Great Burn Conservation Alliance
Great Burn Conservation Alliance (GBCA) works to further conservation and stewardship in the Great Burn ecosystem. Their focus area includes the area between Lookout Pass and Lolo Pass that spans Montana and Idaho. The Great Burn takes its name from the historic wildfires of 1910. Those fires, which consumed almost three million acres in less than three days, left barren hillsides devoid of commercial timber value. That historic event, though tragic at the time, had the indirect benefit of allowing the area to recover for a century without penetration by human developments.
The Great Burn ecosystem of the Northern Rockies spans roughly 1.9 million acres of public wildlands in the northern Bitterroot Mountains along the Idaho-Montana border. Containing no less than 27 Inventoried Roadless Areas, their mission area’s rugged and wild habitat boasts incredible biodiversity and serves as a haven for vulnerable and threatened species such as wolverine, white bark pine and mountain goats.
The GBCA's policy work is not complete until the Great Burn is permanently protected as designated Wilderness. Together with their coalition partners, GBCA staff work to build a broad coalition of support for wilderness through participation in collaborative groups, grassroots organizing in the Great Burn’s gateway communities, and regular interaction with staff from the Idaho and Montana congressional delegations.
The mission of the Great Burn Conservation Alliance is to foster the connection between people and place to further conservation and stewardship in the Great Burn ecosystem.
Great Burn Conservation Alliance’s Work
The following are a couple highlights of the impactful work of the Great Burn Conservation Alliance. The Great Burn Conservation Alliance envisions a wild and resilient Great Burn ecosystem that supports the communities, flora and fauna that call this region home.
The GBCA influenced positive conservation language in the first forest management plans, and travel management plans, on both forests in our mission area. The existing plans are among the most progressive in the nation.
The Great Burn is currently closed to motorized and mechanized use on the Idaho side because of their efforts and those of our conservation partners.
Over the past fifty years, they have helped develop and shepherd sixteen different Congressional wilderness bills for the Proposed Great Burn Wilderness. Their work to permanently secure a wild Great Burn continues.
Advocacy
Education
The Great Burn Conservation Alliance is dedicated to fostering a strong connection between local youth and the natural world through their dynamic Education Program. By partnering with local schools and youth groups, they bring the wonders of the Great Burn ecosystem directly to students. Their curriculum is designed to immerse young learners in the study of native ecosystems, wildlife, native species, the challenges posed by invasive species, as well as wilderness skills. They blend classroom instruction with hands-on, experiential learning to create a comprehensive educational experience that is both engaging and impactful. Central to their program are the field trips into the Great Burn, where students can experience the wilderness firsthand. Through collaborative projects, local partnerships, and community service initiatives, they ensure that participating students develop a profound appreciation for their community and the natural world around it, as well as a strong sense of responsibility towards its betterment.
In partnership with the North Fork Ranger District on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, GBCA crews complete deferred maintenance projects on both motorized and non-motorized trail, covering the Great Burn, Bighorn-Weitas, and Mallard Larkins roadless areas.
GBCA implements an integrated approach to controlling invasive and noxious weeds throughout their mission area. Assisted by pack strings, the crews travel into some of the most remote reaches of the Great Burn to restore habitat impacted by weeds. Through targeted chemical control, hand pulling and distributing biocontrols—insects that target specific weed species—the crew helps maintain biodiversity in the Great Burn ecosystem.
Every summer, GBCA crews visit backcountry lakes along the Stateline Trail and monitor, maintain and naturalize human impacts to the land. This work includes packing out trash, identifying noxious weeds, minimizing fire rings, checking signage, and reducing bare dirt from tent pads or social trails.
GBCA’s Backcountry Ranger is a jack of all trades. They cover hundreds of miles every field season, identifying illegal use, packing out trash, maintaining or naturalizing impacted areas, and identifying any trail maintenance issues. The Ranger also partners with conservation corps crews on projects around the Great Burn.
Stewardship
Join us in supporting Great Burn Conservation Alliance
75% of this month's donations will go towards this month's partner
This month and every month, Wild Boyz Photography will be partnering with one nonprofit. 75% of any donations that we receive during the month will go to the nonprofit. Help Great Burn Conservation Alliance to provide high quality environmental education.