Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of Conservation on the Rocky Mountain Front September 15-17, 2021

As we help connect land and water conservation partners throughout Montana, we also aim to provide inspiration and learning opportunities to Montana’s conservation and community leaders. Each biennium, MWCC works with local conservation partners to host a Fall Watershed Tour where participants gather, share, and learn. This year, we are convening in Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front for three days of learning, peer exchanges, local storytelling, and on-the-ground project experiences that demonstrate the unique resource challenges and diverse conservation strategies implemented by local organizers across this iconic landscape.

The tour will highlight diverse strategies and perspectives for implementing land and water stewardship with participants from the Blackfeet Nation, watershed groups, conservation districts, irrigation and noxious weed partnerships, NGOs, and local landowners. The event will also allow opportunities for participants to connect and learn from practitioners, coordinators, technical experts, and funders from all corners of the state.

Registration Closes August 1st

Lodging & Logistics

Tour Route – (A detailed agenda and tour route will be available soon)

Day 1 (September 15th)

Meet in Augusta at 10 am, depart for Day 1 site visits at 12 pm, and dinner in Choteau at 7 pm; stay overnight in Choteau.
- Presenters and Local Partners Include: Lewis and Clark Conservation District, Cascade Conservation District, Sun River Watershed Group, Montana DNRC, Montana FWP, Greenfields Irrigation District, and Rocky Mountain Front Weed Roundtable

Day 2 (September 16th)

Depart from Choteau at 8:30 am for Day 2 site visits, lunch in Browning at 12 pm, and dinner in Cut Bank at 6:30 pm; stay overnight in Cut Bank
- Presenters and Local Partners Include: MWCC 2021 Watershed Stewardship Awards Winners, The Nature Conservancy, Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent Collaborative, Blackfeet Environmental Office, Inii Initiative, Ksik Stakii Project, and Western Collaborative Conservation Network

Day 3 (September 17th)

Depart from Cut Bank at 8:30 am for Day 3 site visits; tour will end near East Glacier around noon
- Presenters and Local Partners Include: Blackfeet Agricultural Resource Management Plan Office, Blackfeet Indian Land Trust
Return to Choteau for individual vehicles early afternoon

Lodging

Attendees are responsible for securing their own lodging each night. MWCC has reserved a block of rooms at discounted rates for Day 1 and Day 2 of the tour. Reservations must be made by August 1st to receive the group rate. If you’d like information on additional lodging or camping options nearby, please contact us at info@mtwatersheds.org or (406) 475-1420.

Day 1 (September 15th) – Choteau, MT (Stage Stop Inn) – Call (406) 466-5900 for reservations. Ask for the block with Montana Watershed Coordination Council – MWCC.
Day 2 (September 16th) – Cut Bank, MT (Super 8) Call (406) 873-8325 Press option 3 to speak to the front desk. Ask for the block with Montana Watershed Coordination Council – MWCC.

Meals

MWCC will provide lunch and dinner on September 15th and 16th. If you have any dietary restrictions please provide those details in the registration form.

Transportation

We plan to limit the number of vehicles traveling along the tour out of respect to the landowners and communities hosting our group. Therefore, we are encouraging participants to carpool as much as possible. MWCC will coordinate with drivers to facilitate carpooling (starting and finishing in Choteau), and we ask participants to indicate their interest in carpooling and/or driving in the registration form.

Scholarships

The deadline to apply for Watershed Tour scholarships has been extended to midnight on Sunday, August 1, with scholarships now available only to Conservation District staff and supervisors and to Big Sky Watershed Corps members and BSWC host site personnel implementing DEQ-approved Watershed Restoration Plans to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Scholarships may cover registration, travel, and lodging costs, depending on the applying organization’s need and funds available.

MWCC will notify applicants whether they have received funding the week of August 9.

Please register for the tour at the same time that you fill out the scholarship application form, since space is limited. Choose the payment option “Apply for a Scholarship,” and you will not be required to pay when you register. If you do not receive a scholarship, MWCC will work with you to determine if you will still be able to attend the Tour.

Additional information about scholarship eligibility, reimbursement, and how to apply is available in the application link below. Please be sure to read the application guidelines thoroughly before applying. If your organization has an existing account in Submittable, the online grant management platform MWCC uses, please login to that existing account before clicking on the scholarship application link below.

Click here to apply!

COVID-19 Precautions

During our three-day tour, we want tour participants to learn, have fun, and connect with one another. While doing so, we will follow any relevant COVID-19 protocols (if applicable) within the jurisdictions we visit. We will be encouraging carpooling to limit vehicle traffic throughout the tour, but also will also recognize and encourage any individual preferences or precautions taken by our attendees.

Tour Partners and Presenters

Blackfeet Agricultural Resource Management Plan Office (Blackfeet ARMP)
Blackfeet Environmental Office
Greenfields Irrigation District
Lewis & Clark Conservation District
Piikani Lodge Health Institute
Sun River Watershed Group

Blackfeet Community College
Cascade Conservation District
Iinii Initiative
Montana DNRC
Rocky Mountain Front Weed Roundtable
The Nature Conservancy
And more!

Support as a Sponsor

The Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC) is inviting sponsors to join us to support our Fall Watershed Tour, held September 15-17, 2021 on Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front. Sponsorships will allow us to make this event more accessible and affordable to attendees, as well as provide scholarships to select participants. Additionally, this provides a great opportunity for promotion and exposure to sponsoring entities. Sponsors will be recognized throughout the event, as well as in in tour publications, MWCC’s website, and relevant announcements.

Progress Toward Sponsorship Needs