Krause Basin Collaboration

On this page: Introduction | News | Meetings | Maps | Background & Reference | Contacts

Page Updated: 27 September 2022

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Introduction

Located on the Swan Lake Ranger District in the foothills of the Swan Mountains close to the community of Bigfork, Montana, the Krause Basin area adjoins state and private land downhill to the east.

The area provides both motorized and nonmotorized opportunities such as biking, hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and off-highway vehicle use. In response to objections on the 2018 Flathead National Forest Management Plan, the Forest committed to starting a collaborative effort within 3 years of the Record of Decision. This collaborative group is requested to come together in assisting the Forest in developing a management strategy for the Krause Basin area.

This is an exciting opportunity for those who care about Krause Basin to come together and collaborate with the Forest Service on a management strategy for the Krause Basin Area.

News

• July 21, 2021 - Swan Lake Ranger District Seeks Participants for Krause Basin Collaborative

Meetings

Meeting Date	Agenda & Join Information	Post-Meeting Notes and Recording
Wednesday, September 21, 2022		Krause Basin Project focus area trail segments (corrected) Meeting recording (part 1) Meeting recording (part 2) Meeting attendance  Meeting chat Meeting presentation
Thursday, August 25, 2022 5:30-7:30 p.m. Virtual (Microsoft Teams)	August 25 Meeting Agenda Please see agenda for connection information.	Group 1 worksheet (no alternative) Group 2 worksheet (alternative A) Group 3 worksheet (alternative B) Group 4 worksheet (alternative C) Group 5 worksheet (alternative D) Group 6 worksheet (other) Krause Basin Project focus area trail segments map Krause Basin sign options Meeting presentation (PowerPoint) Meeting chat Meeting attendance Meeting recording
Wednesday, July 13, 2022 5:30 - 7:30 pm Virtual (Microsoft) Teams	MEETING HAS BEEN MOVED TO VIRTUAL. Please see agenda for connection information. Meeting 5 Agenda	July 13 meeting chat July 13 meeting slides July 13 trail signage slides July 13 wildlife in Krause Basin slides No-action alternative map Alternative A map July 13 meeting recording
Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m. FVCC/Teams	Meeting will be in-person at Flathead Valley Community College (map) or online on Microsoft Teams April 13, 2022 meeting agenda	April 13 meeting chat April 13 meeting slides April 13 breakout group map April 13 trail designations table April 13 sign-in sheet (in person) April 13 attendance list (TEAMS) April 13 meeting recording
Wednesday, February 16, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m.	February 16, 2022 meeting agenda (pdf)	February 16 meeting chat February 16 meeting slides February 16 breakout exercise report out February 16 poll questions results February 16 meeting recording
Thursday, December 16, 2021, 5:30-7:30 p.m.	December 16, 2021 meeting agenda (pdf) To request an invite to the meeting please email Shelli Mavor at michele.mavor@usda.gov.	December 16 meeting chat December 16 meeting slides A meeting recording is not available due to technical difficulties. No meeting notes were taken due to the kick-off meeting’s introductory nature.

Field Trips

• May 22, 2022 field trip notes

Maps

• Krause Basin Vicinity Map (jpg)
• Project Overview Map (jpg)
• Focus Area with GPS Trails and Structures (jpg)
• Focus Area with Trails on Imagery, North (jpg)
• Focus Area with Trails on Imagery, South (jpg)

Background Information and Reference Materials

• Frequently Asked Questions

Regulatory Documents Guiding Implementation of Krause Basin Recreation Management Strategy

Current Krause Basin Management Direction

• 1988 Recreation Management Direction for the Noisy Face Geographic Unit (pdf)

Flathead National Forest Planning Documents

• 2014 Assessment of the Flathead National Forest
• 2018 Flathead National Forest Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision for the Land Management Plan
• 2018 Flathead National Forest – Forest Plan
• 2022 Revised Forest Plan Biological Opinion 

Forest Service Recreation and Trails Handbooks and Manuals

The links below open Word documents. All Handbooks and Manuals can be found at our Forest Service Directives page.

• Forest Service Manual 2300 - Recreation, Wilderness, and Related Resource Management
  • FSM 2310 - Sustainable Recreation Planning
  • FSM 2310 - Region 1 Supplement
  • FSM 2350 - Trail, River, and Similar Recreation Opportunities
  • FSM 2350 - Region 1 Supplement
• Forest Service Handbook 2309
  • FSH 2309.13 Chapter 10 - Planning and Design of Developed Recreation Sites and Facilities
  • FSH 2309.18 - Trails Management Handbook

Forest Service Trails, Signs and Posters Guidelines

• 2007 USFS Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook (pdf)
• ​Forest Service Sign and Poster Guidelines, EM7100-15, 2013 (pdf, 681 page document)
• Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines

Key Contacts

Cory Davis - Facilitator. Cory currently works as a Science Communication Specialist for the Northern Rockies Fire Science Network, which helps share information between fire researchers and fire managers in the Northern Rockies. He has been a Research Associate in University of Montana’s Franke College of Forestry and Conservation since 2011. For ten years, he was the Coordinator for the Southwestern Crown Collaborative working under the USDA’s Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. He has worked in natural resources his entire career, including as a Biologist at Glacier National Park, and studied birds throughout the western US for many years. Cory has lived in the Flathead Valley since 2003 and is the current President of the Flathead Audubon Society.

Shelli Mavor - Planning Team Leader and District point of contact for Krause Basin Collaboration, Flathead National Forest