Idaho Group Says Wilderness Plans for Panhandle Come Up Short

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — A coalition of environmental groups says wilderness recommendations in a management plan for the Idaho Panhandle National Forest leave out key areas that should be designated as wilderness. The Lewiston Tribune reports that the groups filed an objection earlier this week with the U.S. Forest Service.

Moscow-based Friends of the Clearwater, the Sierra Club, Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Kootenai Environmental Alliance say portions of the Mallard-Larkins roadless area and Grand Mother Mountain area being left out of the agency's wilderness proposal.

Gary Macfarlane with Friends of the Clearwater says wilderness and wild country are being shortchanged. The agency's draft record of decision for the new forest plan recommends 161,400 acres of wilderness designation.