Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation

We’re pleased to release the announcement for our 2012 Wilderness Ranger Internship positions! The deadline for applications is February 29, 2012. Are you a university student interested in a career in wilderness? Check out the announcement here for more information.

Last week, one of our most cherished partners, the Bitterroot National Forest’s Deb Gale, won the U. S. Forest Service’s prestigious Bob Marshall Award. Annually, one Forest Service employee from around the national is selected to receive this award, which is given to an employee for being the single most outstanding individual champion of wilderness stewardship. Deb, who serves as the program lead for wilderness, trails, wild and scenic rivers, and outfitter and guide programs, is well deserving of this award. We are honored to be able to work with such an outstanding wilderness steward. Please read more about Deb’s award here.

The summer is almost here, and we are chomping at the bit to get out into the backcountry! And finally, our 2011 wilderness project list is out. Go to our volunteer page to see the full list, and to sign up for a project! We’ll be rolling out Project Information Forms over the next few weeks so you can sign up for the summer’s projects. Join us this summer to help take care of your public wildlands!

The SBFC’s lead wilderness steward, Eric Melson, was interviewed in early March for the Selway-Bitterroot History Project. You can listen to a great 15-minute excerpt of the interview here: http://selwaybitterrootproject.wordpress.com/. Hear Eric discuss why he loves clearing trees with a crosscut, his experience running into a lost hiker deep in the Selway, and why Moose Creek means so much to so many people.

The Telluride Mountain Film Festival returns to central Idaho and western Montana in early April 2011. This year, we’re hosting the festival in Boise, Missoula and Moscow. With gripping outdoor films, local beer and a huge raffle of outdoor gear and trips, this is one event not to be missed. Go to our Telluride Mountain Film Festival page for all the details and to purchase your tickets online.

The Selway-Bitterroot Foundation is hosting its 5th Annual Winter Gathering and Fundraiser on Thursday, February 24, from 6:30PM to 9:30PM at the Downtown Dance Collective, 121 West Main Street, Missoula, Montana.

For our keynote address, we are honored to welcome Bill Moore present a tribute to his late father, Bud Moore. One of the father’s of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Bud’s impact on the protection of the Selway-Bitterroot was incalculable. Few knew the Selway country as well as Bud, who grew up exploring and trapping in these mountains. Bud’s progressive wilderness management during his Forest Service career set the stage for many of the management techniques that we use today. Please come on down on February 24 to hear the story of on of the Selway-Bitterroot’s greatest champions. We will also be honoring Jon McBride, founder of the National Smokejumper Association’s trails maintenance program.

A silent auction and raffle will be conducted during the evening offering backcountry gear, artwork by local artists, fishing trips, rafting trips, and more.

At long last, Idaho’s first and only Wilderness license plate was released on February 10. The plate, which features artwork from Boise-area artist Ward Hooper, benefits wilderness and trails stewardship efforts in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The plate is available at any Idaho DMV office, or you can order your personalized plate online at accessidaho.org. See an image of the place at our license plate page.  Pick your up today!

On March 29, 2010, Idaho Governor Butch Otter signed into law a bill that provides for a Wilderness specialty lisence plate for the State of Idaho. The bill, which was sponsored and championed by Representative Shirley Ringo of Moscow, will be available for purchase by Idaho residents beginning on February 1, 2011. The plate will cost Idaho vehicle registrants an additional $25 per year over normal vehicle registration fees. The additional fees will provide $12 per year to the Selway-Bitterroot Foundation for wilderness stewardship efforts, and $13 per year to the Idaho state highway account.

To purchase your Idaho Wilderness License Plate, just go to your local DMV office after February 1, 2011, and tell them you want the Wilderness plate. If you’d like a personalized plate, you can go online here to order your plate. Put Idaho’s greatest legacy on your car today!