FWP Commission To Make Decision On Lone Pine Game Preserve

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The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission will make a final decision on whether to remove all or a portion of the Lone Pine Game Preserve at the FWP Commission Meeting on September 9 at the FWP Headquarters on Spurgin Road in Missoula. The Commission is scheduled to consider the decision during the morning. The Preserve is a 4,000-acre portion of Hunting District 120, southwest of Kalispell, described as within the boundaries of Foys Canyon Road, Foys Lake Road, and Airport Road.  

The draft EA was released in May and examined three alternatives for the Preserve: A) no action, B) abandon the Preserve, and C) adjusting the boundary of the Preserve to allow Spring Brook Ranch and/or other properties out of the preserve. At a public meeting held in June, 13 of 17 commentors spoke in favor of removing the preserve designation.   During the public comment period for the environmental assessment which ended August 13, FWP received written comments from 45 parties.   Of the comments, 17 supported abandoning the preserve; 17 supported the no-action alternative; 7 supported removing Spring Brook Ranch; and 4 supported a combination of alternatives.  

FWP has recommended removing the preserve designation (Alternative B), based on the fact that the preserve is no longer needed to protect game populations.