Custer and Lemhi citizens find solutions for public land management plans

Custer and Lemhi citizens invited to find solutions for public land management plans

The Salmon-Challis National Forest and both the Challis and Salmon Field Offices of the Bureau of Land Management will be begin to update their 1990s era land management plans in the coming months. A group of citizens from Custer and Lemhi Counties are discussing ways to tackle issues that cross agency and county boundaries. Salmon Valley Stewardship and the Custer Extension Office will co-convene a meeting at the Challis Community Event Center on Monday, June 27, from 6 -8 p.m. and at the Salmon Regional office of Idaho Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday, June 28, from 6 – 8 p.m.

A May 17 meeting in Challis had more than 30 attendees representing ranching and business interests, motorized recreation, hunting and whitewater outfitters, conservation groups, public land managers, and interested citizens. “I was encouraged by the diversity of interests represented and the great discussions we had, but we are only in the beginning stages of getting all the right people in the room,” said Gina Knudson, director of Salmon Valley Stewardship.

At the next meetings on June 27 and June 28, we’ll continue discussing how a collaborative approach could help provide solutions-oriented direction about the issues we care most about. But we’ll also be spending time figuring out how this group should be organized, who should chair the group, how we make decisions and how we disagree. This is a huge learning process for all of us.

All are invited to attend the June 27 and June 28 meetings.

For more information, call Knudson at 756-1686 or email ginaknudson@salmonvalley.org.