Nestled in the Kootenai National Forest, in the extreme northwest corner of Montana, lies the Yaak Valley. The Yaak Valley's low elevation and high precipitation result in a climate described as "modified Pacific maritime" in character. Large larch, cedar, hemlock, spruce, Douglas, grand and alpine fir, ponderosa, lodgepole and whitepine fill the landscape. This forest is home for an abundance of wildlife. It is also a vital link in the chain of wildlands that sweep north into Canada. Inhabitants include grizzly bears, wolves, lynx, mountain lions, wolverine, marten, fisher, mountain goats, great gray owls, bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout and inland redband trout. Nothing has yet gone extinct here - a testament to the Yaak Valley's strength and resiliency. But not a single acre of the Yaak Valley is permanently protected.
The Yaak Valley is a critical ecosystem in numerous ways, including but not limited to the following:
* Biological Diversity - The Yaak ecosystem is the northern geographical transition zone between the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains, affording the valley a diverse blend of both ecotone habitat types (i.e., forest landscapes ranging from inland temperate rainforest to drier Northern Rockies);
* Grizzly Bear Recovery - The Yaak Valley is one of only six grizzly bear recovery areas in the lower forty-eight states, and has a moderate level of scientifically documented grizzly bear activity. With estimates of only 15-30 grizzly bears remaining, the Cabinet/Yaak Grizzly Bear Recovery Area contains the lowest elevation grizzly population, as well as the most imperiled population, in North America.
* Other Rare Species - Other sensitive, threatened, and endangered species occur in the ecosystem, which include, but are not limited to lynx, wolves, pine martens, wolverines, elk, moose, golden and bald eagles, as well as several sensitive fish and plant species. From a fisheries perspective, barrier falls prevent hybridization of genetically pure native trout, which allows strong populations of wild native trout to persist in the watershed on both the US side as well as British Columbia to the north;
* The Big Picture - On a broader level, the Yaak Valley provides essential regional core habitat linkage possibilities essential to larger transboundary programs such as those led by Y2Y, American Wildlands, as well as US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Yaak is considered by many conservation biologists to be key habitat for grizzly bear recovery in regards to providing linkage to other core recovery areas in all directions, including the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (includes Glacier/Bob Marshal populations), Selkirk Ecosystem (North Idaho) and the population in eastern and central Washington, as well as the Bitteroot Recovery Area and the larger grizzly populations in southern British Columbia;
* Roadless Areas - Core habitat still exist today (roadless areas total approximately 180,000 acres);
* Federal Jurisdiction - The Yaak Valley is 97% public land, managed by USFS. This, a double-edged sword. The benefit of this is that excessive commercial development and dramatic increases in human population is prevented; however, resource management activity continues to degrade habitat by road building and overharvesting the forest.
Mission Statement
Yaak Valley Forest Council is a
grassroots community organization
governed by a five-member board of directors
in the northwest corner of Montana.
Our Mission is to permanently protect
the last remaining roadless cores in the Yaak Valley,
which total nearly 180,000 acres in the
northern tier of the Kootenai National Forest;
to maintain and restore the valley’s ecological integrity
by conserving and improving habitat for
populations of native species;
to encourage and support the development of an economy
based increasingly on value added forest products
and ecological restoration;
and to empower local residents through education
and solidarity toward the above mission.
YVFC is committed to cultivating and encouraging
meaningful dialog between historically polarized groups;
bringing these groups together to find common ground
on ecologically sound, stewardship based
forestry management practices. |
