A dispute over elk winter range near Elliston has prompted Helena District Ranger Duane Harp to withdraw his decision to log public lands outside the small community west of MacDonald Pass.

Harp said he plans to pursue the 763-acre Elliston Face Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, but first will consider addressing issues raised in a lawsuit filed by two environmental groups. The Helena National Forest ranger isn't conceding that the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Native Ecosystems Council would have prevailed in court, but said that re-assessing the project will allow it to move ahead faster than letting it wind through the legal arena.

"What it boiled down to was whether we want to continue with the court process and have the process held up ... or whether we could withdraw the decision and do additional analysis to hit the issues addressed in the lawsuit," Harp said. "It's an important project and we need to implement it."

Michael Garrity, the Alliance's executive director, said he's pleased Harp withdrew the project because, in his opinion, the proposed commercial logging on 475 acres would destroy winter range for about 100 elk.

That range is outlined on maps included in the Helena National Forest Management Plan, and Garrity said it's supported by a former FWP wildlife biologist.

It was one of the issues contained in the lawsuit.

"Elk hunters should be upset by that," Garrity said. "You can't remove the thermal cover and say you care about elk."

Harp argues that those forest management maps aren't as site-specific as necessary, and the Forest Service's wildlife biologist, as well as a FWP biologist, told him the area isn't an elk winter range.

"But in court, it's not a wildlife biologist making the decision. It's a judge and you're always at risk you'll lose -- or you could prevail," Harp said.

So Harp withdrew his decision, which along with the commercial logging involved hand treatments on 144 acres, 29 acres of mechanical thinning of non-merchantable material on 29 acres and fencing aspen on 115 acres. Instead, he said they're considering amending the forest's management plan, in which they could remove the winter range designation. But that plan can't be amended without additional analysis.

Garrity said that's what they've wanted all along, because the public will be allowed to comment on any proposed forest management plan amendments.

"I don't think hunters are going to be happy if the forest destroys elk winter range," Garrity said. "I think they're doing it because people are afraid of wildfires and the forest is using that fear to get the (logging) cut out."

Harp counters that the plan enjoys widespread support in the Elliston community. He believes the thick timber in the forest poses the threat of a large stand-replacing fire that could burn into the town, and also harm a large power line that runs through the area.

The plan was also a stewardship project, which meant that instead of proceeds from the timber sale going into the national coffers, they would be used for fencing, roadwork and other local projects.

But Garrity said it was a money-losing proposition anyway, calling it a timber sale supported by tax dollars.

"It's a big game winter range by their own definition, so why were we using our tax dollars to destroy it?" he said.

Reporter Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com.