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Resource Management Planning

A resource management plan with a strong conservation focus will go far to protect
a tranquil river, a unique history, a stunning landscape, and irreplaceable wildlife
and wild places in the Missouri Breaks National Monument.

The Final RMP/EIS comes out in January 2008. At this point the document is open to a 30 day public protest period and a 60 day consistency review by the Governor, as well as another review by the state BLM director. Protests must be resolved before a Record of Decision (ROD) can be issued.

Here are the issues we feel are important:

The RMP should have a vision and procedures for protecting the valuable objects of the Monument. This is what the Proclamation designating the Monument requires. Will the plan provide adequate protection for the ecological, biological, historic, prehistoric and geological attributes of the Monument? Protecting the objects requires that the transportation plan limit the number and placement of roads. A good plan will have sufficient roads for access but with plenty of roadless backcountry.
Will we have a plan that elevates development over primitiveness or will we have a plan that protects the river and upland areas so that even another hundred years from now, members of the Lewis and Clark expedition would still recognize it as virtually unchanged since 1805? The plan should limit floatplanes and personal watercraft to an area near Ft. Benton and not permit private use of unauthorized airstrips.
Will the draft plan preserve the relative tranquility, panoramic night sky and quiet experience on the river and in the uplands? The cumulative effect of added machines, access, drilling, digging, collecting and overuse can cause long lasting damage, altering the opportunity for a primitive backcountry experience, so how will the plan deal with these cumulative effects?

If you have any questions or want to learn more, please email Mary Jones or call her at 406-538-8506.

WHY PLANNING IS SO IMPORTANT

The designation of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument was an important stride toward protecting this outstanding natural area, but designation is only the first of many steps.

The RMP will establish the degree of protection for the Monument's wildlife, wild areas, recreational experiences, and historical objects. This plan will guide Monument management for the next ten. twenty, or more years. A lot can change in those years and decisions made now will profoundly affect whether the Monument loses its natural and historical values-or remains as it is long into the future.

How to Preserve and Protect the Missouri Breaks

The Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument endorses the following management prescriptions for the upcoming plan:

HEALTH OF THE LAND AND FIRE

Manage wilderness study areas, the Bullwhacker Area, and the entire Monument as undeveloped and for primitive recreation to preserve special values, including naturalness and solitude.
Prioritize management of Monument lands to protect and restore native plants and wildlife.
Limit activities of livestock permittees if such activities adversely impact the integrity of the Monument.
Recognize the historic and natural role of fire as part of the ecosystem and use prescribed fires whereits effects will not conflict with the proper care of the Monument.

ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION

The BLM should designate a minimal transportation network in order to protect Monument objects.
Motorized and mechanized vehicles of all types and purpose shall be restricted to designated roads within the Monument.
Close and rehabilitate roads where needed to protect wildlife habitat and Monument objects, and to prevent erosion and the spread of noxious weeds within the Monument.
Restrict access on routes that are only used for private or administrative access. Do not provide permits to outfitters who have access to public land which is inaccessible to the public at large.
Limit motor boats on the Missouri River to preserve the natural quiet and wilderness experience.
Require "leave no trace" camping in the river corridor. Public land recreation should be open to the public without fees. Prohibit the use of airstrips in the Monument.

VISITOR USE, SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Visitor information centers will be located in gateway communities.
Visitor information structures and signs in the Monument will not impair the primitive quality of the landscape.
Visitors will be encouraged to enjoy the Monument through "undeveloped recreation."
No additional development will be allowed, including launch and pullout sites on the river.
The natural soundscape will be preserved as a prime benefit for visitors to the Monument.
Light pollution from human activities will not be allowed to pollute the clarity of the Monument's backcountry night skies.

NATURAL GAS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Determine the validity of existing natural gas leases and monitor and manage all leases as required under the law.
Use restoration and reclamation stipulations to properly care for and manage the objects protected by the proclamation.

CRITICAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES

The following issues are cornerstones of protection for the Monument and must be addressed in the Resource Management Plan:

The overriding management principle should be to preserve and restore the remote, undeveloped, wild character of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. This will protect and improve core wildlife populations and habitats, safeguard the existence of historical and prehistoric resources, and maintain the quality hunting, fishing, and recreational experiences people have come to associate with the Breaks. In short, managing the Monument to protect its wilderness values protects all of the values for which the Monument was designated.

Design and implement a transportation system that emphasizes protection of the Monument's resources. The current road network in the Breaks is excessive and management of vehicles is insufficient and lacks enforce-ment. The wild character of the Monument and its resources will be lost if these policies continue. The BLM must base their transportation system on scientific review of the road impacts to Monument objects of biological, historical, or paleontological significance and minimize the number of roads. Roads should be closed to all motorized vehicles unless they are designated open.

Protect and restore wildlife habitat. Standards and Guidelines for grazing leases should be monitored and enforced to protect critical wildlife habitat. "Hot season" grazing should be greatly reduced in riparian areas to encourage the health of native trees and plants.

Manage motorized use of the Missouri River corridor. Retaining the wild character of the Missouri River Breaks accomplishes little if the river and Breaks area is overrun with motorized traffic.

Protect the Monument's wildlands and core areas. There are substantial areas of public land within the Monument which have wilderness values and potential. These include six Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) and the rugged expanse of the Bullwhacker, which is considered the heart of the Breaks. Strong protection of these core lands is needed to prevent degradation of all the Monument resources. The BLM must identify additional wildlands that qualify for protection as wilderness study areas and manage these vital lands in a manner that protects their natural values.

FRIENDS OF THE MISSOURI BREAKS MONUMENT
224 W. Main, Suite 202
Lewistown, MT 59457
(406) 538-8506

EMAIL THE FRIENDS