User:Snakesticks/Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness

The Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness became the first Tribal Wilderness to be designated in the United States in the summer of 1982. It is managed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and lies in the far east of the Flathead Indian Reservation, on the western slope of the Mission Mountains in northwestern Montana. It adjoins the Mission Mountains Wilderness (designated in 1975) at the ridge-line of the Missions.

The wilderness stretches roughly 34 miles north-south at an average of around 5 miles wide. This covers 91,778 acres of land, which ranges in elevation from 4,000-10,000 feet. The Mission Mountains Wilderness covers approx. 75,000 acres, and in conjunction with the nearby Jocko Tribal Primitive Area, Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Lolo National Forest, and Flathead National Forest as well as the more distant Glacier National Park and Lewis and Clark National Forest both wilderness areas contribute to an unusual degree of habitat continuity in the region.

Pre-colonial
The Ql̓ispé (Pend d'Oreilles) people have lived in the area for time immemorial. Elders recount coyote + man-eaters, back to glacial. Headwaters of salish peoples. Name of Broad water band, important routes of travel, bulltrout, fisheries, berries, hunting, insert wheel of seasons, fire management

Ksanka Ktunaxa

Post-colonial
Smallpox/warring, loss and consolidation of tribes and bands, migrations of Séliš to area willful and unwillful. The Hellgate Treaty of 1855: many horses, no horses, michelle.

Geology
Glacial history

Ecology
Major species of interest, make note of lack of fish-stocking during 20s and effect on herp pop./general alpine lake ecology.