The Threatened and Endangered Species (TES) Program will assume the lead role in management actions 

 involving grizzly bears. More specifically, the tribal wildlife biologist or Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife 

 Department (BFWD) director will review and comment on all activities of the Tribe or Bureau of Indian 

 Affairs that require tribal permits, environmental assessments, or similar documentation to ensure that 

 conservation of bear habitat is considered in the process. Mitigation will be required so that impacts on 

 bears and/or their habitat from such actions will be minimal. 



4.3 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes 



The Flathead Indian Reservation includes important grizzly bear habitat, primarily in the Mission 

 Mountains along the eastern edge of the Reservation. Grizzly bear habitat within the exterior boundaries 

 of the Reservation is located primarily on tribal trust lands, although limited bear use also occurs on 

 private lands held by Tribal members and non-members. 



The Flathead Indian Reservation Forest Management Plan (2000) sets long and short term goals and objectives 

 for all forest resources and proposes to use an ecosystem-centered, coarse-filter approach to provide 

 ecosystem structures and processes on a broad scale, while using a fine filter strategy to protect sensitive 

 species like grizzly bears. Direction is provided in the form of objectives and standards. 



Forest-wide wildlife objectives include road closures and improving wildlife habitat through 

 implementation of travel corridors and linkage zones while forest-wide transportation objectives call for 

 re-routing roads out of riparian areas in timber sale planning areas. Specific reference to threatened and 

 endangered species in the forest-wide standards states that land management activities that deal with the 

 presence or potential presence of such species and their habitats will require Biological Assessments and 

 consultation with the USFWS. Although Standard 8, under the Forest-wide Standards for Wildlife 

 Management (page 284) points out that standards and guidelines for grizzly bear management and 

 habitat follow recognized standards emphasizing secure areas, minimal roads, travel corridors, linkage 

 zones and habitat maintenance, no specific guidance is provided in this document. 



Specific management of grizzly bear habitat falls primarily under the direction of the Flathead Indian 

 Reservation Grizzly Bear Management Plan (1981). The goal of the plan is to secure and or/maintain a viable 

 self-sustaining population in critical habitat occupied in the Mission Mountains. Objectives dealing with 

 habitat management call for maintaining habitat required for a viable population, minimizing human- 

 bear conflicts, and managing natural resources to minimize adverse effects and maximize benefits for 

 bears while meeting the natural resource needs of the Confederated Tribes. Habitat management 

 strategies are included in Chapter 11, Section B, of the Flathead Indian Reservation Grizzly Bear 

 Management Plan and address the following (overpage): 



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