Judge Says Helicopters Can Land in Wilderness for Purpose of Tagging Wolves
A federal judge denied conservation groups' request for an injunction against helicopter landings in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.
A federal judge said today the Idaho Department of Fish and Game can land helicopters in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area to capture and place radio collars on wolves.
The department won Forest Service approval late last year for as many as 20 helicopter landings in the wilderness. But several environmental and wilderness protection groups sued, saying the landings violated the Wilderness Act. Motorized travel is not allowed in federally designated wilderness areas but there are several exceptions, including one for scientific studies that lead to improving wilderness conditions.
Judge B. Lynn Winmill of Boise said the landings meet the criteria from exceptions to the ban on motorized travel and refused to issue an injunction.
