Private working forests offer tremendous benefits to both wildlife and people. North Idaho's forests are home to many animals that are "wide roamers"--they have huge home ranges and move about from one forest to the next. Private working forests keep this area as one connected whole, giving wildlife room to roam.
These forests also provide valuable timber to keep local mills in operation.
The Nature Conservancy believes it's important to keep both bears and loggers in the woods. That's why our work in North Idaho aims to keep working forests working.
The State of Idaho was recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Forest Service to promote private land forest conservation in the Idaho panhandle, an area known for its high conservation value.
The grant will allow the State of Idaho, working in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, to purchase conservation easements from two Idaho Boundary County families: the Hubbards and the Wages.
Conservation easements on these properties will restrict development on approximately 1,700 acres, supporting working forests and protecting important fish and wildlife habitat, including habitat for five threatened and endangered species.
These families will also be assured that the property they have owned and managed for more than 50 years will remain intact, leaving a legacy of conservation for their heirs.
Read the full story.
1 comment:
Great article. Anything we can do to increase nature around us is a good thing to do.
Post a Comment