Proposed Lolo National Forest Plan Could Boost Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience

Pew letter emphasizes how action to guard against climate impacts can benefit people and nature

Lolo Forest Plan Could Boost Biodiversity and Resilient Ecosystems
Maddy Munson Wild Montana

On March 29, 2024, The Pew Charitable Trusts submitted comments to the U.S. Forest Service regarding proposed revisions to its management plan for the Lolo National Forest, which spans about 2 million acres in western Montana and is a crucial sanctuary for diverse wildlife, home to pristine cold-water fisheries, and a premier recreational resource in the region. In the letter, Pew underscored priorities for the updated plan, particularly identification and conservation of ecologically significant areas, protection of free-flowing rivers, and safeguarding of wildlife migration corridors. Such measures are vital to bolster the Lolo National Forest’s resilience against the effects of climate change, particularly habitat fragmentation caused by increasingly frequent and severe wildfires.