MISSOULA, Mont. — Rep. Ryan Zinke announced the introduction of the A River Runs Through It Act, a locally developed public lands package bringing together more than two decades of work by communities throughout the Blackfoot and Clearwater valleys. Zinke unveiled the legislation at Smoke Elzer Barn in Missoula alongside local elected officials, members of the timber industry, sportsmen, recreation groups and conservation organizations who helped shape the proposal.
The legislation combines the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Proposal and the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal into a single landscape-scale plan covering approximately 430,000 acres in the Blackfoot Valley. It centers on multiple use, expanding recreation opportunities while allowing for forest restoration and conservation of public lands, alongside efforts to support timber work, reduce wildfire risk and protect public access.
“This is what locally led conservation looks like,” Zinke said. “We can put people to work in the woods, support our timber industry, reduce wildfire risk, and keep our forests healthy while protecting public access and conserving the iconic places we cherish. This proposal was built by the people who live, work, hunt, and recreate in the Blackfoot, and after decades of work they found a way forward that keeps this landscape working for everybody.”
What the Bill Does
The legislation designates six Forest Restoration Areas totaling roughly 180,000 acres, where timber harvest, thinning, vegetation management, prescribed fire, stream restoration and other projects can improve forest health and increase timber production in Montana. Its Lincoln Prosperity component prioritizes fuel reduction and forest restoration west of Lincoln to reduce wildfire risk to homes and infrastructure, while giving local foresters greater flexibility to actively manage the surrounding forest.
The bill also establishes six designated recreation areas totaling roughly 60,000 acres, securing permanent winter access for snowmobiles, adding new mountain biking routes, and creating a connected off-highway vehicle trail loop of more than 70 miles, including about 20 miles of new trail. It maintains and expands opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, snowmobiling and off-highway vehicle use throughout the valley.
On conservation, the legislation adds roughly 100,000 acres to the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas, creates a new wilderness designation on Nevada Mountain, and releases approximately 23,000 acres of Wilderness Study Area land, restoring public access and multiple use to those lands.
Broad Local Support
The proposal grew out of years of collaboration among stakeholders who have not always agreed on public lands management but came together around a plan supporting multiple use and the Blackfoot Valley’s communities. It is backed by Wild Montana, Montana Trout Unlimited, The Wilderness Society, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Back Country Horsemen of Montana, Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, along with local residents, businesses, recreation interests, elected officials and timber industry members.
Zach Angstead of Wild Montana called the bill’s introduction “a remarkable achievement,” noting it would establish Montana’s first wilderness designation since 2014 if passed. “This proposal was built the Montana way: by sitting down together, working through differences, and finding common ground for a place we all love,” Angstead said. “Now it is up to Congress to recognize how special this hard-won agreement is and pass this locally driven legislation.”
Retired outfitter and guide Smoke Elser said the proposal reflects a shared connection to the landscape: “We’re all drawn to the backcountry for the same reasons: to enjoy Montana’s wild places, to connect with the natural world, and to restore our spiritual health. And we all value the Blackfoot landscape and deserve a place on it.”
Retired forester Gordy Sanders of Pyramid Mountain Lumber said the bill supports both the timber industry and forest health, while Lincoln resident and retired forester Bill Cyr said the proposal was designed so “no one group loses anything.” Russ Ehnes, president of the Great Falls Trail Bike Riders Association, said the legislation would permanently protect ATV and snowmobile access while authorizing new trail connections.
Local officials also voiced support. Powell County Commissioner Bill Hooker said the bill “strikes that balance” between the timber industry and recreation economy, while Lewis & Clark County Commissioner Andy Hunthausen called the bill’s introduction “a big day for Montanans who don’t mind rolling up their sleeves and getting things done.” Missoula County Commissioner Juanita Vero and state Rep. John Fitzpatrick, of House District 76, also praised the collaborative process behind the legislation.
Barb Cestero, Montana state director of The Wilderness Society, called the bill “a fitting addition to [Zinke’s] long record of championing Montana’s public lands,” while Ryan “Cal” Callaghan, president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, said the legislation “wasn’t built in Washington—it was built through a collaborative process by the people who hunt, fish and make a living on this landscape.” Keagan Zoellner, Montana state director of Mountain Mamas, said the bill ensures “local Montanans decide what happens in our backyard, not D.C. politicians.”
Background
The A River Runs Through It Act represents more than two decades of locally driven work on the future of public lands in the Blackfoot and Clearwater valleys, combining active forest management, timber production, wildfire mitigation, recreation, public access and permanent conservation into a single plan shaped by local communities, sportsmen, timber interests, recreation groups and conservation organizations.
Zinke has a long record of work on conservation, public access and active management of western lands. As Secretary of the Interior, he launched a federal-state effort to improve big-game migration corridors and winter range. Since returning to Congress, he has introduced the bipartisan Public Lands in Public Hands Act, helped found the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, advanced legislation to improve wildlife movement and recreation access, and supported active forest management to improve forest health and sustain western communities.
By: BSB News wire