Social Assessment of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Prepared for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest January 2003 Prepared by In association with 880 H STREET, SUITE 210, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501 T: 907.274.5600 F: 907.274.5601 E: [email protected] www.northerneconomics.com Contents Section Page Executive Summary............................................................................................................................. ES-1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. ES-1 Socioeconomic Background.......................................................................................................... ES-2 Demography ................................................................................................................................. ES2 Economy ..................................................................................................................................... ES-8 The Social and Cultural Context.................................................................................................. ES-14 Community Resiliency Summaries .............................................................................................. ES-15 Forest Management Concerns..................................................................................................... ES-23 Trends and Issues ....................................................................................................................... ES-24 1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Phase I ............................................................................................................................1-2 1.2 Phase II ...........................................................................................................................1-2 1.3 Analysis Framework.........................................................................................................1-3 1.4 Report Organization ........................................................................................................1-4 2 Overview of the B-DNF ..........................................................................................................2-1 2.1 Definitions.......................................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Legislative Mandates........................................................................................................2-2 2.3 Organizational Structure of the USFS ...............................................................................2-5 2.4 Land Ownership and Management..................................................................................2-6 2.5 Physical Characteristics ....................................................................................................2-9 2.6 Resources and Uses.......................................................................................................2-10 2.6.1 Timber Resources..........................................................................................................2-10 2.6.2 Grazing .........................................................................................................................2-12 2.6.3 Minerals ........................................................................................................................2-12 2.6.4 Recreation.....................................................................................................................2-13 3 History and Lifestyles ...........................................................................................................3-1 3.1 An Overview of Social History .........................................................................................3-1 3.1.1 Pre-Contact Native Americans .........................................................................................3-1 3.1.2 1700 – 1862: Northwest Passage Exploration and Early Development..............................3-3 3.1.3 1862 – 1899: Gold Territory to Statehood .......................................................................3-3 3.1.4 From Statehood to Modern Day Montana........................................................................3-6 3.2 Lifestyles and Values........................................................................................................3-7 3.2.1 Ranching .........................................................................................................................3-8 3.2.2 Timber and Logging.......................................................................................................3-14 3.2.3 Urban and Suburban Lifestyles ......................................................................................3-18 3.2.4 Rural Town Centers: Boulder Dillon, Deer Lodge, Ennis ................................................3-20 3.2.5 Recreation.....................................................................................................................3-22 i Social Assessment of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest 4 Land, Demographic, and Economic Context of Project Counties ........................................... 4-1 4.1 Land Ownership and Use ................................................................................................4-1 4.1.1 Land Ownership ..............................................................................................................4-1 4.1.2 Major Uses or Land Cover Type.......................................................................................4-4 4.2 Demographic Characteristics and Trends..........................................................................4-6 4.2.1 Population Trends............................................................................................................4-6 4.2.2 Population Density ........................................................................................................4-13 4.2.3 Population in Urban and Rural Areas .............................................................................4-15 4.2.4 Population Distribution within the Study Area................................................................4-16 4.2.5 Age and Gender Characteristics .....................................................................................4-18 4.2.6 Race ..............................................................................................................................4-20 4.2.7 Housing and Households...............................................................................................4-21 4.2.8 Education ......................................................................................................................4-22 4.3 Economic Conditions and Trends...................................................................................4-23 4.3.1 Typology of Economic and Policy Characteristics for Rural Areas ....................................4-24 4.3.2 Economic Sectors and Diversity .....................................................................................4-26 4.3.3 Employment ..................................................................................................................4-30 4.3.4 Poverty Status ................................................................................................................4-35 4.3.5 Income..........................................................................................................................4-36 4.3.6 Business Characteristics of Study Area Counties and the State of Montana and Federal Spending .......................................................................................................................4-41 4.4 Payments of Lieu of Taxes..............................................................................................4-44 5 Anaconda-Deer Lodge County............................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Land Ownership and Use ................................................................................................5-2 5.1.1 Land Ownership ..............................................................................................................5-3 5.1.2 Types of Land Use ...........................................................................................................5-4 5.2 Demographic Characteristics and Trends..........................................................................5-8 5.2.1 Rural-Urban Classification................................................................................................5-8 5.2.2 Population Trends............................................................................................................5-9 5.2.3 Age and Gender ............................................................................................................5-11 5.2.4 Race ..............................................................................................................................5-13 5.2.5 Housing and Households...............................................................................................5-14 5.2.6 Education ......................................................................................................................5-16 5.3 Economic Conditions and Trends...................................................................................5-16