as 11 Spcdcs of Special Con forage and offers some insulation which cern" by the Montana Department of Fish, keeps bedded animals warm. 11JC winter Wildlife and Parks, or as 11 Cndangered11 or habitat needs of moose and white-railed deer "threatened" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife are similar, although these animals tend to Service. For example, Missoula County sray ncar river and creek corridors. Big horn contains the only known Flanunulared Owl sheep and mountain goats also seek lower nest, is home to American Bald Eagles and elevations during winter. However, goats there arc reliable peregrine falcon sightings remain high in the mountains, on wind within the county. swept slopes, the entire year if no suitable Other species of raptors that can be winter range exists downslope. found in Missoula County include: rough Page 31a reveals substantial amounts legged hawk, ferruginous hawk, red-tailed of big game winter range found on private hawk, Swainson's hawk, nonhero goshawk land in Missoula County. 'Il1ese habitats arc (par!icularly 1hc Swan Valley), Cooper's vulnerable to development due to their low hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, American elevation, scenic amenities, proxitnity to ac kestrel, merlin, prairie fakon and oc cess such as county or logging roads, and the casionally gyrfalcons. All river drainages in unstable viabilily of agriculture. Although all the county arc important osprey habit;tl. big game animals tend to move away from HJ.rriers hunt over swampland and open roads, elk use of winter range and other fields, as do Turkey vultures. 'l1lc Potomac habitats is generally most severely impacted Valley is especially important to the harrier. by the presence of roads. Inadequate cover at the edges of openings also reduces elk Owls thJ.t live in or usc the County usage. include: long-cared owl, great-horned owl, Big game management is a significant great gray owl (Swan Valley), barred owl issue on both public and private lands. 'the (Swan Valley), northern saw-whet owl, Lolo National Forest Plan contains a policy boreal owl, short-cared owl (in abundance in for resolving big game and livestock grazing 1990), northern pygmy owl and possibly the conflicts so that big game receive 100% of northern hawk-owl (5-6 sightings). Other the forage required to meet their biological species occurring are uncertain. needs. '1l1e Montana Department of fish, 'lhesc creatures have diverse habitat WildiU'e and Parks has acquired winter range requirements- Important habitats include habitats in certain ponions of the county. rock outcrops, cliffs, remote nesting and About 10 000 elk roam the Loin forest, and roosting trees, gra.s..'>land and forest hunting additional elk arc found in the Flathead grounds, old forest stands, and riparian eco Forest north of Seeley Lake and in the Biller systems. Sornc raptors, such as kestrel and root National Forest southwest of Lolo. osprey, tolerate human proximity well. Others, such as bald eagles, are easily dis- Inventory of conservation Resources for Missonla Coumy_ : Page 27 turbed, particularly during the nesting valley in the Frendllown area are also im season. portant habitat for nesting and migrating Many of the upland game bircb are waterbirds. found on private land in the county. Habitat potential is generally greater than present Fish distribution. Upland game binl<> consist of Fish are an important component of ruffed grouse, blue, spruce, and possibly riverine ecosystems. Some 30 fish species arc sharp-tailed !,'l"Ouse, ringed-neck pheasant, found in the county and range from rainbow, grey or Hungarian partridge, white-tailed brown, cutthroat, and bull trout to perch, ptarmigan, and Merriam's turkey. Any sharp whitefish, sculpins, bass, pumpkinseeds, and tailed grouse sited would be the Columbian suckers. 'lhe Blackfoot and Jocko Rivers and race and would represent the eastern most Rock Creek arc rated Clas.."i I, or nationally occurrence of this sub-species. Blue grouse significant, fisheries while F.lk Creek is an are cormnon in the warmer and drier habitats important bull trout spawning creek. typical of ponderosa pine; Spruce grouse Ninemile, Rattlesnake, and other tributaries prefer the cooler, moister habitats of spruce are important spawning areas. Lakes have fir forests. Ruffed grouse generally dwell in mixed fish populations due to stocking ac riparian and low elevation firs. Pheasants tivities and diverse habitat conditions, have been introduced into open farm Kokanee salmon arc caught in several lakes country along the BiHerroot and Clark Fork in the Clearwater River watershed. Water Rivers where they feed on grain, seeds, ber pollution problems such as heavy metal ac ries, and insect"i. Gray partridge occupy cul cumulation, sillation, nutrient enrichment, tivated terrain along the Bitterroot, Clark and de-watering are the principal threats to Fork and upper Blickfoot. Ptarmigan oc the countys fishery resource. cupy high country alpine and subalpine set Currently, trout fishing in streams tings. Merriam's mrkcys arc found along provides the most fishing opportunity in river corridors, on benches and within forests Mis..<>oula County. 'I11c future of this recrea on lower mountain slopes. tional opportunity will depend upon how Mis..'illula County lies in the Pacific well stream habitats can be maintained and Flyway. ntis major waterfowl migration enhanced. The Montana Department of Fish, route provides resting, feeding, and breeding Wildlife and Parks manages the trout streams habitat for many species of water birds. to produce wild trout, or trout that maintain Canada geese and a variety of ducks migrate their own populations and arc not planted. through and breed in the county. Ducks in 'I11is places additional importance on the dude wood, mallard, pin-tail, cinn:unon tell, maintenance of prime aquatic habitat. High northern shoveler, harlequin, Barrow's demand on stream trout fisheries and rela golden-eye and common merganser. Water tively slow fish growth rates have resulted in fowl which usc the countfs riparian eco very restrictive creellimit.s and seasons. systems during spring and fall migrations in Special fish management programs clude trumpeter swan, lesser snow goose, designed to enhance native fish species have Ross' goose, American widgeon, gadwell, been incorporated into the fish management green-winged teal, lesser scaup and hufllc program in the area. Due to low abundance head duck. and dwindling statewide habitat, westslope Lakes, rivers creeks, and tmtrshes are cutthroat and bull trout are both species of the principal habitats of waterfowl. 'lhis special concern. 'Jhcse fish have been water/wetland pattern is Virlually identical to restricted from harvest in the Blackfoot recreation corridors shown on Page 18a. Of drainage. particular importance arc icc-free areas, such 'I11e MDFWP's fishery management as spring-fed sloughs, spring creeks, areas program puts the greatest emphasis on es below dams, riverbanks, and feeding tablishing in-stream flow reservations, grounds within two miles of water. 'Ihe Fish enforcing Jaws relating to habitat alteration, and Wildlife Service has identified three encoumging floodplain management in har 11 aquatic habitat<; of substantial benefit to mony with stream environment, responding waterfowl" in western Montana. One of to conflicting water development projects these is the Swan River wetland complex. and monitoring the fish populations and 'lhe Milltown Reservoir and Clark Pork Hiver habitats in selected areas. inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula Coumy Page 28 'Ihc lake cnviromnenls in Mis.soula and animals listed by the U.S. Fish and County include both lowland moraine lakes Wildlife Service as threatened or endangered. in the Clearwater Hiver drainage ~l.s well a.s 'I1ie grizzly bear, bald eagle, gray wolf, and high elevation mountain lakes. 'I11e Rattle peregrine falcon occur in Mi&o;;oula County snake drainage, !he Swan and Clearw:ncr and have received this recognition. watersheds drain most of the higher eleva A number of federal, stale, county tion lake basins. and private agencies work lo protect wildlife Most of the high elevation lakes arc species which arc lhrcatencd, endangered, currenlly managed as either wild trout or or of special interest or concern. Because hatchery stocked fisheries. Lakes capable of such .species arc vulnerable to disturbance, sustaining natural reproduction arc so man only general locations are located on i'vlap aged. Most high elevation lakes were barren Seven of fish prior to stocking in the early 1900's. "lhe grizzly bear is considered a Since stocking, some naturally reproducing nationally-threatened species. "l11e Depart populations of brook, yellowstone and ment of the Interior has delineated "recovery westslopc cullhroat have developed. Today, zones01 for the recovery of grizzly bear high elevation Bsh plants arc completed with populations in Montana. In Missoula west'>lope cuuhroat that were native to the County, grizzly habitat and recovery areas drainage. include the Seeley, Swan and Jocko valleys, "!he lowland lakes have presented rhe lower Mission valley and portions of the fish management difficulties dating back to upper Hattlesnake Creek watershed_ On-go the early 1900's. 'I1lC problems arc associ ing studies (199£) indicate that the recovery ated with the introduction of perch, pump zone in Missoula County is being fragmented kinseed, sunfish, and largemouth ba.s.s. The by human development into small portions environments are only marginally suitable for rhat cannot support The bear's habitat needs. these wann water species. Yellow perch, 'I1tis is partkubrly true in !he Sw,m and which have a compctilivc edge over lroul, Evaro areas. have caused poor growth rates and survival Portions of i\tissoula County in the of the planted trout. Attempts at removal of Sclway-Binerroot Wilderness have been perch from these waters failed in the l960'.s. designated as a polcntial recovery zone for Today'.s approach is to focus on 1he perdt's the grizzly. Although believed to be extinct natural predators (bass) and known perch in this secTion of its former range, federal eating salmon ids .strain introductions. state .studies will determine the dcsirahil ity/fcasihilily of reintroducing the grizzly to the Sdway-Bitterroot. Species of limited Distribution: The endangered gray wolf is estab lishing itself Mi&'>oula County. There have been numerous wolf siglttings in Missoula County, wirh research, capturing and monitoring in the Nincmile and Seeley-Swan valleys_ 'lhc large number of sighlings in the Seeley-Swan Valley indicate !hat there may be a breeding pair or pack in that area. There have also been recent sightings west of I\·tissoula ncar Fish Creek and tolo Pass and an established gray wolf pack in the Ninemile Valley has been the object of con siderable publicity, research and mortalily, including at least one poaching and one road-caused wolf dealh. No human injuries have been inOktcd by .Montana wolves, nor arc any anticipated. The endangered bald eagle nests and Wlldllfe winters in The county. Six known nesTs exist "!he federal Endangered Species Act along the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Blackfoot, of 1973 provided legal protection for plants and Clearwater rivers. Eagles also winter Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula Coumy l'age 29 within these same riparian areas. Bald eagles as the tvtontana Environmental Policy Act and feed on fish, waterfowl and carcas....;es of un the ,\·fajor Facilities Siting Act reveal the pub gulates. Two and one-half miles up and lic's general concern for the protection of downstream of a nest is considered primary unique, fragile, or ecologically significant foraging habitat. A one-half mile biological lands and species. Plants with limited dis protection area around an active bald eagle tributions achieve public significance for nest is neces...~ry to minimize disturbance many reasons. Certain plants arc easily dam during the nesting season. 'lhc 1\·1ontana aged by environmcnt~li changes and have Hald Eagle Working Group has published value in monitoring rhc effects of pollution. management guidelines for bald eagles. Many have value as resources for medicinal, 111e last peregrine falcons nested in food, fiber, and gene pool purposes. Some Missoula County about 30 years ;lgo in the members of the public believe that a plant's Clark Fork River valley near Alberton. 'l1lcir existence is the sole criteria of value. numbers declined .sharply due to pestkidc Climatic, geological, and biological use. Although their numbers arc increasing change combined with human uses have as a result of captive breeding and planned created a deceptively intricate flora in the releases, peregrines now migrate through the county. Species of limited distribution, relict county but no known nesting activity is t:.lk populations, unusual species relationships, ing place despite the existence of suitable and unique habitat types lie veiled behind habitat for this endangered species. He the seemingly simple pattern of cononwood introduction is underway around the state groves, golden grasslands, green forest<;, and and Missoula County may have nesting pere rocky summits. grines in the ncar future. MDFWP has identified ''Vertebrate Species Of Special Concern" for Momana. Mammals on this list and found in Mis..-.oula County include fringed bat, California myoti.s (bat), Townsend's big-cared bat, hoary mar mot, spotted skunk, fisher, lynx, wolf, grizzly bear, and north(·rn bog lemming. There me two amphibians (the Coeur d'Alene salamander and the tailed frog) and two flshcs (the cullhroat Trout and arclic grayling) which arc considered to be of special interest or concern. Other fish include the cuuhroat trout, arctic grayling, the \Vestslopc cuuhroat and bull trout. Birds recognized arc osprey, 'Ihc following list of plants of limited bald eagle, Cooper's hawk, northern gos distribtuion was drawn from ;J review of hawk, ferruginous hawk, golden eagle, mer available literature, data from The Nature lin, peregrine and prairie f<1kon, upland Conservancy, and interviews. Other species sandpiper, long-billed curlew, northern exist in the county within ccrw.in environ pygmy owl, burrowing owl, barred owl, ments, but detailed .site data was unavailable. great gray owl, northern saw-whet owl, '!11c status of each plant follows recom pileated woodpecker, olive-sided fly catcher, mendations by Lc.s..<;ica and others. 'l11ese are: Threatened, Endangered, Rare, Endemic western bluebird, day~colored .sparrow, Brewer's sparrow, and bobolink. All raptors (found only in Montana), and Believed Ex Plants Threatened 'lhrce-leaved l1oamnrnver No lvtonwna plants have officially Adder's Tong been listed as Threatened or endangered by ()regon Bluebells the federal government. J\·lontana Jaws such Inventory of ConserVation Resources for MiSSoula County J>ag_e 30 Endangered Howell's Gumwced Ilowcllia Rare Poor Sedge Western \XIitchgras..." White Glacier Lily Kitten tail Buckler Fern >! .'! Yellow Beardtonguc UlC National Park Service's inventory Alpine Saxifrage of potential ecological landmarks in the northern Rocky Mountains revealed eleven Obscure Evening Primrose such areas in Missoula County. Sites ranked Northern Bentgrass within this study cont.ain species, geological Pygmy Water Lily features, or high qualily habitat types of im~ Water-shield portance in conserving a complete system of Coville's Rush representative ecosystems in the United Pointed Broom Sedge States. 111e potential ecological landmarks in Missoula County arc shown on Page 45a. Endemic 'l11ese are: Biuercrcs..." Missoula Phlox Blackfoot-Clearwater Gatne Range Carlton Ridge Believed Extinct Council Groves Bittcrroon Tri.sctum Fort Mis..•;oula Pine Bollomlands Forests Kelly Island Luhrecht Forest Sites Mount Sentinel Park Homestead Plant Creek Sheep .Mountain Bog Waterworks Ilill Riparian Corridors 'l11e riparian zone .surrounds rivers, creeks, and lakes. These moist ecosystems are the single most important habitat type in Missoula Counly. Over 200 wildlife species are dependent upon riparian cormnunitics. Species such as osprey, bald eagle, great blue heron, spotted sandpiper, and most water fowl arc totally dependent on riparian cor ridors. For example, great blue heron nest ing areas, or rookeries, arc found in large cottonwood trees along the Bitterroot and Clark Fork rivers. Fish account for 900/o of the herons' diet. Many other species, includ ing big game, spend a great deal of time in bonomland.s. Elk arc estimated to spend as much as 41YJ,h of their lime near water. Ri parian areas anract big game because of cooler summer temperatures and natural mi- Invcmory of Conscrvatlon Resources for Missoula County Page 31 gration routes. '11le presence of water in Lake and in the Blackfoot-Clearwarcr game semi-arid valleys, the great habitat diversity range cast of Salmon Lake. A'> tnany as 500 along the edge of riparian lands and adjacent deer have Lccn observed in a seven square ecosystems, and the resulting high wildlife mile area cast of this lake. Elk and mule and vegetation productivity makes riverine deer winlt.:T upslope and cast of the Swan and lakeside areas critical e<·oiogical re River. iv1ountain goats winter in or near the sources. Mission-Swan ranges. Moo.sc reside in ri parian area.s but may move into the The Regions mountains during warmer months. 'I11e threatened grizzly bear roams throughout much of the region. "I11is .species was classified as "threatened" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1975 due to the griz~ zlies' greatly reduced numbers and raOge. 'Jhe Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has also recog nized the grizzly hear as a threatened .species. CITES was established to eliminate the marketing of threatened species and their body p:lrts_ The present status of the grizzly bear in Montana is under debate between those who believe number.s arc ri.sing and range i.s expanding and those who either disagree or feel in.sufficient data exist to Seclcy.Swan make a dear determination. Forests of the Seclcy-Sw;tn Region 'llterc is general consensus that over are unlike those found throughoUT the rest of the past few years, the grizzly population in the county. This region lies at the border of the Mission Hange has been declining. A<; the maritilne and continental climates and late as 198'5, there were approximately 25 thus has a mixture of Pacific Coal'>lal Forest grir.zly bears and in 1991 rhc estimate fell to trees. \\{estern red cedar, grand fir, we.stcrn between dglu and ten bears. Sighting.s and hemlock, and western larch grow in the val bear signs have almost vanished since then. leys, along with more familiar species such as Leading conservation and population hi~ Douglas fir, Englemann spruce, ponderosa ologist.s, such as Franklin, Soule, Servheen, pine and lodgepole pine. The Pacific Coastal ct. a\. disagree on the number of bears Fore.st habitat type once extended over mo.st needed to sustain a healthy population for of western Montana but retreated northward the short tenn and long term. r lowcver, all with the warming climate. 'l11e Swan Valley would seem to agree that the current low wetland complex is ideal for Pacific Coast population, coupled with increasing habitat tree species. 'lhc Clearwater drainage is destruction and human usc of former bear similar, although les.•:; moist i\'o natural habit a paUcrn of seasonal habitat usc, a change in growing in this region's valley bnnoms show habitat availability caused by land subdi cone characteristics and chemical compo vision and home or road construction is sitions :.lkin to white spruce which is com usually derrimcntal to the bears. Ilowcvcr, mon to the north in Canada. Spruce hybrids grizzly bears arc not shy of people, as long of this region display similarities tn both as cover is available. Confrontations occur species. when grizzlies arc attracted to dwellings by garbage, fruit trees, apiaries, poultry, swine, Potomac--Greenough and other livestock, or processing of meal for Large numbers of elk winter in this human consumption. When individual ani essentially undeveloped region. 'lhc Black mals come to rely on such foods, significant fot+Clcarwatcr Game Hange is the most problems arise for both people and bears. heavily used expanse of elk winter range in ·nle Swan River drainage is part of the county. Approximately 1,100 to 1,200 elk the Flathead National Forest's Grizzly Bear usc this area each year, although usc varies management program and is designated with the scverHy of winters. Pockets of elk 11 11 fv1anagement Situation I - areas necessary winter range also exist in the open in the for survival and recovery of the species. Also Greenough area. Numerous elk and whitc contiguous wilh and carrying the s;:unc desig !ailed deer usc winter range along the nation arc the Great Bear Wilderness, Bob Blackfoot and Clearwater rivers. \Vhitc-tailed Marshall Wilderness, and Mission 1·1ountain deer winter range also exists in the open, Wilderness areas. somh-fadng pine forests north of Potomac. Seven reliable sightings of the <~n Mixed dk, mule deer and while-tailed deer dangcrcd Gray wolf have occurred in this win!cring areas arc found in several portions region over the la~;t 10 years. According lo of this region. A-loose arc year-round the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, rhc large residents of the Elk Creek drainage. number of sightings may indicate ·.t breeding C.rlzzly be:Jrs use upper Gold Creek pair or a wolf pack in !hal area. Biologists as part of a travel corridor between the speculate many wolf travel corridors exist Rattlesnake and 1\tis..<>ion Mountain wilderness between the Mis...;;ion and Swan ranges. areas. '1\vo bald eagle nests exist on the Fishers reside in the forests of Swan Blackfoot River upstream of Johnsrud Park. Valley. Seven animals were transplanted to Bald eagles have built huge Slick nest<> there. !he Holland Lake area in 1958. This trans~ Another nest occurs just across the county plant effort apparently has been successful. line from Sperry Grade. An active nest is 'l11C wolverine also roams rhesc forests. also found on the Clearwater Hiver south of Mountain lion, lynx, black bear, and Salmon Lake. 'I1w Blackfool and Clearwater numerous other mammals arc found in !his watersheds arc also frequented by transient forcsf landscape. eagles. During many years, winter usc along 'Ihc endangered bald eagle uses this the rivers is limited by ice. Osprey nest in region year round. Osprey nest along the !all snags along !he Blackfoot upstream of Clearwater and ils chain of lakes. The Nincmile Prairie. Prairie falcon nest in ledges Clearwater Hiver and irs lakes also have a on bedrock clilfs ncar Sperry Grade. Pere mixed fishery of numerous species. grine falcons have been observed in this re Kokanee salmon are taken from rhe lakes. gion, but historical nesting areas remain un '!he Swan River fishery is characterized by used. 'I'hrce other species of concern occur cutthroat and bulllrout (dolly varden). Both here. Bobolinks nest from june to mkl· '!he Swan Hivcr and the Clcarwarer are C:las..<> August in the tall grass of wet meadows ncar !I fisheries. Potomac. Olive-sided flycatchers nest in tall Two plants in this region have been snags which stand above new-growth foresr.s recommended for endangered s!atus. or recent timber harvest arca.s in !he (-;old 1 lowell's gum weed occurs in a moist Creek watershed. Western bluebirds, cavity meadow ncar Ilolland lake. Howdlia grows nesters, are using boxes along the highway at the margins of shallow ponds and pot jus! nor!h of Clcarwaler Junction. Colum holes just downstream of Lindbergh Lake bian Sharp-tailed grouse may occupy grass and in the Smith Creek drainage. ·n1e rare land lwbitat in the Nincmile Prairie and while glacier lily grows in the forests sur Clearwater Junction areas. If verifiable, this rounding Seeley Lake. Englemann spruce would rcprcscm a significant extension of Inventory of Conservation R('"...sonrccs for Missoula County .Page 33 their range. Columbian Sharp-tails arc cats arc known to reside in the Cramer Creek known to occur further east near Ovando. waterslted. "fhe Blackfoot River is a Clas..-; I fish The Clark Fork River is a Class li fish cry. Rainbow, brown, cutthroat, and bull ery consisling primarily of brown and rain trout arc the most common .species. l'vtDF\VP bow trout. Upstream of Rock Creek, the estimates fish populations between 1,000 and river has low productivity for game fish. Bi 1,500 per river mile near Gold Creek. "This ologists suspect that, for many years, heavy makes the lower reaches of the Blackfoot metals from industrial operation in Anaconda one of the more productive fisheries in the accumulated in this stretch of river. county. Tributary streams arc important for Sedimentation and irrigation withdrawals are spawning. In 1979, the U.S. Army Corps of also suspected of impacting fishery produc Engineers identified two places in Missoula tion. Rock Creek adds substantial dean County as potential dam sites. Roth were on water to the Clark Fork 'I1tis Clas._<; I creek the nlackfoot river. A dam and storage contains about 1,000 Hsh per mile. Although reservoir were discussed for the NincmHc rainbow trout are most common, lesser Prairie area wlrh a rc-rcgulation d::nn down numbers of cunhroat, brook, brown and bull stream at McNamara ncar Johnsrud Park. trout exist. Downstream of Rock Creek, the "lhc status of these potential projects is un Clark Fork fishery improves enough to sup known. At present, over-harvesting, siltation port about 400 fish per mile. and upstream mining are the principal Threats to the Blackfoot Hivcr fishery. Other ecological resources of interest arc isolated western red cedar forests found in the Gold Creek watershed. The Coloma area contains diverse sulfide orcs which once were mined for gold. At many sites along the Blackfoot Hiver, maroon Pre-Cambrian age argcllite rocks display remarkable features. 'IllCse shale like rocks originated a billion years ago on tidal mud Hats. Ripple marks, mud cracks, and even raindrop im prints can be observed on exposed bedrock. Clinton-Turah \Xfhitc-tailed deer usc winTer range habi!:H along the Clark Fork River. However, many of these deer share winter range with Evaro mule deer and dk along the lower south Elk and mule deer winter range exists facing slopes of the Garnet Range, Elk in the lower portions of jocko Hivcr drain wintering areas occur at Bonner JV1ountain age. Some white-tailed deer winfcr along and in Crystal, Allen, Greenough, Schwartz, Finley Creek in adjacent lower elevation for- and <.tilbert Creeks. J\-loosc find winter eSt<;. habitats along Cramer and Schwartz Creeks. "lhe upper Jocko Hiver watershed Big horn sheep winter in the Babcock contains terrain identified by wildlife bi Mountain area of lower Rock Creek. ologists as important grizzly bear habitat. Bald eagles winter along the Clark Bears have been increasingly observed ncar Fork and Rock Creek, but. no nests arc Evaro. ConOicts with livestock producers known to exist here. 'I1tcre have been and other private landowners have been re documented sighlings of peregrine f:1lcons ported. Some researchers spccu!arc thai along lower Rock Creek. A small great blue grizzlies may travel west of Evaro. Orhers heron rookery exists on the river ncar Clin believe that lkservation Divide lacks suf ton. Extensive black couonwood bonum ficient habitat to sustain year-round usc. land forests parallel the Clark Fork Through I lowcver, if the Sclway-Bittcrroot Wilderness our this region. '11lis forest type has been is to harbor a sun:es..<>fu! repopu];uion of the identified by 11tc Nature Conservancy as a grizzly or rhe endangered gray wolf, the "plant community of special concern." Bob- Inventory of Const.~ation Resources for /'1-Iissoula County Page 34 Evaro travel corridor or linkage zone may be during peak flows. Rookeries tend to be crucial to sustaining the bear in the Selway. abandoned every flve to fifteen years. 'lhe Golden eagles nest southcas! of trend in the county is for smaller, and JWr Evaro. Aeries arc locattxl in a variety of set haps more numerous, rookeries. If bald Hogs ranging from cliffs to tall trees and even eagle nests become established in the region, utility poles. they may occur in the same habi!at as heron 'lhc Jocko River is a Class I fishery rookeries. which sustains ''planted" rainbows with 11le Five Valleys Audubon Society's limited cutthroat, brown, brook and bull inventory of birds in the upper Rattlesnake trout. watershed discovered 85 .species from April to December. Harrier, screech and barred Missoula Valley owls, pUeated woodpecker, and golden 'lllis region contains substantial and eagle arc among the bir resembles an alpine area with low-growing useful in geological dating. Excellent rem plants such as mountain douglasia, cushion nants of lake varves occur at the airport and buckwheat and Missoula phlox. 11lis white along I-90 west of Huson in the Frenchtown petaled variety of phlox was thought to grow Huson Region. About 1 S-20 million years only on Waterworks Hills, but is now known ago, during the Miocene Age, a forest of to occur in patchy distribution as far cast as hardwood trees (maple, oak, ash) grew in Meagher County. Mis.soula phlox in not the Missoula area. Fos..<>illcaf imprints exist in known to exist outside 1\·tontana. 'Ihc rare shale rock found along a railroad cut ncar poor sedge grows in boggy conditions in the O'Keefe Creek. - Rattlesnake watershed. SLx potential ecological landmarks LOLO exist in the Mis..<>oula Valley Region (sec Page Substantial numbers of elk winter on 4Sa). Waterworks Hill is known for its un the south-facing grasslands and forests above usual flora. 'I11e Fort Mis..<>Oula Pine bottom Lolo Creek. Moose winter range exists in the land, Kelly Island and Council Grove site upper portion of the watershed. \Vhite-tailed contain excellent examples of black cotton deer make usc of riparian winter range along wood and ponderosa pine riparian forests the Bitterroot River and Lola Creek, bm the and excellent wildlife habitats. Mount most intensively used areas occur on eastside Senlinel is known primarily for its prame benches from Davis Creek south to the grassland vegetation, providing excellent counly line. Baldy Mountain is a key mixed opportunities for studies of fire ecology. '!he big game winTering area. Mountain goats Plant Creek site contains spruce and Douglas u~ .south-facing slopes at mid-elevations fir forest habitat types and groves of 300- above Carlton Creek. year-old western larch. Plant Creek i.s also a Bald eagles winter along the Bitter pos..<>iblc Forest Service Research Natural root River and Lola Creek and arc observed Area. year-round. An active nest exists near the Remnants of Pacific Coastal Forest river. Species of special interest or concern habitat types from a cooler, wetter climate include nesting osprey, prairie falcon, exist around Missoula. Strands of western Cooper's hawk and long-eared owl along the red cedar, grand fir, western white pine and Bitterroot River, nesting golden eagles near western larch exist in Holloman, Hayes, Baldy Mountain, spoucd skunk in the Bitter Deer, and to some extent, Plant creeks. Pat root floodplain and hoary mannot in the tee Canyon contains stands of 400-500 year Dick Creek area. Townsend's big-cared bat old ponderosa pine. 'l11e oldest known and California myotis arc believed to exist ponderosa pine is western Montana has lived along the benches west of the river. 'fhesc 730 years in what is now Glacier National nocturnal bats prefer caves and mine shafl Park. 'I1tc stump of a pine cut in Pattee roosting ::treas. lhc rare Coeur d'Alene Canyon in 1900 had 707 rings, and began its salamander may exist in the upper Lolo growth in 1093, about 18 years before the Creek area. Magna Carta. 'lhe Bitterroot River and Loin Creek During the Icc Age an icc dam peri~ are both Class II fisheries. TilC Billerroot is odically fonned near Spokane creating known mostly for rainbow wifh smaller Glacial Lake Missoula. 'l11is huge lake amounts of brown and cutthroat trout. flooded valleys throughout the coumy. Mountain whitefish are becoming increas Mount Sentinel and MounT jumbo have ap ingly popular as a game fish. proximately 35 ancient shorelines etched on lhe threatened three-leaved foam their west slopes. As the lake repeatedly flower grows in remote subalpine forests drained and filled, westerly winds sent waves along Carlton Ridge. Rare western witch into the mountain sides eroding shorelines grass is found ncar Lolo Hot Springs. Bitter into the bedrock. 'IilCse fcaturCs arc most root trisetum once grew ncar the hot springs easily seen in the spring when snow lies in but is now believed extincT. horizontal lines on the ancient "beaches", For A site on Carlton Ridge along the centuries, pinkish clay and silt settled to the border of the Sclway-Biuerroot Wildcrncs..'> bottom of Glacial Lake Missoula in layers. area has been recognized by the federal 11tese "varved" sediments, laid down as dark government, both as a nationally-significant winter bands and light summer bands, arc potential ecologkal landmark, and as a pos- r Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County Page 36 siblc Research Natural Area. Unusual alpine 'I1lC Clas..-; II Clark Fork Hiver fishery larch forests grow on broad, gentle slopes. is dominated by rainbow trout. Productivity Ilybridization between alpine and western is low to moderate. Occasionally, waste larch may be occurring. '01e area is also im water discharges from the Missoula city portant for pristine examples of numerous sewer treatment plant and the pulp mill de subalpine fir habitat types. I loary marmot crease river water clarity. Impacts of waste may also occur here. water in the Clark Fork River arc currently Other important ecological areas in being monitored by Stone Container, the the region include a great blue heron rook State of Montana, and or hers. cry, excellent black cottonwood forests along Other ecological resources of note the Bitterroot River, high elevation prairies indude black cottonwood forests along the on Skookum Butte, the Lolo Hot Clark Fork River, a great blue heron roc)kery Springs/Idaho batholith geological features ncar Nincmile Creek, bobcats in the Petty and Mary's Frog Pond botanical area. Mary's Creek watershed, Glacial take Missoula Frog Pond, in the tolo Creek drainage has sediments in an l-90 roadcut west of Huson been used by botanists who amtlyze peat and Cambrian aged fossil trilobites in a rail deposits for ancient pollen. 'Ihc pollen, mad cut in lower Sixmilc Creek. which settlt.xl to the bollom of the lake thou sands of years ago, accumulated in layers NINE MILE which arc useful in reconstructing past Numerous white-tailed deer usc vegetation pattern.s and climatic cycles. winter range along Nincmilc Creek and ad jacent mountain slopes. Elk and mule deer FRENCHTOWN-HUSON winter on south-facing slopes ncar Butler White-tailed deer make some usc of and Pine creeks. Approximately 80 elk the Clark Fork floodplain during winter winter in the area. months. However, white-tails, mule deer and Bald eagles arc known to visit the elk tend to winter in lower forested region during the wituer, but most spend the mountain~> southwest of the river and in season along the Clark Fork. I Icrons arc fre foothills north of Frenchtown. Substantia! quently observed. Various raptor spcdcs numbers of elk and mule deer usc winter migrate through or nest in the region. range in the Petty Creek drainage. In the Ninemile Creek is a Class II fishery past, dk were Transplanted into the Sixmilc used extensively as a spawning area by trout area. Approximately 60 head of big horn moving out of the Clark Fork River. sheep arc found in the mountains west of rhe 'illC Ninemile Valley continues to be Clark Fork River. "l\vo major winter con home for endangered gray wolves although centration areas arc found ncar Petty ivtoun+ the pack make-up has changed. ln 1991 the tain and Frcnduown Gulch. Bi.g horn."> may Nincmile Pack consisted of two adults and be found on winter range from Pc!ty Creek six pups. '!he adult female was illegally cast to Deep Creek. killed and the adult male was killed on Inter A bald eagle nest is located along the state YO. Four of the six pups constituted a Clark Fork River downstream of Harper's new pack while the fate of the other two Bridge. Eagles winter along the entire river young wolves is unknown. and osprey nest in tlw same general areas. 'lhe four remaining wolves !raveled Golden eagks are year-round rcsident.s of exclusively in the Ninemilc area. No resi the Grave Creek range and ncar the Pelly dents reported conllkrs with the wolves and Creek/Clark Fork River confluence. Prairie the animals showed no interest in cattle or falcons nest ncar f Iarpcr's Bridge. Falcon other livestock. However, in April, the pack aeries arc generally located on remote south left the valley on an excursion to the Dixon and cast facing dilfs overlooking grassland area where they killed two cuw.s. 'lhrce of hunting grounds. Falcons arc extremely in the four wolves were caplured and relocated tolerant of human disturbance during nest in (;lacier National Park. '11\e fourth wolf es ing. As recently as the mid-1950's, peregrine caped capture and its fate is unknown. One falcons nested in the cliffs along the Clark of the relocate wolves killed sheep several Fork upstream of Albert.on. Such hi.storical weck.s after its lransplant to Glacier and was usc areas are possible sites for re-introduc captured and placed in captivity. '11Jc other tion of peregrines. two wolves were illegally sllO!. Inventory of Conservation Rc~~onrces for Mis.~oula. County l'agc 37 A short time after the pack left the served on numerous occasions hut has not Ninemile area, a three year old radio-collared caused conflict. with local residents although female that was born in Glacier traveled to conflict with livestock remains a concern. the Valley. Since her arrival, two other "Ihc t992 denning season brought a new lit wolves arrived from unknown locations, ter of endangered gray wolves to Missoula's fonning a "new" Nincmile Pack which has Nincmilc V;:lllcy. traveled throughout the Valley and into the Clark Fork drainage. '11lis pack has been ob Inventory of Conservation R<'--SOIIrC<\$ for Mi&<;o\1\a County J'agc 38 AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES lion Service to assist this process. LESA helps determine long·term agricultural value of a '11te value of conserving agricultural particular piece of land. LESA considers cur~ land in Missoula County is three-fold_ First, rent land use plans and maps, zoning, utility agriculture has economic importance. As a service pauerns, adequacy of local services, locally important industry, it generales ap commodity shipping and processing proximately $8,000,000 annually. Second, facilities, disl accessible, of low productivity, or legisla decline in the importance of agriculture in tively protected from harvest. Missoula County. Some ranchers, faced wiTh 'lhc privately-owned, non-corporate continuing poor economic conditions and an landscape of i\1issoula County is undergoing intolerable ratio of debt to income, have sold a rapid transition from a rural, agricultural their property for non-farm purposes. Others scene to an urban, suburban and recreational have sold simply due to the attractive profit one. While about 200/o of the county's prime for non-farm purposes. and important agricultural soils have been put to non-farm uses, the total :unount of agricultural land has, by some estimates, in creased (Montana Department of Admini stration). 'l11is simation mirrors national trends where net cropland acreage figures are holding steady or increasing despite urbanization of substantial amounts of fann land each year. However, unlike the country as a whole, agrkuhural production in Missoula County has declined markedly over the years, due to conversion of less produc tive soils into agricultural land. SIGNIFICANf COUNlY TRENDS Compared to the economy of other Montana counties, 1\·tissoula County docs not significantly benefit from agricultural pro duclion. Over the last seven years, the county ranked S2nd of Montana's 56 counties Statewide, farm numbers have been in total agricultural receipts. IIay production decreasing and farm sizes increasing steadily usually r;:mks about 24th btlf varies year to since 1950. 'J1li.s trend probably reflects ag year. Livestock and livestock products ac glomeration of small f:mn units into larger, count for at least 7()0/o of total county agri more economically fca.sihle uni!s, since the cultural receipts. 11Je Missoula County Agri establishment of !60 acre homesteads in the cultural Protection Study found lcs..·•;; than late 1800's. Missoula County followed this one percent of the county's total net income trend until the l::ue 1960's. Average county was derived from raising livestock and crops_ farm size increased about 21 S% from 1B2 'lhis same study reported that, since 1950, acres in 1950 to 1,0:)8 acres in 1969. After nearly every facet of county ;tgrkuhure 190) the trend has reversed. There has been production has declined. a steady decrease in average .size and sub Production figures for hay, barley stantial growth in the number of farms. A and cmlc vary from year to year. For ex small fann is considered to be less than 500 ample, in 1983 the County ASCS oiTicc cal acres, but major growth ha.s occurred in the culated that 3,162 acres were phtntcd into number of farms between l 0 and 19 acres. barley. 'l1lis is more than a SO% increase from 1979. However, hay and grain rotations arc a Production Economics common agricultural practice which causes A review of agricultural production cyclic changes in the hay to grain ratio. sales for Missoula County between 1971i and Overall the IH~nds illustrated arc accurate and I978 (Mis._<;oula County Profile, Montana significant (Mis..soula County Extension Department of Agriculture) provides Oince). 11Je Missoula Coun(V Agricultural additional infonnation abouT the small farm Protection Study indicated low prices for growth trend in the county. While total farm products, rising costs for production, high income incrc,l.scd .slightly for the four year interest rates, increasing taxes, periods when period, the number of farms reporting in a "strong dollar'' reduces export potential, come in the range of $2,500 to $10,000 increased interstate competition, lack of local nearly doubkd. "l11c number of farms in markets and increased cosfs of fannland creased for all income groups, except those were among the principal reasons for the reponing income of between S20,000 and 1- _ Inventory of Conservation R('.sources for .r.-tissotda County _ Pagc10 $39,999, whkh dropped almost onc~third in because they provide winter shcher and number. In 1978, 285 of 385 farms in the calving areas. Hay and grain arc grown alter~ county produced le&''> than $10,000 from agri natively in crop rotations on many fiel(b. cultural operations. 166 of those farms pro This helps maintain good soil quality and rc~ duces les..<; than $2,500, of which only 47% duces 1hc potential for damage to h-ay crops listed fanning as their principal occupations. by fungus. Most hay i.s an alfalfa/grass mix~ About three of every four farms in 1978 were lure. "Wild11 hay is found in the higher val operated by persons who were primarily leys_ employed in non~farm occupations and Wheat, barley, and oats are the most worked away from their farms to supplement common grains produced in the county. In their incomes. 1959, grain was harvested from nearly 23,000 acres. In the 1980's, the number of acres used Uses of the County's Agricultural Land to produce grain crops varied between 3,000 Of the remaining agricultural land, and 5,000 acres. Some grain is sold at market irrigated anrl irrigable croplamb arc the ceo and some types, such a.s awnless oats, arc em nomic cornerstone of farm operations in the and fed to livestock. county. Cow-calf production on integrated Rangeland is an important compo cropland/range units and mixed livestock nent of the county's agricultural operation and grain operations are the most common outside the urban influence of Missoula Val type of agricultural enterprises. At least two Icy. 'the availability of spring grass and the dairy operations exist. Cropland located on lease of public and corporate rangeland arc valley bottoms, henchlands and foothills of critical importance. Few f::mners and produces winter forage and cash crops vital ranchers have enough pasture on their prop to agricultural landowners. 'the availability of erty. Agricultural uses are increasingly in irrigation water for nop production is of competition with other uses of mountain primary importance to bnn opcr;Hions due land, such as wildlife habitat, timber harvest to limited precipitation and the enhanced and rccrea!ion. productivity of irrigated land. Irrigated crop~ land acreage varies by a.s much as four to Soils five thousand acres per year. A 1959 peak of ·the l'vlis.soula Conservation District, in 36,630 irrigated acres is nearly twice the cur conjunction with the Soil Conservation Serv rent average of 20,000 acres. Irrigated crop ice, has evaluated the agricultural productiv land accounts for about 70% of all harvested ity of all .soils found in tlw county (Missoula acres. Subdivision has occurred on some County Conservation District). 'Jhe three lands which were formerly cropped_ To da.s..,es which were identified are prime soils make up for croplands Jo.sr to development, (if irrigated), soils of statewide importance (if ·&gricultur.ll landowners have put fonnerly irrigated) and soils of local import-ance. untilled hmds into produclion. Some of these Specific characteristics of a .soil, such as lands arc less productive, contain scnsilivc chemical makeup, depth, productivity and wildlife habitats and/or are more suscepliblc slope were used by the SCS in determining to erosion. '!he loss of highly productive irri the eligibility of soils for each class. Prime gated and irrigablc croplands to residential soil has the best .soil quality, growing .season, subdivision and other non-farm uses re is irrigable and other characteristics needed moves the foundation on which viable to economically produce a sustained yield of randting, and tlterefore, tltc agricultural crops when treated and managed according landscape depends. to generally acceptable farming methods. IIay is the most abundant crop grown Soils of .statewide importance have good soil locally. Some operators grow suflkient crops quality but are somewhat lcs..<> productive to sell hay to others. I lay can be raised for than prime Janel. Soils nominated as locally abmH S10 per ton and purchased for about important arc in productive agricultural use, S80 per ton, or more, during wimers follow hut have in.sullkicm soil characteristic-" to ing drought like the county experienced in warrant placement in a higher cMcgory and 1985. Operators feel they must produce -at have been tentatively identified as important least 5(}(Yo of their hay on-farrn or face un by the Mi&<>oula Conservation District. 'this manageable expenses for winter forage. dassificllion reflects the Momana perspec Valley bollom hay fields arc also important tive on what is "prime" and docs not com- Inventory of Conscrvmion R'csourccs for Missoula County Page 41 pare Montana soil with the highly fertile and public agency policies and management arc productive soils found in the humid Midwest. often cited by agricultumllandowners as sore Some soils have changed clas._<; since prepa spots. ration of the Missoula Conservation District 11le price of agricultural land no materials. 11te following data and Page 39a longer reflects its productivity for crops or reflect current classifications. forage but rather its value for non-agri~ lhe pattern of prime and important cultural usc. Agricultural landowners view agricultural land is shown on Page 39a. Also tllC sale of their land for non-farm purposes mapped by the SCS were areas considered to as the only way to recapitalize after years of be 11 urban and built-up land.u 'I1wse areas arc work U1ercfore, regulations aimed at re densely developed and average one or more stricting the sale of such lands for non-fann structures per 1. 5 acres. Almost all urban and purposes may be perceived as a severe threat built-up areas were formerly in agrkulture to borrowing power. Farmers, ranchers and production. Many such areas are underlain rural residents react strongly against the by prime or important soils. word 11 prcscrvation11 when it is applied to nle floodplains and adjacent sub-ir their land or livelihood. The majority of non rigated land around rivers and large creeks in corporately owned agricultural land in the county are extensively used as hayficlds, Missoula County is controlled by fewer than pastures, and calving and wintering areas. 400 landowners. '!his means there is a voting Due to infertile, gravelly soils and alterna majority of urban residents who have the tively wet and drought conditions, these capacity to inadvertently ignore the needs of areas arc not shown on Page 39a. However, agricultural landowners and encourage the their location along: principal sources of irri recent trend of reduction in average farm gation water makes them critical segments of size. 'I11e general public tends to discover too many agricultural operations. late the loss of public values which currently coexist with traditional agricultural land use. Agricultural Land, Subdivision and By the time subdivision trends arc visible on Conservation the land, the loss of the nmservation re sources is irreversible. Missoula County has 25,9545 acres of prime fannland. Of this, 5,535 acres arc The Regions presently considered to be urban and built up lands. In other words, over 20% of the SeeleywSwan county's best soil is no longer available for 'lhe agricultural land usc pattern in agricultural uses. Pannland of statewide im this area is distinguished by small owner portance covers 10,107 acres of which 1,282 ships and the absence of irrigated cropland. or 13% is urban and built-up lantL Locally Agricultural usc is limited by a short frost~ important farmland covers approximately free season, deep winter and spring snow 35,000 acres with an undetermined amount packs. 'lhc glacial soils found here arc not urbanized. Substantial agricultural lands have highly fertile. No prime or important state also been subdivided or arc on the market wide fam1land exists. A small quantity of for that purpose. 'l11c 1980 Environmental locally important fam1land is located south of lnfonnation Center inventory of subdivision Seeley Lake. Many small, non-corporate pri in Mis...:;oula County estimated 18% of prime vate land and agricultural land uses are cen~ land and 33% of land of statewick impor tercel along the Swan and Clearwater Rivers. tance was subdivided. Agricultural production consists primarily of IIistorically, the integration of pub cattle and horses. Ilay crops and pasture licly significant conservation resources on consist of 11 wild11 hay. No alfalfa is planted. private lands has produced relationships Corporate and public land is leased as sum which have not been wholly positive be mer pasture and provides woodland grazing:. tween landowners and wildlife and rec No grain crops are grown due to an abbre reation managers. A<; public demand for en viated growing season. Pigs have been raised joyment of private land increases, opponu in places, and operators have experienced nities for conflict also escalate. Hunter access periodic problems with grizzly bears. Timber and policing, stream access, lack of concern harvest is often used to supplement farm in for weed control, and lack of continuity in come. ltivemory of Conservation Resources for fl.·lissoula County Page 42 Increased development due to ex Potomac-Greenough pansion of, and improvement." to, I Iighway 'l11is region contains some of the 93 north of Evaro will place added develop largest farms and ranches in Missoula ment pressure on exisling agricultural lands. County. Valleys at Clearwater junction, Ninemile Prairie~Greenough and Potomac Missoula Valley contain nearly all the region1s agricultural 'lhis densely seuled region contains a operations. Substantial quantities of locally complex mosaic of rural residential areas, important farmland mantle the gentler urban and built-up land and agricultural slopes. Soils considered to be prime and of land. Most farms and ranches raise cow-calf statewide importance exist in the Nincmile pairs and grow irrigated hay crops. Most Prairic~Greenough area and other porTions of paslUre and hay is provided on-farm most the region. However, due to a short frost free years. Grain is grown by many operators season, no farmland is officially classified as either in rotation with hay or as a cash crop. prime or of statewide importance. Cow-calf Small grains arc tradilionally grown on the operations predominate and small grains arc old lake terrace on which l'vtis..<;oula Interna grown in the Ninemile Prairie area. Irrigated tional Airport is located. Grain crops arc also and suh-irriga!ed hay lands allow operators raised on the foothills north of I-90. 11Ie to be self-sufndent in winter forage produc floodplains of the Clark Fork and Bitterroot tion during most years. Alfalfa hay suffers rivers serve as hayland, pastuH:, and calving winter kill at times. Both irrigated and dry or cover areas for liv(:stock. Summer pasture land crops arc raised, federal, state and cor is leased from corporations and public porate forest lands serve as vital summer agencies west of Rig Flat. Ranchers truck cat pastures from june through October. Farms lie from oufside the valley to graze on leased and ranches arc increasingly subdivided and pasture in the mountains surrounding Deer sold. Absentee owners arc becoming more Creek. A dairy farm exists west of Target common with ranch managers in charge of Hangc. Land subdivision and residential, agricultural operations. Timber harvesting commercial and industrial developments often adds to farm income. have occurred on substantial amounts of fonner farmland. 'l11e Mis..vmla urban area Cllnton~Turah extends from ~.fount Sentinel to Kelly Island. A significant amount of prime farm O'Brien Creek, Grass Valley, Grant Creek and land exists in the Clark Fork River valley 1'v1iller Creek arc experiencing considerable from Turah cast. Much of this land has been residential development. A large amount of subdivided into small homesites and 20-40 prime farmland occurs just west of Reserve acre rural residential homesteads which are Street, at Grass Valley, along Miller Creek, being used to raise cattle and hnr.sc.s. Some and up Grant and Butler creeks. Farmland of traditional cow-calf agriculture takes place .statewide importance is common on the air along the Clark Fork east of Rock Creek, port terrace. Locally imponant farmland is Schwartz Creek and other lateral drainages. intermingled in the main valley, in the foot Public and corporate lands in the Garnet and hills north of I-90, and .somh of Buckhouse Sapphire mountains provide summer wood Bridge in the South I tills. I Iorse and cai!Je land grazing on which the larger operators raising on hobby farms is common through rely. 'l11e Clark Fork River Ooodplain pro out the region. vides pasture, hayland and cover for live stock. l.olo Several of the largest ranches in the Evaro county exist in the Bitterroot Valley. 'Ihese Cow-calf pairs are raised in the jocko ranches primarily raise cow-calf pairs and Valley and arc supported by irrigated hay sheep. Irrigated hay fields and pastures occur and pasture. Ownerships arc generally .small. on benchlands. 'l11e Bitterroot riparian zone An eight square mile expanse of prime i.s used as pasture and for calving areas. fannland is located north of Evaro at the Coyote predation occurs during lambing county line. Pigs arc pre.scntly raised north of season. Irrigated ;md dryland grain crops arc Evaro. grown on some benches. Locally important farmland occurs west of Highway 93 and on Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula. County J'agc 43 easr side basin-fill benches. Scaucred pockets of prime farmland also exist in these same areas. West side benches provide cropland, pasmre, and rangeland adjacent to the valley honom. 'I11e Lola area has grown tremen dously in population during the last decade. Visually, the agriculmral landscape persists, yet subdivision and residential development is increasing, primarily west of Highway 93. 'Ihe narrow lo]o Creek valley is experiencing substantial subdivision and residential devel opment. A great. deal of the valley bottom is prime fannland. Cow-calf ranches and smaller rural residential homesTca Frenchtown-Huson 'I1ais rural region is s!ill strongly oriented to agriculture. Several working farms and ranches remain. 1·1ost operations arc integrated cow-calf cattle ranches wifh hay and grain crops grown on irrigated fields in the valley bottom. 'lhe Clark Fork Hiver bonomland, although not containing highly productive soils, is critical for hay base, pas ture and calving. Summer pasture is leased in the nearby mountains. A dairy fann is located in the region. Prime farmland (~xists in the Frenchtown and I tu.s<:m areas. Subdivision aoivity is primarily located along 1-90 at Frenchtown and in Sixmile and Mill creeks. Ninemile lhc narrow band of private land along Nincmile Creek contains a complex panern of residential and agrkuhural uses. The most common agricultural usc is a cow calf operation with hay base and leased summer pasture. L1rgcr ranches exist in the upper por!ion of the drainage basin. Mining claims arc worked adjacent to .several ranches. Timber ltarve.sting supplements farm and ranch income. As in the rest of Mis soula County, non-farm income provides major support to many families engaged in agriculture. Subdivision activity cominues here as in other areas although conservation casement activity may preclude development of .select parcels. >Inventory of conservation Resources for Missoula County Page 44 Open Space Resources vernment-approved master plan and land management area. Open space, in the simplest sense, 4) Specific government policy intended is an area containing linle or no human to protect property identified as development or obvious resource extrac worthy of protection or consetvation. tion. These essentially open portions of the landscape are generally used for agri Scenic Open Space culture or forestry. In this -broad context, each region possesses open space. This Federal law considers scenic open section will address open space which is spaces to be those areas which contribute significant in its own right. Agriculnual to scenic panoramas which can be en lands, however, are treated in a separate joyed from a park, nature preserve, pub chapter. lic road, water body, trail, historic struc ture or land area, or which provide a vis Open Space Overview ual buffer around important open space features. Visual, not physical access, may Significant open space includes be sufficient for the public to appreciate those areas which are for the scenic en such values. joyment of the general public or which Consetvation of scenic open space are identified as "important" pursuant to a around highways, waterways, visually clearly-delineated government conseiVa accessible scenic sites and public land tion policy (Tax Treatment Extension Act gives rise to linear corridors and nodes of 1980 and Montana Open Space Land where open space values are concen and Voluntaty consetvation Easement Act trated. The Missoula County Parks, Rec of 1975). Therefore the def:tnition of reation and Open Space PJan (1976) open space is separated into lands which indicates that "because they are viewed are ftscenic" and lands which serve by the most people for the longest period "important non-scenic functions" (referred of time, areas seen from Missoula or from to in the text and maps as "Other Signifi travel corridors such as roads and water cant Open Space"). In both cases, the bodies are most significant as visual re open space must yield a significant public sources." Approximately 40% of Missoula benefit and may be oriented to farmland County is visually accessible to the public and forest preseiYation. from main travel corridors (see Page 43a) Significant public benefit is with the percentage increasing as demonstrated by: additional roads are developed and ~improved" throughout Western Montana. 1) The uniqueness of the property, its Driving for pleasure is the most scenic or other qualities which make common recreational activity enjoyed by it unusual or important. people in the County. Roadside lands 2) The intensity of development pressure comprise the visual foreground for the relative to open space, considering traveling public. Features of the fore both existing development and fore ground control the quality of the entire seeable trends. view, so that a small percentage of 3) The compatibility of the proposed use development can change the visual with public programs for non-scenic character of a much larger area. In conservation in the region. These crements of change may seem un programs can include water supply important, but the cumulative effects of protection, water quality maintenance development can be significant. or enhancement, flood prevention or For this report, easily visible, es control, erosion control, shoreline sentially undeveloped lands within the protection, and the protection of land foreground along all major roads were included in or related to a go- I::- Ili.ventory of Conservation Resources fot Missoula County Page 45 identified during field work. Scenic lands Management Agency Flood Insurance around rivers, major creeks and lakes, Rate Maps were used where such desig were mapped mostly by interpretation of nations exist. Tn areas where no official topographic maps and aerial photographs maps exist, air photo interpretation was and supported by field analysis for por used to consetvatively approximate tions of the Blackfoot, Clark Fork and floodplains. High groundwater areas are Bitterroot Rivers. Mile-wide buffers are generally located next to rivers and lakes. important adjacent to large blocks of However, substantial numbers of public land, particularly those areas man marshes, sloughs, swamps and sub-irri aged for recreation, wildlife, and scenic gated meadows exist in areas other than values. However, in the interest of clar floodplains, partictilarly in the Seeley ity, the entire open space buffer is not Swan, Potomac-Greenough and Lola re shown on Page 43a. Only more critical gions. Due to the complexity of distribu scenic open space is delineated, as well tion, these latter high ground water areas as lands which the Bureau of Land have not been mapped. Management has detem1ined to be Class A Scenety - Highest Scenic Value. Impor Buffer zones for airport noise and tant scenic areas which are visible from safety, municipal water supply and pollu the Missoula urban area and recognized tion sources have non-scenic open space in the 1980 ConseiVation Bond as well as value. other important urban fringe lands are delineated on Map Five. Other Significant Open Space ~Non-scenicK or "other~ open space is simply open space which is not readily visually accessible. Land adjacent to rivers, major creeks and lakes, includ ing floodplains and high groundwater areas, setve many high-priority, non scenic open space functions. Consetva tion of these areas is recommended by a variety of public programs, including floodplain protection and erosion control programs. Floodplains store water and release it slowly, thus reducing flood peaks and providing higher in-stream flows throughout the summer. This aqui fer recharge benefits the local water supply as well as serving the needs of wildlife. Floodplains play a major role in water purification as they filter pollutants for both point and non-point sources. Riparian vegetation helps prevent erosion which reduces the sediment loads found in rivers. Sediment can significantly re duce local fishery production. The floodplains of rivers and major perennial creeks are shown on Page 43a. Official Federal Emergency 1- InventOry of Conservation R(o:smlrces for Mi.ssonla Cmmty .!'age 46 resident.<; to rhe scenic and sensitive areas of the state, primarily in western Montana. tand development can also be al tributed to naTional economic trends and local popul-ation incn~ases of the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and the first two years of the 1990's. State laws governing subdivision development and, to a lesser extent, agri cultural land taxation, have also had an affect on local land development rates and pallern.s over the last 20 years. 'l1lC rate of residential subdivision, location of areas experiencing subdivision and total subdivided land area have a .substantial influence on the con tinmuion of existing pancrns of open space and rel-ated public values on private land. 'I he process of land division currently includes two methods. One, referred to as "formal subdivision" in this text, is subject to environmental a.s_<;es.sment and public opinion. 'Ihe other method, Cerlificate of Survey (COS), is generally exempt from pub lic review. The criTeria considered through local formal subdivision regulations and applied lo approximately 10% of land divi sions is as follows: 1) Need, 2) Expres.<;ed Public Opinion, :·n Elfccts on Agriculture, 1) Etfects on Local Service, 5) Effects on Tax ati(m, 6) Effects on the Natural EnvironmenT, LAND DIVISION ACTIVITY 7) EOlxts on Wildlife and Wildlife I Iabitat, and 8) Effccrs on Public Health and Safety. Reskkntial, cmnmcrcial-industrial, Approximately 90%J of the acreage and certain types of recreational develop~ being divided is not subject 10 such formal ment arc the principle threats to open space public review. Unlc&<; local government at and wildlife. or these types of development, wrneys find that a COS may be an attempt to residential building is the most prevalent evade formal subdivision review, the COS land~u.sc affecting open space ::md related procc&<; requires only a review of the land values. Secondary thn~at.c; may include bill~ survey by the County Surveyors Office or the board advertising, concentrated recreaTional City Engineering Department and a review of use, mineral exploration and development, sanitary requirements by the Mi.s_<;oula Health liltcring, certain forms of unregulated off Department. road vehicle usc, power linc.c;, overgrazing, Land development trends from the logging and road building. ll)60'.s ro the present demonstraTe a sub Residcnfial land development in Mis stanHal growth in the number of acres sub soula County, ::~s in any region, is a function divided. Approximately 8,000 acres were of major economic, political and nan!fal divided in 1971, 1978, 1980, and l9WJ, and events. Increased land division activity, in relatively small acreages were divided in this county, can be correlated with historical iniervening periods. 'lhi.s division activity events like the extension of railroad lines and includes both subdivision of raw land and the opening of the University of 1\lontana. redivision of existing lots. 'l11e urban built-up !\·tore recently, it has become as.<;ocklted with or developed areas of the counly amounted the growing tourism indu.slry which is pro to 19,949 acres as of 1979. In 1980-1985, moted by a multi-million dollar (.S6.5 million 23,537 acres were divided (sec Table l). in 1992), multi-year .<;tat(~ effort 'lhis promo Since approximately l)O% of the splits were tion bring.<; not only visitors inn also new created through the Certificate of Survey process, and half the COS's in the late ] 970's Inventory_ of CoJlS<:'rVation Resources for Missoula County Pi:tgc 17 Wt!re redivisions, we can estimate con 'I11e lvtissoula Office of Community servatively that nearly 10,000 acres of pre Development oversees subdivision review viously undivided land was divided in the but docs not maintain figures for total lands early 1980's. 'l11is is equal to half the cumu platted vs. built or comprehensive regional lative total of developed land. subdivision maps. '11le Missoula County Sur veyor provides mapping and sub division/COS listing coverage in select rural SUBDIVISION ACTIVITY IN nrn 1980's and urban areas. Complete county-wide coverage should he available by the mid- Year #COS #Plats COSacres Plat acres 1990's if funding levels are nm substantially reduced for the Surveyor. 1980 236 13 4,981 304 From 1980 to 1990, Missoula County 1981 144 14 4,534 317 increased in population from 76,016 to 78,687, a 3.5% gain. However, while growth 1982 66 9 1,037 136 seemed slow in the 1980's, il appears to have gained momentum in !he early 1990's. Urban 1983 81 9 1,654 362 area single family building permits increased 1984 124 29 7,047 221 165% from 96 (July 1990 through January, l99l) to 158 (July 1991 1hrough January 4/85 28 2 724 220 1992) in Missoula County. In addition, county-wide electrical permits (:m indicator Total: 678 76 21,977 1,560 of county wide building activity) in Missoula (Office of Commuruly Dcvdopmcn!) County exceeded those is.."ued in Flathead County on a per capita basis from july 1991 Gro&" figures from 1985 through 1990 through january 1992 in spite of Hathead's indicate similar if not escala!ing trends. '!he exception~tl 1980 -1990 population growth following data show the total number of rate (ltj%). acres subject to the COS process versus the Population projections indicate a acres divided through formal subdivision re continuation of growth in tvtis._vmla County. view. Note that (Weflap can occur with some 'lhc area experienced a 3CYYu increase in acres being subject TO more than one COS, population in the period of 1970 to 1980 both the COS process and the subdivision while the rate fell, as noted, to 3.5% from process, or olher similar combinations. 1980 to 1990. However, mosT of the 1980- 1990 growth was concentrated in those areas July, 1985 through December 1990, of the County which harbor a significant COS: 23,818 acres; Subdivision: 914 acres. portion of open space and wildlife resources: l.olo, Nine Mile/Frenchtown, Potomac, January through July 1991, cos, .1,751 Clearwater , Seeley Lake - Swan Valley, and acres; Subdivision: 210 acres. Evaro_ Existing vacant land already sub August 1991 through July 1992, cos, divided will capture some of the expected 2,M7.65 ;Kres; Suh catc the direction of fmurc urban and Wildlife Corrldo:rs suburban development. 'IllCrc, comparison of major resource patlerns of areas exhibiting Mi.s..'>oula County's wildlife habitats subdivision activity indicate potenHal for arc becoming fragmented by increased sub fumre di~placcmcnt of these resources and division, road building and human popula traditional fom1s of forcsl and agricultural tion. Habitats whkh have been isolated and land usc. reduced are le.s..s likely to receive migrating 1hc majority of farmland rated by the species and arc less likely or simply unable SCS as prime or of statewide imponancc oc to support species which require large areas. curs in the fvtissoula Valley, Frenchtown This ha~ a profound effect on the area's bio Huson, and Evaro regions. Pockets of logical diversity and the kinds of species it "important farmland" also occur in the Lolo, can .support (MacKintosh). Wildlife corridors Clinton~·rurah and Ninemile regions. 'lhc enable animals 10 travel between habitats, total area of this type of fannland is esti increaslng the available habirat while pre mated to be 36,000 acres. Of this total, about serving important migration romes. 6,800 acres have been intensively developed Island biogeography theory has in urban uses. Approximately 11,700 acres, become the conceptual backbone for wildlife or more that one~third of the remaining im corridors. Originally proposed for islands portant farmland, is experiencing subdivision and archipelagoes it has been adapted to activity. Areas of important farmland arc "terrestrial islands". Noted as early as 1R55 relatively modest in size when compared to by ecologist. dcCandolle and more fully combined resource patterns. liowevcr, these developed in the late 1960's (MacKintosh), lan(ls provide bask support to tradilional the theory slates thar the smaller and more agricultural land usc and individual remote an island the ic.s..'> likely it will be to properlies tend to include important farm~ receive migrating spcck·s. '!11e theory has land as well as conservation resource lands. been extended (Forman, Clodron) to state About 77,000 acres of land has been that species diversity is a funclion of habitat subdivided out~side prime agricultural and diversity, disturbance, area (size), isolation existing urban lands. Subdivision activity in and age. the county is most pronounced in Missoula Sustaining biological diversity is a Valley, Evaro, Loin, Frenchtown-Huson and critical component of a healthy ecosystem. A Clinton-"l'urah areas wilh COS activity occur fragmented landscape is a direct threat to this ring throughout the county. Locations within diversity. The interior area of a hahiwt island a short commute of Mis.soula which still po.s is generally comprised of one group of scs..s rural characterislks appear to be pre~ species. 'I11e edges of that island have differ ferred. Growing popularity of rur:li residen ent species. It is critical that inferior areas arc tial "hobby fanns" is the land usc trend which ktrgc enough In support the habit~tl nc,cJ..s of typifks the style of development in many the interior forest species. Eliminating incli areas outside the city. Due to case of devel vidual .species can have a radical effect on opment, acces.s, heallh regulations, availabil the food chain and on an entire ecosystem. ity of services and the desire to maintain Types of wildlife corridors vary hul horses and other livestock, valley botloms !here are at leas! three qualities which are and gently sloping benches arc experiencing important for animals. 'lhc first is water. great development pre.ssure. Steeper foot Ninety percent of the rocky mountain wild hills are being developed where year-round life depend on !he riparian zone and ils acce.s..-; roads and utility lines already exis!. water. In turn, the presence of riparian These upland areas arc often big game win vegetation is critical for a healthy and dean ter range. Hecrcarion-oricnted residential aquatic system. Animals naturally follow subdivisions occur in river corridors stream corridors from area to area. Unf(Jrtu throughout the county but arc most exten natcly for the wildlife these lands arc also sive along the Clark Fork upstream and con.siderc(( prime for human ([cvd(lp!nent. downstream of i\Hssoula and in the Seeley A second critical consideration is Swan region_ visual cover. 'I1w type of visual cover is as important as the size of 1hc area. Wooded or dense shrub areas often provide the best cover. lnvemory of Conservation Resources for i\IiSSOllla County J'agc 50 Roads arc the third critical quality. A conservation resources of significance to the habitat divided by roads has les...:; interior general public. 'l1te existence of any pattern area, more edge space and increased danger of conservation resources shown on maps from human intcraclion. A road becomes a contained in this report is not meant as a permanent boundary for some smaller recommendation that no development occur. species, limiting their movement and drasti \Vhile development within fragile ecosystems cally reducing their migration potential or floodplains may have severe impacrs, (MacKimosh). Roads also contrilmte to ero .some building is pos.•;;iblc in most areas. 'ille sion and sedimentation which can seriously style, density and precise location of im degrade habitat. provements arc the critical variables. In Missoula County's growing human addition, it must be noted that private land population is a direct threat to its wildlife. conservation is a viable approach to ensure 'lllC two must be managed appropriately to past, present and future stewardship of im coexist for Missoula County to remain attrac portant natural resources. Astute develop tive for future residents. M Hlbll<>t;nlpby lnl><> KeV<>ruoJ o.~ .. Aldt>n G , editor-, J>estn'p#<"' of /be Ecorq;iom of /be /Jttwxl Sial<><, USDA Forest Servl«', Ottol,.--,- 1900_ Mlw•.d• 11:wning Boml, Mtsrou!a Cotmly /'arks, !l.uealib~ mtd OJ~"' SJoa UlsiOt!Q>l~....,... lko.-.C ~lionlle5o~ Jkcd;, J•m~• l >fim lrlm-k<"f1!1R R'""""cb Prop--~ M<~""" >t>I rtmCflt ol Fish, Wildlife >nd P"k<, 'l.iCM>>e S>l<'$ by Reg,ort ft'< i1<:"<:tlSc YMr 19!18 ' MCO'l"O' D rtmCflt offish, Wilrllile •ml P>Jb, .'I!O>ltatrrl !NrrlnfonnaOOtt S)->iftn.< Ru:•n R"}.-.n, 1990 Me<>l>n> Dep>rtm{'!\1 of~1•h. Wildli/c 1<\d Parks. Montana Strui"Wilk Compt"ebc~illi.C Rt-.:n' P..-wtud Communlnltiotw Tom Spol;u • ~~ssou], R•ngcr Dist>i OJ'<""O s~ ~~eso....,_..,. Ik->rdslf"e, ~Uri:: •nd <> Cily/Coono:y o>CMI>wul>, Mon""'• Wa>t<'Uut..- FociJihes l'lmr, Skp l.]lm~ 19!!2. P•o>,.. a M<:><>re, D.- Per>ona/ COmmuno<-<'/i Adtlrn>n, Ellen ll, Sunry of /'fm-Gam .. MmflfruJs ;, tlxJ Ut~ l!atr{,,,ake DmmageofW"""""' Mq>Jia>Ui, MS. Th<'>i<, Uniw",;'>' «Moo tau•, ~Us>ouh, MOGWU, 1979. Alden, W.C., !'!>..fti®•~h_y _>fJ P"""'rull Qmr,.unkatiom.: Jolu! l'lreb>ush • Moo!>n> D<-"p>rtmrnr a J-'l B!ook>, Phi!, edit<>", ]:;Ql!l\V}jC~~l S!tincr, l'redt'Iid<, A Five v.ueys L>nd Trust 315 Sooth 4th E•n MJ"""-•1•, Mf 59601 G The NarurcCooocrv>n(1' ]'_0 Bolt: lS5 Helem, Mooun• 59624 &'rtjW;d abat.-JU'.n-1 /'f f:~ ,q]er_&J if a .4!ftmla.'Zd adrdt &..~~/?;?- /iCt?f t/k. .4lr:.:Jt/J/t .ffr..~~M/m/u . ;JC;':.J MmRUi'MMI to nattile :pu-t&J, JOt£ /llfvtt Ntt'/ an-t/na( td d*u'0p-d t/t £/J etrf'e/1}_./t/ av;r-f. LiMoat£ 'ifam{j/ if JP'al~/' It! AZ·. /Jlt:rA'eJ jbr /U4 a:vtlnif!ttrim-J to t/Ud d.{){'_um&'l/ mu/ !o Loa~ana'd Ct:Yl Xr .Wdzttiona/.Yn/{>muUion am/ad de JltjJot -\ _l Missoula County, Montana T A A N • MAP 1 • • ,,, ) ' •:. il? j ·;· H J7 '."·i n ;; -.-..· lH N >'0',\'ELI COUUJY 6 ( j N M L E s ~ 0 5 1 0 1 5 20 / ~ ( SCALE 1:500.000 ' 0 c-: _.. H 0 (\ E v \ .. \ Evaro/ u (,'~ -- L\\ N M I L E S 0 5 10. 15 20 --- J -~ SCALE 1:500,000 ./. . ' \ / D H 0 •' ,J_., ]J-l_' HISTORIC RESOURCES I HISTORIC l):uucT-l nl.mH Jli,l<>ll( j)i,ln(l 13 ( 'olllldl ( Jr H 0 H '- ""' RECREATION I Import";mt ri\'cr (1' creek corridors, ·.------T·-- i RECREATION and lah' p, ), \'i ")) • '~ :;.: '-'·' ...... ' :' ',\' 18' li RATTLESNAKE WILDERNESS AND NATIONAL RECREATION AREA BLACKFOOT RIVER RECREATION CORRIDOR ~. :··;; ·i.'.l • • ~ N M I L E s 0 5 1 0 1 5 20 ~ SCALE 1:500,000 - -· ,, j) GARNET-COLOMA " HISTORIC DISTRICT -.. t .. •.. SELWAY-BITTERROOT, ... · u' WILDERNESS H 0 O.:tof~T 1992 SPECIES •., 'i' ANIMALS ('J-7/i·; lka- ln::nn,; lv ~ ;-.,,~,J:l·'". Ci '-'iJ :, c_h(i '--vr~tc!•c'' SC ;.,; I SPECIES OF ;\p _,,;._,,, '"''-' ;.ocn:Jcrn- 1!i. i o:Y SC\·1 lG Gi:,c; h~·ur· SC:/ -. LIMITED i I. Cr-.1o; (Jr,l'; ()-...--- ':iC.\' 2 CJrr•1 '-':v:f (21) iS iJ" •eci ()-.<;- SC'>/ :1 }1' 1J S,•·.\· ~\·k:;t (J-,·.1 ~lU./ \ DISTRIBUTION PLANTS" INVENTORY OF I . ' CONSERV A T!ON RESOURCES r: M1ssoula County, Montana '! i [;·ttcruc·;•; 2b K•twr·tc~;i !) i rS;'C' SUl 215 l'co· Scdqc 1(i JI,JT·; 1·/:,rPlnt SG.-l 2} \_'\.-(J""'J''' '•;\'r:c•,~no• i 1 Nu·:!:d:- l3\'!J _,,, ... , r:J ex:.: )\J \-\'•oot • --:nL' R>tW i8 "-' I ' Migrot1on Corr1dor / . I*(_··· . I _:_/ IG 1 '- / I! M l E S •;..___ .5 1 0 1 5 20 ------:l ------SCALE 1:500,000 ' r: .. ,,_._- . - D H 0 O:tohcr !991 -~------BIG GAME I Elk (1 Whitc·tailcd ··--·-r-··- BIG GAME White-tailed Deer ' llecr -' \ WINTER RANGE Mule Deer Elk {if Mtde Deer ·"·· INVENTORY OF Elk Elk, lv!ulc Deer CONSERVATION RESOURCES 6? \XIhite·t·,tiled Deer Missoula County, Montana lvlousc ,."" I' ~1 Bighorn Sheep 8 0.-'1tlUiltain (JtJ 11 ;n \" li '1\', / • 1/ r .. -..... ,_,,_ \ ., __ .. "'\ .. , •: r: ,_ \. . ./ ...... - - \Oc s " 11 ;----· '"" M I L E S 0 5 I 0 1 5 20 SCALE 1:500,000 . ' . .r: .. - 1 li " - --l •• • .Y ...... "'\. • 1 ·.J D 4 H 0 II 1 J ·:. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES I .. AGRICULTURAL Prtnn· h1rml:~nd (d irng:\tcd) . . - -· RESOURCES \ ?1,, INVENTORY OF /~· CONSERVATION RESOURCES I Missoula County, Montana ....i ~··- ;- I,, ~l • MAP 9 • . .. , \'' R 2C \"·.• [1 )·1 'i' t-:n·:: ;.:. ,.,_,,,., - • '- _.... ""\ ~'::-('' - .... ~········ I ., ·'-· ...... 1 / \~"\.. ' ·... / ... ('.· j M I L E S 0 5 1 0 15 20 SCALE 1:500,000 ( .. ,, • i2 " ( .,' \ " \ .._, .., ... , .. 1- .. - : :.· • ...J. ., .. , ::'.''···.·· 0 H 0 O.:tobcr l Scenic Fc,Jturl'~: l'''ak,, 1'11'<'1 r.lr'l,l'. ;nhl hh!<'liC ,jlt'~ (1 qruc·tuic'> / So~nic Vi~ta~ • MAP 5 • Hh\" '1 ;} \', ·· .. ...... \, - , '/ ~---·· I ·.• --,. -- ~. 'l' 1 ~; ' ' ~ I 1~ t; u(\ ;.: N M l E s _._ 13 0 5 1 0 1 5 20 SCALE 1:500,000-----, I' ./• ' . -.- - .. -. . -- . 0 •"(' '·'· H 0 COMPOSITE RESOURCES I t ln..: u1 nlln,- c"tc!:dl'l'"' ,,t c:,nl"'ll-dli<'n COMPOSITE ~.. I !\t>l'tii'C('' l'~"'''''lll • ' RESOURCES .\rc'd' ldwr~- c:h:llH~L- ,>! L:Hhll -~\'bel,,,,- j, :--11<'' ,>t :-;,-en~<, l-\,·q(' I~~ " • MAP 10 • FUl'.\· "/) 'i 2" ·.'. ·:. '' H'.'·· ,.\' ,, _,,, C(' A' I , 1 . :\· 1(:-:_. ,,., I 6 N M L E S 0 5 1 0 1 5 20 .. SCALE 1:500,000 ','-_.- /.----· . .r-: .. ••••• ( \ \ • .A t ' ...... I_ •• -·- D 4 H 0 '"· •--~--·w·~---" ; 1-: ' . P I ~' ··:. 11)iJ\'i ;)'!'.': OTHER ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES I SIGNIFICANT 1. Blackfoot Ciecnvvater GcmlC f~ HI,'.\' Hh'.'.' il2-!\'i 1!23\"; R?J\\' ''71'.".' l ·: 1 NOTE F"or protection of these potentially sensitrve species, all NOH: Hrvers, creeks, Jakes und \·vctlanci:; aru ttr~Jf;ly :;igniftcant rw;o;IICf~S ~f hcJtrons indicate general vrc111ity only_ Actual drstrtbutron Pll - Potcnt I 1'-_-;·.".Ht COII)HY ,, ,__ '- __ .. ""\ , 1G 1. - 1.< " M l l E S 1:1 0 5 10 15 20 _-__ , " -~ SCALE 1:500,000 ,------. .,_.,, ' '-' '9\ '·\; ' " - ~- -,. -- ---··-· -,·-'·•·" .. - J - 0 H 0 M!jy, Spting J96S Seel<'fl.>h R>ngct f~>Uit>, Snowmobolo 'fr>Hs, Mon"n' l:><>panm<"tll o(r;,~, 'MI p)..,ning Boord, Jammy 1976. W•niDW>j-'ll~ •nd Brue<' Sd!w>r1>, .'l!o"'"''" 5/am&a/ Abslmc( )96<\, Mo:Hana f)e1""''"""'fCoo>m<:r«', jaomry 1965.