Join us for some visual inspiration and great stories at the 2018 Conservation Film Fest. Featured on the first day of the Ennis Fly Fishing and Outdoor Festival, this event brings together a collection of films showcasing important work to preserve and protect our lands, water, fish, and wildlife. Thanks to generous sponsors, admission to …
Category: In the News
Madison River Migration Maps Released
Communities throughout Montana face unique challenges when living near rivers. The historic floods of 2011 are a good reminder of the need for a better understanding of the power of rivers and how they can change. The fundamental concept of Channel Migration Mapping is to identify the area that a stream is expected to occupy …
Our Streams Improve With Your Help
The MCD and partners are working to complete a multi-landowner project on Jack Creek in March and April 2018. Join us to harvest the most important ingredient for the project: willows. Volunteers are welcome to meet at 8:15 AM on March 31st at the McAllister Inn parking lot in McAllister to help complete this crucial …
Lessons from the Land: What Did You Enhance Today?
Sunni Heikes-Knapton The people who work the land for agricultural production have a tremendous influence. Not only do we see this influence through the products that they raise and we consume, but the way they manage their operation has effects on a host of biological systems. A recent workshop brought two experienced speakers to address …
Big Sky Watershed Corps Member Joins MCD
The Madison Conservation District sure feels lucky these days. Not only do we have a reorganized office space, but we also have a friendly new face who has joined us as part of the Big Sky Watershed Corps program. Madeline Pruszenski started off her 2017 year as our BSWC Member, assisting Ethan Kunard over the …
Resolutions for Your Ranch
We’ve had our holiday celebrations and parties, and maybe more than our typical share of decadence. The overindulgence is coincidentally paired with the passing of the solstice, providing us a chance to exhale and see that we’ve turned an important corner. The days are slowly getting longer and we face the prospects of a clean …
The Principles of Improved Grazing
Dan Durham, NRCS District Conservationist Last week local land managers had the opportunity to hear grazing expert Jim Gerrish speak about ways to improve their soil and financial bottom line through improved grazing management. Mr. Gerrish has an extensive background in agricultural research as well as decades of hands-on experience with his own ranching endeavors. …
Estate Planning Workshop Nov 2
The first of the 2016-17 Winter Workshop series will start off with an outstanding presentation on a important, but not often discussed topic: Estate Planning. Through her many years of work on this subject, Dr. Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension Economics Specialist, has developed a fascinating and complete presentation on how estate planning can go awry when …
The Value of Native Rangeland
To the untrained eye, our long expanses of native rangeland can appear to simply be empty land. Without stately forests, winding rivers, or craggy peaks, they easily blend in as a quiet background and their values may go unnoticed. But this distinct habitat type, found in a broad swath of our nation from the Great …
Watering Wisdom for Summer Lawn Care
The sights and sounds of lawn care are everywhere these days, with the long arching cast and the tick-tick-tick from sprinklers reminding us of what it takes to keep lawns green and healthy in our Montana setting. But with all the work and resources that go into this common summer chore, what can you do …