FWP holds meeting on proposed North Shore park

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks held a sparsely but passionately attended meeting at the Somers Fire Hall last Thursday evening to talk about prospects for a proposed state park on the North Shore of Flathead Lake.

The FWP presented a draft environmental assessment of the property — 160-180 acres bordering Montana Highway 82 to the north and the Flathead Waterfowl Production Area to the south and east — that outlined a potential park on about 25 of the acres, with the rest to be managed primarily for wildlife habitat.

The main 160 acre parcel, along with a 20-acre adjoining parcel that the FWP might also have the opportunity to purchase, would cost about $1.88 million, according to Gael Bissell of the FWP. Funding would come primarily from the agency's Access Montana Program as well as from a portion of a Doris Duke Grant from the Flathead Land Trust. The Land Trust has acted as the agency's main partner in this particular project, and holds the purchasing agreement on this property.

The property is located immediately southeast from the intersection of Farm Road and Highway 82 and is bounded to the east by an access road to the WPA. An existing conservation easement exists bordering the southeast corner of the property and to the northeast of the property, on the other side of the highway.

Though not many people showed up for the meeting, which was one hour of open-house followed by a public comment period, the crowd that did speak was unanimously in favor of the proposal.

Richard Hoffmaster, who owns property very near the proposed park just to the south of Fennin Slough, said the interest from landowners in protecting the North Shore was widespread.

"The top of the Lake is an extraordinary asset not for skiers, not for ski doos, but for people who want to see life as it is," he said.

Ken Siderius, a Creston resident and president of the Flathead Land Trust, agreed.

"Let's face it, we have a responsibility to save that land," he said. "I feel very strongly that the FWP has the best interests of the public in mind."

Commentors cited the huge variety of bird life and other animals that use the lower valley's relatively sparsely developed area as a corridor, both on large migrations and movements from one side of the Flathead Valley to the other.

According to the environmental assessment, the North Shore falls within "Tier One Focus Area," which the FWP defines as a geographic area of "Greatest conservation need" according to Montana's 2005 Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy.

The draft environmental assessment comment period extends until September 26. Comments may be sent to : North Shore EA, 490 N. Meridian Rd. Kalispell, MT 59901 or e-mailed to Gael