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Page 4 April 3 2012 |
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Government closes thousands of logging roads so to preserve wildlife but the same animals are killed trying to funnel across this valley through a gauntlet. Highways, open areas, thinned out timber, fences, hunters, and ever growing ever expanding urban — rural sprawl pushing wildlife. Corridors are as vital as the actual core areas set aside. |
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Kerry R. Hubble Feb 14, 2012 |
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Page 4 |
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Highway 93’s back yard 2010, this is similar habitat all the way to Glacier Park, about 17 miles northeast, other than a couple dirt roads, swift creek and north fork of the Flathead River it’s a walk to the park... it’s a great wildlife corridor. |
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Above, map showing flow of wildlife such as Grizzly, moose, elk and deer, wolverine, martin, lion ect. And seasonally deer and elk work their way in and out of this wintering area, any way look at Google Earth and see the timber is mostly all gone now except at our crossing and that's why we think the wildlife as increased dramatically at this location in the last 40 years. Its imperative we try to set aside some of this land before its developed. Its sold but not all built on yet or subdivide into building acre lots. Some day an animal bridge, fencing, restoration of habitat is going to eventually be worked into this area. But for now lets start thinking forward... 21st century not 18 th. |
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below, big arrow is flow of wildlife from upper whitefish range. Red is our place on Highway 93. This is only 1/2 mile open area to cross to national forest again. See both Google maps.
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White space is private land mostly subdivide up for rural and urban sprawl. Blue is state forest. Green is National Forest |
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Right, Big game flow out of the mountains around Whitefish Lake avoiding city sprawl. |
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Wildlife flow out of Glacier National Park naturally then move down to wintering range or to cross the valley, wildlife keeping to the cover of timber seam to funnel through our area. From this place to Missoula is mostly wide valleys inundated with residents, ranches, industry, busy highways fences with one animal bridge near Missoula. The wild roaming, migrating creatures needing or wanting to move east to west many will end up dead because of funneled through here and its hazards. |
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Bottom of this page is enlargeable map west of Whitefish Lake to US 93 and onto the Idaho panhandle. |
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From our barn it’s a strait shot into both the Flathead and Kootenai National Forests and Stillwater State Forests, or the Cabinet Mountains. Big problem here is this thousands year old migration, travel route. Its a busy, deadly highway. US 93 you cant see the highway in front of the barn. See page two. |
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Blue land is Stillwater State Forest. Green is National Forest, White is Private Land homes, ranches, farms city's ect. A lot white north of Whitefish is Parked out Forests Subdivided. Pink was supposed to be Railroad or Plum Creek but its residential now ? Subdivided. |
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Above the Narrow Funnel area to get the Migration to the other side of Highway 93, Flathead Valley and Stillwater River Bottoms. Stillwater River to the left 2011. Below is report placing us in the middle of High Priority Linkage Area. |
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We are losing the vital ground to development, some day we will wish someone took action to create an animal friendly connection between the two Grizzly Core Areas. I started this but I need a little help now. Kerry R. Hubble Salish Mountains Wildlife Corridor |
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Stillwater River Montana |
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Salish Mountains Wildlife Corridor
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Salish Mountains Wildlife Corridor Stillwater River |
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Salish Mountains Wildlife Corridor |
