…As a recent report from Bozeman-based Headwaters Economics shows, rural counties in the West with more than 30 percent of federal land protected as parks, wilderness, monuments and recreation areas have enjoyed a 345 percent growth in jobs over the past 40 years — more than quadruple the job growth of counties without protected lands.
But Montanans also recognize the need for a sustainable supply of timber to our remaining mills, while protecting some of our finest backcountry. And most Montanans acknowledge the importance of maintaining our wood products infrastructure that still supports over 6,000 timber industry jobs across the state.
We can have both.…