Eleven public hearings will be held in September across western Montana to give people an opportunity to comment on a draft grizzly bear management plan.

Locally, the hearings include one in Lincoln on Sept. 13 and another in Helena the following day. The state's draft management plan for managing grizzly bears in 17 western Montana counties includes Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater counties.

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks crafted the plan to address grizzly bear populations and potential populations in the Northern Continental Divide, the Cabinet-Yaak and the Bitterroot ecosystems, as well as other nearby areas. It does not include the greater Yellowstone area, which was covered by a previous plan.

FWP Endangered Species Coordinator Arnold Dood recently said that the goal of the program is to find ways to fit grizzly bears into the broader landscape, as part of Montana's wildlife heritage. The state agency also is looking at ways to respond to the increasing number and distribution of bears.

FWP has analyzed a variety of alternatives for each ecosystem, focusing on the kinds of management activities FWP conducts to ensure human safety, prevent conflicts with livestock, and mitigate property damage. In addition, FWP looked at each recovery zone individually and evaluating current programs in those areas. Alternatives are outlined for each ecosystem.

The preferred alternative for the Northern Continental Divide actually is what is known as the "No Action" alternative, meaning that the state would like to continue with the existing programs because they appear to be working, Dood said.

The preferred alternative for the Cabinet-Yaak area calls for placing 10 to 15 bears there in the next few years, since the bear recovery effort has been slow. The plan also considered continuing the programs as they currently exist.

The Bitterroot currently isn't home to a grizzly bear population, but Dood said the preferred alternative is to try to implement programs that would support recover in that area in the future.

Counties not in those areas -- like those surrounding Helena -- but with current or potential grizzly bear populations are included in the draft management plan so that discussions can be had regarding how to deal with potential conflicts as the bears' habitat and numbers expand.

Comments being taken

The public has until Oct. 3 to comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement. It's available on-line at FWP's Web site at: http://fwp.mt.gov/publicnotices/notice_1137.aspx or in Helena at the FWP Headquarters, the Montana State Library, and the Environmental Quality Council.

The Lincoln public hearing will run from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lambkins Restaurant on Sept. 13. The Helena hearing takes place at the same time the following day, at the FWP Commission Room, 1420 East 6th Ave.

Written comments may be mailed to: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Attn: A. Dood, 1400 South 19th Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59718. They also may be e-mailed to: FWPGrizzlyMgtPlan@mt.gov