OUTREACH

SUPERVISORY NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNER

Bitterroot National Forest
Hamilton, MT

The Bitterroot National Forest will be filling a Supervisory Natural Resource Planning
position GS-401-13 through a recruitment which will be advertised shortly. The duty
station is Hamilton, Montana. This position will serve as a program leader for Planning,
NEPA, Timber, Silviculture, Wilderness and Trails. If you are interested in this position
please contact Julie King at jkking@fs.fed.us or 406-363-7109 for a copy of the vacancy
when it is advertised and for further information.

Duties:

Develops and recommends policy, standards, practices and methodology for guidance to
field organizations in short and long range planning for natural resources management,
including such things as habitat improvement and rehabilitation. Serves as the program
leader for Planning, NEPA, Timber and Silviculture and as a staff officer for those
programs as well as the Recreation, Wilderness and Trails programs. Responsible for
budget management, target accomplishment and reporting needs from the Forest.

Develops goals and objectives for the programs and provides assistance to regional and
field managers in implementation of the programs. Advises on interpretation and
implementation of national policy directives and provides program leadership.

Serves as primary staff to the Forest Supervisor and is a member of the Forest Leadership
Team. Works with Rangers and other staff in accomplishing the priority program of
work for the Forest and in lending support and expertise to accomplishment of priority
work.

Forest Information
The Bitterroot National Forest and its four Ranger Districts cover 1.6 million acres in
west central Montana and Idaho. Neighboring national forests include the Nez Perce,
Clearwater, Lolo, and Beaverhead-Deerlodge in Region 1 and the Salmon-Challis and
Payette in Region 4. Approximately 50% of the Forest is designated wilderness,
including portions of the Selway-Bitterroot, Frank Church River of No Return, and the
Anaconda Pintler and 25% of the Forest is inventoried roadless. The Forest lies in 3
counties, Ravalli and Missoula in Montana and Idaho County, Idaho.

The Bitterroot is an icon of the national forest system. Many issues of national
significance have begun on the Bitterroot due to an active, engaged, and well-connected
community. The publication Forests on the Edge lists the Bitterroot as the Forest most
affected by development adjacent to its border. The scenic Bitterroot Valley has long
attracted 2nd home owners and those wanting a more rural lifestyle focused on outdoor
recreation opportunities. Confrontation is giving way to collaboration. Communities are
embracing the concept of civil discourse to resolve longstanding disputes. The Bitterroot
Forest is a leader in facilitating collaboration by supporting the Bitterroot Restoration
Committee, a citizen group representing diverse interests.

The forest is active in all areas of resource management areas except oil and gas.
Significant programs include:

Fire Management – Over 600,000 acres of the Forest have burned since 2000.
The Forest has been a leader in resource benefit fire for over 30 years. Many
opportunities exist to expand resource benefit fire across the Forest. However, the
challenge for Forest leadership will be to build public support for this type of fire. The
Forest is a pilot for the Region in defining the next generation of community wildfire
protection plans.

Wildlife/Fisheries Management – The Bitterroot is home to grey wolf and has

suitable habitat for lynx and grizzly bear. Most streams are habitat for endangered bull
trout. In Idaho, the Selway drainage is home to salmon and steelhead.

Tribal Relations – Significant tribal cultural properties and treaty rights are
present on the Bitterroot. The Nez Perce have treaty rights on Bitterroot Forest land in
Idaho and the Salish and Kootenai have rights on Bitterroot Forest land in Montana.

Wilderness Management – Significant issues surrounding prior rights exist

within the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. Over sixteen dams, many built prior to the
withdrawal of the Bitterroot Forest Reserve are operated and maintained by irrigators
within the Wilderness. Protecting wilderness characteristics are often in conflict with
dam operation and maintenance activities. The Forest Supervisor serves on the Board of
Directors for the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness working directly with the
six forests and two regions who share responsibility for management of this Wilderness.
Two Montana Wilderness Study Act areas on the Bitterroot require special consideration.

Forest Planning and Travel Management – The Bitterroot has just released its
draft EIS for travel management. Significant reductions in motorized use are contained
in the preferred action. Areas where restrictions on motorized use are proposed will be
extremely controversial. The Bitterroot, Lolo, and Flathead manage a single forest
planning team and were within days of releasing final forest plans in 2007 when the 9th
Circuit ruled against the government and its 2005 planning rule. These three forests are
about to start once again on plan revisions under the 1982 planning rule.
Community:

Hamilton is a full service community of 5,000 people approximately 45 miles south of

Missoula. The Bitterroot Valley contains 7 school districts which represent the 7
communities in the valley. Hamilton, the Ravalli County seat, is centrally located and is
the largest community. The valley is considered the banana belt of Montana. Summer
temperatures are warm – 90s to near 100 – and winter temperatures mild with occasional
below zero readings and light snow cover. Ample community and real estate information
is available on the web. A good place to start is the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of
Commerce website http://www.bitterrootvalleychamber.com/