Land Swap Conflict

[BigHornRam]

Hunters, snowmobilers at odds over state land trade
Posted on Dec. 19
By MATT GOURAS of the Associated Press



HELENA - Hunters from Montana's Bitterroot Valley are squaring off against Lincoln-area snowmobilers over a proposed state land swap with a ranch owner.

Hunters say the deal would put into private hands some of the best elk hunting in the Bitterroot Valley. Snowmobilers want the deal to go through so they are ensured access to favorite riding areas in the Lincoln area.

The proposed trade has been in the works for a couple years, and hunters and politicians from the Bitterroot Valley are crying foul over the idea of losing the prime elk hunting grounds.


Under the plan, the state would give up 800 acres near Sula to the J.R. Miller ranches in exchange for 1,458 acres near Lincoln. The proposed land trade stalled Monday before the state Land Board.

Critics say the state isn't getting a fair deal.

The state land being offered in the swap has been appraised at different times from as low as $1 million to as high as $3.5 million. The state is tagging its value at a little over $2 million.

Republican state Sens. Jim Shockley and Rick Laible, both of Victor, said large chunks of land in the Bitterroot Valley like this one have become far more valuable.

"Once we've traded the land, it's gone," Laible told board. "We need to make sure the state is getting fair value."

The Land Board, which is led by Gov. Brian Schweitzer, decided to postpone a decision for another month. The board was told Miller would not improve his offer, which includes $160,000 in cash.

Hunters oppose the deal because the Bitterroot land is home to a large elk herd, which they say will be off limits if the land is in private hands."We are not willing to lose that," said Ravalli County Commissioner Greg Chilcott. Local opposition to the swap is near unanimous, he said.

The Lincoln-area land, sought after by snowmobilers led by the Ponderosa Snow Warriors club, used to be owned by Plum Creek Timber Co. Miller is buying it from the Nature Conservancy so that he can trade it to the state.

The deal is also being backed by environmentalists who want to see the Lincoln-area land in public ownership.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which is charged with managing state land to generate money for schools, says it can earn more revenue from the Lincoln-area parcel.

DNRC Director Mary Sexton said the state could expect about $1.4 million over the next 80 years from the Sula land in grazing leases and timber sales, while the Lincoln land should generate about $3.3 million over the same time.

Another option for the state would be to use so-called "land bank" money to buy the Lincoln land, while keeping the Sula land. But Sexton said the state has a lot of potential parcels it could buy, and the swap makes more sense.

"My feeling is that Miller, and his representatives, have negotiated in good faith with us," she said.

Two Land Board members, Attorney General Mike McGrath and Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch, appeared supportive of the swap.

Secretary of State Brad Johnson, Montana State Auditor John Morrison and Schweitzer withheld judgment.

"This is the first and only time I can remember when we have the people of one county pitted versus the people of another county," Morrison said.

Johnson urged caution.

"Once we vote yes on this, it is done and gone," he said.

 

[BigHornRam]

More news.

This is the part I wondered about from the beginning:

The group questioned DNRC director Mary Sexton's claim that the Lincoln land would bring in nearly $2 million more in revenue to the state than the Sula land would over the next 80 years in the form of grazing leases and timber sales.

“They're saying (the Lincoln parcel) is prime habitat for grizzlies, lynx and bull trout,” Corn said. “How are they going to do any logging on it if they're managing it for endangered species? Don't say you're going to use it for timber sales, then turn around and tell us it's for endangered species.”


Bitterroot group forms to counter land deal
By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian



A group of Bitterroot Valley sportsmen and politicians came together Tuesday to launch an all-out public relations offensive they hope will convince the state Land Board to kill a controversial proposed land swap.

The men said the analysis that urged the board to approve the exchange was flawed, both in the facts it presented and in the ones it left out.

They questioned the objectivity of two state officials who back the land swap and also sit on the board of directors of a nonprofit group that supports the trade.


And one of them offered a compromise he said would leave everyone happy, save for the rancher who has been working to acquire 800 acres of prime elk habitat in the southern Bitterroot Valley.

At issue is a plan where the state of Montana would give up 800 acres near Sula to the J.R. Miller ranches in exchange for 1,458 acres near Lincoln. Miller is buying the Lincoln land from the Nature Conservancy so he can trade it to the state.

“No one finds fault with what they want to do in the Blackfoot,” said Dale Burk of the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association. “But why are they making us the victims to accomplish it?”

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation urged the five-member Land Board, headed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer, to approve the exchange a few days before Christmas.

But Schweitzer and fellow board members John Morrison, the state auditor, and Secretary of State Brad Johnson delayed the decision after hearing protests from the Bitterroot group.

Ravalli County Attorney George Corn, who spoke at a press conference Tuesday in Hamilton, said it was wonderful that land is being set aside in the Blackfoot Valley with the help of the Blackfoot Challenge, a nonprofit organization.

“It's important what they're doing, and very valuable to the state,” he said.

But Corn noted the grand scale of the Blackfoot effort - nearly 43,000 acres purchased and $25.7 million in federal funding through 2006 - and questioned why Bitterroot hunters should have to give up 800 acres important to them so the Blackfoot project can grow even larger.

“Another 1,400 acres is just a pittance to them, while we have to give up something that's invaluable,” Corn said. “We're in an area of rapid population growth. We should be getting more land set aside down here, not losing it.”

State Sens. Jim Shockley and Rick Laible, both Republicans representing the Bitterroot Valley, assailed the land swap that originally put the value of the Sula land at $1,331 an acre.

“I took one look at it and said, ‘It's got to be worth at least $5,000,' ” Shockley said.

With a new appraisal of about $4,300, Laible said the state would be losing between $357,000 and $1.1 million on the deal, in violation of Montana statutes that say state land may be exchanged only if the land being acquired “is of equal or greater value.”

The group questioned DNRC director Mary Sexton's claim that the Lincoln land would bring in nearly $2 million more in revenue to the state than the Sula land would over the next 80 years in the form of grazing leases and timber sales.

“They're saying (the Lincoln parcel) is prime habitat for grizzlies, lynx and bull trout,” Corn said. “How are they going to do any logging on it if they're managing it for endangered species? Don't say you're going to use it for timber sales, then turn around and tell us it's for endangered species.”

The group said that while the analysis pointed out the swap would connect public lands in Lincoln, it failed to explain it would fragment them in the Bitterroot.

“We feel very strongly that by omission or misrepresentation, the analysis failed to relay to the land board the values that are truly at play,” Burk said.

Shockley also said the DNRC analysis that urged the board to approve the swap failed to fully investigate access routes to the Sula property. The fact that one current access must go through the Miller ranch, he said, fails to note that full access could be gained by punching in a 200- to 400-yard road.

Laible and Corn both pointed out that Tony Liane of the DNRC and Mack Long of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, both supporters of the swap in their official capacities, sit on the board of directors of the Blackfoot Challenge.

“I think it legitimately calls into question how objective they can be,” Corn said.

Long defended his position.

“My job is to look at how it benefits fish and wildlife,” Long said. “If you only look at elk and deer, the two pieces of property are similar in value, the Sula piece probably a little more. But the benefit of the Lincoln property is much broader. It sits in a critical area for grizzlies, lynx and bull trout.

“The bottom line is I hate to see us give up anything, and nobody wants to give up what's in their backyard, for sure. It hurts to make these types of trades. But we have to look at the greater good. The win-win would be to put both in the public trust, but we weren't given that option.”

But Laible thinks it can be done.

While Sexton opposes the idea, Laible wants the state to turn to its “land bank” to buy the Lincoln land outright.

“Two legislative sessions ago, we came up with the land bank where, when we sell state land, we put the money in an account to buy other parcels,” he said. “It's a lot cleaner process than these land swaps.”

There is no money in the account right now, but Laible has a solution.

“We have deals pending, and there will be in a year,” the senator said.

Meantime, he said, the Habitat Montana Program administered by FWP and funded by hunting and conservation licenses has $9 million to $10 million in the fund.

“I say we borrow from Fish, Wildlife and Parks, buy the land at Lincoln, leave the Sula land alone so it remains in the public domain, and pay Habitat Montana back when these deals go through. I think the governor will be receptive to it. He doesn't like to see public lands broken up either.”

The state Land Board meets again in January.

 

[MarvB]

Paul what's the latest on that "mini-town" (huge subdivision) that they were considering building adjacent to the Metcalf? That was gonna be smack dab where I used to hunt near the old Houtchens ranch. Is it still going forward?

 

[Bambistew]

Marv are you talking in the Gallatin?

 

[MarvB]

Bambi it's (was?) the one they were trying to build next to the Metcalf refuge...would have effectively doubled the size of Stevensville. Something like 5-600 homes in one shot. That whole area Stevi, Florence, Ham-town, etc., is just turning into a fuggin zoo. I was hoping that things would eventually slow down but we all know what hope is made out of....

I had some absolutley kick-ass hunting for rat deer right off that refuge, especially back in the five+ deer-260 zone-over-the-counter-anterless days...$40 for a skinhead tag for a NR made for some fun bowhunts!

 

[BigHornRam]

Marv,

There's developement going on all over the Bitterroot. A big subdivision outside of Florence, and a big controversial Ski Developement as well. I think the Ski Hill plan will have a tough time happening, but development here is inevitable. I keep telling my wife the next move is to the Yukon. Lately she's sounding more and more interested!

 

[MarvB]

Yukon wouldn't be a bad deal Paul but ya better get some thicker nickers...it's a tad bit colded than the bannana belt of the 'root

The development I was talking of is the proposed 500-plus-lot development north of Stevensville and adjacent to the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. I thinks it's something like 400 acres that straddles the Eastside Highway and borders the refuge. Wouldn't that about double the size of Stevi? Hard to belive that some of the land I looked at "years back" for $40-$60K for 20/30 acres is now $400K....fuggin Kalifornians and Orygonians anyway!