Event Category: Other Event

The Cinch Buckle Ranch is found down long-stretching red gravel roads, nestled in the rolling grass prairies of southeast Montana. The grazing lands that make up the Cinch Buckle are home to a large array of wildlife, a 600-head herd of mother cows, and an amazing team of people who are dedicated to stewarding the land. 

Leased and managed by J Bar L Ranches, our team is passionate about grazing practices that improve rangeland and soil health, stockmanship and cattle performance, horsemanship, and personal growth. We enjoy learning about regenerative agriculture practices and attempt to implement new strategies that align with our passions. Sharing this place with others brings us joy and hope that those who visit will leave feeling as free, open, wise, untouched and wild as these lands.

CRC’s annual Make the Cut Invasive Lily Removal Competition is a community event open to the public. It will take place on Seeley Lake. Fragrant waterlily is a highly invasive plant which has widespread consequences on native plants and animals, so help CRC stop the spread by joining us! CRC will provide competitors with supplies to cut the lilies.  The teams to cut and collect the most lily plants will win fun prizes (including swag and a $100 cash prize)! At 4 pm, an after-party will take place with food and drinks for all participants.  Please register at http://crcmt.org/registration0731.  Early registrants will be entered into our prize raffle.  Participants strongly advised to register so that we can plan for adequate parking.  Same day registration will also be available. 

Building low-tech restoration structures, which include beaver mimicry and post assited log structures. 

Nestled within the Centennial Valley, the J Bar L Ranch encompasses 20,000 acres of deeded and leased land. That’s 5,000 acres more than the entire island of Manhattan. A holistically-managed cattle ranch, the J Bar L is dedicated to continuing the valley’s historic ranching tradition while stewarding the Centennial’s stunning and complex rangeland ecosystem. Depending on the cattle’s grazing rotations, you may or may not see the cattle during your stay. However, you are sure to witness some of the numerous wildlife that call this valley home.

Asking for volunteers to help BHWC build low-tech, rock “Zeedyk” structures to hold water on the landscape (i.e. natural water storage). Please join BHWC! Lunch will be provided.

Friday, August 13, 2021 – 9:00 am. Location TBA. RSVP to Ben LaPorte.

Each year, volunteers for Bitter Root Water Forum pull thousands of pounds of trash out of the Bitterroot River. Volunteers are assigned stretches of the river from Sula and Painted Rocks to the confluence at the Clark Fork in Missoula. Be a part of this year’s annual River Clean Up and help keep our beautiful Bitterroot River clean and flowing!

Topic: Conifer Encroachment

If you enjoy the Missouri River and all the benefits this amazing resource provides, this summer is your chance to give back! Cleaning up over 140 miles of the Mo – from Helena to Great Falls and at Fort Benton. The Sun River Watershed Group needs volunteers to help on the water (if you have your own boat) and on land. Sign up today to clean up your favorite beach, park, or trail!

Please join us at the Hungry Bear Bar & Grill in Condon for Summer Soirée in the Swan – A Fundraising Celebration!

• Live music by Halladay Quist and the Barn Dance Revival Band

• Silent auction & raffle tickets to benefit SVC programs

$40 TICKET INCLUDES HORS D’OUEVRES, SOFT DRINKS, ONE BAR TICKET, AND LIVE MUSIC

Join virtually (for free) from 4:00PM-4:30PM
And participate in our month-long online auction (Aug 9-29) with original art, experiential opportunities, and more!

If you have something you’d like to donate to our auction or if you’d like to volunteer, please contact Rebecca at Rebecca@SVConnections.org

STAY TUNED FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE EVENT AND ONLINE AUCTION!

Join Swan Valley Connections for their annual Upper Swan River Cleanup Day!

SVC will provide garbage bags, maps, and coordination for teams to gather trash and snagged fishing gear along key boat ramps, bridges, public access sites, and reaches of the Upper Swan River.

Meet at the Condon Work Center (SVC office) at 10am. Bring clothes and footwear for wading and/or riverside walking. If you’d like to float a stretch of the river, bring a boat!

The Gallatin Watershed Council and Gallatin River Task Force have teamed up to host the third annual collaborative Gallatin River Cleanup. On Sunday, August 29th, teams of volunteers will pick up trash all the way from the headwaters to the valley. 

Lewis & Clark CD will be hosting a riparian grazing workshop Tuesday, September 14^th in Augusta. Featuring guest speakers Dr. Clayton Marlow (MSU range professor) and Allen McNeal (McNeal Resources), we will discuss how grazing in stream areas can be a part of a rotation without damaging the stream system. Topics covered include stream form and function, grazing techniques that promote bank stabilization and flood resilience, and assistance programs.

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.

Topic: Wildlife & Sage Grouse Updates

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.

Transboundary Cooperation cohosted by Montana Invasive Species Council

The North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) Board of Directors, Staff, and Planning Committee are excited for this year’s opportunity to bring our high quality agenda, professional development, and networking opportunities to invasive species managers in North America and beyond. 

This year’s conference is a great deal for anyone who does invasive species management, research, policy, or outreach and education who are looking for an affordable professional development opportunity. Become a member for registration discounts.

Every year the Montana Section of the American Water Resources Association (Montana AWRA) convenes water managers, academics, consultants, students and others to share and generate ideas about Montana’s water resources.  If you work in water resource management, protection, or are simply interested in “all things water” in Montana, please join us!  We are accepting abstracts for professional, student, and Big Sky Watershed Corps presentations.

The Montana Section of the AWRA was founded in 1984 and currently consists of over 750 professionals and students that share teh common goal of promoting water resources research, planning, development, and education in Montana. To accomplish these goals, the AWRA hosts an annual meeting each year to provide a common meeting ground for physical, biological, social scientists, engineers, and other persons concerned with water resources.

Visit their webpage to learn more about the 2021 conference October 6-8th in Missoula, MT, with the theme “Opportunities in Adaptation.”

MWCC and Future West will co-host a two-day capacity-building workshop in Butte on November 11-12, 2021. Titled, “On the Leading Edge: Building Organizational and Community Resiliency in the New West,” the workshop will be split into two parts. Day 1 will focus on developing the capacity and sustainability of our local watershed conservation partner organizations. On Day 2, we will work to apply skills learned on Day 1 to community leadership in the face of climate and demographic changes.

Topic: Big Hole River Foundation Water Quality Monitoring