H5. Access to ForestlandsCITY DF City of Kalispell
KTALISPELL post Office Box 1997 -Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997
elephone (406) 758-7700 Fax - (406) 758-7758
MEMORANDUM
To: Honorable Mayor Johnson and City Council
From: Doug Russell, City Manager
Re: Letter to Federal and State Officials Regarding Public Access to Forestlands
Meeting Date: February 18, 2020
BACKGROUND: At a previous meeting, Council requested staff draft a letter requesting assistance
from Federal and State officials related to maintaining access to forestlands that are part of the pending
sale from Weyerhaeuser to Southern Pines Plantations.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that Council review and authorize the Mayor to send the
attached letter to Federal and State officials.
ATTACHMENTS: Draft letter to Federal and State officials
CITY OF
KALISPELL
February 18, 2020
XXXX
XXXX
XXXXX, XX XXXX
Honorable XXXXXX ,
City of Kalispell
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
201 First Ave East
Kalispell, MT 59901
The City of Kalispell requests your assistance regarding the pending sale of 630,000 acres of
Weyerhaeuser land to Southern Pines Plantations. The City of Kalispell is concerned that the
historic public access enjoyed by our residents on these extensive forestlands may not be
continued and the forestlands could be sold in divided parcels resulting in the break-up of our
open space, working forests.
Due to these concerns, we are requesting Federal and State officials to work with Southern Pines
to preserve the public access, open space, and working forestlands so valued by our community
for the recreational and economic opportunities they provide. Several potential avenues exist to
accomplish this:
1) Facilitate the renewal of these lands in the state's Block Management Program
(Weyerhaeuser's enrollment is set to expire this year).
2) Encourage Southern Pines to enter into conservation easements which protect public
access and open space and ensures the land is available for continued timber harvest. This
would require securing Federal or State funding for these conservation easements.
3) Facilitate public acquisition of the forestlands, transferring it either to State ownership
with Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) or Federal ownership
with the Forest Service. This option would also require securing Federal or State funding
for fee title acquisition.
These forestlands are instrumental to the economic and quality of life opportunities our residents
deeply value. We encourage your assistance in the maintenance of access and preservation of
these lands.
On behalf of the Kalispell City Council,
Mark Johnson
Mayor, City of Kalispell