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Road work planned for Grand Teton

Road work planned for Grand Teton




MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) - Motorists traveling on U.S. 26-89-191 and U.S. 26-287 through Grand Teton National Park are being told to expect 20-30 minute delays starting Monday.




Workers plan to scrape off the pavement to prepare the highway for repaving, leaving behind a gravel surface. For four weeks, until the paving work begins, the speed limit will be 35 mph, according to park officials.




The resurfacing work is scheduled for U.S. 26-89-191 from Cunningham Cabin, six miles south of Moran Junction, to the east boundary, two miles east of Moran.




Similar work is planned for Moran Junction west to Jackson Lake Lodge.




Meanwhile, shoulder widening and grade improvements are underway along U.S. 26-287 from Moran to the east boundary.




The road work will take place from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday from July through Labor Day.

Thomas: Teton land swap no longer tied to Martin's Cove sale

Thomas: Teton land swap no longer tied to Martin's Cove sale




CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., said a threat to hold up a Teton land-swap measure he backs has been dropped by Rep. James Hansen, R-Utah.




Hansen has pushed legislation, controversial in Wyoming, that would transfer ownership of a historic site known as Martin's Cove southwest of Casper to the Mormon church.




And, Thomas said, Hansen threatened to, in the House, block his try at speeding the federal acquisition of two private land sections inside Grand Teton National Park without Thomas' support for the Hansen measure.




That threat was rescinded just after the U.S. House on a voice vote approved Hansen's bill, Thomas said last week.




The Wyoming senator said he does not know why the threat to tie the measures together was dropped. But he said he made clear to Hansen in a telephone conversation that he still would not support the Martin's Cove transfer.




"And he said, 'I understand,"' Thomas told the Casper Star-Tribune.




The Thomas-backed measure has passed the Senate. Known as the Grand Teton National Park Land Exchange Act, it would direct the government to buy from within the park two sections that could be traded for land, resources such as coal leases or cash of equal value.




Hansen's measure is now in the Senate. It directs the government to sell a 900-acre tract to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose officials say Martin's Cove is important to their pioneer heritage.

Xanterra, Yellowstone concessionaire, to review hiring procedures

Xanterra, Yellowstone concessionaire, to review hiring procedures




LIVINGSTON (AP) - Xanterra Parks and Resorts will review its hiring procedures before next summer, the company's general manager for Yellowstone National Park says.




In the meantime, the company is doing what it can to accommodate scores of young foreigners, mostly European college students, who thought they had summer jobs in the park but arrived to find the jobs already filled.




They arrived late, sometimes weeks late, and the company had to fill the jobs, said General Manager Jim McCaleb.




Xanterra operates hotels, restaurants, stores and campgrounds in Yellowstone and other national parks. It regularly recruits summer workers overseas.




"What we're hearing from many of the kids is that the process for getting visas is delayed," McCaleb said. He said the delays were caused by reactions to the terrorism attacks on the East Coast last September.




The problems surfaced when dozens of the young people began showing up in Livingston, 50 miles north of the park, looking for work, free Internet services to contact their homes, or other help.




Xanterra was simply turning them away and telling them they might have jobs, maybe just part-time work, in a few weeks, they said.




Now Xanterra is doing what it can to accommodate them until they get work. They are being housed and fed free of charge in the park until they get jobs, McCaleb said. After that they must pay $70 a week.




"The employee housing is full at this point," McCaleb said Friday. "We are setting up something very close to a youth hostel situation for most of these kids."




He estimated 100 of the young job hopefuls were staying in the park.




The Bozeman Red Cross has loaned Xanterra 100 cots for them. He said it is unusual for private companies to request such help.




"It wasn't until I signed the agreement that I realized who they were," spokesman Norm Eggert said. At that point, he said, he thought it was too late to back out.




Some of the young job-seekers have found other work in the area. Bud Cahill of the 63 Ranch has hired several and provided them lodging, but said someone should take responsibility for their situation.




"This is a crime," Cahill said. "If these were American students there would be lawsuits like you wouldn't believe."




"This is an embarrassment to all of us as Americans."


Xanterra at Grand Canyon

Here's an opinion article about what is happening at Grand Canyon National Park under Xanterra:


http://www.ibiblio.org/warrior/take5/regime.htm




They will probably be the next Enron or Worldcom.

Re: Xanterra at Grand Canyon


Thanks for the link. That's very interesting. I think some people here should note that Xanterra is in fact the very same company as Amfac. They are not different companies. They simply changed their name this year, which is odd. Perhaps, their image has sunk so low that they thought a change of name may confuse people enough to give them a new look.

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Replying to:

Here's an opinion article about what is happening at Grand Canyon National Park under Xanterra:


http://www.ibiblio.org/warrior/take5/regime.htm




They will probably be the next Enron or Worldcom.

Firefighters lose ground in Wind River Range, Yellowstone

Firefighters lose ground in Wind River Range, Yellowstone





FORT WASHAKIE, Wyo. (AP) - Fanned by strong winds and high temperatures, a wildfire on the Wind River Indian Reservation grew to 14,500 acres.




Winds in the 30-40 mph range also forced all five helicopters dumping water on the South Fork II fire to retreat to base Monday. Air operations were suspended for up to an hour, fire spokeswoman Marilyn Krause said.




Tuesday's forecast called for more wind, but offered some relief in the form of cooler temperatures, reaching into the 70s in the mountains.




"We're regrouping this morning," she said Tuesday. "We're cautiously optimistic that we'll get some good work today."




The fire was 45 percent contained Tuesday morning.




Firefighters' biggest helicopter, one capable of dropping both water and fire retardant, broke down Monday but was back in service Tuesday morning, Krause said.




Besides the five helicopters, 330 firefighters were at the scene.




Elsewhere in Wyoming, strong, erratic winds forced firefighters to pull back from a 260-acre wildfire six miles east of Mount Washburn in Yellowstone National Park.




"They were all off by 12:30-1 p.m. It was just too unsafe to keep them in there with the erratic winds," park spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews said.




The crew had been focusing on securing fire lines around the tail end of the Broad fire and its south-southwest flank, as well as continue work along the northern edge of the fire.




The fire was in old-growth timber and heavy accumulations of dead and downed trees.




In all, eight fires have broken out in Yellowstone this summer. One was sparked by a power line and the rest were caused by lightning. All the others have been contained.




Currently, campfires are allowed in established fire pits and grates and liquid or gas fuel stoves and self-contained charcoal grills may be used. All park trails and facilities are open.




Meantime, firefighters continued mopping up a pair of wildfires in the Laramie Mountains west of Wheatland in southeast Wyoming.




----




On the Net:




National Interagency Fire Center:




http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html




Rocky Mountain area large fires:




http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/fire/rmacc.html


Students build more efficient engine they hope will revolutionize the snowm

Students build more efficient engine they hope will revolutionize the snowmobile industry




By NICK WADHAMS


Associated Press Writer




DENVER (AP) - Colorado State University students have built a dramatically cleaner and more efficient version of the internal-combustion engine commonly found in everything from scooters to motorboats to snowmobiles.




If taken seriously, they say, it could help overhaul the snowmobile industry and influence the debate on whether to allow the vehicles in national parks.




"If the debate is about emissions, noise and power, this is a revolution," said environmental engineer Lori Fussell, founder of the Clean Snowmobile Challenge, in which university teams compete to develop a quieter, cleaner snowmobile engine. "It could very much be the answer."




Though proponents say the engine is promising, snowmobiling groups are taking a wait-and-see approach.




There are questions about durability, reliability and cost. The modified two-stroke engine would add about $500 to snowmobiles already costing from $6,000 to $8,000.




"Snowmobiling is a very discretionary product, and if it's priced too high people simply won't buy it, so there has to be a belief that the market will purchase the machine," said Ed Klim, president of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association.




Two-stroke engines are found in most snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and motorboats. They are used in many power tools and are far lighter than automobile engines, which use a more complicated four-stroke system.




The advantage is in their simplicity, but they emit heavy pollution and have low fuel economy, mostly because they push a great deal of fuel out of the exhaust pipe when the pistons fire, said Bryan Willson, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado State University.




The CSU engine was developed for the Clean Snowmobile Challenge, and was the top two-stroke engine to finish. It won third place.




"There's absolutely no reason these engines need to be dirty as they are," said Tim Bauer, one of 10 students and three professors who worked on the project.




The entry was a modified Arctic Cat ZRT 600 that cut emissions from the standard two-stroke engine by 99 percent and was about 35 percent more fuel efficient. Willson said the engine had a minor malfunction during the contest and its noise level was 74.5 decibels, a half decibel above the challenge's maximum of 74.




"Everyone assumed that the only way you could make a clean engine was to switch to a four-stroke," Willson said. "In life, power-to-weight is king and it is going to be hard to do that with a four-stroke engine."




At its heart, the CSU engine is a fuel-injection system designed by Australia's Orbital Engine Corp. and similar to those found in some motorboat engines. There is also a catalyst to reduce wasted fuel and dirty emissions, and a modified muffler.




The engine reduces hydrocarbon emissions by 99.7 percent and carbon monoxide emissions by 99.9 percent, Willson said.




It could play an important role in the hotly debated issue of whether to allow snowmobiling in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Pollution has gotten so bad that Yellowstone issued respirators to gate workers who complained about headaches, nausea and dizziness on days when hundreds of snowmobilers lined up at a busy park entrance.




The Environmental Protection Agency recently softened its opposition to snowmobiles in the parks, saying clean air standards could be met with newer machines using stricter pollution controls. But it noted that the technology is not yet available.




Snowmobile maker Bombardier will release a semidirect-injection engine in 2003, the first of its kind, but so far there are no immediate plans among the other big three snowmobile makers to introduce similar engines.




"We knew there would come a time when we needed to address this concern," Steve Cowing, a Bombardier spokesman, said of the pollution issue.




Neither Bombardier's plans nor the CSU engine has impressed environmentalists. Some don't care what kind of engine is in the snowmobile; they simply object to the snowmobile itself.




"What you end up having is not just thousands but literally tens of thousands of machines charging through wildlife corridors where the animals are hard-pressed just to survive the harsh winter," said Jon Catton, spokesman for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.




---




On the Net:




Clean Snowmobile Challenge: http://www.sae.org/students/snow.htm

Montana lawmakers want feds to pay for wolf management

Montana lawmakers want feds to pay for wolf management




By CURT WOODWARD


Associated Press Writer




HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Four Republican lawmakers want substantial financial guarantees from the federal government before the state assumes management of transplanted Canadian wolves.




In a letter to Gov. Judy Martz, the lawmakers said the money would be used, among other things, to offset what they fear will be imminent losses of wildlife, specifically elk, to the growing wolf population.




But a federal wildlife manager and environmentalists called the demand troubling, saying it was out of touch with the science on the issue.




"It is a politicizing, and it's a return to the dark ages, really, in basic principles of wildlife management and wildlife science," said Tom France, the Northern Rockies director for the National Wildlife Federation.




In their letter, Reps. Dan Fuchs and Joe Balyeat, and Sens. Mike Sprague and Jack Wells outlined their concerns with the wolves and the process of removing them from the federal endangered species list.




As the wolf populations expand in the central Idaho wilderness and the Yellowstone National Park area, federal and state officials in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have begun the process of removing them from federal protection and turning management over to the states. Before that can happen, each state must have an approved management plan. Idaho adopted its plan last winter.




The Montana lawmakers want the federal government to pay for 80 percent of the state management cost and a per-animal reimbursement for game animals wolves kill.




Fuchs says one late-season elk hunt may have been scaled back because of wolf depredation.




Ed Bangs, the wolf recovery leader for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, conceded that wolves have an impact. But Bangs said the image of packs of hungry wolves exploding across the state is unfounded.




"In northwestern Montana, we really haven't had any wolf population increase in six years," Bangs said. "The idea that wolves are spilling all over the planet - that's not true."




France said there are areas where the wolf population should be controlled, "but I don't think we're at that place yet. To suggest that wolves are having a significant impact on elk is ignoring the data."

G&W: Grizzly plan will stand

G&W: Grizzly plan will stand




EVANSTON, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming Game and Fish Commission officials say they have no intention of rescinding their plan for grizzly bear management.




Representatives from several mountain counties appealed to the commission Thursday, claiming their counties had too little say in the development of a plan that will affect their land and residents.




Game and Fish officials countered that the plan had been in the works for more than two years, and the counties should have spoken up sooner.




"I don't know what more the Game and Fish (Commission) can do," G&F Commissioner Gary Lundvahl said. "They are probably the most open, and have more meetings than anyone I've ever known."




There will be more opportunities for the public to comment as the wildlife agency starts "fine tuning" its grizzly plan, G&F's Dave Moody said.




The federal government is in the process of delisting grizzlies, which have been on the endangered list since 1975. Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are creating their own bear-management plans.




Wyoming's plan would not allow bears in the Big Horn Range, Snowy Range and Sierra Madre Mountains. It would provide bear habitat in all suitable and socially acceptable areas within the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.




The plan will take effect when grizzlies are removed from the endangered list, which is expected to happen sometime between 2003 and 2005.


Officials estimate 40 percent loss of bighorn herd

Officials estimate 40 percent loss of bighorn herd




JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - The population of bighorn sheep in herd near Jackson dropped about 40 percent over the winter, according to recent surveys.




State researchers aren't sure what caused the high death rate, but veterinarians speculate that stress from drought and poor forage led to a pneumonia outbreak.




"It's a lot higher than we wanted," Game and Fish biologist Doug Brimeyer said of the death rate. He added that a pneumonia outbreak can claim up to 60 percent of a herd.




Last fall, there were about 500 animals in the Jackson herd, which ranges from south of Hoback Junction through the Gros Ventre drainage and to the upper Green River area.




In response to the population decline, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking hunters to voluntarily give up their permits this year.




Game officials had already reduced the number of permits issued in the Jackson area to 16, down from 28 last year.




Preference points will be reinstated for hunters who turn in their permits, which increases their odds of drawing a license in the future, Brimeyer said.




Because of last winter's die-off in the Jackson herd, Game and Fish may issue fewer hunting permits for at least the next five years while the population recovers, Brimeyer said. If sheep continue to be stressed by poor habitat and forage, the limits may last longer.




Despite the high death rate in the Jackson herd, surveys of other herds show that the overall sheep population survived the winter.




Meanwhile, the number of lambs born this year varied by location, with some areas showing low numbers and others fairly high, Brimeyer said.




Hunters who want to turn in their permits for the year can contact the Wyoming Game and Fish License Review Board at 800-842-1934.


Injured climber rescued from Grand Teton

Injured climber rescued from Grand Teton




MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) - A woman injured while climbing the Grand Teton was rescued Tuesday.




Angela Edlinger, 18, of New York state, suffered a shin injury while stepping between two rocks while she and her companion, Pete Marsiglio, 30, were descending from a day climb, Grand Teton National Park officials said.




Park rangers who happened to be descending the nearby Middle Teton were notified and reached her about 9 p.m. Monday, two hours after she was injured.




Ranger determined her injury was not serious enough to warrant immediate evacuation, so they camped overnight with her, then helped her walk to Garnet Canyon Tuesday.




Two rangers with pack horses met them and Edlinger was carried out on horseback in the afternoon.


Ohio man falls to death in park

Ohio man falls to death in park




MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) - A man was found dead Sunday apparently of a fall from Symmetry Spire in Grand Teton National Park.


Ben Carlson-Berne, 19, of Wyoming, Ohio, was found at the bottom of a steep gorge by park rangers on a routine mountain patrol.




Carlson-Berne was apparently solo climbing Friday away from the normal route for Symmetry Spire, which is about 20 miles north of Jackson, when he reached technically difficult steep rock. He was wearing a helmet.




Rangers are estimating he slipped and fell 150 feet.




His body was flown out of the park Sunday in a helicopter.




According to the National Park Service, Carlson-Berne had signed up on Friday to camp for several nights in Garnet Canyon beginning Saturday.




His backcountry camping permit indicated he intended to climb the Southwest Couloir on the Middle Teton and climb the Owen-Spalding route on the Grand Teton. A couloir is a steep gorge.




Carlson-Berne had stowed his camping gear in a locker at the Jenny Lake store before going climbing on Friday, indicating that he was planning only a day climb.




It was the second fatality in the mountains this year and the sixth major search and rescue operation.

Bridger-Teton fires ignited Tuesday all contained

Bridger-Teton fires ignited Tuesday all contained




JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - All of the fires started by lightning on Tuesday in the Bridger-Teton National Forest were reported contained on Wednesday by forest officials.




Still burning is the Divide Fire which started August 6th. It has burned a total of 2200 acres.




The fire, burning nine miles east of Pinedale, is being managed as a "wildland fire use fire," according to fire officials.




Wildland fire use fires start naturally and are allowed to burn while they are monitored.




Officials say that these fires help promote healthy forest regeneration, wildlife enhancement and hazardous fuel reduction.




For more information on the Divide Fire, call the Bridger-Teton National Forest at 307-739-5500.


Poor cone crop bad news for bears and people

Poor cone crop bad news for bears and people




CODY, Wyo. (AP) - The continuing drought, a poor crop of whitebark pine cones and hungry bears could mean trouble for both bears and people according to Shoshone National Forest wildlife biologists.




Wildlife Biologist Mark Hinschberger said because of the low crop of whitebark pine cones there could be an increase in bear-human conflicts this fall.




Nuts found in whitebark pine cones are one of the major food sources for bears.




In a good year a single whitebark pine will produce scores of cones, but this year a pine cone survey done by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team found that trees have produced an average of only 2.4 cones per tree.




Forest biologists say they aren't sure what caused the poor cone crop.




"This is bad news," said Grizzly Bear Biologist Kim Barber. "Research has shown that when whitebark pine cone numbers are low, human-bear encounters increase."




"Bears are hungry and looking for food wherever they can find it," Barber said.




Forest officials are urging hunters and other forest users to be extra careful in the woods because of possible increased bear activity.




"We are asking all forest users to voluntarily comply with the food storage order, even in areas where the order has not been officially implemented," Barber said.




Barber said the one bright spot is that this is a good year for army cutworm moths, another important food for bears.

Re: Yellowstone Newspaper news

Bears, sex and Woody Allen



By Dan Whipple



UPI Science News




One of the greatest conservation victories of the past century is the recovery from near-extinction of the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states -- especially the famous bears in Yellowstone National Park.




So why isn't everyone cheering?




In 1982, I went to a meeting in Yellowstone of bear afficionados in which a bear biologist reported he believed there were only 47 reproducing female grizzlies in Yellowstone National Park. He showed a graph with a single, sharply declining line indicating population trends. It projected extinction for grizzlies in the park by the early 1990s.




Now, only 20 years later, by official estimates there are 500 to 800 specimens of Ursus arctos in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and some biologists think the number may be as high as 1,000.




According to U.S. Geological Survey biologist Dave Mattson, the success of grizzly bear recovery can be laid squarely at the door of the federal Endangered Species Act. Writing with co-author Troy Merrill in the August issue of the journal Conservation Biology, Mattson said, "Our results show that changes in human attitudes and behavior have been critical to the survival of grizzly bears form 1970 to the present ... This is direct evidence for the dramatic beneficial effect of conservation policies enacted through legislation such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act."




Despite this success, and what University of Alberta biologist Mark Boyce has called the saturation of available habitat by grizzlies, Mattson and Merrill urge that the grizzly bear be kept on the endangered species list.




Because of some threats to its food supply -- especially whitebark pine -- they write, "The apparent robustness of Yellowstone's grizzly bear range is deceptive ... Virtually all the whitebark pine in the system is projected to be lost either to an exotic pathogen or to global climate warming ... Such vulnerability emphasizes the need for concern over loss of this food and argues for the inadvisability of removing any legal protections for this population."




That is one viewpoint.




Dave Moody, trophy game coordinator for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, told United Press International it probably is time to remove the Yellowstone grizzly from the endangered list.




"It has met or exceeded all of the recovery criteria specified in the 1993 recovery plan," Moody said.




This situation reminds me of a scene in Woody Allen's film, "Annie Hall." Allen's character Alvy Singer is answering his therapist, who has asked how often he and the eponymous Annie have sex.




"Hardly ever," he complains. "Three times a week."




Meanwhile, on the other half of the screen, Annie is answering the same question posed by her shrink.




"All the time," she kvetches. "Three times a week."




Regarding grizzlies, one side says there are hardly any in the Yellowstone ecosystem: 500 to 800. The other side claims there are plenty of them: 500 to 800.




Why the conflict? Part of it is political. Removing the bear from the endangered species list would take most of the control of its management out of the hands of scientists and place it with the states surrounding Yellowstone -- Idaho, Montana and especially Wyoming.




Louisa Willcox has been an activist with several conservation groups involved almost exclusively with grizzly bear recovery for the last 20 years. "It is a success in the sense that bears are there, when there was some real question 20 years ago about whether that would be so," she told UPI.




"People like Dave Moody are a large part of the reason why bears are here," Willcox said. "(But) we have different views on the future. It comes down to your faith in the political system. And looking at the history of wildlife conservation in states like Wyoming -- not at the Moody level, but at the political level, at the governor's level -- what is there that suggests we be optimistic about Wyoming's ability to keep the bear healthy?"




Sure enough, this past spring, the commissioners of Fremont County, Wyoming, which is important bear habitat just south of Yellowstone, passed a resolution prohibiting grizzly bears -- and, in passing, wolves -- from living in their county. How it was to be enforced, however, they did not say. Bears do not often read county commission resolutions.




"I think that the bear has been on everybody's radar screen for so long and there are a lot of people who have made careers out of it," Moody commented. "And there's the fact that the bear stands as a symbol for wild country, maintaining back-country values."




Moody said the grizzly has become a poster child for people who have "different regimes and goals and what they want to see long term like dealing other land use issues. The bear should be addressed as a species."




As Mattson's work indicates, the bear also is a poster child for the Endangered Species Act, both its effectiveness in protecting endangered species and in its legal power. The ESA is the 1,600-pound gorilla.




The wildlife managers who have protected the grizzly bear have made many courageous decisions the ESA gave them the clout to enforce. To give but one example, they forced the closing off of dumps to the bears.




Dumps had become prime grizzly habitat, with bears foraging among last night's roast beef and mashed potatoes for today's meal. There were lots of reasons to close the dumps. For instance, dump scavenging encouraged bear-human encounters, which inevitably ended in the bear being shot.




Part of the reasoning might almost be called "moral." Many scientists and activists wanted to save grizzlies only as wild animals, not as semi-domesticated dump scavengers.




Closing the dumps was not popular, however, because it made it harder for tourists to see bears. Also, during the first couple of years after the dumps were closed, bear numbers dropped. Lots of people, some scientists included, argued the continued existence of the grizzly was more important than retaining its "wildness." They wanted the dumps reopened or supplemental feeding instituted for the animals.




Managers resisted this pressure.




Being a conservation poster child cuts both ways, of course. Grizzlies require lots of room to roam. A paper published in 1998 found grizzlies require 50,000 square kilometers to have a 90 percent chance of survival. When the animal is protected by the extremely strict ESA, this can result in tough limitations on economic activity in bear habitat.




This issue is more than theoretical. The Bridger-Teton mountain range around Yellowstone is a major oil and natural gas zone. Conservationists have used the grizzly bear to slow or prevent oil and gas drilling the area, pleading ESA habitat protections.




Attorney Steven Quarles, with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Crowell and Moring, said, "Until recently, environmental laws and regulations have required the regulated and regulators to pay close attention to only the non-living resources, such as air, water and waste."




Until the ESA was enacted, Quarles continued, "and except for migratory species protected by international treaties, federal environmental laws and regulations did not feature and seldom referred to living resources."




The regulated community is "seriously crabby" about the living resource laws, he said.




Living resource laws such as ESA unquestionably have led to a rejuvenation of grizzly bear populations. The application to this healthy, growing -- and dangerous -- animal population will test our commitment to biodiversity.




Copyright İ 2002 United Press International


Beetles could destroy most North Fork trees

Beetles could destroy most North Fork trees




CODY, Wyo. (AP) - About 70 percent of the trees along the North Fork of the Shoshone River in the Shoshone National Forest will die from a beetle infestation, district ranger Brent Larson said.




The gray- and red-needled, dying trees are "symptomatic of problems throughout the West," Larson said.




"They're not unique to Cody and the North Fork corridor," he said. "It's Mother Nature's way of cleaning up a forest."




While trees harbor an endemic population of beetles, the insects found an easy entree into the forest stressed by the 1988 fires.




"They hit the mother lode," Larson said.




In the last four or five years the beetle devastation has accelerated because of the drought, he said.




The infestation begins with a female beetle who finds a tree and emits a pheromone. The males follow and when the density peaks, "The party's over," Larson said.




The female lays eggs around the trunk, which girdles and kills the tree. Larson knows of no effective treatment besides a fire or weather.




"A really cold, long, nasty winter would kill the beetles," he said.




Other options are limited because of the forest's terrain, structures and its function as crucial range for elk and bighorn sheep.




Forest officials are concerned about the infestation because of the decline in forest habitat and deciduous trees, fuel build up and threat of wildfire. A fire along the river's corridor would threaten to close U.S. 14-16-20, which passes through Cody and into Yellowstone National Park.




"The corridor is the life blood for the community and the Big Horn Basin," Larson said.




Additional concerns are public safety, water quality and visual resources.




Driven by those concerns, forest managers decided to launch a vegetative management plan, which would produce a diverse, uneven-age forest.




Some possible treatments include eliminating conifer encroachment, constructing sheltered fuel breaks through thinning, conducting prescribed burns, creating defensible spaces around structures and opening up areas for deciduous trees.




The options would apply to the corridor outside wilderness, mainly along the Shoshone River. In the wilderness, Larson said, the fire policy dictates assessing the risk of letting a fire burn.




"With the corridor's condition, we're in full suppression mode every time we get a fire," he added.


Yellowstone seeks anglers' help

Yellowstone seeks anglers' help




YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Park officials are appealing to anglers to help control lake trout in Yellowstone Lake.




They are providing maps of lake trout spawning areas for shore and boat anglers in hope that more of the nonnative fish will be caught.




"Lake trout are beginning to move to their spawning beds and are vulnerable to anglers during September and October," park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis said.




"There is no creel limit for lake trout on Yellowstone Lake and the more removed, the better."




She recommended fishing in the lake's West Thumb area, where there is a large concentration of lake trout between 16 inches and 8 pounds.




According to the National Park Service, lake trout were discovered in the lake in 1994. Lake trout threaten the park's population of cutthroat trout, which are smaller.




One large lake trout can eat as many as 50 cutthroat trout in a year.




Yellowstone Lake is the largest remaining undisturbed natural habitat of Yellowstone cutthroat, which live and spawn in shallow streams and lake waters and provide food for at least 42 species of birds and mammals.




Park officials have also been using gill nets to try to control the lake trout population.


Steamboat Geyser has 2nd major eruption of the year


by Jim Macdonald




For the second time this year, the world's largest geyser, Steamboat Geyser, in the Norris Geyser Basin, has erupted. Thanks to the geyser listserv, I have the following information.




Steamboat Geyser erupted on September 13 at 10:20 PM MDT, the water phase lasted just over an hour, and the steam phase was ongoing (as of 9/14 at 11 AM MDT). According to Sandy Nykerk, the person who posted this to the listserv, rangers were there. She also reported the rumor that someone had lights so that the geyser could be seen.




Steamboat last had a major eruption on April 26. At the time, rangers were not sure whether anyone had witnessed the eruption. In the days following, it turned out that some tourists from Cincinnati had seen it but had not realized that they were witnessing a unique event. Previously, Steamboat erupted on May 2, 2000, and before that, October 2, 1991.




The enormous geyser can eject water between 300 and 400 feet. More frequently, the geyser has minor eruptions, which spray water between 6 and 8 feet.




For more pictures of the May 2000 eruption, go to http://www.nps.gov/yell/press/images/steamboatpics/, or to http://yellowstoneassociation.org/whatsnew/steamboat.htm.




I want to thank Bob Berger for making this information available to me.

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Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Re: Grand Teton lodging contracts to open for bidding

Grand Teton lodging contracts to open for bidding




MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) -- Grand Teton National Park soon plans to open for bidding the contracts to run many of the park's businesses.




A tour will be offered Oct. 2 to show prospective bidders the operations run by two of the park's biggest concessionaires: Grand Teton Lodge Company and Signal Mountain Lodge.




"This will be the first time that both of these two large concessionaires have to competitively bid for a new contract under the 1998 act," park spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs said.




In 1998, Congress overhauled the guidelines governing concessions contracts, with the goal of increasing competition.




Concessionaires were previously given preferential treatment in that they were allowed to continue their contracts by matching the highest bid submitted for them. That is no longer allowed under the new guidelines.




Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., was a leader of the reforms.




The Grand Teton Lodge Company is the park's biggest concessionaire with average gross receipts of about $25 million annually over the past three years, according to park officials.




The company manages Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, Colter Bay Village, an RV park, tent cabins, five restaurants, a bar, eight retail outlets, a marina, two corrals, three service stations, bus tours, boat tours, guided float and fishing trips, employee housing and other services.




Signal Mountain Lodge, meanwhile, manages lodging, three restaurants, two retail outlets, a bar, two marinas, guided float trips and employee housing. The company's average gross receipts have been about $4 million annually over the past three years.




Bids on the concession contracts will begin to be accepted sometime this winter.


Yellowstone wants to improve west entrance

Yellowstone wants to improve west entrance




YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Yellowstone officials plan to build a larger West Entrance station to improve visitor safety and service.




Superintendent Suzanne Lewis announced Friday that the National Park Service has begun exploring alternatives for a new station at West Yellowstone, Mont., and asked the public for ideas.




The Park Service proposes to construct a station farther into the park but no more than a mile from the boundary. The project may also include a visitor contact station.




Among the problems with the existing building is that today's taller and wider vehicles routinely hit the station or its detached roof, officials said.




Also, because the station is next to West Yellowstone, a line of vehicles entering the park often backs up into town, creating congestion. Installation of an express kiosk has not solved the problem because the lane leading to it is too short, officials said.




In addition, the station lacks adequate office space and restroom facilities and has no room for visitor information services.




Construction of the new entrance station is to begin in the fall of 2004 or spring of 2005.




Before altering or razing the existing one, the Park Service will determine if it is eligible for listing on the National Historic Register.




The public's concerns will be addressed in an environmental assessment being prepared for the project, Lewis said.




Comments may be sent to Planning Office, West Entrance Project, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 82190. The deadline is Nov. 15, 2002.




----




On the Net: http://www.nps.gov/yell


Coalition created for clean air

Coalition created for clean air




DRIGGS, Idaho (AP) - Mayor Louis Christensen lived in southern California, so he's seen what air pollution can do.


He did not want the same thing to happen in the Upper Snake River Valley so he joined leaders from through the three-state Greater Yellowstone Region to make The Greater Yellowstone/Teton Clean Cities Coalition part of the national Clean Cities Coalition. It is the first member to include two national parks.




"I watched as the San Bernardino Mountains became covered in smog," Christensen said. "I don't want to see that happen in Teton Valley."




Their attack on air pollution includes finding new ways to power cars and trucks.




Alternative fuel vehicles are already being used by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory for commuters to the site from Idaho Falls and other locations. Yellowstone National Park also has a prototype 27-seat bus that was developed by engineers at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. It can run on biodiesel or natural gas.




In addition to relieving congestion on the park's 350 miles of roads, the new vehicle could also lessen pollution caused by almost three million visitors annually.




Idaho Falls Mayor Linda Milam laid the groundwork for the regional membership in the national coalition back in 1997 when she first heard about the national group, that is made up primarily of urban areas already fighting air pollution.




City leaders went to their counterparts throughout the region in communities like Driggs, Jackson and Cody, Wyo. and Bozeman, Mont. to create a three-state group the size of Connecticut with 260,000 residents and 80 percent of the land in federal hands.




"You seldom get a coalition that is exclusively in a rural area because there is a lot of funding attached to the clean cities program," said Jon Lear, deputy coordinator of the regional effort to join the Clean Cities Coalition.




"Rather than taking an urban area where there is already an air quality problem, the effort here is to try to preserve something significant to the Greater Yellowstone area," he said.

Yellowstone tourism season strong

Yellowstone tourism season strong




CODY, Wyo. (AP) - Tourism was strong for Yellowstone National Park and Park County this summer, according to tourism officials.


That's in contrast with places like Grand Canyon and Death Valley, where tourism has been down this year.




"We're almost an island in some respects," said Rick Hoeninghausen, director of sales and marketing for Yellowstone National Park lodges.




Two Cody attractions reported especially high visitation through August. Attendance was up nearly 20 percent at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, which opened its new Draper Museum of Natural History on June 4, and attendance increased nearly 11 percent for the Cody Nite Rodeo.




Both the historical center and the Park County Travel Council boosted their marketing efforts this year, the Cody Enterprise reports.

Teton land swap approved by Congress

Teton land swap approved by Congress


By The Associated Press




The U.S. House on Tuesday approved a land exchange between the state of Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park.




The bill, passed by a voice vote, heads to President Bush's desk.




Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., sponsored the measure, which was passed by the Senate last October.




The proposal would allow the state to trade 1,406 acres of state school land and mineral interests within the park to the National Park Service. In exchange, the state would receive federal money and land elsewhere of equal value.




Money raised through the trade would go to Wyoming's school land trust, earnings of which help pay for K-12 education.




"Wyoming's children deserve the benefit of Wyoming's lands, and this bill helps deliver that benefit," Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., said in a release.




When Wyoming was granted statehood, the federal government gave it scattered parcels of trust lands for the benefit of schools. The parcels in Thomas' bill were later surrounded when Grand Teton National Park was created and their use was limited.




The state has been leasing the lands for grazing and wildlife protection, raising about $2,000 annually. Absent an appraisal, state officials have guessed their value on the open market would be about $100 million.




Three parcels of land and a 40-acre tract of subsurface mineral interests would be exchanged.




The mineral interest is in the northern part of the park near Jackson Lake. The smallest parcel, 86 acres, is across the Snake River from the Jackson Hole Airport.




The two largest parcels, 640 acres each, are in the southern and eastern portions of the park near some of the park's roads.




The bill is S. 1105.




----

Update from the Field 10/03/02


Update from the Field 10/03/02




Buffalo Supporters,




As the snow falls to the ground outside, my tears follow. Yesterday marks the earliest buffalo being killed in Buffalo field Campaign's five year history. Three bull buffalo were less than one half mile outside Yellowstone National Park and now lay dead in a slaughterhouse. Last week all cattle in the area were loaded up and taken out of the area , to pastures where they spend most of the year. The Montana Department of Livestock (DOL), the agency that killed the three buffalo, did not even test for brucellosis before shipping them to slaughter. In their own press release they stated they have hazed these bulls at least seven times. All these hazing operations were conducted while the cattle were present. It makes no sense that buffalo are killed when the cows will not be back here until June 2003. The DOL's actions attest to the fact that the current slaughter has nothing to do with disease control. How long shall the people of Montana and the United States fund this senseless destruction of the only continuously wild bison population in the world?




Each winter I watch the MDOL fly their helicopters 20 feet off the ground terrifying all in their path. I watched 300 trumpeter swans take flight as a helicopter flew into their feeding grounds. Trumpeter swans are listed as sensitive under the Endangered Species Act. All wildlife are affected when helicopters, snowmobiles, ATVs, 4 by 4 trucks, and horses roar into their habitat. Winter is also the time when animals need to be conserving energy, not being constantly chased. The DOL have no training in wildlife biology or management yet they run the circus out here. The Park Service and the DOL are now saying that the buffalo herd has grown to 4,045, up from last year's estimated 3,300 to 3,500. With 202 buffalo killed last year, not counting the pregnant moms as two, this year looks to be a very difficult one for the buffalo.




Our Governor, Judy Martz, continues to slander environmentalists as "eco-terroists" while she applauds the extractive industries. "There's not a one of you in this room that isn't a true environmentalist," she told representatives from Exxon-Mobil, ARCO, Burlington Northern, and Smurfit-Stone Container on Tuesday. -- some of Montana's worst polluters.




Call Governor Martz and tell her you do not support the slaughter of America's last wild, genetically pure bison. Demand protection for the bison of Yellowstone National Park and Montana. Call, fax, and email Governor Martz today!




In Montana:1-800-332-2272


out of state (406) 444-3111


fax406) 444-4151


email: jdelger@state.mt.us




This year is looking to be the hardest one yet. We need your help more than ever. Funds are getting low, we continue to gather firewood, and patrols have started up again. Our ability to be here has always relied upon the people and the people have always made us real. We thank you for supporting us through the years and pray for the day when our work is no longer needed.




With the Buffalo,




Mike Mease






------------------------------------




Kitchen Update and Request






Dear buffalo people,




Another winter season of feeding the defenders of the last wild free-roaming bison is upon us. This means that soon loads of hungry volunteers will be arriving on our doorstep ready to sacrifice for the bison . This year some changes are taking place that require us to reach out and ask for help so that we can feed the people and stay strong. The wonderful folks of Seeds of Peace who have for many years provided kitchen equipment and served incredible meals to hundreds of volunteers here will no longer be providing this service. Seeds will remain part of the BFC family and many of the same cooks will be gracing us with their talents, but starting this winter the coordination of the kitchen will be the responsibility of the campaign. We want to thank Seeds for all their love and dedication to this campaign and to all the other causes they continue to serve and support.




Because Seeds will be needing their kitchen equipment, and we need to be functioning in just a few weeks, WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF INDUSTRIAL/RESTAURANT QUALITY KITCHEN EQUIPMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




We serve four plus meals a day, every day from November to June, to an average of 20 to 60 people. It's a lot of food, a lot of work , a lot of love, and is central to the well-being of everyone and all that we do here. Anyone who would like to help us out and donate and or purchase any of the items on the following list WE WOULD LOVE YOU FOR IT. Please let us know as soon as possible if you can make a donation.




THE KITCHEN IS THE HEART OF EVERY HOME AND COMMUNITY. Please help us keep our hearts strong.






10 and 20 qt. stainless steel pots and lids




regular kitchen size stainless pots and pans with lids




industrial size wok and sautee/fry pans




regular kitchen size heavy duty sautee pans




hotel pans with lids (all sizes)




industrial sized coffee grinder




kitchen-aid mixer




industrial strength food processor




industrial strength juicer




large meat grinder




Cambro containers for transporting hot food to the field




pressure cooker




large insulated hot pots for liquids




large chest type freezer




non-aluminum baking sheets and pizza pans




gas oven/range






Thanks and blessings for the buffalo,




Amani




Kitchen Coordinator


Buffalo Field Campaign






-------------------------------------------




"We are the watchers. We are the witnesses. We see what has gone before. We see what happens now, at this dangerous moment in human history. We see what's going to happen, what will surely happen unless we come together---we , the Peoples of all Nations---to restore peace, harmony and balance to the Earth, our Mother."




--Chief Arvol Looking Horse


-------------------------------------------




Buffalo Field Campaign


PO Box 957


West Yellowstone, MT 59758


(406) 646-0070


www.wildrockies.org/buffalo






Buffalo Field Campaign


(formerly Buffalo Nations)


PO Box 957


West Yellowstone, MT 59758


406-646-0070 phone


406-646-0071 fax


buffalo@wildrockies.org


www.wildrockies.org/buffalo


For The Buffalo


*******************************************************************


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Send news submissions or problems to: mailto:stop-the-slaughter@wildrockies.org




************************************************************************


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News Submissions or Problems: mailto:bfc-media@wildrockies.org

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Weather helps Grand Teton prescribed burns

Weather helps Grand Teton prescribed burns




MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) - Favorable weather helped fire crews carry out two prescribed burns in Grand Teton National Park.


The goal of the burns was to reduce fuel for wildfires and to improve wildlife habitat, according to park officials.




One burn Sept. 28 covered about 120 acres of sagebrush between Gros Ventre Road and the Gros Ventre River west of Kelly.




"Now there will be a buffer area west of town," park spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs said. "In the event we get a lightning strike out there it will help us defend the town of Kelly."




The fire was originally planned for last spring but was not carried out because the weather was so dry and hot.




A 1,700-acre burn was also completely recently on Wolff Ridge south of Moran. The goal of that fire was to burn aging aspen and sagebrush.




Aspen depend on fire and other disturbances to regenerate. Wyoming has lost half its aspen stands over the past 100 years due to fire suppression.

Gardiner native in Gonzaga University production of "See How They Run"


Gonzaga Univesity to present British farce 'See How They Run'




Gonzaga University will present Philip King's hilarious "See How They Run" starting Oct. 25. This jolly show is action-packed and filled with slapstick comedy. The production is directed by Janis Waley with scenic design by John Hofland and costume designs by Summer Berry.




The audience will be invited into the private home of the local village vicar of 1948. This is a story of mistaken identities, misplaced affections and an escaped Russian spy. The cast of characters includes an American actor and actress, a cockney maid, English vicars, an Army sergeant and - of course - the Russian spy. The actors are constantly moving in and out the set creating a lively show that will keep the audience guessing as to who is doing what.




Tickets went on sale Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. Opening night is Oct. 25. Show dates are Oct. 25-26, Nov.1-2 at 7:30 p.m. Matinees will be performed on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students. Group rates for 20 or more are available. For more information please contact Summer Berry at (509) 323-3606 or via E-mail at berry@gonzaga.edu




or the Russell Theatre Box Office at 323-6553.




# # #




See How They Run Cast List




Miss Skillon: Jessica Derakhshandeh, Renton, Wash. ~ Holy Names Academy




Tower: Kris Feely, Lynnwood, Wash. ~ Archbishop Murphy High School


Humphrey: Nick Gerrone, Portland, Ore. ~ La Salle High School


Bishop: Kevin Goff, Englewood, Colo. ~ Cherry Creek High School


Clive: Chris Harris, Tigard, Ore. ~ La Salle High School


Penelope: Alexis Hudson, Yellowstone Park, Wyo. ~ Gardiner High School


Lionel: Jon Olson, McMinnville, Ore. ~ McMinnville High School


Intruder: Jack Sheehy, San Francisco ~ St. Ignatius College Preparatory


Ida: Angela Wall, Springfield, Ore. ~ Thurston High School








Director and Designer Biographies




Director Janis Waley. Waley earned a bachelor's degree in speech and theatre from Washington State University. She also earned a master's degree in theatre from Western Washington University, and a doctorate in theatre history from WSU. She has been active in the Spokane area at Spokane Civic Theatre and various community theatres. She has produced, directed, acted and designed eight seasons for the Rouge players along with her husband Marvin. In 2000, she directed "Joyful Noise" and in 2002 returned to GU to direct the award-winning "Once Upon a Mattress."




Scenic Designer John Hofland. Hofland, who heads the GU theatre arts program, earned a master's degree in theatre design from Trinity University. He joined Gonzaga in 1999 after teaching and designing at Dordt College for 16 years. Hofland's past credits include working in Ukraine with the Kharkov Puppet Theatre, at The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and the Pacific Theatre in Vancouver, B.C. among others.




Costume Designer Summer Berry. Berry graduated from WSU with a bachelor's degree in clothing and textile design/theatre arts. Upon graduation she was master stitcher for the Seattle Repertory Theatre. From there, she moved to the East Coast - continuing to design and build costumes, custom clothing, bridal gowns and tailoring. A native of Washington state, she was excited to join Gonzaga in 2000. She also handles public relations for theatre and is an adjunct instructor.




'See How They Run' Factoids










This will be Nick Gerrone's and Chris Harris' 10th performance together. They have participated in theater since attending La Salle High School in Portland, Ore. together. The tradition continued in college as roommates who are active in the theatre department. Nick and Chris are juniors at Gonzaga.




This show marks the third time that Chris Harris and Nick Gerrone have worked with Janis Waley. Their first show together was "Joyful Noise." They were reunited last winter with "Once Upon a Mattress." The Tradition continues with "See How They Run."




Of the nine cast members, only four are upperclassmen. The remaining five are in the freshmen class - a talented one it is.




Only three members of "See How They Run" are theater majors, while three other members of the cast are theater minors.





--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Update from the Field 10/10/02

In this Issue:




* Update from the Field - DoL Retaliate


* Thanks to our young supporters!


* Press Release 10/10/02


* Please pass this on to 3 friends in honor of the 3 wild buffalo that were killed last week and ask them to subscribe - it's simple just have them send an email to mailto:Stop-the-Slaughter-on@vortex.wildrockies.org and they can receive these updates - only 1/week!




_________


10/10/2002




Greetings Friends of the Buffalo!




One day after the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) suffered a major loss in the court system, they took it out on the buffalo. Today 4 DOL agents using a horse, ATVs and 4 by 4 trucks and wasted untold amounts of tax payer dollars to haze one bull buffalo 6 miles back into Yellowstone Park. Their original plan was to capture the buffalo using a helicopter, but unknown complications stopped its arrival.




The bull decided its own fate by losing the DOL and ran into Yellowstone National Park for safety. In my opinion, the DOL were trying to capture the buffalo today but were once again out smarted by this wise old bull. I'm sure the DOL's press release will state that they were trying to haze the bull into the park, but when you're not proud of your work - you often don't tell the truth.




For the past two weeks DOL have been in the area and have their sights aimed on killing all buffalo that leave the park this year. Their excuse is that the park buffalo population is 4,045, and that is their justification for not bothering with tests and just killing everything. Last years population was guesstimated between 3,300 and 3,500, minus 202 killed (not counting pregnant females as two). So do ya' think that the bulls had calves as well this year to account for this large population increase? (ha ha) This over funded government agency has no background in wildlife biology or management yet wastes hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars to "manage" buffalo annually. Meanwhile Montana's Governor is making huge cuts in education, social programs and many other valuable services. I guess I'm not that surprised since our Governor doesn't have a college degree herself.




We usually don't ask for volunteers until mid November, but we are in need of anyone who would like to come out and join us. Drop us a line for details mailto:buffalo@wildrockies.org. We also are running low on funds so if you can please help with donation - it would sure help. I would also like to thank John Chalinder for donating a van.




This year is on pace to be the toughest one in our five year history, if you have ever wanted to be more involved now is the time.





With the Buffalo,




Mike Mease


BFC


POB 957


West Yellowstone, MT 59758




406-646-0070 phone


406-646-0071 fax




buffalo@wildrockies.org


__________


A special thanks goes out to all our young elementary school allies who have been flooding DoL offices with letters! It's great to know that the DoL has personally responded to your concerns. This is what we call democracy in action. Thanks for all your efforts - Together we can make a difference!




Thanks also to all the kids who have responded with art and poetry for our newsletter contest (see kids page). The art and poems are inspirational to us and help us smile during tough times!


_________




Frustrated State Employees Retaliate Against Lone Wild Buffalo




For Immediate Release October 10,2002 Press Contact : Mike Mease 406.646.0070




While budget cuts hit hard across Montana, Department of Livestock (DoL) employees, frustrated by recent court defeats, wasted tax dollars on hazing a lone buffalo. State employees spent the day on ATVs, a horse and four wheel drive trucks running a lone bull buffalo miles back to the state border. "The operation today was unnecessary and a waste of taxpayers dollars that could have been spent better elsewhere," Mike Mease of the Buffalo Field Campaign stated.




The DoL has been reprimanded several times recently for ignoring Montana constitutional rights. The first incident was when a State District Court judge had to remind them that their records are open to the public since they are a public agency (Right to Know Lawsuit.)




Then, on Tuesday October 8, Joshua Osher had his day in court and was found not guilty by a six person jury in the Gallatin County Justice Court. Department of Livestock agent, Shane Grube, arrested Joshua on May 9, 2002, during a buffalo hazing operation charging that Joshua interfered with the operation. Joshua's trial consisted of testimony from two DoL agents, Shane Grube and Spike Twohy, and two BFC volunteers, Joshua and Laura Babcock. A video of the arrest was also presented at the trial. The same tape had been illegally confiscated by Grube previously.




The trial included Grube and Twohy's denial of the presence of a helicopter over Horse Butte on May 9 that both Joshua and Laura testified was there that day. After examining the evidence, the jury found unanimously that Joshua did not interfere with the operation.




"I couldn't believe that I was arrested. I was exercising my rights to document agency hazing operations and was arrested in an effort to suppress that right. I defended my rights in court and the jury saw the truth. These unlawful violations of our civil rights must stop," Osher said. "It is absurd that a rogue agency can act outside the law and arrest citizens without having any law enforcement training and the jury recognized that."




Another BFC volunteer recently had his case dismissed because of similar shady circumstances. Other trials are still pending for similarly ridiculous arrests.




"Wild buffalo are a symbol of America and yet, the Department of Livestock continues to treat them like domestic cattle. Folks with no wildlife management skills should not be managing these animals. Management activities are costly in more ways than one - they could have unknown impacts on this genetically unique herd," Mease added.




Even the Buffalo Management Plan formulated by public agencies state:




"Repeated hazing in early winter may produce weight loss and poor body condition, which decreases the animals ability to endure the remaining winter." (Volume I, page 762)




-20-




___________________________________________________________




Info regarding the buffalo and how you can help at


http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo




Contributions to BFC are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and support our aggressive, front line, grassroots volunteer work. We put the wild buffalo first! BFC is the only group working 365 days a year in Yellowstone protecting the last free-roaming buffalo.


Update from the Field 10/18/02

Buffalo Field Campaign


News from the Field


October 18, 2002




In this issue:




*Mease's Musings: Montana Won't Leave the Last Wild Buffalo Alone




*New Wildlife Compilation Video Available




*Help Feed the Buffalo Warriors, Donate Kitchen Items!






----------------------------------


Mease's Musings




As the sun breaks over the horizon on another beautiful crisp morning, a new gift has arrived back in our ecosystem. The trumpeter swans grace us once again with their elegant presence. Trumpeters are listed as sensitive under the endangered species act and it is estimated that there are at most 2000 left in the world. Over 500 winter here near West Yellowstone. In previous years, we have watched and video documented a DOL helicopter spook and make over 300 of them relocate. A badger has also been sighted close to one of our patrols and the river otters are once again dancing on the thin ice of Duck Creek Pond. All the animals' coats are growing in thick and the bears are filling their bellies, readying themselves for a long winters slumber.




This week marks the third consecutive week in which the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) has disturbed this perfect picture. On Wednesday three DOL agents chased one bull buffalo six miles back into Yellowstone National Park, disturbing all species in the area. The rest of the day was spent with DOL tearing up the area on ATVs. The Yellowstone ecosystem is a gift, it has all of the wildlife present that was here when Europeans first arrived on this content. When a helicopter, ATV, 4 by 4 truck, horse or snowmobile enters an ecosystem it disrupts all creatures in the vicinity, not just the buffalo. This Yellowstone ecosystem does not belong to the state of Montana. It is a gift to be shared by all of us and the responsibility of protecting it for future generations falls upon all of us. As I watch, yet again, the damage unfold, my heart grows heavy. We the people are the only hope for change, so please voice your outrage and let's all work together to leave this precious gift for the children of all species.




With the Buffalo, Mike Mease




PS


We are in desperate need of a VCR that records. If anyone has one that they are trying to get rid of please send it our way. Please give us a call or e-mail before you do so that we don't receive more than we can use, thanks. --MM




----------------------------------




Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers and BFC Release Native Wildlife Video Compilation




"Why We Exist" is a half hour tour in the field with Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers and their allies working on the frontlines to protect Yellowstone's wild buffalo herd. (28:45)




Plan B, The Buffalo's Alternative contains information on a scientific, biologically based plan to allow buffalo to roam freely throughout the Yellowstone ecosystem. (6:35)




Buffalo Bull is a documentary of the controversy surrounding the capturing and killing of America's last wild free roaming herd of buffalo. The video combines footage shot in the field over the past ten years with interviews with local residents, politicians, activists, spiritual leaders, and government officials. (50:15)




Little Buffalo is a moving music video created by Michael Mease and Folk Singer Bryan Flaig. (4:00)




Wild Bison PSA two, 30-second public service announcements for wild bison. (1:00)




ROAM is a video created by Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers for young kids who love buffalo. (12:05)




The Big Bad Wolf In the early 1990's the Yukon government initiated a slaughter of wild wolves at the behest of trophy hunters who view the wolves as competitors for big-game caribou. This video is an international plea from Friends of the Wolf to let the wolves live wild and free. (10:30)




A Future for the Grizzly? Each year in British Columbia as many as 700 grizzlies are killed. The government has yet to conduct a scientific population study of the grizzly who may number as few as 3,000. The Great Bear is losing habitat to logging, mining, oil and gas drilling, road building, human habitation, and their lives to trophy hunters and illegal poachers alike. First Nations, biologists, and activists speak to the question: Is there a future for the grizzly bear? (21:05)






Ordering Info - For a copy of our Native Wildlife compilation video, we ask that you send a sliding fee donation of $15-$35 based on your ability to pay.




Your donation allows Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers to continue offering environmental and human rights videos to the public, and to provide free videos for educators, students and elders. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.




Send checks to: CMCR POB 7941 Missoula, MT 59807 Buffalo Field Campaign Programs POB 957 West Yellowstone, Montana 59758








----------------------------------




A Note from the Kitchen




Many thanks to all the folks who have responded so quickly to our requests for kitchen equipment!! We have received many of the items we are in need of but our wish list is still considerable. With hazing operations already in full swing we need to be able to have the kitchen ready immediately so that people can be well fed to put their energy into patrols. If you can donate any of the items on this list please let us know with a phone call or an e-mail as soon as possible!




Thanks for the love and kindness,




Amani...kitchen coordinator




10 and 20 quart stainless steel stockpots with lids




Stainless steel hotel pans with lids (deep and regular size)




20-24" professional sautee pans




Large stainless steel pressure cooker




Industrial strength food processor (robocoup)




Kitchen Aid mixer




Champion juicer Large peanut grinder to (make our own peanut butter)




Industrial size coffee grinder




4 lg. hot pots for transporting hot liquids




2-4 quality cleavers




Non-aluminum hot water maker(for tea)




Large stainless coffee percolator






----------------------------------




Buffalo Field Campaign


PO Box 957


West Yellowstone, MT 59758


406-646-0070 phone


406-646-0071 fax


buffalo@wildrockies.org

Update from the Field 10/24/02


Buffalo Field Campaign


Update From the Field


October 24, 2002





Greetings Buffalo Supporters,




As the 5:45 AM alarm pulls me out of my warm tipi bed this morning, two inches of fresh snow extinguish my hopes for a delayed winter. After a quick cup of black tea I am out the door and on patrol. Locating the lone bull buffalo in the frosty dawn, the morning's peace is quickly shattered by the arrival of three agents from the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL). The agents quickly wake the old bull with their noisy engines and he is not amused. He jumps up and snorts, hops his heavy body around, and swings his back end from side to side, catching air in the process.




As the agents' horse and 4x4 trucks close in the buffalo darts off toward the woods. The bull rakes his head through small trees eyeing the DOL agents all the while. At one point he takes off running and then suddenly turns in a new direction, on a dime, with the grace of a butterfly. But this butterfly weighs more than a ton.




As the DOL agents chase the bull down a private road two Buffalo Field Campaign video cameras document their every move. Landowners come out of their houses, tell the DOL agents that they are trespassing, then return to their homes to call the police. In and around West Yellowstone the buffalo have many friends, the DOL few. Still the authorities do the dirty work of the DOL. When BFC volunteers trespass we are immediately sent to the Bozeman jail. But the law won't come down on the trespassing agents, as the livestock industry still controls Montana. This type of selective law enforcement is the standard in these parts.




We are very thankful that the old bull is still alive. The DOL left him alone after hazing him to Yellowstone. But he will be back. This morning's snowfall was just a taste of what's to come. In the coming months Yellowstone will fall under a deepening blanket of snow and the buffalo, seeking survival, will leave the park for the surrounding lowlands, where they can access the grass from which their bodies are built. When they do they will find themselves in the cross-hairs of Montana's rifles, and many will likely be slaughtered. We will be here with the buffalo to protect them, to the best of our ability, and to share their stories with you. Together we will make a difference.




A special thanks to all of the people helping us get our kitchen set up and to those who have contacted us to donate VCRs. If you have ever thought about coming out to volunteer, please come this year. It's going to be a difficult one and we need all the help we can get. Thank you all for continuing to spread the word of the buffalo and for your never-ending support.






With the Buffalo,




Mike Mease






Buffalo Field Campaign


PO Box 957


West Yellowstone, MT 59758


406-646-0070 phone


406-646-0071 fax


buffalo@wildrockies.org


www.wildrockies.org/buffalo






----------------------------------




A Note from the Kitchen




Many thanks to all the folks who have responded so quickly to our requests for kitchen equipment!! We have received many of the items we are in need of but our wish list is still considerable. With hazing operations already in full swing we need to be able to have the kitchen ready immediately so that people can be well fed to put their energy into patrols. If you can donate any of the items on this list please let us know with a phone call or an e-mail as soon as possible!




Thanks for the love and kindness,




Amani...kitchen coordinator




10 and 20 quart stainless steel stockpots with lids




Stainless steel hotel pans with lids (deep and regular size)




20-24" professional sautee pans




Large stainless steel pressure cooker




Industrial strength food processor (robocoup)




Kitchen Aid mixer




Champion juicer Large peanut grinder to (make our own peanut butter)




Industrial size coffee grinder




4 lg. hot pots for transporting hot liquids




2-4 quality cleavers




Non-aluminum hot water maker(for tea)




Large stainless coffee percolator




*******************************************************************


Join the stop-the-slaughter listserve! Just click on the link below:


Subscribe: mailto:stop-the-slaughter-on@vortex.wildrockies.org


Send news submissions or problems to: mailto:stop-the-slaughter@wildrockies.org





--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Re: Update from the Field 10/24/02

Buffalo Field Campaign


Update From the Field


October 31, 2002




-----------------------




Mease's Musings




Have you ever just stared up into a snowstorm? Well today, I think I spent too much time doing it. I have always known that each snowflake has its own pattern and is different from all the others. Today I concentrated on how each one's flight is also unique. Some come down straight, some sway, some come sideways, some start down then go up and then back down, expressing their own freedom of flight. There is no controlling the freedom of a snowflake. Unfortunately, if you have four hooves and you leave an arbitrary manmade boundary your freedom is limited.




Some of us two leggeds do not have much freedom either, and local law enforcement officials here in West Yellowstone Montana make sure of it. In our efforts to document the slaughter of the only free ranging buffalo with continuously wild ancestry, our rights seem to be nonexistent. This week marked the third time in recent months that an illegally arrested BFC volunteer had his charges thrown out of court. Vince Godby, arrested in May for trying to document the buffalo slaughter, had to waste six months of his life dealing with this illegal arrest before his charges were dropped. Meanwhile the guilty sheriff still walks the streets and continues his unlawful ways.




On the front lines the DOL gave the taxpayers a break this week, they only had one agent down here in West Yellowstone most of the week. The weather kept him indoors and in front of his TV for most of the time, with a couple of recons to justify his presence. On Thursday another agent showed up, disturbing the taxpayer funded vacation of the other agent. Today, once again a lone bull buffalo was pushed by DOL back towards the Park from Horse Butte. BFC volunteers followed the operation until the agents trespassed onto one of our supporters' yards. When we told them they were trespassing on a "buffalo safe zone" and that the owner did not want them there, the DOL lied and said that they had permission. This marks the second straight week in which DOL agents have violated private property rights and trespassed where they are not welcome. The local police have been informed and still have done nothing. The word justice around here seems to mean "just us." The good news is that once again the wise old bull buffalo outsmarted the DOL and disappeared into the woods.




Until the buffalo are once again free we will stand strong with them.




With the Buffalo,




Mike Mease






-----------------------




The response to our requests for kitchen equipment continues to be wonderful. A special thanks to Francis Carroll who sent us a brand new stainless steel coffee percolator and three big pots.....what an incredible act of kindness! Francis please contact us with your address so we can send you a proper thank you.




We are in full swing with food production and things are getting easier as the supplies come in, but we could still use a few things. Write to buffalo@wildrockies.org if you'd like to help supply our kitchen. If you can help in any way please let us know. Whatever you can give will be put to heavy use for years to come.




Thanks again to all you wonderful folks out there who love the buffalo.




Amani...kitchen coordinator






-----------------------




Greetings! Friend of the Buffalo -


Just a reminder that BFC is a grassroots group. That means you and your efforts are vital to help us truly protect the last wild buffalo. With winter settling in, please take a moment and evaluate what you can commit to doing for the Buffalo!




Can you commit to:


* one letter and one 37 cent stamp a week to write an official responsible for this travesty?


* 2 weeks in West Yellowstone?


* asking a local business to host a Bucks for Buffalo spare change jar?


* hosting a showing of our video and distributing newsletters in your community?


* collecting computer cartridges and recycling them for the buffalo?


* passing these updates on to your friends and family and newsgroups that you are on?


* posting a link to our website?


* holding a fundraiser for the buffalo?




Each of these actions can help! We don't have any fancy offices or high paid staff - just dedicated volunteers working 365 days a year to win true protection for the last wild buffalo. Contact us with any questions or ideas. Together we can make a difference!




Thank you.




Respectfully,




Su Gregerson




buffalo@wildrockies.org


www.wildrockies.org/buffalo


For The Buffalo

Poaching plague spreads to Arco area


Poaching plague spreads to Arco area






ARCO- Just like the old saying, "Bad news travels fast", so it seems thepoaching plague is spreading across the state as the hunting seasons unfold. While the overwhelming majority of hunters are true ethical sportsmen, a small


highly visible number of unethical people with firearms continue to cause problems. This time, two bull elk were shot and left to rot around October 19, 2002 near Arco, Idaho.




Conservation Officers are asking the public to provide any information possible regarding the case of these two bull elk that were shot and left to rot. According to Conservation Officer Barring Cummings, "The animals were shot about 15 miles from Howe, on the east side of the highway, near Uncle Ike Canyon." The animals were about a week old when reported to IDFG, placing the poaching on or about Saturday, October 19th.




Anyone who was in the area and saw any suspicious activity should contact the CAP Hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Caller can remain anonymous and rewards are possible.





--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Update from the Field 11/7/02

Buffalo Field Campaign News From the Field November 7, 2002




In this issue:




*Update from the Field




*The Cook's corner




*Citizen's Buffalo Petition -- We need your help!




----------------------------------




*Update from the Field






Today marks the eleventh day a young man sits in jail in Missoula Montana for nonviolently resisting an illegal arrest. Randall "Locust" Mark is serving a 57 day sentence and will be released at the end of the year. Locust was under house arrest for three months prior to his trial and was ordered to stay at least 100 miles from the Yellowstone buffalo. He was restricted from National Forest lands hundreds of miles from where his arrest took place.




At the sentencing, the prosecutor asked the judge to give Locust six months to deter his friends from, "...engaging in like acts of civil disobedience." Locust is in the process of appealing Judge Erikson's sentence, but he'll be in jail until the court gets around to hearing his appeal. Randal is vegan and his dietary needs are not being met by the jail so he has gone without food for the past eleven days.




Locust has been a BFC volunteer for many years.




He needs your support. Please write him and let him know that his actions have made a difference. Write to:




Randall Mark


Missoula County Detention Center


2340 Mullan Road


Missoula, MT 59808






Meanwhile, down here on the home front, three DOL agents have been busy wasting tax dollars. When they're here they drive around for hours in 4X4 Dodge pickups burning gas and being dodged by wise bull buffalo. Speeding off road vehicles along the Yellowstone boundary, riding horses in the park, and wasting hours in front of the TV, the DOL agents have been vacationing all week with your tax dollars. At least they didn't find any buffalo to harass. Montana's budget crisis has brought deep cuts to education and social programs, but the DOL's bison slaughter budget grows every year. With innocent people crowding our jails and all eyes aimed at war, it can be difficult to focus attention on the buffalo. As long as the senseless slaughter and harassment continues we'll be here.




With the Buffalo,




Joshua Osher & Mike Mease






----------------------------------




*The Cook's Corner




Fortunately here in the kitchen we are blessed to see an incredible use of energy being put in a positive direction. The extended buffalo family has really been coming through, demonstrating what powerful potential generosity and community have in making things happen. We crossed a few more items on our needs list again this week and are very, very grateful to Deana Winstrop who has donated funds for us to purchase several important items we really need. Thanks again to everyone who has responded and to everyone who sends their love and prayers to the buffalo.




Amani








BFC Kitchen Needs:




20 quart stainless steel stockpots with lids




Stainless steel hotel pans with lids (deep and regular size)




20-24" professional saute pans




Large stainless steel pressure cooker




Kitchen Aid mixer




Large Champion juicer




Industrial sized coffee grinder




4 Large hot pots for transporting hot liquids




Various sizes of Cambros for containing and transporting hot meals




Non-aluminum hot water maker(for tea)






----------------------------------






*Citizen's Buffalo Petition -- We need your help




Call.




Write a letter.




Send an email.




Good news for the Common Sense Citizens Buffalo petition - On October 28 Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Becky Heath informed Senator Max Baucus (MT) that the Forest Service would finally get around to addressing the concerns of the more than 180,000 petition signatories who are concerned over the mismanagement of the last herd of continuously wild, free roaming buffalo. She has promised to response by November 15.




This is the wording of the petition: "We sign this petition demanding that the wild, free roaming buffalo of the Yellowstone ecosystem be truly protected for future generations. They must be recognized as a genetically unique herd and allowed to roam on habitat that is their traditional birthright."




More information on citizen efforts to get agencies to take a look at this issue is available at: http://www.wildrockies.org/buffpet/ Signatures are still being collected and we will continue sending them until we are heard. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Secretary of Agriculture Ann Venneman and Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth all continue to ignore citizen demands.




Please invest five minutes in a phone call or 37 cents and a letter and contact Becky and let her know that the Gallatin National Forest should provide adequate habitat for this important wildlife species and that the Gallatin Forest Plan should acknowledge buffalo. This is an important issue to the people of the world and we must let public officials know our concerns.




Becky Heath can be reached at: Supervisor's Office POB 130 Bozeman, MT 59771 Phone: 406-587-6702 Fax: 406-587-6758 bjheath@fs.fed.us




Buffalo Field Campaign


PO Box 957


West Yellowstone, MT 59758


406-646-0070 phone


406-646-0071 fax


buffalo@wildrockies.org


www.wildrockies.org/buffalo


Update from the Field 11/14/02

Buffalo Field Campaign

News From the Field

November 14, 2002




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* New Features on BFC Website



* The Cook's corner



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field



As the snow settles in on us around Hebgen Lake, many of our extended buffalo family are finding their way back home. Coordinators and volunteers are filling the cabin as we prepare for winter. While we rejoice in the warmth we share catching up with friends and settling into our home, the buffalo face a cold and difficult winter seeking food in their traditional migrations. Our hopes and prayers are with them now.



While tomorrow is the start of the official field season, patrols have been in the field for weeks already. Three bull buffalo, which cannot transmit brucellosis, were killed on October 3, and hazing has been a weekly disturbance for the buffalo. Just two days ago two DOL agents, returning after a restful Veteran's Day weekend, launched immediately

into a hazing operation. Two bulls were hazed from Duck Creek through a private wood fence and into the Park. While many Americans honored those that gave their lives in past wars, the Buffalo Wars rage on, slaughtering another symbol of our country and leaving few wise old buffalo veterans in peace.



With the buffalo,



Ted Fellman & Jonas Ehudin

Media Coordinators

Buffalo Field Campaign



----------------------------------



*New Features on BFC Website



We are proud to announce that the Buffalo Field Campaign can now accept donations online through a secure site. Many of you have requested this service & now we've aligned ourselves with a reputable nonprofit service that will protect the privacy of our donors. We are a small grassroots group and we hope that this will make it easier for you to support our work!



Please take a moment and check this out -

http://www.wildrockies.org//buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html



Supporter to Supporter
-

In other internet news - some of our committed grassroots supporters are offering special items to help support our work. One such upcoming event is an ebay auction to Save the Buffalo!



A caring supporter, O'Ceallaigh Originals, will auction off a very special Father Christmas on Ebay to benefit the Buffalo Field Campaign. Information on this one of a kind item and the auction are also at http://www.wildrockies.org//buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html. (thanks Melanie!!)



Please send any feedback to me at bfc-programs@wildrockies.org and I hope that this new service is beneficial.



And last but not least - Thank you to everyone who has helped out with a donation as we gear up for a busy winter. We spend funds frugally and don't have any fancy offices or high paid staff - just dedicated folks working to protect the last wild free roaming buffalo and their habitat for future generations. We can't be here without YOU!



Thanks,

For the Buffalo,

Su

Buffalo Field Campaign Programs

POB 957

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758



Donations are tax deductible and go directly to front lines work. BFC is the only group in the field 365 days a year with the last, free roaming buffalo.



----------------------------------



* The Cook's Corner



Howdy folks. The volunteers have been rallying for the buffalo despite a virus making the rounds. We have a lot of folks here and that's good, but it makes for easy transfer of illnesses. To keep everyone healthy, we try to distribute herbal and homeopathic remedies, however we have very few supplies to work with currently. It's going to be a long cold winter and we need to stay physically strong to be out in the field everyday. If you can help us stock up on any healing remedies, please let me know. Thanks for the love.



With the Buffalo,



Amani





BFC Kitchen Needs:



20 quart stainless steel stockpots with lids



Stainless steel hotel pans with lids (deep and regular size)



20-24" professional saute pans



Large stainless steel pressure cooker



Kitchen Aid mixer



Large Champion juicer



Industrial sized coffee grinder



4 Large hot pots for transporting hot liquids



Various sizes of Cambros for containing and transporting hot meals



Non-aluminum hot water maker(for tea)

Snowmobiles back on Jackson Lake

Snowmobiles back on Jackson Lake



JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - Public outcry has prompted the reopening of Jackson Lake to snowmobile use this winter, National Park Service officials say.



However, snowplanes still will not be allowed on the lake beginning Dec. 15.



The Park Service still plans to eventually prohibit snowmobile use on Jackson Lake but will now phase-out the snowmachines beginning in the 2003-2004 winter, park officials said Wednesday. Snowmobiles are used on the lake by people who ice fish.



The Wyoming Game and Fish Department lauded the move.



"We've been managing Jackson Lake as a trophy game fishery for a long, long time and we want to continue doing that," said Vern Stelter, a habitat protection biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. "With the snowmobile ban, people wouldn't have been able to get really out onto the lake and now they can."



Stelter said the lake is a popular ice-fishing spot for area and regional anglers and that the majority of ice-fishing at Jackson Lake takes place because people can use snowmobiles to access the center and outer reaches of the lake.



The National Park Service received a lot of public outcry since it announced in October that the agency was implementing snowmobile and snowplane prohibitions, Yellowstone spokeswoman Marshe Karle said.

Thomas pleased with snowmobile rules

Thomas pleased with snowmobile rules



CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., has applauded the National Park Service for allowing snowmobiles to continue to be used in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.



"This decision affirms the principles I laid out several years ago - that reasonable limits on the number of machines allowed in the parks and cleaner, quieter machines are a crucial part of the new management plan that has been lacking for several years," he said in a release.



"The previous administration put unnecessary restrictions on public access to our parks, and this decision begins to right that wrong while maintaining protection of our unique natural resources.



"I applaud the National Park Service for recognizing how devastating a complete ban would be, and for taking action."



The plan proposes to cap the number of snowmobiles at a level above the current average daily use and to eventually require cleaner burning machines.



The Interior Department released an environmental impact statement Tuesday detailing the plan, which was generally well received by industry and local tourism officials.



The plan is intended to be a compromise between unlimited access wanted by snowmobile makers and users, and a ban that had been proposed by the Clinton administration and supported by environmentalists.



Some environmentalists have said the latest plan does not go far enough in protecting the parks.

Yellowstone poaching still being investigated

Yellowstone poaching still being investigated



YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - Investigators still have not caught up with those responsible for illegally killing an elk in Yellowstone National Park last month.



On Oct. 19, the elk carcass was discovered by park rangers in the area of Roaring Mountain, just north of Norris Junction and well inside the park's boundaries.



Yellowstone spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews said investigators have received one solid lead since news of the poaching broke.



Matthews said anyone else with information should contact the park headquarters.



A $500 reward is being offered for any information on the case.



Killing wildlife inside a national park is a federal offense, that is punishable by a fine of up to $20,000 and five years in prison.

Teton County installs cattle guard covers


Teton County installs cattle guard covers



JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - Teton County is covering up its cattle guards as a way to better protect moose wandering the roadways this winter.



Moose often become trapped on area roads in winter months because snow banks get so high they create tunnels, which gives the animals little room for escape from approaching cars, said Sharon Mader, program director of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation.



Foundation officials worried the animals could break their legs if they ran over the grated cattle guards that line the county's rural roads. They successfully appealed to county commissioners to cover the guards this winter.



"(The ranchers) don't need this cattle guard anymore. This will be a permanent fix," welder Dean May said as he installed a cover on Fish Creek Road near Wilson recently.



At least five moose were killed on the road last winter, though none of the deaths could be directly linked to cattle guards, Mader said.



In addition to the cattle guard covers, foundation officials are talking with commissioners about creating "moose escape ramps."



The idea involves plowing holes into the tall snow walls that form on either side of the road, Mader said. The holes, or ramps, would be located in key areas to allow moose to get off the road.



"The walls get so high in the mid to late winter that there's literally no place for the moose to go," Mader said.



An even bigger problem with no foreseeable solution is how fast motorists drive down the road, she said.



"Every year there are more and more incidents of moose being run down the road by vehicles," Mader said. "People are unfamiliar with or unable to wait until an animal moves off the road."


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Update from the field 11/21/02

Buffalo Field Campaign

News From the Field

November 21, 2002




In this issue:



*Update from the Field--Bull Buffalo Shot this Morning



*Please Take Action!



*Thank You for Supporting BFC



*Media Wish List



*Today's Press Release



----------------------------------



*Update from the Field





Dear buffalo familyŠ



My name is Jonas and I have returned to the campaign this season to work in the media realm. When I first came to this cabin on Hebgen Lake in December of 1999, I was inspired by the people and the energy I encountered here. I was inspired by the buffalo and the slow patience of the herds. I have been involved in various ways since then, and this will be my first full season here. I am grateful for all of your interest and support - I am strengthened by the knowledge that there are so many people out there whose hearts feel the pain of the injustice being done to these sacred beings. I will do my best to keep you all informed as to the current situation, and unfortunately I must warn you that this season looks to be quite hard on the buffalo, and on us all.



This morning, shortly before 9:00 am, a beautiful large bull bison, who had been grazing peacefully for weeks on Horse Butte, was gunned down by an agent of the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL). The agent was not acting alone, as nine other government officials were actively engaged in this atrocity. Our field patrols witnessed the killing from afar, as their movement was limited during the operation. An MDOL agent told us earlier in the day that this was to be a simple hazing operation, which in itself is too much stress to place on a wild animal trying to survive the winter. The sharp crack of the rifle betrayed that lie, and we were left to film the scene and shed tears for our fallen family member.



This was the first buffalo shot dead in the field this season, but he was not the first to be killed. Three other bulls were captured and slaughtered in early October. This has been a hard day for us all, please keep the buffalo in your thoughts and in your hearts. And please get in touch with Becky Heath, Gallatin National Forest Supervisor - today's actions are especially reprehensible in light of her statement below. Thank you all.



For the buffalo,

Jonas Ehudin

Media Coordinator



----------------------------------



Please Take Action -



Today's murder of a bull bison on Gallatin National Forest land is in direct opposition to a report made to Senator Baucus on November 15 by Becky Heath, Forest Supervisor. She wrote:



The Gallatin National Forest, along with four other govt. agencies, is currently managing for bison according to the Interagency Bison Management Plan. The primary goals of the plan are to preserve a population of free-roaming bison and to significantly reduce the risk of bison transmitting brucellosis to cattle. Bison are allowed to roam free on the Gallatin National Forest, where brucellosis is not an issue. There is currently not an active cattle allotment in the Horse Butte area (near West Yellowstone), nor will there be until a National Environmental Policy Act process/document is done for that allotment. There are cattle grazing on private land east of Horse Butte and other areas both west and north of Yellowstone Park. Cattle grazing on private land will continue to be an issue as long as the bison carry brucellosis.



Clearly, the DOL does not share Supervisor Heath's belief that bison are allowed to freely roam in the Gallatin National Forest. Please take a moment to contact her and ask her why she is allowing a Montana state agency to shoot buffalo on lands she has indicated are designated for their use. Let her know that since there are no active cattle allotments on Horse Butte, there is no reason for buffalo to be turned violently away from those lands. Remind her that she conveyed that logic in her own statement.



Becky Heath can be reached at:

Supervisor's Office

POB 130

Bozeman, MT 59771

Phone: 406-587-6702

Fax: 406-587-6758

email: bjheath@fs.fed.us



----------------------------------



Thank You for Supporting BFC!



A hearty thanks to all of you that have supported the buffalo! Letters, phone calls and donations really can help put an end to this craziness! And thanks for the feedback on the new online donation capability.



Thank you also to Gina for the phones and the kitchen supplies. We have already put those items to good use!



Thanks to John Pisarcik who has made a generous offering on our "From Supporter to Supporter Network" where committed (and talented) supporters are providing an opportunity to purchase quality items and support the buffalo. Sustainable gifts...



John is offering prints of "Hope for Buffalo", a limited run of 600 prints. The scene is a quiet moment where two adult buffalo lay and rest as a calf sleeps close by. This drawing was inspired by the majesty and dignity of an animal deserving our every effort towards ensuring its survival.



Please take and moment and check this out! - http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html



--

Buffalo Field Campaign Programs

POB 957

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758



Donations are tax deductible and go directly to front lines work. BFC is the only group in the field 365 days a year with the last, free roaming buffalo.



----------------------------------



Media Wish List



Our mission as media coordinators is to present the plight of Yellowstone's buffalo to the world. Digital videotape and other Internet-compatible technologies have allowed us to reach a far broader audience than ever before. This year, we hope to be able to put our footage and other material onto Digital Video Discs (DVD's), which are easier to send out and hold much more information.



To that end, we are sending out a request for:



* high-speed Digital Video Disc Recorder.



If you can help with all or part of this request, please contact bfc-media@wildrockies.org



Thanks!



----------------------------------



Today's Press Release





Buffalo Field Campaign

P.O. Box 957 West Yellowstone, Mt. 59758

Phone (406) 646-0070 Fax (406) 646-0071

E-mail buffalo@wildrockies.org.

http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo



First Buffalo of Winter Shot by State of Montana



For Immediate Release: November 21, 2002

Contact: Jonas Ehudin, Mike Mease (406) 646-0070



West Yellowstone, MT: A lone bull buffalo that had been foraging on Gallatin National Forest land on the Horse Butte Peninsula for weeks was shot and killed this morning by the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL). Ten government agents, including representatives of the MDOL, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Gallatin County Sheriff's department and the US Forest Service, were involved in the operation. The buffalo was killed under the Interagency Bison Management Plan, which aims to reduce the risk of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle. There has never been a documented case of such transmission in the wild.



"Bison are allowed to roam free on the Gallatin National Forest, where brucellosis is not an issue," said Rebecca Heath, Forest Supervisor for Gallatin National Forest, "There is currently not an active cattle allotment in the Horse Butte area (near West Yellowstone)." Cattle have not grazed on public lands on the Horse Butte Peninsula for over a year. Bull bison are considered to pose a "low risk" of brucellosis transmission by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).



"While recent news reports indicate that the state of Montana will have at least a $20 million budget shortage, it is absurd that the DOL wastes over $1 million per year to haze, capture and kill buffalo which pose no threat to cattle," said Chris Rota, a Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) coordinator. The Bison Management Plan has a $45 million budget for 15 years. "Education and social programs in this state are grossly under-funded, yet there seem to be limitless funds for the slaughter of bison on our public lands," said BFC volunteer Estee Fleming, "We prioritize the livestock industry over the future of our children and the health of this ecosystem."



The Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) is the only group working in the field, everyday, to stop the slaughter of Yellowstone's wild buffalo. Volunteers defend the buffalo on their traditional winter habitat and advocate for their protection. Daily patrols stand with the buffalo on the ground they choose to be on and document every move made against them.



Video footage available upon request.

Update from the Field 11/28/02

Buffalo Field Campaign

News From the Field

November 28, 2002




In this issue:



*Update from the Field--Thankful for the Calm



*Please Take Action!



*Thank You for Supporting BFC



*Last Words





----------------------------------



*Update from the Field





Dear buffalo familyŠ



It has been quieter this week. A new layer of snow has fallen, the ice has proceeded in its yearly march across Lake Hebgen and the buffalo continue to share their calming patience with us in the field. It has not been an uneventful week for them: one bull was hazed across Highway 191 into Yellowstone on Tuesday, in quite a reckless operation. The morning haze and ice-slick roads, combined with the Department of Livestock's (DOL) insistence that a buffalo needed to be chased across the highway, created an extreme hazard for motorists and field patrols alike. Thankfully, there were no accidents. And yesterday, a local DOL agent hazed nine buffalo bulls back into the park, firing over ten "cracker rounds" - explosive concussion charges - at the herd from his shotgun. Imagine you are an animal preparing to face a winter in which the temperature will frequently fall to negative 20 Farenheit and below. Would you appreciate having your winter reserves wasted by the whims of trigger-happy brand inspectors? Me neither.



In other news, Mike Mease will undertake a mini-roadshow in the coming weeks. He will travel to sunny California to spread news of the plight of the Yellowstone bison herd. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, please come see a presentation and video show at 6:00pm on December 9, 2002. The event will be hosted by the Foundation for Deep Ecology - for more information, please call Tracee at 415-229-9339 by December 6th.



And on this day that is set aside for giving thanks, I am grateful to the buffalo. They have taught me much about loyalty and about the sacred. Since last week's murder of a bull bison on Horse Butte, many of our patrols have witnessed something quite profound. The bull's body was driven to the Duck Creek capture facility, where it was skinned and stored in the pens, awaiting transport. Over the next few days, several buffalo made the dangerous trek onto the facility grounds. In what reminded us humans of a mourning gesture, and of a farewell to a fallen brother, the buffalo would stand motionless by the facility for varying lengths of time. Tben, as if they had suddenly finished a deep and meaningful conversation, the buffalo would turn and sprint away from the trap, leaving the killing grounds behind, and continue to run full speed into the safety of the Park. These noble ones reminded me of the grace and dignity that is thrown weekly to the wayside in the name of "wildlife management."



On behalf of all of us here, thank you.



For the buffalo,

Jonas Ehudin

Media Coordinator



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*Please Take Action -



Today's Bozeman Chronicle carried two articles about the Yellowstone bison. In the first, there was much ado about the fact that the herd has actually recovered from the massive slaughter of the winter of '96-'97. To quote the article: "'We're right back to where we were eight years ago,' said Rick Wallen, a biologist who leads Yellowstone's bison ecology and management team. 'Even with all the management actions (killings).'" This ability of the bison to regenerate (somewhat) despite invaders' onslaughts is hardly new, as we can observe if we take a look at the last 150 years or so. Todd O'Hair, natural resources policy advisor for our beloved Governor Judy Martz, threw in his two cents with these gems:



"We're going to have some serious management challenges this winter, no doubt about it,"



and in a second sidebar article:



"Maybe it's time to look at hunts again,"



This person is advising Martz on resource management? If O'Hair's plan for "managing" this bison herd is to increase the number of armed buffalo murderers in the area, then it is our duty to set him straight on the fact that this tactic has been tried and was condemned by national pressure and a threatened boycott. And if we're going to get so excited that the herd has grown to match, "its all time-peak of about about 4,000 animals," then let us remind our dear legislators that the real all-time peak was a herd size of between 50 and 80 million! Let's get the herd back to that state, then talk about hunting.



Alright, enough of my rant. Please take some time this holiday weekend to send off a letter to Todd O'Hair, Natural Resources Policy Advisor for Martz. Let him know that a return to hunting would translate to a sharp increase in the buffalo slaughter, and that is not what the herd needs, ever. Remind him that Montana eliminated the hunt a decade ago due to the unified voice of the public, and that such an outcry would no doubt be repeated should the Martz Administration attempt to reinstate such an atrocity.



Todd O'Hair can be reached at:

State Capitol

Helena, MT 59620-0801

(406) 444-3111



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*Thank You for Supporting BFC!





During this time of being thankful for what we have - I just wanted to give you a quick reminder that one of our supporter's online auction in behalf of BFC is currently underway.

You can check it out at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=733938001&cat egory=1090





and on a blatantly commercialistic note - if you are looking for that "special something" for anyone (or everyone) on your holiday list - our T-shirts and the "hope for Buffalo" print are beautiful and benefit a great cause -

Check then out at :

http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html






John Pisarcik is offering prints of "Hope for Buffalo", a limited run of 600 prints. The scene is a quiet moment where two adult buffalo lay and rest as a calf sleeps close by. This drawing was inspired by the majesty and dignity of an animal deserving our every effort towards ensuring its survival.



Please take and moment and check this out! -

http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html






THANKS! to all of you for your continued support! We couldn't be here without you.

For the future generations of wild free roaming buffalo,

Su

--

Buffalo Field Campaign Programs

POB 957

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758



Donations are tax deductible and go directly to front lines work. BFC is the only group in the field 365 days a year with the last, free roaming buffalo.



----------------------------------



*Last Words



When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting for their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.



- Wendell Berry

Bison in Yellowstone approaching record numbers

Bison in Yellowstone approaching record numbers



BOZEMAN (AP) - Bison in Yellowstone National Park are approaching record numbers and could create problems this winter if they move into Montana to feed, state and National Park Service officials say.



The herd has grown to about 4,000 animals, doubling in size since the spring of 1997, when government shooters and brutal weather cut the herd by more than half.



"We're right back to where we were eight years ago, even with all the management actions (killings)," said Rick Wallen, a biologist who leads Yellowstone's bison ecology and management team.



"It's safe to say there are 3,700 to 4,000 bison in the park," said Cheryl Matthews, Yellowstone spokeswoman.



The numbers suggest a dramatic recovery. During the winter of 1996-1997, government officials shot or shipped to slaughter about 1,300 animals that wandered into Montana. Hundreds more starved.



"We're going to have some serious management challenges this winter, no doubt about it," said Todd O'Hair, natural resources adviser for Gov. Judy Martz.



Yellowstone's bison are infected with brucellosis, a disease that causes domestic cattle to abort and can result in undulant fever in humans.



A bison management plan involving Montana and the Park Service provides more leeway to kill trespassing animals when the park's herd rises above a target population of 3,000 animals.



During the early winter, trespassing bison are first hazed back into Yellowstone. If that doesn't work, the management plan says the animals can be captured and tested for brucellosis, with those testing negative being marked and released and the others sent to slaughter.



If the late winter count by the Park Service, usually done in March, shows the herd is above 3,000, the trespassing animals can be shot or shipped to slaughter without being tested.



Weather conditions, the location of the bison and the timing of their movement will affect decisions on the ground, said Karen Cooper, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Livestock.



Biologist Wallen said the agreement really means officials will work on disease control until the late winter count, and then they can switch to population control.



Hope Sieck, a bison specialist for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said she's worried about the prospect of lots of dead bison this winter.



"The possibility of massive slaughter is dismaying," she said. "The Yellowstone herd is a national treasure and shouldn't be managed in such a manner."



O'Hair of the governor's office said it may be time to again look at hunting the bison.



"As we continue to wrestle with the disease aspect, we have to look at as many aspects as we can," he told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle on Wednesday.



Montana had a bison hunt in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the Legislature eliminated it after a national outcry and a threatened boycott of the state by animal rights groups.

Urgent Update

Buffalo Field Campaign

Urgent Update

December, 1 2002




Greetings friends and supporters,



In a previous e-mail update, we reported that Randall Mark is currently serving a 60-day sentence in Missoula, Montana. Mark, a long-time BFC volunteer, was arrested on April 30, 2002 on Horse Butte, on the 610 road - the same road which witnessed the murder of a bull bison just ten days ago (11/21/02) by the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL). He was standing near a non-violent road blockade of the 610 road, which is used every winter to lead large herds of buffalo to their imprisonment at the Horse Butte capture facility and likely execution in the slaughter house. Randall's arrest -- for not CARRYING ID -- was dismissed, but the fact that he went limp after that false arrest was basis for a 60-day sentence in the judgement of the court.



In the Missoula Detention Facility, where Randall is being held, there are no healthy provisions for vegan prisoners. Mark has followed a vegan diet, which excludes all foods derived from animal sources, for years. The jail serves fruit, vegetables and grains to prisoners who also eat meat, but the vegan option, called "Nutriloaf," is unaccompanied by those important additions. Nutriloaf is a mixture of beans, vegetables and flour that is baked and served by itself. Considered a "punishment food," it is being turned down by Mark, who is requesting a healthy diet.



Randall is on his thirty-fifth day of a hunger strike for healthy food. His spirits are high, but his physical health is in jeopardy. He has trouble standing for longer than fifteen minutes, and his strength is waning. Susan Hintz, who could order him an appropriate diet, feels that Mark is doing fine, even though he has not been visited by one of the jail's doctors.



Randall needs our help now.





Please take immediate action:



******* CALL SUSAN HINTZ AT THE MISSOULA COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY - (406)829-4000



Press "1" , "1" to get through the automatic answering system, then ask to speak to Hintz. Ask her why the jail won't serve Randall Mark an appropriate vegan diet. Tell her that Nutriloaf is a punishment food, and that Randall must not be tortured by starvation. Demand for him a diet of healthy grains and beans, fruit and vegetables. Speak from your heart about what you believe.





******* ATTEND THE RALLY FOR RANDALL AT THE MISSOULA COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY



WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 at 11:30 AM - call (406) 961-0171 for more info. The detention facility is located at 2340 Mullan Road in Missoula (between Reserve and Russell). Please bring a friend and come stand in solidarity with Randall as

he approaches the 40th day of his hunger strike.



COME HELP US GET HIM THE FOOD HE NEEDS.



******* WRITE A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO RANDALL MARK:



MISSOULA COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY

2340 MULLAN RD.

MISSOULA, MONTANA 59808



On behalf of Randall, and all of us, I thank you...



Jonas Ehudin

Media Coordinator, BFC

Re: Yellowstone Newspaper news

Buffalo Field Campaign

News From the Field

December 5, 2002




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* IMPORTANT EMAIL NOTICE



* Special Gift Offer and Thanks to our Supporters



* Help spread the word



* Last Words



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field



Dear friends and supporters...



We are still thankful for the calm of warm days, light snow, and relative quiet in the field. Relative quiet, since yesterday, nine buffalo were hazed back into the Park from around Duck Creek. Here at camp, we are busy both in the field and developing new ideas to complement the field campaign (outreach, education, art, etc.).



We are also pleased to report that Randall Mark, a long-time BFC volunteer and supporter, is being provided with complete vegan meals by the Missoula County Detention Facility. In response to an overwhelming number of phone calls, the jail has begun to offer Mark beans, rice and vegetables. A nurse visited with Mark on Wednesday, the day after his 37-day hunger strike ended. She reported that he is looking and feeling much better and is now ready to shift his focus back to the appeal of the court's ruling in his case. Mark was arrested on Horse Butte last April near the site of a non-violent road blockade of Forest Service Road 610 -- the road which the DOL uses each year to haul hundreds of buffalo to slaughter from the Horse Butte capture facility.



For the buffalo,

Jonas Ehudin and Ted Fellman

Media Coordinators



----------------------------------



* IMPORTANT EMAIL NOTICE



You might notice that this update is a bit later than usual. That's because we had a computer crash this morning and lost all of our email. We are working on getting everything running smoothly again. However, in the meantime we would like to apologize to any of you who have communicated with us through this email address and have not received a response yet. If you do have unanswered questions or requests for information, please send us another email and we will get to it as soon as we can. Also, if in the past month you have sent us press contact information, news articles on the buffalo, offered to do outreach in your town, or some other important information that is still relevant, please resend us an email. Thanks for your understanding and patience.



----------------------------------



* Special Gift Offer and Thanks to our Supporters



We are excited to offer a special gift to supporters who contribute $102 or more. The first 10 donations will receive a "Thunder Hawk" print by Renee Still Day, a Native American political activist. Renee is a long time supporter of BFC, and is active in Pueblo, CO on Native American civil, spiritual and human rights, as well as environmental and wildlife issues. She is also an artist.



The "Thunder Hawk (Oglala Lakota)" prints Renee has donated depict an Oglala Sioux warrior, in honor of the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The warrior carries a "coup" stick. It was much braver for a warrior to get close enough to the enemy to touch them with a coup stick, than it was to kill them. The Oglala respect all life and to take a life for any reason was/is a very serious thing. Even when they killed for food, thanks was given to the animal for offering it's life to the hunter, so that his family could live. We would like to offer our thanks to both Renee and those supporters who take advantage of this special offer.



On that note, thanks to Marjorie for her ongoing support of the campaign. Thanks also to Beverly who visited from Chicago and contributed to our Thanksgiving meal. Thanks as well to Tom & Darlynn for their holiday gift.



Donations can be sent to:



Buffalo Field Campaign Programs

POB 957

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758



Donations are tax deductible and go directly to front lines work. BFC is the only group in the field 365 days a year with the last, free roaming buffalo.



----------------------------------



* Help spread the word



Another way you can help the buffalo is to get the word out to other folk who might be interested, but might not know about the buffalo slaughter. Our weekly email updates are a simple and easy way to keep up-to-date on the plight of the Yellowstone buffalo. We are always looking for ways to get more people involved, so we're putting out a call to our supporters to spread the word and ask your friends and family if they would like to sign up and keep informed.



----------------------------------



* Last Words



And here's an amusing field story from one of our volunteers. While on patrol near Duck Creek, he watched as some buffalo moved near the capture facility. One bull went right up between the DOL vehicles parked in front of the door to the building where the agents base their activities. One agent came outside and was caught completely off guard by the surprise visit. He jumped back and ran for help, once again proving that the bison have a wise sense of humor.

Update from the field 12/12/02

Buffalo Field Campaign

News from the Field

December 12, 2002




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* Take action--write a letter to the editor



* Holiday gift ideas



* Request for warm socks and batteries



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field



Dear friends and supporters...



Thick snow has been falling the past few days, which has been a winter welcome for most of us out here. However, it has also brought more buffalo out of the park. For several days early this week we had around 25 buffalo grazing along the Madison River. For many of us itching for more time in the field it was a return to Madison River patrols. Pushing through the snow on the bluffs along the Madison, you can see all sorts of wild critters. Two days ago, I watched moose and trumpeter swans, as well as that slow moving herd of buffalo dodging in and out of willows and trees, practicing the magic disappearing act of the wise buffalo. Those are the kind of days that inspire us.



Yesterday, however, was an entirely different experience. As early morning darkness gave way to light, our visibility was still obscured by the thick falling snow. Of course, it was hard to miss the motorcade of government rigs gathering in the area--DOL (Livestock), NPS (Park Service), USFS (Forest Service), FWP (Fish, Wildlife & Park), local law enforcement. Six men on horseback eventually rode into the woods along the Madison to flush the buffalo out. The buffalo must've still had a few tricks left since the haze ended up moving south of the river, leaving many of us and the government cheerleaders watching and waiting along the Madison. As it turns out, only about 15 were hazed just over the park boundary in a rather sloppy haze. And for now, all of the buffalo have hidden themselves again.



For many of us, this simple, if sloppy, haze is an ill boding for the season. There has been much news lately, in the Missoulian, Helena IR, Bozeman Chronicle, Billings Gazette, Great Falls Tribune, even the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. Many editorials have been written about the threat of brucellosis, the "record high" number of bison in the park, and new efforts to work together to eradicate disease. So a nice snowy morning horseride haze has the lingering feeling of a public relations show, perhaps a nice guy precursor to more extreme measures being discussed in newspapers and meetings. They have already killed four bison this season, an early start to the slaughter, so we remain skeptical and vigilant as the buffalo begin their yearly challenge to survive a winter of harsh cold, from both the elements and the government.



With the buffalo,

Ted Fellman

Media Coordinator



----------------------------------



* Take action--write a letter to the editor



With all the news about brucellosis and bison "management" lately, we need to keep our side of the issue in the public eye by clearly speaking truth to power. As mentioned above there has been much coverage in the news lately, and very little of it has been balanced. We haven't caught up yet posting articles to our website, but check in soon at: http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/press02/press02.html to read all the latest coverage. Consider writing a letter to the editor in response to an article, or better yet, write one to your local paper on the issue. Our website has lots of information and tips for writing letters. You can also try to pitch a story to your local paper. Or if you have a press contact that you think we should follow up on, just drop us an email.



Below is a reprint of a fairly positive story that appeared in the Missoulian, and a copy of a letter to the editor written in response to an editorial in the Helena Independent Record and reprinted in the Bozeman Chronicle. These serve as examples of the type of stories you could pitch locally or letters that you could write in response to negative coverage (depending on your local situation).





###



If People want Bison, what's the Beef?

Missoulian Editorial Board Opinion

December 6, 2002



SUMMARY: Montana's practice of killing Yellowstone bison is untenable. Perhaps we should step back and search for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity.



A recent report indicating Yellowstone National Park's bison population is approaching record-high numbers has a couple of implications for Montana's policy of laying the beasts low when they leave the park to forage in winter.



First, the wanton slaughter of Yellowstone bison - on the premise that they could infect cattle with disease - doesn't appear likely to wipe out bison in the park. Five years ago, state sharpshooters and a harsh winter combined to kill half of the park's bison. Today, some 4,000 bison roam the park, as many as ever. That is, as many as there's been since the park helped rescue them from extinction a century ago.



Second, shooting bison that leave the park solves nothing. Whatever threat of disease these animals present - minimal, probably - that threat obviously hasn't been diminished despite the killing of thousands of bison. The bison haven't gone away; some of them still carry brucellosis; and state and federal agriculture officials still believe the potential for bison to infect cattle, although debatable, justifies counter-measures lest the state lose its valuable brucellosis-free status. Nothing much has changed.



Shooting all those bison does have a big effect on one thing, though - Montana's image. The slaughter makes for compelling television footage, and it's dutifully chronicled to the horror of our fellow Americans. With today's high bison numbers, a harsh winter could keep film crews busy. While we confess a degree of insensitivity about what people elsewhere think about anything what goes on in these parts, we're not so uncaring as to overlook the role public opinion plays in such things as tourism and federal resource policies affecting us.



For years, the state has argued with the National Park Service over responsibility for the problem. Montana's position has been that the Park Service should control its own bison herd. That argument, however, ignores the fact that the Park Service's mandate isn't to kill large numbers of animals, nor is the agency much interested in the kind of publicity Montana attracts by shooting icons of the Old West.



Frankly, we don't see much changing. Unless, however, Montanans figure out that it isn't brucellosis-free cattle that millions of tourists come to see every year. And while more and more consumers are dining on cheap Australian beef, Americans are clamoring to protect Yellowstone's bison.



Public outrage over the bison slaughter is a measure of how much people value the chance to see these ungainly critters. As an alternative to the current, ineffective practice of killing migrating bison, how about acquiring grazing rights for bison migrating outside the park, maintaining an effective buffer zone between ranging bison and cattle? It wouldn't be surprising to find that larger herds of free-ranging bison have more real economic value than the cattle produced from the generally poor range surrounding Yellowstone.



How much would this cost? A lot, no doubt. But weighed against the perpetual cost of killing bison and fighting over the practice, and the economic fallout from all that bad publicity, maybe it's not too much.



###



Letter to the Editor Helena Independent Record Bozeman Chronicle 12/9/02



It's a shame that the December 9 editorial "State set to get another black eye over bison" was more concerned with shifting blame than understanding a complicated issue. "And it isn't fair" is no excuse for slaughtering the last wild buffalo in the country.



The slaughter is not about brucellosis. Montana's brucellosis free status is not at risk. There are countless arguments that debunk the brucellosis myth. The last 135 bison killed last season were not even tested for the disease. The last four bison killed in the past months were bulls, which pose little risk of brucellosis transmission according to the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Furthermore, cattle won't be present in the area until June, if at all (the cattle allotments on Horse Butte where many of the bison are captured and slaughtered were not granted last summer due to insufficient environmental assessment). Even if cattle were to get brucellosis, from any source, that herd of cattle would be destroyed without affecting the state's brucellosis free status. This happened in nearby Idaho when elk transmitted the disease to cattle, and Idaho is still certified brucellosis free.



And what about the elk? Why doesn't Montana target elk if "of course, it is the disease, not the bison that is the real problem"? Or for that matter, why not inoculate cattle against the disease? The federal government has offered to do so, and many of the cattle herds are already inoculated since they cross state lines. Or why not cancel cattle allotments in bison migratory ranges? It seems that while the bison are "a federal problem," managing the cows are not being considered as part of Montana's solution.



The editorial attempts the same sleight of hand as the Montana Department of Livestock, when they switch arguments to population control. The editors claim that the Park Service's job is to keep bison within their boundaries and that there are just too many bison for the park to accommodate. This is the last herd of wild bison, pushed to some of the most remote and harsh terrain in the county. The bison are following their traditional winter migrations in search of food. They roam onto national forests that were set aside as wildlife buffer zones when Yellowstone National Park was founded. Except now they are harassed and killed by a state agency with no wildlife management experience, even on federal lands. In a way I agree with the editors who bemoan Montana's public image on a national issue, but instead of casting blame, maybe the State of Montana should avoid a black eye by stopping the slaughter of Yellowstone's wild buffalo.



Ted Fellman

PO Box 957

West Yellowstone, MT 59758



----------------------------------



* Holiday gift ideas



Looking for holiday gifts that fill you with hope, instead of guilt? Check out: http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html. On our website you can make donations in a loved one's name, order organic cotton BFC t-shirts or notecards, and find limited edition prints like "Hope for Buffalo" by John Pisarcik or "Thunder Hawk (Oglala Lakota)" by Renee Still Day. Great gift ideas that support a great cause!



----------------------------------



* Request for warm socks and batteries



And just in case all of us here in the field are on your holiday list, we have a stocking stuffer idea-stockings! Our volunteers are out in the field every day all winter long and need to stay warm. We have a lot of good gear that gets used, but are still in need of warm socks. So if you have any wool or synthetic warm socks (no cotton please) that you would like to donate, please send them to us at:



Buffalo Field Campaign

POB 957

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758



We could also use good quality rechargeable AA batteries for flashlights and other equipment. Thanks again for your support.

Montana governor concerned about Wyoming's lack of wolf plan


Montana governor concerned about Wyoming's lack of wolf plan



BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - Unless Wyoming officials decide to cooperate with federal wildlife managers, wolves will retain their protected status and create increasing problems for ranchers and hunters, Gov. Judy Martz told the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Thursday.



"We are gravely concerned," Martz said in a letter to Tom Thorne, acting director of the Wyoming wildlife agency.



She said failure to meet requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for delisting will assure increasing populations of wolves, and failure to delist wolves "is not acceptable to Montana."



Wolves have been spreading from Yellowstone National Park since they were reintroduced there in 1995 and 1996. The federal FWS has said it will soon be ready to turn over management of wolves to state governments, providing the states more flexibility in controlling and possibly hunting wolves.



The federal agency, however, said it would delist wolves only if Montana, Idaho and Wyoming have wolf management plans assuring wolves won't become endangered again.



Idaho has finalized such a plan, and Martz said Montana is working on one the federal agency likes.



However, the Wyoming Fish and Game Commission has decided it wants a "dual classification" for wolves: as a "trophy animal" in Yellowstone and nearby wilderness areas, meaning limited hunts outside the park; as a "predator" that can be shot on sight everywhere else.



The federal agency said it won't delist under such conditions.



The Wyoming plan is still in a draft form and public comment was accepted through Thursday. Martz's letter is part of that comment.



"I hope that your final plan clears any barriers for delisting so the three states can move successfully toward managing wolves," she concluded.



A final version of Wyoming's plan is due Feb. 24.


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Blasting begins for North Fork Canyon project

Blasting begins for North Fork Canyon project



POWELL, Wyo. (AP) - Workers planned to begin blasting Thursday as part of a project to widen U.S. 14-16-20 through North Fork Canyon.



The explosions will delay traffic no more than 20 minutes at a time, according to Todd Frost, a resident engineer for the Wyoming Department of Transportation.



Contractor E.H. Oftedal & Sons of Miles City, Mont., has already begun widening other sections of the highway, as well as removing chunks of rock and dirt on the south side of the road.



Frost said the $8 million project will eventually widen the highway to 40 feet in an effort to handle traffic to and from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park.



Besides widening 3.65 miles of road, the latest phase of the project will involve installing five rock retaining walls, installing new lighting in a tunnel, straightening curves and improving guardrails.



Major work on the overall project will continue through May, followed by a month of bridge work.



Crews may work at night during the summer to avoid snarling tourist traffic. The entire project is expected to be done by Oct. 31, followed by a final pavement seal in June 2004.

Update from the field 12/19/02


Buffalo Field Campaign

News from the Field

December 19, 2002




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* Holiday gift ideas



* Thanks for the support



* Last Words



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field





Dear friends and supporters...



Winter has come to us here on Hebgen Lake. More snow has fallen, as has the temperature--yesterday morning's patrols left with the mercury hovering around -2 degrees Fahrenheit. Our maintenance coordinator is busy ensuring that the vehicles, the water pipes, and other sensitive elements of this campaign will continue to function through the intense cold. Gear coordinators begin in earnest to equip volunteers with the cold weather gear they will need as others provide trainings in hypothermia and frostbite. What we lack in natural cold weather protection, the buffalo have in spades; if only they could share our freedom to roam...



As it has been another quiet week, with no hazing operations to speak of, we have been able to turn our resources and attention to the other fronts. On December 6, the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspections Service (APHIS) called a meeting in Billings, Montana with other state and federal agencies to discuss plans to eradicate brucellosis from the wild. This meeting was a precursor to future ones on the topic, including a public meeting that could be held as early as February 2003. All of these meetings are part of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process to examine whether to proceed with complete brucellosis eradication within the Greater Yellowstone Area while maintaining free ranging bison and elk herds. Since the EIS process is required to seek public comment, we will have some opportunities to let the government agencies involved know what our "preferred alternative" is--stop the slaughter. More information on this as it unfolds.



As we write this, several DOL agents are involved in a plowing operation on Horse Butte - the area in which the buffalo capture facility has been installed in previous years has been plowed, as well as the access road, Forest Service Road 610. This action implies that the capture facility, which is stored inside the northern boundary of Yellowstone Park when not in use, may be on its way back to Horse Butte soon. It also raises our yearly concern regarding bald eagle monitoring. According to the Biological Assessment for the Horse Butte Bison Capture Facility, pre-monitoring of the bald eagle nesting territory is required two weeks before scheduled installation of the capture facility. Of course, after we initially complained to the Forest Service over this oversight years ago, they tried to re-write the provisions for eagle monitoring to suit the DOL. We have yet to see any eagle monitoring activities in the field, and we'll be keeping our eye on the DOL to see what happens.



For the buffalo,

Jonas Ehudin & Ted Fellman

Media Coordinators



----------------------------------



* Holiday gift ideas



A final pitch for last minute holiday giftsŠ



Check out: http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html. On our website you can make donations in a loved one's name, order organic cotton BFC t-shirts or notecards, and find limited edition prints like "Hope for Buffalo" by John Pisarcik or "Thunder Hawk (Oglala Lakota)" by Renee Still Day. Great gift ideas that support a great cause!



*** We received these sweatshirts too late for last week's update (this is funny), but ya got to check this out!

Note: Sweatshirts need to be ordered by Friday, December 20th at 5pm to reach you in time! (Please note if you don't care when it gets there & you can save it for next year!)

The sweatshirt reads: "Peace on Earth, Good Will to Buffaloes" (only 20 available!)



GO TO: http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/pcshop/bazaar.html



Have a wonderful Solstice and bright blessings to all,

For all that's wild and free,

Su



P.S. The notecards are an excellent way to say thanks or catch up with old friends...



--

Buffalo Field Campaign Programs

POB 957

West Yellowstone, Montana 59758



Donations are tax deductible and go directly to front lines work. BFC is the only group in the field 365 days a year with the last, free roaming buffalo.

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* Thanks for the support



Thanks to everyone who has supported us and sent gift donations and gift t-shirts to friends. Many thanks to Patagonia and Dennis W. for all the gear donations that just arrived. We are busy sorting through piles of fleece and Capilene that will help our volunteers stay warm throughout the winter. Thanks as well to Patagonia for the grant we recently received. And thanks to Tracee at the Foundation for Deep Ecology for setting up a great presentations for us. Tom, Deb, Carol, and Alyssa of the Guacamole Fund - what can we say? - Thanks! And to Jackson Browne, Donald and Cree - The rig is great!! It was a smooth ride full of gear back to West Yellowstone, and it will shuttle quite a few volunteers on patrol through the winter. Deanna - wish you could come and work in the kitchen with us! Norma Jean - thanks for thinking of us. We are a dedicated grassroots group and it is indeed an honor to be a part of such a supportive community.



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* Last Words



From the December 6th APHIS meeting:



Arnold Gertonson, Montana State Veterinarian, said, "Frankly, I'm tired of being the population control manager." He brings light to the reality of the situation: the bison slaughter has more to do with population counts than it does with the brucellosis myth.



Valerie Ragan, assistant deputy administrator for veterinary services at APHIS, said different options need to be considered. "I don't know anybody who's really happy with the bison management program, because we'll just have to keep killing bison, and I find that unpalatable."



Jim Logan, State Veterinarian of Wyoming, told a story about castrating a 900 lb. boar hog with only the rudimentary tools he had available. He related this story to the current situation in terms of using the "tools" we have now to eradicate brucellosis. "The process would involve lots of squealing and blood, it could be ugly", he stated, "but we can get the job done with what we have now!" The statement was greeted with nervous laughter and a few raised eyebrows.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

I will be posting articles on the Yellowstone region on the discussion forum, especially AP stories reported in the Casper Star-Tribune. This paper has a lot of useful stories, especially from the Grand Teton region, but they roll their stories off every few days. I want them up much longer. This discussion forum only rolls off as it gets too large.




Jim

Update from the field 12/26/02

Buffalo Field Campaign

News from the Field

December 26, 2002




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* ESA Lawsuit to be heard in Federal Court



* Bozeman Co-op benefit tomorrow!



* Thanks for your support



* Last Words



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field





Dear friends and supporters...



Our patrol left the cabin yesterday morning for a recon into Yellowstone Park along the Madison River. The day was beginning to warm up from the -16 degree night. As we drove east on Highway 287, the sun shone on the snow-covered surface of Lake Hebgen and Horse Butte rose out of that vast field of ice. We arrived and hiked east along the north shore of the river, heading towards the Park boundary. The air was still and cold, and ice crystals clung to the willows and the sage that line the valley. We would hike a mile into the Park, looking for bison heading west towards Montana.



In the course of three hours, we saw an enormous golden eagle, a bald eagle, a herd of more than 30 elk, and over 20 trumpeter swans, which are considered a sensitive species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Thankfully, there were no buffalo on their way out of the Park, but the abundance of wildlife on our brief trek reminded me of the panic caused by the ripples of disturbance and harassment that shoot out into the wild whenever the DOL are hazing buffalo. We sat for a while on the bank of the Madison, listening to the crunching sounds of the ice floes as they crashed into the bank, broke up and reformed, then moved on

downstream. The slushy sound of the colliding ice rolled on and on, and my mind dreamt of a time when the snowmobiles, the helicopters, and the cracker rounds will fall silent. In my mind the buffalo stand in safety on this shore listening to the ice grind along the bank, free to roam and graze in this incredible valley and beyond.



As I write this, there are two DOL agents in the area. Our patrols haven't reported any activity against the buffalo today. Our hopes go out that the end of this year will be peaceful and safe for the bison in the area. And as always, we'll keep you posted.



For the buffalo,

Jonas Ehudin

Media Coordinator



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* Lawsuit to be heard in Federal Court



On January 7th, BFC's lawsuit against the Montana Department of Livestock and the Federal government will have a hearing in federal district court in Helena, Montana. This lawsuit, filed in conjunction with Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers and The Ecology Center, Inc. is directed at the deficiencies of eagle monitoring, the use of helicopters for hazing, and other activities associated with the Horse Butte Capture

facility. It has been over a year and a half in preparation, and we'll finally get our opportunity to be heard in court.



The heart of the lawsuit rests with the lack of proper analysis of the effects of helicopter hazing on the environment and failure of the Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to properly monitor and enforce provisions of the Horse Butte Capture Facility Environmental

Assessment (EA). Each year the Forest Service and the Montana DOL develop and sign an Annual Operating Plan outlining how the DOL will conduct its activities, and that those activities are lawful and properly authorized. We believe that this Operating Plan violates the EA and the Special Use Permit that authorizes the DOL's capture and hazing activities in the Horse Butte area. In addition to that, we believe the DOL's activities violate NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and other federal laws.



We will be asking the Court for an injunction against the DOL to cease using helicopters for hazing. We'll also be asking for the Forest Service to pull the Special Use Permit that allows the DOL to construct and use the Horse Butte Capture facility and conduct hazing activities in the Horse Butte area.



We'll be asking for the US Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind its Incidental Take Permit (which allows the DOL to "take," or basically kill one eagle--or render one eagle nest unviable). We'll also ask them to re-enter in formal consultation with the Forest Service over the eagle monitoring conflict, the effects of heli-hazing on eagles and on other threatened and endangered species, and on the environment in general. We'll be asking the Court to force the US Fish and Wildlife Service to make the US Forest Service cease using the Horse Butte Capture Facility EA and the Special Use Permit as the basis for allowing any of the actions that they authorize. We'll let you know how the case

turns out as soon as we can.



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* Two Bozeman Community Food Co-op benefits tomorrow!



On Friday, December 27, the Bozeman Community Food Co-op will donate 4% of its proceeds to BFC. The Co-op holds a "4% day" for a local non-profit each month. BFC volunteers will be at the Co-op all day tomorrow - we'll have a table out front with newsletters, photos, and the buffalo petition, as well as our new t-shirts, notecards and other great stuff. If you're in Bozeman, please drop by so that we can thank you personally for your support and perhaps talk you into visiting us down here on Lake Hebgen...



And as if hosting a 4% day weren't enough, there will be live music tomorrow evening in the Co-op's new second-floor coffeehouse. Great local artists are scheduled to play, and there will be an opportunity for others to share during the open mic session. What better way to spend the Friday evening after the holidays than with a warm drink and with good buffalo company? Please come on down and join us.



Our deepest thanks go out to the Bozeman Community Food Co-op for their dedication to assisting us and other groups in our work towards environmental and social justice.



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* Thanks for the support



To the friends of the buffalo who have sent in donations this holiday week, we are grateful to you. This is a hard time of year for non-profits across the board, and your support has ensured that we can continue to send patrols out into the field and get the word out to the world.



Thanks to Jitze and Nancy Couperus for their years of advocacy and support for the campaign.



Thanks also to Barbara for sharing the beautiful photos of her country - they are really amazing. Do you folks need any buffalo activists over there in Switzerland?



Montana Harvest in Bozeman has been an inspiration to us all. We rarely return from Bozeman without a donation from them - we are truly grateful for their belief in this cause and for their decision to do what they can to support us. Please support them!



Also, we are thankful to Jesse Schwartz of Living Tree Community Foods in Berkeley, CA for the organic dates. Your years of support mean a great deal to us.



And to Sherri Wright, a great supporter and letter-writer, thanks for the cutting board and holiday note. The board was whisked quickly away to the kitchen and has already seen quite a bit of action. And garlic...



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* Last Words



Don't wait till moves are made by others,

Or squat near ruins with idle hands,

Though it rain lava, ash or brimstone,

Tend the flower that squats on your land.



- Gerrit Komrij

Avalanche warning issued for southern mountains

Avalanche warning issued for southern mountains



BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - A backcountry avalanche warning was issued Saturday for Montana's southern mountains, where heavy snowfall has been reported.



The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center said the warning includes the southern Madison and southern Gallatin ranges, the mountains around West Yellowstone and Cooke City and the Washburn Range in northern Yellowstone National Park.



''In the last 24 hours, approximately 1 foot to 2 feet of new snow has fallen in these areas,'' the warning said.



Given wind conditions and an unstable base for the new snow, the avalanche danger was rated high on all slopes, with both natural and human triggered avalanches likely, the warning said.

Update from the field 1/2/03

Buffalo Field Campaign

News from the Field

January 2, 2003




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* Speak out for the Buffalo!



* Seeking Independent Media Outlets



* Bozeman Benefits



* Last Words



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field



Dear friends and supporters...



Happy New Year. May 2003 be a year of peace for all, including our wild friends. We have been enjoying some peace up here lately. The days have been calm, with very little activity from the DOL. A few DOL agents have come down for brief money wasting visits. The have conscientiously spent their time on the clock driving back and forth to town and plowing the snow on FS 610, the access road to the site where they put the Horse Butte Capture Facility. The DOL has shown a stubborn diligence keeping this road that is closed to the public open to their snowplow, even brazing snowstorms to plow at a time that guarantees them more work the next day. Fortunately, the Horse Butte trap has still not been put up and the buffalo are taking advantage of mild weather and remaining safely inside the park.



More volunteers are arriving every day, including a welcome visit from Randall Mark who was released from jail last week. Randall is doing well and expresses his thanks to all who phoned the jail in response to his 38 day hunger strike for vegan food.



For the buffalo,

Ted Fellman & Jonas Ehudin

Media Coordinators



----------------------------------



* Speak out for the Buffalo!



Make a New Year's resolution to speak out for the buffalo. People are always asking us what they can do back home for the buffalo. One thing you can do is to spread the word by writing to your congressional representatives. Montana's congressional representatives won't change their minds about the buffalo slaughter until long past when the cows come home. But the Yellowstone bison herd does not belong to Montana; they are a wild herd living in a national park and migrating onto national forest. The Yellowstone bison herd is part of our national heritage, and therefore the slaughter is a national issue. Write your congressional representatives and let them know that you want them to get involved and stop the slaughter of the Yellowstone bison herd. Three different federal agencies are involved in the Yellowstone Bison Management Plan -- the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, and the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Ask your representatives to direct these agencies to expose the brucellosis myth and stop the slaughter of the last herd of wild buffalo.



You can find more information to help you write a letter to your representative at our website, http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/speak/speakdo.html.



You can also find out how to contact your congressional representatives at http://www.house.gov/writerep/ and http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.



And of course, if your correspondence results in anything that you think we should know, keep us informed.



----------------------------------



* Seeking Independent Media Outlets



Also, we are always looking for new media outlets to cover the buffalo slaughter. If you know of a local paper that might be open to running a story, especially weekly independent papers, please send us their information so that we can follow up with them. Info such as the paper's name, their contact information and the name of a relevant reporter or editor would be greatly appreciated.



We have been updating our press packet so that we can expand our media outreach efforts in 2003. We are also working on producing more media packets for TV and radio, so let us know if you have other broadcast media contacts that might be interested in the issue. We're particularly interested in independent media outlets since they tend to be more open to covering issues ignored by the mainstream media.



----------------------------------



* Bozeman benefits



This week we send a special thanks to the Bozeman community and the wonderful Community Food Co-op for supporting us last Friday. The Co-op donated 4% of their day's proceeds to BFC and invited us to table in front of the store. It was a warm day (for Montana in December!) and we spoke to many people as they passed through the doors. And at least nine slick new BFC t-shirts are making their way around Bozeman, so keep your eyes out for them and let us know when you decide you'd like one.(www.wildrockies.org/buffalo/teez.html)



The event continued into the evening, as the Co-op hosted a coffeehouse and open mic night in their upstairs coffee/tea/juice bar. We were graced with music and words from a few local artists, and funds were raised for our big benefit concert in March.



Yes, in addition to some great outreach, the day helped provide funding for an all-day music and art festival in Bozeman. The event will take place tentatively on the 7th of March in the Emerson Cultural Center. A chili feed and folk music will start the day off, with higher-energy bands performing into the night. BFC has a sincere desire to build stronger ties to the Bozeman community this season -- this event, along with regular appearances for tabling and

discussion, will be a great opportunity for our coalition to grow.



*** Keep Friday, March 7th clear on your calendars, and please begin to spread the word to friends, co-workers and family -- we'll keep you posted as plans for the fundraiser become more firm.



----------------------------------



* Last Words



"What I fear is being in the presence of evil and doing nothing. I fear that more than death."



Otilia deKoster

Iobst named Yellowstone chief of maintenance

Iobst named Yellowstone chief of maintenance



YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) - A former assistant superintendent of Grand Teton National Park has been named chief of maintenance for Yellowstone National Park.



Steve Iobst will begin the job in March.



The Yellowstone Maintenance Division is one of the most diverse and complex operating divisions in the National Park Service. About 38 percent of the park's operating budget goes toward maintenance, according to park officials.



Yellowstone's more than 300 Yellowstone maintenance employees include engineers, landscape architects, mechanics, sewage and water treatment plant operators, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters and heavy equipment operators.



''Steve will be a tremendous asset,'' Lewis said in a prepared statement Tuesday. ''His leadership and management skills will be invaluable and greatly enhance Yellowstone's maintenance program.''



Iobst was assistant superintendent of Grand Teton from 1997 to November 2000, when he became acting superintendent, a job he held until February 2002. Since mid-June, Iobst has been working on a winter management plan for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.



Iobst began his career with the National Park Service as a civil engineer. He has held Park Service jobs in Denver and in Yellowstone, where he was an engineer from 1979-1983 and a management assistant from 1983-1988.



From 1988-1997, Iobst was chief of facility management for Rocky Mountain National Park.

Update from the field 1/9/03

Buffalo Field Campaign

News from the Field

January 9, 2003




In this issue:



* Update from the Field



* BFC's Endangered Species Lawsuit Heard in Court



* BFC goes birding with Audubon



* E-mail the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture



* Comment on Wyoming Elk Vaccination Plan before Jan. 15th!



* Last Words



----------------------------------



* Update from the Field



Dear friends and supporters...



Many new volunteers have arrived in the last week, filling the cabin with new faces and high energy. Since relatively few buffalo are leaving the Park these days, we have focused a lot of creative energy on planning for rallies in the area. It is inspiring to see so many people come from around the world to defend the Yellowstone bison. The fresh spirit of our volunteers is the lifeblood of this work -- if you have been considering a visit, please get in touch with us. The late spring months traditionally see a drop in volunteer numbers, just at the time when large groups of highly-mobile bison are literally all over this valley. It is a beautiful time to share this land with the buffalo and the abundance of wildlife in the area.



The DOL have been busy burning up their budget with little to show for their efforts. Tuesday, while our ESA lawsuit (more below) was being heard in Helena, a handful of public agents occupied themselves plowing and widening Horse Butte's FS 610 road again, and standing around near their vehicles doing very little but waiting and answering their cell phones.



The next day, after a strong BFC showing in federal court, the DOL was out again in full force. Seven snowmobiles, carrying agents from the DOL, Park Service, Forest Service, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, worked together with agents on horseback and local sheriffs to chase two bull bison back into Yellowstone. The wise bulls led them around the woods for a few hours, regularly losing them and causing one of our favorite DOL agents to roll his snowmobile (he was not injured, and later asked whether we'd gotten his spill on video). While the day's end witnessed the buffalo safely grazing in the Park, the energy wasted during that intense chase will no doubt have a serious effect on their chances for survival this winter.



For the buffalo,

Ted & Jonas



P.S.- A challenge to our readers: please tell two friends, co-workers or family members about the Yellowstone buffalo, and encourage them to sign up for these weekly e-mail updates. They can send us a subscription request at

bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Help us get the word out to the world!



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* BFC's Endangered Species Lawsuit Heard in Court



Senior U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell heard arguments Tuesday in Helena in a case brought against the Montana Department of Livestock, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Interior, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service by a trio of Environmental groups. Judge Lovell did not issue a decision in the case.



Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers (CMCR), the Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC), and the Ecology Center Incorporated (TECI) filed suit in May 2001 alleging that the state and federal agencies' Yellowstone bison management operations are illegally impacting threatened bald eagles, sensitive trumpeter swans, and their habitats. The lawsuit implicates the government's on-going multimillion-dollar plan to haze, capture, and slaughter wild bison on public lands.



TECI spokesperson Jim Coefield said, "We hope that Judge Lovell will make a quick decision and give the bald eagles the relief we are asking for."



The groups are seeking relief from ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Administrative Procedures Act, the National Forest Management Act, and the Special Use Permit authorizing bison capture operations on the Gallatin National Forest.



Among the issues raised by the groups is the Department of Livestock's consistent use of helicopters to haze bison in areas where helicopters are specifically prohibited.



The groups are represented by the Helena law firm Reynolds, Motl, and Sherwood. According to their attorney, Brenda Lindlief Hall, "When the sun sets on all of the issues, what remains is that no analysis of helicopters on wildlife has ever been done. This failure is a clear violation of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act."



"Hazing is taking a tremendous toll on bison, on threatened bald eagles, and on native wildlife in the Yellowstone ecosystem," said CMCR's Darrell Geist, "It needs to stop."



"The judge expressed concern that more bison may be killed without the Department of Livestock's capture facility," said Mike Mease of the Buffalo Field Campaign. "The bottom line is they are going to try to kill a thousand buffalo with or without their trap."



We will continue to keep you updated as the legal process unfolds.



----------------------------------



* BFC goes birding with Audubon



On January 4th, ten volunteers from the Buffalo Field Campaign participated in Audubon's Christmas Bird Count in the West Yellowstone Area. Over 20 people from the West Yellowstone community came together for the count. BFC focused on the Madison River Corridor and Horse Butte. The confluence of the Madison River and Hebgen Lake creates a unique open body of water approximately a mile long and two hundred yards wide. It is the most important winter habitat for waterfowl in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The open water is home to 266 Trumpeter Swans, 65 Ring-Necked Ducks, 45 Northern Pintails, 43 Mallards, 23 Canada Geese, as well as Buffleheads, Common and Barrow Golden Eyes, and Common Mergansers. There were also over 320 other waterfowl that were too far away to identify. The variety and the quantity of the waterfowl in the Madison River Corridor/Horse Butte area, especially the density of the Trumpeter Swans, meets and exceeds the criteria for Audubon's Important Bird Area. We are in the process of getting it recognized as such.



Unfortunately, all the waterfowl in this area are sent aflight during the hazing operations of the DOL, especially during helicopter hazing. Other bird species sited were Bald Eagles, Clarks Nutcrackers, Magpies, Kingfishers, Black Capped Chickadees, Mountain Chickadees, Ravens, Red Crossbills, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, and Nuthatches. The highlight of our day was watching two river otters eating a fish when all of a sudden a Bald Eagle swooped down, trying to steal their lunch. It was a great day to be birding on the Madison River. I invite everyone to come to this area and view this unique density of birds--nowhere can you see so much from one vantage point.



- Chuck Irestone



----------------------------------



* E-mail the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture



Here's a quick and easy way to send a message to the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture for the buffalo. On our website we have an email letter that you can send asking them to use their authority to protect the Yellowstone buffalo. Over 180,000 folks have signed a citizen's petition that demands that buffalo be given precedence over cattle on public (Forest Service) lands designated as "wildlife habitat" in Yellowstone. Now we are following this effort up with even more letters asking the federal government to simply allow buffalo to utilize our public lands.



Read and send the complete letter online at:



http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/politico00/letter.html



----------------------------------



* Comment on Wyoming Elk Vaccination Plan before Jan. 15th!



The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has proposed a plan to vaccinate elk on the National Elk Refuge (Refuge) managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in Jackson, Wyoming. This proposal conflicts with current Refuge management for habitat improvement to reduce disease transmission and to increase native habitat for healthy, free-ranging wildlife.



Elk, like bison, need healthy habitat, not vaccinations. Elk that winter over on the Refuge actually show a lower rate of brucellosis exposure than elk on other Wyoming feed grounds where the elk are vaccinated on concentrated feeding operations for longer periods each winter. Even the WGFD has called feed grounds "a recipe for disaster," due to the increased likelihood of transmission of diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease, Tuberculosis and Pasturella Pneumonia in such confined areas. Successful management of sustainable wildlife populations requires adequate habitat for all free-ranging, healthy wildlife species.



**** Please send comments to the USFWS by January 15th. More information on the issue, how to comment, and some points to include in your comments can be found at:



http://www.wildrockies.org/Buffalo/press02/elk.html



The bison could be next. Make it clear that wildlife need healthy and protected habitat, not more harassment.



----------------------------------



* Last Words



Those who practice the Art of Peace must protect the domain of Mother Nature, the divine reflection of creation, and keep it lovely and fresh. Warriorship gives birth to natural beauty. The subtle techniques of a warrior arise as naturally as the appearance of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Warriorship is none other than the vitality that sustains all life.



- Morihei Ueshiba

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