Honoring the area's wilderness

ST. IGNATIUS — In the 1970s, three Yayas – grandmotherly figures within the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe – stepped forward at a tribal council meeting to voice their concern over a proposed logging project that threatened to scar the face of the Mission Mountains. These deeply respected elders – Annie Pierre, Christine Woodcock and Louise McDonald – discussed the importance of being dedicated stewards for the Mission Mountains during our short time on Earth.

The Yayas spoke, and the tribal council listened. Their impassioned plea had effectively sown the seeds of a brighter future for the Missions, as shortly thereafter, a 93,000-acre domain was set aside to become the nation’s first tribal wilderness area.

“Because maintaining an enduring resource of wilderness is vitally important to the people of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the perpetuation of their culture, there is hereby established a Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness Area and this area… shall be administered to protect and preserve wilderness values.”

-Tribal Wilderness Ordinance, 1982

ST. IGNATIUS — In the 1970s, three Yayas – grandmotherly figures within the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe – stepped forward at a tribal council meeting to voice their concern over a proposed logging project that threatened to scar the face of the Mission Mountains. These deeply respected elders – Annie Pierre, Christine Woodcock and Louise McDonald – discussed the importance of being dedicated stewards for the Mission Mountains during our short time on Earth.

The Yayas spoke, and the tribal council listened. Their impassioned plea had effectively sown the seeds of a brighter future for the Missions, as shortly thereafter, a 93,000-acre domain was set aside to become the nation’s first tribal wilderness area.

Now, three decades after the tribal wilderness area came to fruition, the bold conservation initiative laid out by that visionary trio remains a source of great pride for the Tribes and community members alike.

On Thursday, members of the public gathered at the Mission Reservoir near St. Ignatius to commemorate the 30th anniversary of this invaluable environmental and cultural resource. Set against clear skies and the stunning mountain backdrop, those in attendance enjoyed food and various group activities before hearing speeches from tribal officials and land managers past and present. Like the Yayas before them, one-by-one, they rose to share stories about the mountains and speak to their importance.

David Rockwell of Dixon was the first land manager of the wilderness area. In his address Thursday, Rockwell voiced how privileged he feels to have played a role in the creation of this wilderness, while his successor Herschel Mays recalled tales of backcountry encounters with bears and mountain goats that drew some laughs from the crowd.

“I think this wilderness brought a lot of credibility and recognition to the Tribes,” Mays added.

Indeed, the establishment of the Mission Mountains Wilderness Area has drawn the attention of conservationists from around the world, and has enabled tribal representatives to travel as far as South Africa for presentations regarding their efforts to preserve this unique resource.

The Mission Mountains truly are one of a kind. Standing sentinel over the valley floor, the towering peaks are made exceptional not only for their natural beauty, but also by the unprecedented measures taken to keep their hillsides in such pristine condition.

“It was the first time a tribe had decided to protect wilderness on its own accord,” said Germaine White of the CSKT Natural Resources Department.

The wilderness is historic not merely for its creation, but also because it has been used to help pioneer special land management strategies, such as the 10,000-acre Grizzly Bear Management Zone. This swath of prime habitat for grizzlies is cordoned off from human access during critical summer months when bears gorge themselves on protein-rich insects.

While the Yayas provided the impetus that led directly to the foundation of the wilderness, the Tribes’ efforts to outfit the Missions with special protection traces its origins as far back as the 1930s. In 1936, the tribal council sought to make history by converting the western side of the range into a tribally-managed national park, but the proposal faltered in Washington, D.C.

Despite the failed national park bid, the area received federal recognition the following year when famed conservationist Bob Marshall granted the region “roadless designation” status, as a place where “sizable areas are uninvaded by roads.”

The “roadless designation” was eventually repealed, and until the Yayas came forward, logging and other economic pressures increasingly jeopardized the mountains’ forested slopes. Though the Tribes would have profited by exploiting the reservation’s plentiful natural resources, the Yayas nobly fought to ensure that the majesty of the mountains would forever remain uncompromised and unadulterated.

Les Bigcrane, the current Wildland Recreation Program Manager for the area, discussed the area’s proud history and ancestral value, but stressed the need for “the next generation to prepare to take on the responsibility of protecting this great resource.”

Another former wildland manager, Tom McDonald, encouraged families and youth “to get outside and enjoy the Mission Range. The spectacular scenery can make for a powerful and sometimes life-changing experience.”

Following the scheduled speeches, an open microphone was extended to those in attendance. Dolly Linsebigler was the first to stand before the crowd to articulate her appreciation.

“It’s good to see young people in attendance,” she said. “It means a lot to see them take an interest in protecting these mountains.”

Some thought the wilderness area would never last this long, and while the event’s keynote speakers rightfully celebrated its history, they are also aware of future challenges facing the Missions.

Such challenges include the ever-encroaching march of development within the Mission Valley. Lake County has seen significant population growth during the wilderness area’s history, as Les Bigcrane noted, “with more houses being built in the foothills and in urban interface areas.”

Climate change also lends the area an uncertain future, but “maintaining habitat connectivity is important” as a precaution, White said.

While last week’s event acknowledged many people deserving of recognition and thanks, Bigcrane kept his perspective singularly focused on the wilderness, reiterating that, “it’s not about us as individuals — it’s about the Mission Mountains. It’s a sacred place that is important to many people.”