Fig. 18.1 The Great Northern Environmental Stewardship Area between West Glacier and East
Glacier, Montana, USA
Land Ownership
Traveling southeast from West Glacier, the railroad line passes through intermixed
public and private lands (Fig. 18.1). The private lands are primarily small ranches
and recreational home sites, small communities, and campgrounds. The public lands
are primarily managed by the U. S. Forest Service for recreation and timber. Also, U.
S. Highway 2 parallels the railroad for its entire length between East and West
Glacier, as does a natural gas pipeline and electricity transmission line. This narrow
ribbon of railroad, highway, utilities, and private land development form what
Servheen and Sandstrom (1993) term a “fracture zone” which is a zone where human
development impedes the connectivity of wildlife populations within a natural area.
Ecological Characteristics
Glacier National Park and the Great Bear/Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex are
highly protected federal lands managed for preservation of their natural qualities
and for non-motorized recreation. Glacier National Park has been designated a
biosphere preserve and a world heritage site by the United Nations (UNESCO).
18 Commerce and Conservation in the Crown of the Continent
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