Loren Ruport Receives Montana Wetland Council Wetland Stewardship Award

Malta, MT, May 13 – Working to find creative, flexible, inclusive, and innovative local partnerships to find win-win solutions for wildlife and landowners is Loren Ruport’s strength. It is the skill that has allowed him to nurture relationships with ranchers, farmers, conservation partners, and public land managers. It is his approach that has helped the Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program he works for protect and restore thousands of acres of wetlands and grasslands on private lands across the prairies and sagebrush country of northcentral and northeastern Montana.

In his eight years as a Wildlife Biologist for the Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Loren has made landscape conservation successful by ensuring that everyone within that landscape had their voices heard and their needs met. This has created trust between local ranchers and government agencies, where previously there was a long history of mistrust. The relationships and partnerships that have been built on this foundation of trust have done truly powerful things for conservation in our landscape.

“Loren is a shining example of public engagement for the Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS]. He goes out of his way to get to know and interact with people in the community and connects to them on a personal level regardless of their interest in a conservation project.  He is always ready to lend a hand, whether wrestling calves at a branding or helping build fence. The number of community members familiar with the FWS and our programs has grown exponentially since Loren has been in this position. It simply would not have happened without him.” – Marisa Sather, USFWS Wildlife Biologist

In recognition of his inclusive, collaborative approach to landscape conservation and the protection and restoration of wetlands and grasslands, the Montana Wetland Council has selected Loren as our 2021 Wetland Stewardship Award recipient. The biennial Wetland and Watershed Stewardship Awards are a joint project of MWCC and the Montana Wetland Council (MWC) to honor individuals and groups who embody excellence and commitment to wetland or watershed conservation, protection, and restoration. Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony during the Fall Watershed Tour to be co-hosted by MWCC and local conservation partners September 15-17, 2021 along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Among Loren’s many accomplishments during his time with the Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program are:

• Helped complete 18,414 acres of grassland restoration.
• Develop and implement 16,730 acres of grazing system enhancement.
• Conduct 1,655 acres of wetland restoration, 1,395 acres of wetland enhancement and 14 miles of riparian enhancement.
• Developing and delivering 25 separate perpetual conservation easements along the Montana Hi-Line totaling 58,549 acres (including 2,927 wetland acres).

Learn more about the Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program through their website.

For more information about Wetland Stewardship Award recipients, contact Stephen Carpenedo at 406-444-3527 or scarpenedo2@mt.gov.

The 2021 Wetland and Watershed Stewardship Awards are made possible by funding from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.