Weyerhaeuser Renews Commitment to Free Public Land Access

[Ben Lamb]

Good news for Regions 1 & 2:

Settling concerns among outdoor recreationists and state officials for the time being, Weyerhaeuser Co. has signed an agreement with the state of Montana to allow free public access on its vast landholdings for another year.

Weyerhaeuser, a Washington-based timber giant that merged with Plum Creek Timber Co. in February, renewed Plum Creek’s annual contract with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks late last month through the state’s block management program. The agreement, which was voluntarily renewed by Plum Creek for decades, will allow hunters and other recreationists to access the private land in exchange for state game wardens patrolling the property.

Weyerhaeuser, which now employs some former Plum Creek company officials in leadership roles, owns 880,000 acres in Montana. Of those lands, the block management agreement allows public access to 709,927 acres in this corner of the state and 59,777 acres near Missoula.

http://flatheadbeacon.com/2016/06/12/weyerhaeuser-renews-commitment-free-public-land-access/

 

[Wally Dog]

Ben, doesn't the title mislead folks a bit? Weyerheauser's land is not public at all.....It's private and thank goodness the public will have the privilege to continue to access it.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ben, doesn't the title mislead folks a bit? Weyerheauser's land is not public at all.....It's private and thank goodness the public will have the privilege to continue to access it.

I see what you are saying and agree. I didn't write the headline, however.

 

[Wally Dog]

Check!

 

[Ben Long]

So far so good.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Regardless of the potentially misleading headline ... it is good news.

 

[HSi-ESi]

Agreed on the good news - but that is horribly written.

So deal on it is that Weyerhauser is allowing "free access" to the public and the State is providing Warden patrols? So BM but no BM fees will be paid to Weyerhauser?

 

[Jim/Wa]

Call me a pessimist but when I read this all I see is "for another year". Washington and Oregon went down this road not too long ago.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Sure glad to hear this continues. It is private land after all, even though we've had access for so long it feels like public. It will be a huge loss to our community if and when we lose free access. Kudos to Weyerhauser and all the more reason for us to be vigilant with land that is in public ownership.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

it sure would be nice to see some of this expanded to oregons coast range propertys that they have.there all about buying permits here now?

 

[Nameless Range]

Good news. I saw a lot of my conservative-minded friends bashing Bullock for writing that letter that requested Weyerhaeuser maintain public access in the same manner Plum Creek did. To them it was a rude way to welcome a business to Montana, or an opportunity to take a dig at the Governor, who knows.

Whether that letter influenced them or not, I am grateful to them for keeping this type of access open.

 

[Washington Hunter]

It's probably only temporary. As soon as they have time to get gates installed wherever necessary, they will most likely begin charging a fee for access. Maybe not, but I'm not sure why it would be any different than their property in Washington and Oregon. As of last year, virtually all Weyerhaeuser property in Washington required an access permit, and they're extremely limited in number, so much so that when they go on sale online they're sold out in 2 to 5 minutes. A person with a permit is only allowed to bring a spouse and children or grandchildren who are under 18. So many people who end up buying a permit, have to hunt without their usual hunting partners.

 

[SteveE]

I have a cousin in Washington that owns land adjacent to Weyerhaeuser. He feels the permit system is a joke for the reasons Washington Hunter listed. Thankful we have it for another year but worried the gates are coming.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I have yet to see the Block Management agreement, but most of those are not for 1 year increments.

 

[SteveE]

Lets pray they leave us $poor$ Montana folk alone and go with block management.

Pay to play is a slippery slope that could ruin what is so great about Montana hunting.

 

[Mountian money]

I grew up in north west mt and hunted plum creek land for years. Shot my biggest whitetail their. It would be a serious bummer if they restricted acess