Dear HCN,
I liked Ray Ring’s recent
article, “Bad moon rising,” about environmental organizations in
Montana (HCN, 12/17/01: Bad moon rising). It gave some of the
history of how progressive coalitions achieved significant
legislative results on issues important to Montanans. It should be
noted that during those years, Montana’s Legislature passed
socially responsible statutes in several areas, addressing not only
environmental concerns but also health and education
issues.
Readers of the article should not be left
thinking that environmental groups are solely to blame for the
failure to form similar coalitions in today’s political climate.
The Montana Wilderness Association is a grassroots organization
which has worked steadily over the years seeking to keep the door
open to agriculture, business and labor groups. We have kept an
open mind while identifying and working on issues that benefit all
the people.
In the past decade and a half, the
MWA has built working relationships with farmers, outfitters,
loggers and hunters. We worked with loggers in the 1980s to help
fashion the Kootenai Accords, and we sought common ground again in
the 1990s to address logging and protection of roadless areas
through the Flathead Forestry Project. When ranchers and farmers
looked for help from a broad section of Montana culture with their
“Campaign to Reclaim Rural America,” our organization was there at
the rallies showing support for rural
communities.
We will continue to seek viable
coalitions, but it is not easy. When we open the door and extend
our hand, sometimes the other party is not there. They have already
backed away while releasing a fog of anti-environmental rhetoric
learned from the wise-use crowd. Working on common issues is less
important to them than maintaining a confrontational stance.
Although some farm and ranch groups may continue an
anti-environmental posture, it will not prevent us from reaching
out to individuals and ad hoc groups.
One last
point: Mr. Ring said that Clinton created the Upper Missouri River
Breaks National Monument in a “blaze.” Let us not forget that the
proclamation occurred after 18 months of open, public debate in
Montana about the monument designation and after years of advocacy
by historians, river rats, conservationists and business people who
wanted this public land protected.
Dennis Tighe
Great Falls, Montana
The writer is past president of the Montana Wilderness Association.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Montanans still for environment.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
