Each year, MWCC hosts an annual meeting to provide updates on our programs and resources to partners, as well as to provide opportunities for the collaborative conservation community to connect and learn.
This year we will focus on regional partnerships working on environmental justice issues. The Mountain and Plains Environmental Justice (MAP EJ) Council will discuss their work in the U.S. EPA Region 8. The Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Program (PSPP) will discuss its work in the Upper Columbia River Basin.
MAP EJ Slideshow
PSPP Slideshows
MWCC Welcome and Intro slides
Montana Drought Management Plan slides
Montana Drought Management Plan website
Watershed Planning to Support Local Restoration Efforts slides
SRWG Project Prioritization and Tracking Conservation Conversation – Oct. 11, 2023
Using DNRC Grants to Achieve Our Watershed Restoration Goals slides
On April 26, 2023, MWCC welcomed more than 80 local and statewide conservation partners to our first in-person annual meeting in three years, co-hosting with the Montana Wetland Council (MWC) at the Holter Museum of Art in Helena. The event included a look at the past, present, and future of MWCC; stories of connections to the lands and waters we serve; and an awards ceremony for the 2023 Montana Wetland and Watershed Stewardship Awards.
We started the day with a reminder of why and how the MWCC network developed in the first place back in the early 1990s, with stories from three people who were there at the very beginning. These foundational MWCC supporters shared the joys, successes, and struggles of bringing together state and federal agencies, local watershed conservation leaders, and others to provide better coordination and communication across the state. They highlighted the key role that the Montana Association of Conservation Districts played in supporting MWCC in the early days and stressed the importance of bringing people together to find common ground, sharing our successes, and continually educating our network members.
Next we had a presentation about current MWCC services and how we’re supporting local watershed conservation statewide, followed by break-out discussions about how the past three years have changed us, what value our partners find in being part of the MWCC network, and how MWCC can best support local conservation work in the next 5-10 years.
After lunch, we heard inspirational stories from five of MWC’s partners about their connections to wetlands and watersheds, and why they do the work they do. Then we watched a compilation of clips from the Life in the Land documentary film series, which has become a touchstone for sharing the benefits of holistic, collaborative conservation initiatives across Montana. Finally, Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras presented our 2023 Montana Watershed and Wetland Stewardship Awards to three individuals and two collaborative projects that exemplify excellence and commitment to wetland or watershed conservation, protection, restoration, and enhancement in Montana.
Throughout the day, our watershed and wetland conservation partners connected with friends and colleagues old and new; shared ideas, laughter, and a few tears; and expressed gratitude for being able to gather face-to-face again.
Agenda
9:00 – Check-in/Registration. Connect over coffee and tea
9:30 – Welcome from the Montana Watershed Coordination Council and the Montana Wetland Council
9:45 – Why Collaborative Conservation? A Brief History of MWCC
10:15 – How We Do Collaborative Conservation: Overview of MWCC Services and Accomplishments
10:45 – BREAK
11:00 – Where We’re Going, Together: Break-Out Sessions and Discussion
12:30 – LUNCH
13:30 – Connections to Land and Water: Montana Wetland Council
14:30 – Life in the Land Viewing
15:00 – Watershed and Wetland Stewardship Awards Ceremony
16:15 – Brief closing remarks
17:00 – Optional Social gathering at Tenmile Brewery
9:00 AM – Annual Meeting Kickoff
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- Welcome & Introductions
- MWCC Highlights & Program Updates
- Partner Updates
- MWCC Watershed Fund Impacts
10:00 AM – Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act
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- CLICK HERE for MWCC’s Natural Resource Infrastructure Funding Table
- Updates and discussion with Federal & State agencies about what this influx of funding means for Montana’s watersheds
- Bureau of Reclamation – Avra Morgan
- Natural Resources Conservation Service – Kyle Tackett
- MT Department of Environmental Quality – Eric Trum
- MT Department of Natural Resources & Conservation – Mark Bostrom
- MT Disaster & Emergency Services – Hannah Shultz
11:00 AM – BREAK
11:10 AM – Breakout Rooms
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- Small group discussions with attendees on preparing and positioning Montana’s watershed communities for Federal & State funding opportunities.
11:55 AM – Regroup and Wrap-up
Agenda
9:00 – Welcome and updates from MWCC; partner updates from Montana Association of Conservation Districts & Montana Forest Collaboration Network
9:30 – Agency Director Panel Session w/ Q&A (DNRC, DEQ, FWP, & NRCS)
10:30 – Break
10:40 – Funding Breakout Sessions – Participants rotate through 4 breakout groups to learn about funding opportunities and ask questions. Includes Federal, State, and private programs.
11:55 – Wrap-up
12:00 – Adjourn