A coalition of conservation organizations, including the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and the Native Ecosystems Council, has filed a federal lawsuit to block the Wood Duck Project in Montana’s Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. The lawsuit alleges violations of federal laws related to environmental policy, arguing that the project threatens a crucial wildlife corridor for grizzly bears and disrupts elk habitats across 1,241 acres of public land.
Among the project’s controversial plans are 42 acres of clearcutting and the construction of nearly 16 miles of roads, which the plaintiffs contend will further displace native elk herds already retreating to private lands. The lawsuit raises serious concerns about the project’s potential impact on local biodiversity, highlighting that the area serves as a vital genetic link between the grizzlies of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
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