Cooperative Agreement L23AC00398

SINCE 2000, THE MISSOULA FIELD OFFICE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) HAS ACQUIRED APPROXIMATELY 40,000 ACRES OF INDUSTRIAL TIMBERLANDS FROM THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN THE LOWER BLACKFOOT RIVER WATERSHED. MORE LANDS ARE SLATED TO BE PURCHASED IN THE COMING YEARS. THE ACQUISITION OF THESE TNC LANDS BRINGS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF AQUATIC RESOURCES INTO MISSOULA FIELD OFFICE MANAGEMENT, AND IT SUPPORTS THE SALISH AND PEND D OREILLE PEOPLE OF THE CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES (CSKT) GOAL OF RESTORING THREATENED BULL TROUT AND OTHER NATIVE FISH IN THEIR HISTORIC TERRITORIES. THE NEWLY ACQUIRED LANDS INCLUDE OCCUPIED BULL TROUT STREAM MILES AND BULL TROUT DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT, AS WELL AS MORE MILES OF WESTSLOPE CUTTHROAT TROUT OCCUPIED STREAMS AND HABITAT. TWO FACTORS PLACE NATIVE FISH, NAMELY BULL TROUT AND WESTSLOPE CUTTHROAT TROUT, AT HIGH-RISK IN THE PROJECT AREA: 1) THE LACK OF LARGE IN-STREAM WOODY DEBRIS AND LARGE LIVE STREAMSIDE TREES AVAILABLE FOR WOODY DEBRIS RECRUITMENT, AND 2) HIGH ROAD DENSITIES THAT CHRONICALLY DELIVER SEDIMENT AND BLOCK FISH PASSAGE. TO RESTORE FISH POPULATIONS TO HISTORICAL LEVELS WILL REQUIRE ADDING WOOD TO STREAMS, AND REDUCING ROAD DENSITIES. THE GOAL OF THIS PARTNERSHIP PROJECT IS TO COOPERATE WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT IN DEVELOPING ON-THE-GROUND RESTORATION PROJECTS TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF IN-STREAM WOOD AND STREAM SEDIMENTATION AND OTHER IMPACTS FROM ROADS. WE WILL INCREASE WATERSHED RESILIENCY AND RESTORE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH BLM MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES WHILE EXPANDING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.