In early May, the Missoula Area Central Labor Council was pleased to endorse the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project. Unions have historically supported a diversity of people sitting down to the table and hammering out the best deal for everyone. The BCSP follows in that tradition. As such, we urge Montana’s congressional delegation to support the BCSP.
Seeley, Lincoln and Ovando are communities that were built by loggers, ranchers, small business owners, packers and outdoor enthusiasts. Because labor organizations are concerned about jobs and economic opportunities, supporting the BCSP is a no-brainer for us.
The BCSP is composed of area residents who want to preserve their beautiful home and add jobs and recreational opportunities. These neighbors have been at the table – together – for more than a decade. This was not an effort initiated by politicians – this was an effort initiated by neighbors. That collaborative, can-do spirit is the standard for what partnerships should be.
The timber industry has been operating in the Swan Valley for the last 70 years, but has experienced some tough economic times over the last few years. The BCSP has helped alleviate those tough times, bringing in $19 million in federal investments, which has led to an overall investment of $33 million in the local economy. That investment has created and maintained 150 timber jobs for Montanans who have chosen to live and raise families in the area.
For a community the size of Seeley, that many jobs can mean the difference between a sluggish and a thriving economy, because local businesses depend on a strong job market. Additionally, those jobs in the woods trickle to other business sectors. Restaurants and retail outlets thrive when community members are hard at work.
The folks working timber jobs have restored 130 miles of stream, treated 46,000 acres of noxious weeds, and created or maintained 2,000 miles of multiple-use trails and roads. Without the presence of the timber industry and responsible forest management, both the economy and ecology would be at risk.
The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project has already paved the way for creating sustainable timber products jobs in the Seeley Lake and Ovando area. However, in addition to jobs that speak to our Montana heritage as timber producers, the BCSP allows for additional growth in the recreation and tourism economies. Greater conservation protections will maintain the amazing natural scenery the Blackfoot and Clearwater valleys hold, which are huge drivers for tourists…who spend money on hotel rooms, restaurants and at the gas pumps.
Now is the time for our Montana delegation to get behind the BCSP. Montanans are depending on the jobs that already have been created – and will continue to be created – through this grassroots proposal. It’s time for a Montana-made land management solution to make its way to Washington, D.C.
Mick Harsell is vice president of the Missoula Area Central Labor Council.