The federal government announced Wednesday it’s planning how it will restore a breeding population of grizzlies to the Bitterroot and it wants the public to weigh in.
A key decision for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be whether to manually reintroduce bears into the ecosystem, or manage conditions to allow grizzlies to naturally settle in the area themselves – something the service believes may happen within 15 to 20 years.
No breeding grizzlies live in the Bitterroot, although individual bears have been seen in the ecosystem in recent years.
In 2000, the agency published a plan to reintroduce bears to the region, but that plan was never acted on. Those 20 years of inaction led a district court last spring to order the service to develop a new plan.
The service will hold three virtual public information sessions in February and accept comments on what should be considered in its restoration plan until March 18.
The agency expects to have a draft Environmental Impact Statement evaluating options by the end of 2025. The court ordered a final plan by fall 2026.
