The Conservation Biology Alternative for Grizzly Bear Population Restoration
in the Greater Salmon-Selway Region Central Idaho and Western Montana

APPENDIX A

Conclusion

The Conservation Biology Alternative for grizzly bear recovery in the Greater Salmon-Selway area protects grizzly bears, creates jobs and save the taxpayers money. Recovery would focus on revegetating unneeded roads and restoring grizzly bear populations. 1501 jobs would be provided and key watersheds in the grizzly bear recovery area would be protected and restored at a cost of $67 million. The Forest Service will save over $137 million by not logging in roadless areas needed for grizzly bear recovery for a net monetary benefit of at least $68 million. Jobs, taxpayers and grizzly bears will benefit under the Conservation Biology Alternative. The cost of soil erosion is estimated to be $25 per ton by the Boise National Forest (1995). This is the cost of removing sediment from stream beds. Millions of tons of sediment erosion will be prevented by obliterating unused logging roads. Millions of tons of additional sedimentation in rivers will be prevented by not building hundreds of miles of logging roads in roadless areas. This will benefit more than grizzly bears. The entire ecosystem will be restored. Elk and fish populations will also increase.

Total Benefits and Costs associated with the Conservation Biology Alternative
for Grizzly Bear Restoration in Central Idaho and Western Montana

Benefits (below cost timber sales in roadless areas prevented)

$137,221,258 (See Table A1)

Cost of Wildland Recovery

<$67,141,828> (See Table A2)

Cost of Mapping (1)

< $200,000>

Cost of Scientific Committee (2)

< $154,500>

Cost of capturing, transporting and monitoring grizzlies (3)

< $800,000>

Net $ Benefits: $68,924,930

Net Jobs Created: 1,201

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