Roadless Hot Springs at Risk in Idaho!

Roadless Area Hot Springs Jerry Johnson at Risk

Roadless areas represent our last intact ecosystems, water systems, wildlife areas and open spaces. Many use and value this land, including: hunters, anglers, backpackers and kayakers along with many other types of recreational users.

IRAs also contain hot springs, which are very unique features that set Idaho's roadless forests apart from the rest. Scroll down to view the list of 22 hot springs located in IRAs in Idaho - all face a severe risk of development.

Please send your comments to Governor Kempthorne (contact info. below), telling him to petition to protect all inventoried roadless areas in Idaho. I've backpacked 100s of miles throughout the years in many of Idaho's roadless areas within the Boise, Payette, Sawtooth, Salmon-Challis and Clearwater National Forests. Developing any of Idaho's IRAs just doesn't make sense.

Here's why:

• IRAs are important for recreation, clean water, fish and wildlife.

• Idaho's uniqueness is represented by roadless forests, that draw middle class families to our cities - which are vital to urbanized economies and growth.

• Idaho's forests already have over 34 thousand miles of road with over $660 million dollars of backlogged maintenance.

• Roadless areas are a key component of Habitat Conservation Planning; which allows city and land planners to better design roadway and transit systems, and manage population growth.

• 74% of the state's Steelhead and Chinook Salmon habitat in roadless areas, and Steelhead and Salmon anglers spend over $60 million dollars annually in Idaho.

Even though Idaho has the most roadless land in the lower 48, Governor Kempthorne is drafting a petition that could potentially open up millions of acres of inventoried roadless land for reasons that include energy exploration and old growth forest harvesting.

There is still time for your voice to be heard!

Governor Kempthorne is accepting comments until March 1, 2006. You can e-mail your comments to roadless@osc.idaho.gov or send them to:

Governor Kempthorne
c/o Office of Species Conservation
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83702-0195

My research has concluded that the hot springs listed below are all located within Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) in Idaho. As such, their fate is currently in the hands of the Governor.

Boise National Forest
-Moondipper
-Pine Burl
-Bull Creek
-Bull Rack
-Tenmile
-Lynx Creek
-Weatherby
-Here Comes the Sun

Caribou-Targhee National Forest
-Bear Valley Creek

Clearwater National Forest
-Jerry Johnson
-Weir Creek

Payette National Forest
-Cable Car/French Creek
-Cluster
-Secesh
-Buckhorn
-Penny
-Mollys
-Vulcan

Salmon-Challis National Forest
-Owl Creek

Sawtooth National Forest
-Lightfoot
-Skillern
-Willow Creek

Take more action - sign petitions in favor of roadless protections and adopt-a-roadless-area!