Event Category: Training Event

Future West and the Montana Watershed Coordination Council invite local conservation leaders to attend an in-person capacity-building workshop on Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Virginia City. We will focus on increasing the sustainability and impact of our work, including building stronger relationships to achieve local conservation goals. Included in the workshop will be an optional gathering the evening of May 18 to get to know one another and get our collective, creative juices flowing.

Watershed groups, conservation districts, Tribal government agencies, and municipal governments are invited to attend. The workshop will take place in an outdoor venue, and we will follow Covid-19 protocols as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control at that time. More information to come!

This event will address needs identified during our co-hosted November 11, 2021 capacity-building peer-to-peer exchange: “Building Organizational and Community Resiliency in the New West.” This free event offered watershed groups, conservation districts, and other local conservation leaders the space to discuss ongoing changes in our communities and to share resources for adapting and responding – while staying true to our organizational missions and visions.

More information is available on the MWCC Training Page.

The focus area for this webinar series is the North Central region of the U.S. (from the Rockies to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley). These free monthly webinars provide and interpret timely information on current climate and drought conditions, as well as climatic events like El Niño and La Niña.  May 2022 topics include drought changes and longer term impacts, continued risk for drought, recent spring improvements to drought, and wildfire updates (May-Summer); recent and potential climate/weather impacts including, but not limited to, continuing La Niña and what it could mean for the region, soil moisture update and recharge outlook (both too wet and too dry), Great Lakes & riverine conditions, and mountain snowpack; the latest trends and outlooks for precipitation and temperature through spring and summer (2 weeks to 6 months), and potential late freeze implications across the region (if any).
There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. This webinar will also be recorded and available here.

Funding Opportunity shared here

In the year-plus since President Biden issued Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, USDA agencies have put a central focus on promoting and expanding the use of climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices. This session will dig into how conservation and land management agencies – namely the Forest Service and NRCS – are operationalizing the Administration’s climate priorities through new and existing programs, initiatives, and funding sources. We’ll also hear from land management practitioners about how they are incorporating climate considerations into all-lands work at the local scale.

The purpose of this event is to educate contractors, developers, REALTORS, and other professionals about water issues in the Gallatin County. 
They will cover:

– Irrigation ditch basics

– Pond installation

– Stream permitting

– Various other land and water-related topics

Mark 9 a.m. MST on May 25 in your calendars to join JW Associates, Southern Rockies Fire Science Network, Fire Adapted Colorado, Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, and the CCC for a webinar on the Infrastructure Law and Forest Collaboratives: Overview and Program Potential. 

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) Matching Awards Program (MAP) provides funding for results-oriented on-the-ground projects that enhance forest health and outdoor experiences on National Forests and Grasslands.

See funding opportunity here.

The NFF will hold an informational webinar about the Matching Awards Program on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Click the button below to register the webinar.

The webinar will also be recorded and posted on this webpage.

Passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Strategy signal a new era of historic investments in ecosystem restoration and wildfire risk reduction in the western U.S. But as initial projects and implementation plans are announced, the opportunities for community-based prescribed fire practitioners and advocates to engage in and inform the strategic expansion of prescribed fire continues to be unclear.

In this session, we will:

• Unpack the complex terrain of federal policymaking entities and venues that will influence federal wildfire and fuels reduction strategies.
• Review RVCC’s and partners’ collective prescribed fire and cooperative burning advocacy interests and recommendations.
• Identify opportunities for engagement, coalition-building, and advocacy using existing or new venues and strategies.

Join GLCI and other sponsors for a tour of the Haughian Ranch to learn about the Haughian Ranch’s history and management and hear from the industry speakers below:

• Terry Haughian
• White Hibbard
• Miles City Veterinary Service
• Ft. Keogh Livestock and Range research update
• Kevin Good, Cattle Fax – Fall price outlook

Tickets are $20 each. For registration, ple4ase visit Eventbrite or contact Ben Hauptman at 406-544-5090.

The field practicum portion of our Basic Wetland Delineation course is open to those who have had a full, basic wetland delineation course (at least 32 instructional hours) in the past and want a refresher on field practices. This course alone does not satisfy the requirements for basic delineation training as specified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If you are looking to satisfy those requirements, you need to check out WTI’s other courses: Basic Wetland Delineation or Wetland Delineation with Emphasis on Soils and Hydrology Online with Field Practicum.

There are no lectures with the Wetland Delineation Refresher – only two days (16 hours) of intensive field work. You will receive a printed copy of lecture notes to review. You also have access to the course discussion board so you may ask questions of your instructor before and after your course as well as interact with other course participants.

The pre-requisite for this course is completion of a basic wetland delineation (at least 32 contact hours) course in the past from Wetland Training Institute, Inc. or any other provider. When registering, please identify the date, location and provider of the course in the comments/notes box.

You will receive via mail materials you should review prior to your refresher course dates. These include: printed Lecture Notes, a Pocket Guide to Hydric Soil Field Indicators, and a USB drive containing current 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual, Regional Supplements, Plant Lists, and other publications.

Tuition Cost: $600

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Montana Wetland Council has funding to sponsor up to five individuals to attend this course. Those interested in applying for this opportunity must complete the online scholarship application.

Rural communities throughout the United States are vibrant places with great people, rich cultures, and deep social ties. But many rural communities have been left behind by shifting economic trends. As a result, many communities are at a crossroads, wondering which direction will lead to prosperity for all. This virtual panel will showcase the work of place-based practitioners, researchers, and philanthropists to develop inclusive, durable strategies to rural community development that can help overcome these challenges and lead to lasting rural community prosperity.

Join the Blackfoot Challenge for an afternoon to visit some of the great prescribed fire work being accomplished in the watershed. Participants will visit a cross-boundary burn conducted on private property in the Greenough area, and learn how to plan for a prescribed fire and discuss how to overcome challenges. They will also discuss the benefits of fire for land stewardship and the human relationship with fire.  Additional topics include community safety and wildfire preparedness.  They are offering two tours to accommodate the schedules of interested participants. No prior experience or knowledge required.  Lunch/Dinner is provided. Detailed tour logistics will be sent after registering. 

Afternoon Tour- 12pm- 3pm

Evening Tour- 4pm-7pm

Questions? Contact Forestry & Prescribed Fire Coordinator Cindy Super at cindy@blackfootchallenge.org. 

Join this webinar to learn more about the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework, a decision-making tool that helps resource managers make informed strategies for responding to ecological changes resulting from climate change!

The RAD Framework lays out three approaches for making management decisions for systems undergoing ecosystem transformation: 1) Resist, where managers work to maintain or restore ecosystem composition, structure, processes, or function on the basis of historical or acceptable current conditions, 2) Accept, where managers allow ecosystem composition, structure, process, or function to change autonomously, and 3) Direct, where managers actively shape change in ecosystem composition, structure, processes, or function toward preferred new conditions.

Registration is open for the second, Maryland-based BeaverCON event, which builds off the successful State of the Beaver Conference hosted in Oregon in alternating years. BeaverCON 2022 will feature a presentation on Montana’s work to restore beavers and resolve conflicts, as well as panel discussions, demonstrations, and networking opportunities with the beaver community. Conference hosts have changed the dates and are taking precautions for COVID-19 safety. The conference will take place in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Learn more here.

Registration is open for the second, Maryland-based BeaverCON event, which builds off the successful State of the Beaver Conference hosted in Oregon on alternating years. BeaverCON 2022 will feature a presentation on Montana’s work to restore beavers and resolve conflicts, as well as panel discussions, demonstrations, and networking opportunities with the beaver community. Conference hosts have changed the dates and are taking precautions for COVID-19 safety.

Bio:

Andy Robertson is the Executive Director of GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. In this role, he is responsible for oversight and management of all GeoSpatial Services projects, activities and staff. GeoSpatial Services is engaged in a wide variety of projects across the Lower 48 and Alaska including wetland inventory; National Hydrography Dataset updates; spatial data development; and, natural resource condition assessments. Andy has a diverse background in spatial information systems, watershed planning, wetland inventory, forest management, environmental impact assessment, desktop and server system support and database administration. He is a Registered Professional Forest Technologist (Alberta, Canada) and has experience leading natural resource projects for both private sector companies and public agencies across Canada and the United States including the Department of Interior, United States Army Corp of Engineers, NOAA, and the Department of Agriculture. Andy has a Forest Technology Diploma from Sault College of Applied Technology in Ontario, Canada, a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Waterloo and has completed postgraduate work in forest management at the University of Toronto. He is also a steering committee member for the Wetland Mapping Consortium and is co-chair of the Alaska GeoSpatial Council Wetland Technical Group.

With resignations and job openings near record highs, and the layoff rate near a historic low, many nonprofits are struggling to maintain headcounts to carry out their missions. While most sectors of the economy have been affected by the pandemic – nonprofits have felt that financial impact on their operations combined with chronic staffing shortages. 

This webinar is meant to equip nonprofits with strategies for navigating the current workforce challenges to recruit and retain. Topics covered include: 

• Trends for open jobs & number of days for postings 
• Applicant traffic and top states with open jobs 
• Strategies recruiters are using 
• Insights about how to retain employees 
• How one nonprofit is overcoming their workforce shortages 

 This is your opportunity to ask questions and get answers that will assist your nonprofit in retaining and hiring employees. 

Panelists: 

• Bradley Bewkes, Director of Business Development with Idealist.org 
• Molly Brennan, Managing Partner, Nonprofit Practice Lead with Koya Partners 
• Lore Baker, President & CEO of Association for Individual Development (AID) 

NAWM’s (formerly ASWM) Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting, to be held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) from August 15-19, 2022. The purpose of this annual meeting is to support state and tribal wetland program managers, and other wetland professionals as they respond to challenges in the coming year. If circumstances require it, the meeting will shift to a fully virtual format.

Focus areas for this year’s meeting include:
▪ Sharing the Marsh: Approaches to Engaging Under-Resourced & Minority Communities in Wetland Protection and Restoration
▪ Staying Afloat: Regulatory Changes and Opportunities for States and Tribes
▪ Building Your Nest: Developing a Community of Practice through Effective Outreach and Communications
▪ Foraging for Funds: Sticking Your Straw into the Infrastructure Pot for Climate Resiliency
▪ Learning to Fly: Advances in Geospatial Tools and Technology
▪ Passing the Will-O’-Wisp: Continuity and Mentorship for Staffing Changes

Great Falls, MT

Details TBD

• Format:
  • Friday: Field Trips
  • Saturday: Sessions
  • Sunday: Morning sessions (hike, yoga, coffee, etc.) A detailed schedule will be announced as soon as possible, the format is subject to change.
• Location: Missoula, MT
• Registration Fee: TBA
• Speakers, Schedule & Theme: TBA

The Montana Environmental Education Association is hosting a three-day, in-person conference in Missoula, MT on September 16-18, 2022.

• Date: September 16th – 18th, 2022
• Format:
  • Friday: Field Trips
  • Saturday: Sessions
  • Sunday: Morning sessions (hike, yoga, coffee, etc.) A detailed schedule will be announced as soon as possible, the format is subject to change.
• Location: Missoula, MT
• Registration Fee: TBA
• Speakers, Schedule & Theme: TBA