Model Forest Policy Program

Local Government Case Studies: Forest and Water Climate Solutions

Bonner County Idaho Case Study

Located in northern Idaho, this case study is serving as an excellent example of how a rural, but recently “discovered” county can form the political momentum to tackle climate action planning, using a local champion as a catalyst and local elected officials as the leaders. Our goal is for Bonner County, to be the first Idaho county to sign the Cool County Agreement.

Issue: Northwest climate patterns show snow melting a month earlier, water flows swelling in the winter, dwindling in the summer. January 2008 hearings were held on the December 2007 northwest flooding event. Montgomery, professor of geomorphology at University of WA testified,
“It appears to me that the flooding and landslide problems this December [2007] stemmed in no small part from the combination of an unusually large but expectable storm and decades of risky behavior both in upland forestry practices and downstream flood plain development…the combination puts people at risk and will do so again under the present system.”


Photographs by Phil Hough

In Bonner County, abundant forests are already stressed from fragmentation due to rampant development, out dated land use codes, and frequent poor timber harvesting practices. Climate change further threatens our forests with induced drought, changes in hydrologic function, insect death and fire. In 2007, Bonner County Idaho reported its highest temperatures on record and Idaho rivers were reported at their lowest river flow levels on record. Flooding in 2006, 2007 broke records of flow volume in some rivers.

Solution

MFPP has partnered with local stakeholders who act as champions, educators, and change agents to support what the community leaders want to accomplish. Our natural stakeholder partnerships are with local government representatives, watershed groups, climate groups, state and federal agencies, with the shared goals of watershed protection through forest stewardship and conservation land use practices. By working in concert, this project is modeling ways to mobilize grassroots support and bolster the efforts of local governments to change policies and practices.

Our Steps:

Form a citizen’s Land Use Subcommittee as part of the new Climate Change Action Network
Revise County Land Use Code
Public Education

This project is funded by a grant from the Inland Northwest Community Foundation.

contact mfpp.org