Lighthawk, the aerial branch of conservation forces, will make its first sorties into the backcountry of the Clearwater National Forest starting this weekend.
Billed as one of the major forces in forest conservation by wilderness advocates and observers, the non-commercial flying service plans flights over north central Idaho Sunday and Monday.
Monday's flights will coincide with the 21st anniversary of Earth Day. Some conservationists also view Lighthawk's arrival as a sort of coming of age for their effort to shift public opinion about the fate of the national forest.
Lighthawk gained fame during the late 1980s by ferrying conservationists, political leaders and reporters over the ancient forests of the Cascade Mountains.
Aerial views of logging in the Cascades fed the escalating debate about the future of those forests.
The group organizing Lighthawk's operations in north central Idaho hopes for the same result.
The flying service will visit the region at the request of Clearwater Forest Watch, said Steve Paulson of Lenore, who helped arrange the flights.
Paulson said he contacted the New Mexico-based outfit about six weeks ago.
The commitment by Lighthawk officials to visit the region was immediate. The logistics took time, he added.
Paulson, who leads Clearwater Forest Watch and Friends of the Clearwater, said his goals for the visit are simple:
''To repeat here what they did in the Cascades, to increase the awareness of leaders in the conservation movement and government agencies of the situation in the Clearwater forest.''
Organizers of the effort say more than 60 reporters, political leaders and others were invited to fly over the Clearwater from the Orofino Airport.
Although a total of 48 seats were allocated during the two days on the small, four-passenger aircraft, 60 reservations have been requested.
Paulson said he believes the flights will give those on board a better overall view of the Clearwater National Forest's condition.
