Forest Service cancels meeting on Bitterroot

By The Associated Press - 01/14/2008

STEVENSVILLE (AP) — The Bitterroot National Forest abruptly canceled a public meeting in Stevensville on updating its travel management plan after a crowded and sometimes unruly meeting on the same topic the night before in Darby.

People cursed during the Darby meeting, and the U.S. Forest Service is following up on reports that a man suggested someone “put a bullet in her head” as a woman spoke.

The Stevensville meeting was scheduled for Thursday night at the Stevensville United Methodist Church.

After more than 200 people packed into a meeting room in Darby the night before, the agency decided the proposed Stevensville venue was too small to host the expected crowd.

Stevensville District Ranger Dan Ritter said the church couldn’t hold many more than 50 people. Many at the Darby meeting indicated they’d be attending all the scheduled public meetings on the travel management plan update.

“We couldn’t fit that many in there safely,” Ritter said. “Everything else in town was already booked.” The Darby meeting turned unpleasant at times, according to some who attended.

“It was the ugliest meeting I’ve ever been to,” said Friends of the Bitterroot president Jim Miller. “It was very ugly and sad.” Miller said the crowd was heavily weighted in favor of pro-motorized recreation. People were “aggressive, belligerent and angry. ... The ‘f-word’ was used more than once in comments.” “It was not a meeting that I would have liked to have my wife or kids at,” he said.

At one point, as a woman spoke about wilderness, a man in the crowd allegedly said, “Put a bullet in her head.” His words were loud enough for a number of people to hear, including a Forest Service official.

The Forest Service was able to get the man’s name.

“We’re aware of that comment and be assured we’re going to follow up on it,” said Bitterroot National Forest spokeswoman Nan Christianson.

The situation was intimidating for anyone who wanted to speak in favor of non-motorized recreation, Miller said.

Jim Hundley, of the Selway-Pintler Wilderness Backcountry Horsemen, said the Forest Service didn’t appear to be prepared for the large turnout.

“I think the Forest Service is going to have to regroup,” he said. “They’ll have to have more security at the next meeting.” The next travel management meeting is scheduled Tuesday at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton. A future meeting in Stevensville is also under consideration.