​The Forest Service is looking at taking on the Strawberry Butte Frontcountry Trail Management Project. This is a trail system southeast of Helena that needs better management. Most of the trails are unofficial. The project would make about 28 miles of trail "official" and would build another 11 miles of new trail to improve the network.

Suggestions for your comments:
-There is long-standing use in this area, and managing it in a constructive way is a good move.
-Managing the trails for mountain bike use is important to me.
-This will help disperse use from the Helena South Hills.
-Doing this project under a categorical exclusion makes sense.

Due Date: 
Submit your comments by November 30, 2018

How to Comment:
Email your comments to: [email protected] and put  "Strawberry Butte Front Country Trail Management Project" in the subject line.  Include your name and address in your comments.  Comments can be addressed to District Ranger Roy Barkley. 

More Info: 
https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54963

Trail access in the Bitterroot Valley (near Hamilton) is at risk. The Forest Service is trying to shut bikes out of the Blue Joint and Sapphire Wilderness Study Areas. The Bitterroot Backcountry Cyclists have put a ton of effort into saving these trails because they've been riding (and maintaining them) for years. We need mountain bikers to submit written objections to try to keep the Forest Service from shutting bikes out of 525 miles of trail.  

Suggestions for your Objection:
-There's virtually zero scientific evidence that mountain bikers are negatively impacting the environment in these areas.
-These trails are remote, and use levels are low.  User conflicts are essentially a non-issue.
-Forest Service Region 1, and Montana in particular, has taken an anti-bike stance in Wilderness Study Areas, and that is at odds with similar discussions elsewhere in the country.
-Mountain biking is a quiet, human powered use that is compatible with backcountry trails.  The Forest Service should not shut bikes out of every remote and wild piece of trail.

Due Date:
Submit your Objections by November 19, 2018

How to Object: 
Email your comments to:  [email protected] and put "Bitterroot Travel Plan Objection in the subject line.  In the email, include your name, address, and phone number.

More Info: 
The Bitterroot Backcountry Cyclists have a bunch more information about this on their website: https://sites.google.com/site/bitterrootbackcountrycyclists/news/talkingpoints?authuser=0

​The "Crystal Cedar Project" is a proposal to do some forest management in the area immediately north of Columbia Falls, and that means some logging activities as well as building NEW TRAILS!  The project has around 25 miles of new trails proposed, and should be a great network.  

Suggestions for your comments:
-I support this project because it'll offer a great resource for mountain biking, and it's something that's needed for the Columbia Falls community.
-The project will help relieve pressure from other heavily used trail systems at the north end of the valley.
-I'd like to see a bike specific trail included in the project, because it'll be a great resource, and it'll help reduce user conflicts elsewhere in the trail system
-I support the comments submitted by FAMB (which include a bunch of other bike friendly suggestions for the project that are too detailed to wade into here).

Due date:
Submit your comments by November 16, 2018

How to comment: 
Email your comments to:  [email protected] with "Crystal Cedar Project" in the subject line.  Include your name and address in your comments.  Comments can be addressed to District Ranger Robert Davies

More Info: 
https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52844&exp=overview  (the documents, including maps of the trails, are under the "Scoping" tab).