Except for the sliver of Yellowstone National Park that pours over into eastern Idaho, the varied landscapes that make up the Gem State are home to no U.S. national parks.
Out of the 11 Western states, Idaho is the only one to hold this distinction.
Some would say the closest the state comes to having its own unit of the national park system is the vast Sawtooth National Recreation Area, a 756,000-acre assemblage of craggy peaks, virgin forests and icy rivers most Idahoans would consider as preeminent as any aforementioned protected area. For them, the magnificent area—which is home to all or portions of four separate mountain ranges and the headwaters of numerous free flowing rivers—is of no less importance, and as such, is Idaho's de facto national park.
The high regard Idahoans have for this priceless stretch of Rocky Mountain solitude is plainly visible in a strategy for the area's future that was developed by a variety of entities and individuals that share a common passion for the SNRA. Released in December 2006, the plan titled "Sawtooth Vision 20-20: Shared strategies for the future of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area," was presented to the public last week during an open house at the historic Smiley Creek Lodge.
The SNRA does differ in at least one way from many national parks. Because numerous parcels of private land as well as the community of Stanley lie within its boundaries, special economic and community issues do arise. The writers of the plan—whose main collaborators were The Sawtooth Society and the U.S. Forest Service—recognized this and address many such issues at the front end of the nearly 50-page document.
Specifically, the plan focuses on five key focus areas: economic and community stability; fish and wildlife; historic, pastoral and scenic; natural, sustainable ecosystems; and recreation.
Among the people involved in developing the plan was Stanley Mayor Hannah Stauts.
At the Oct. 18 open house, Stauts discussed some of the economic and community goals contained in the plan. Among these is keeping the portion of state Highway 21 between Lowman and Stanley open as much as possible during the winter. The stretch of road passes through an extremely avalanche-prone area along Canyon Creek and has been the scene of lengthy closures in recent years by the Idaho Department of Transportation.
Out of a series of recent meetings she and others have had with ITD, the state agency has committed to implementing a plan to avoid as many of the closures as they safely can, Stauts said. She said the purpose of this is to create a stable, year-round economy in Stanley, the benefits of which would also extend to the downstream communities of Challis and Salmon.
Stauts said that with greater assurance that the highway would remain open, more visitors would feel comfortable making the drive up to Stanley during the winter. She said that hasn't been the case in the past.
"They never know if the highway is going to be closed behind them," Stauts said.
Another area of focus is recreational use of the SNRA. One particular aim in this focus area is bringing the SNRA's diverse users to the table to draw up a plan for recreational use that everyone can agree on.
One large focus has been mapping out all of the trails and roadways—both user created and system roads created by the Forest Service—and creating a travel plan designating which should remain open and which should be closed, said Sawtooth Society board member Paul Hill. Such a plan would likely recommend loop routes for motorized users where feasible, as well as the closure and rehabilitation of many unnecessary routes, Hill said.
He said the plan, which the Forest Service would be in charge of implementing, was developed by a variety of stakeholders who came to the table with one thing in mind.
"We recognize you have a right to be here," Hill said. "Whether you are an ATV rider, you're riding a mountain bike or you're a hiker."
Included in the Sawtooth Vision 20-20 strategic plan are a total of 49 actions prioritized by those involved as short and long-term priorities. Here are some additional highlights of the plan:
- Develop a political advocacy coalition of cities, businesses and tribal interests to promote salmon recovery in the SNRA. This could include promoting the bypass of the four lower Snake River dams if necessary, downstream hydrosystem improvements, harvest controls, hatchery reforms and habitat restoration.
- Close existing motorized infrastructure on Railroad Ridge and restore the remote and highly scenic area to its natural condition. The Forest Service would be in charge of implementing this plan, which backers say would reduce negative human impacts on the unique ecosystem.
- Develop a prescribed fire and wildland fire use plan for the SNRA. This plan, which the Forest Service would be in charge of implementing, would help integrate fire back into the natural, sustainable ecosystem.
Hannah Stauts
