Findings

Congress finds that, as of the date of enactment of this Act— (1) the most recent scientific information on ecological reserve design and function, including recent scientific information on species dispersal in response to a changing climate, points out the critical need for biological connecting corridors between the larger core ecosystem areas; (2) while none of the remaining major wildland ecosystems of the Northern Rockies Bioregion appears to be of sufficient size to perpetuate the full complement of self-sustaining viable populations of native wildlife, biological diversity, and full range of ecological processes on its own, it appears that an effective reserve system can be achieved if biological connecting corridors between the ecosystems are identified and protected; (3) the wildland areas addressed by this title are located between the major core ecosystems of the region and are essential for wildlife and plant migration and genetic interchange; and (4) those areas are some of the most beautiful and wild mountain ranges in the United States, including the Bitterroot, Sapphire, Lost River, Lemhi, and Bridger mountain ranges.