A Ruckus Among Us: Helicopters vs. Wilderness

Today, we joined seven other conservation groups in a lawsuit against the Forest Service to protect the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness from illegal mechanized intrusions.

Normally, helicopters are not allowed to land except in emergencies. But the Forest Service recently gave the Idaho Department of Fish and Game permission to use helicopters to collar wolves in the wilderness. 

Fish and Game has the right to monitor Idaho's wildlife, but methods need to be consistent with wilderness values. For example, the Nez Perce Tribe has collared over 30 wolves in the wilderness using traditional trapping methods. 

Almost everywhere else, folks can use ATVs instead of hiking boots and snowmobiles instead of snowshoes because those methods are faster and easier. But we decided the Frank Church is different, it's special, it's the last of what once was, and it's important to meet this wild country on its own terms. 

For these reasons, ICL helped pass the Central Idaho Wilderness Act in 1980, which is why we're stepping up to protect it today. 

This use of helicopters isn’t necessary, isn’t legal and violates the values that the Frank Church Wilderness was designed to preserve.