2018 Montana Range Forum set for May 9 - 10

Press release

BILLINGS —  The latest on brucellosis, a panel discussion on elk management, an update on the Montana Sage Grouse Stewardship Program, and a presentation on wildfire and drought impacts on rangelands are a few of the topics at the 2018 Montana Range Forum, to be held May 9-10 in Billings.

“Native rangeland accounts for 70 percent of our Montana landscape,” said Stacey Barta, coordinator of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Rangeland Resources Program. “What happens on rangeland affects just about all of us in some way. The forum will bring together private and public lands stakeholders and decision-makers to discuss the some of the major issues involving rangelands in Montana.”

For details on registration, visit http://dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/cardd/cardd-events/RangeForumRegistrationForm.pdf/, or contact Teresa Wilhelms with the Judith Basin Conservation District at 404-566-2133.

  The agenda for the meeting is:

Wednesday, May 9

7:30 a.m. — Registration

8 a.m. — Welcome Introductions and Setting the Stage — John Hollenback- Rangelands Resource Committee Chair

8:30 a.m. — Brucellosis — Dr. Erik Liska

9 a.m. — Elk and Ranching Discussion, panel and suggested outcomes

10:15 a.m. — Break

10:30 a.m. — Fire and Drought and rangeland — Lance Vermeire, Ph.D — Fort Keogh

11:10 a.m. — Public Lands Council — Jay Bodner

11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. — Lunch

12:30 p.m. — Montana Rangeland Partnership

Afternoon facilitated discussion on Montana Rangelands Partnership — Jen Boyer will facilitate discussion to include brief presentations of stakeholder’s programs, challenges, and policy followed by open dialogue as to common ground and ideas for moving forward for the betterment of Montana rangelands.

3:15 p.m. — Break

3:30 p.m. —Continue

5 p.m. — No host cash bar social hour and hors d’oeuvre at Big Horn Resort

6:30 p.m. — Dinner on your own

Thursday, May 10

8:30 a.m. —Welcome address — recap

9 a.m. — Guest speaker — Bob Budd, Wyoming Wildlife & Natural Resource Trust

10 break

10:15a.m. — Montana Sage Grouse Stewardship Program

10:55 a.m. — Rangelands Research in Montana — Fort Keogh, MSU, UM

11:40 a.m. — Montana Department of Agriculture mediation program — Jim Auer

Noon — lunch

1 p.m. — Rangelands Internship Pilot Project

1:30 p.m. — Leopold Conservation Award — Wyoming

2 p.m. — Wrap up and final plan moving forward expected follow-up, and next event input