Range Tour to showcase projects in Madison Valley Region

Press release

Montana lands have great stories to tell, and the 2015 Montana Range Tour will offer unforgettable tales for attendees of this statewide event.     

“This tour will have something for everyone, showcasing projects that are really making a positive impact for these landscapes,” said Sunni Heikes-Knapton, Watershed coordinator for the Madison Conservation District. “Anyone with an eye for good stewardship will benefit by attending.”

The two-day event is Wednesday, Sept. 16, and Thursday, Sept. 17. The first stop on day one of the tour will visit a multi-year, multi-landowner noxious weed control project at the foothills of the Tobacco Root Mountains on the Sitz Angus Ranch. Lunch will follow this stop before attendees head out to the Endecott Ranch, where successful grazing strategies are helping the ranch and the health of the stream. The third stop will view the national award winning wetland restoration project along O’Dell Spring Creek on the Granger Ranches. The first day of the tour will conclude with a hearty banquet dinner in the scenic town of Ennis.

On Sept. 17, the group will witness the history and management of the Wall Creek Game Management Area, where solutions have been created for wildlife and livestock use. Lunch along the Madison River will follow before the tour visits the Cameron Bench area where progressive approaches are increasing forage.

  Les Gilman of the Rangeland Resources Executive Committee speaks highly of the planned event.

“We are very excited to come to the Madison Valley for the 2015 tour,” he said. “The Madison Conservation District and the conservation-minded land owners there are doing a fabulous job of caring for Montana’s resources. Grazing land for domestic livestock, habitat for wildlife, open space, and clean air and water are the benefits we all enjoy. We are looking forward to seeing some of the work being done on the ground to protect or enhance those values.”

The Montana Range Tour is an annual event sponsored by the Rangeland Resource Executive Committee and the local conservation district. The event rotates around the state, highlighting excellence and innovation in production agriculture and natural resource stewardship, and has great support from a variety of sponsors.

  The tour begins at 8 a.m. Sept. 16 at the Ennis Rodeo Grounds, located on Highway 287 West. Full registration cost will be $50 through Sept. 8 and will include the tour and all meals. Registration after Sept. 8 will be $60. 

Online and print registration information can be found at http://www.madisoncd.org. Hotels in the area fill quickly, and people can visit http://www.ennischamber.com online to find a room and book reservations. 

For more information on this year’s Montana Range Tour, contact Sunni Heikes-Knapton of the Madison Conservation District at [email protected] or 406-682-3181, or Karl Christians, of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and conservation at [email protected] or 406-444-3022.