Montana Association of Conservation Districts

MRCDC Executive Committee Meeting
2021-12-21 07:30 - 09:30 (America/Denver) | Zoom
Meeting Details

Our Executive Committee meeting is next Tuesday, December 21 at 7:30am. Attached below is the meeting agenda, minutes from October, financials, and other related documents for the meeting.

12.21.21 MRCDC ExecCo Packet

Zoom Information

Topic: MRCDC Executive Committee 12.21.21
Time: Dec 21, 2021 07:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
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MACD Executive Committee Meeting
2021-12-27 07:30 - 08:30 | Zoom
Meeting is December 27th at 7:30am via zoom. Contact Rebecca Boslough (rebecca@macdnet.org) for meeting information.

DEQ Nutrient Work Group Meeting
2022-01-05 08:00 - 17:00, 2022-01-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Zoom
DEQ Nutrient Work Group

The Nutrient Work Group is an advisory work group, convened by the Department of Environmental Quality, representing publicly owned and privately owned point sources of pollution, nonpoint sources of pollution, and other interested parties that will advise the Department on the implementation of nutrient water quality standard together with associated economic impacts. Please review the Nutrient Work Group Charter for additional information.
Staff Contact: Christina Staten (406) 444-2836

Learn More on the DEQ website

Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant
2022-01-06
The Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant
The Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Program was established by the 1985 Montana Legislature to provide funding for the noxious weed research projects, state and community education/development projects, and local cooperative – landowner cost share. Applicants may apply for funding up to $75,000 per project.
Learn More

49th Annual Livestock Seminar
2022-01-08 12:30 - 17:00 | Powell County Community Center, 416 Cottonwood Avenue, Deer Lodge, MT, United States
49th Annual Livestock Seminar at the Community Center in Deer Lodge
You won’t want to miss out on an afternoon of education on January 8, 2022, at the Annual Livestock Seminar hosted by the Deer Lodge Valley Conservation District. The Seminar will start with registration taking place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Powell County Community Center located at 416 Cottonwood Avenue in Deer Lodge. Special thanks to the North Powell Conservation District for helping sponsor the speakers this year!
Learn More

MACD Board Meeting: January 2022
2022-01-10 07:30 - 21:00 | Zoom
The MACD Board will meet January 10th at 7:30am.

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Future Nutrient Work Group Meetings
2022-01-12 09:00 - 11:00 | Zoom
The schedule for Nutrient Work Group meetings moving forward was decided at a Nutrient Work Group meeting on December 8. Beginning in January, meetings will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month through May 2022. The dates of those meetings are included below. Agendas with Zoom links will be provided prior to each meeting.

January 12, 2022
January 26, 2022
February 9, 2022
February 23, 2022
March 9, 2022
March 23, 2022
April 13, 2022
April 27, 2022
May 11, 2022
May 25, 2022

The DEQ website has been updated with the above information, as well as the meeting summaries for November 30 and December 8. Please contact Christina Staten with any questions: CStaten@mt.gov or (406) 444-2836

DEQ Nutrient Work Group Meeting
2022-01-12 09:00 - 11:00

ARPA Irrigation Grants
2022-01-14
ARPA Irrigation Grants
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Infrastructure Advisory Commission is pleased to announce the opening of the ARPA Irrigation Grants. There is a total of $10 million available for eligible projects, with a maximum award amount of $500,000 per project.
For more information, please visit the DNRC Irrigation Grant Program page.

Employee Roundtable
2022-01-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Employee Roundtable – January 19th at 10am – Please contact Chris Evans for more information (chris@lewisandclarkcd.org)

Building Relational and Effective Partnerships with Indigenous Communities
2022-01-20 13:00 - 15:00
Building Relational and Effective Partnerships with Indigenous Communities
With James Rattling Leaf and Gwen Bridge
The Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences is hosting an online event focused on recommendations for working with Indigenous communities based on the knowledge that long-term relationship building with these communities is the foundation upon which educational programs, research collaborations, and other initiatives must be co-created. This presentation will define best practices in building relationships and clarify a process for establishing and maintaining effective collaborations with Indigenous communities that respect sovereignty and self-determination.
Please register for the event, https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqcOqqrTgvHNLwG9lXUmQQYCcSqMKd5-Ub

Learn Firsthand Winter Grazing Techniques from Sieben Livestock
2022-01-22 08:00 - 17:00, 2022-02-15 08:00 - 17:00
Learn Firsthand Winter Grazing Techniques from Sieben Livestock’s 20 Years of Experience
Cooper Hibbard, from Sieben Livestock, located near Cascade, Montana, will be hosting four winter grazing sessions on January 22nd, February 15th, March 15th, and April 15th.
These full-day on-site workshops will cover every thing you need to set up a regenerative grazing system on your ranch. With over 20 years of winter grazing knowledge, Cooper will walk you through:

Estimating feed available and stocking capacity
Forage production, budgeting, and allocation
Assessing range and soil condition/health
Cattle behavior, condition/health, genetic considerations, grazing habits, and herd instinct • Winter strategies to water availability and distance
Supplemental and replacement feeding
Planning and practical experience making a move
How will these impact and be implemented on summer pasture

There is so much more you will take away from these workshops. It’s one thing to talk about how to implement these techniques continually, but it’s a whole other ballgame actually to see it working on the ground. The cost of one workshop is $150 per person, with each additional ranch employee/owner only $75. For those who at tended the workshops last year and would like to join again, the cost is also $75. Checks can be mailed to Sieben Live Stock Co., 2469 Adel Road, Cascade, MT 59421
“It was amazing to see firsthand how differently cattle behaved and how well the grass responded to this management style. I picked up plenty of practical information I could apply right away on my place,”
– Ron Halverson, Halverson Ranch Big Timber, Montana
Contact Cooper for more information and to register. cooper@siebenlivestock.com

MACD Education Committee
2022-01-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom
Contact Chris Evans at chris@lewisandclarkcd.org for the zoom connect information

Legislative Ad Hoc Committee
2022-01-27 07:00 - 08:00 | Zoom
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84158087888?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 5808 7888
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Legislative Ad Hoc Committee
2022-01-27 07:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
LAHC Meeting following the Jan. 24th and 25th meeting of the Environmental Quality Council legislative interim committee. Please contact rebecca@macdnet.org for the zoom link or with any questions. Any CD supervisors or employees are welcome to join.

NACD 2021 Urban Agriculture Conservation Grants
2022-01-31
NACD 2021 Urban Agriculture Conservation Grants
NACD is accepting applications for their Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grants, and CDs from states in the Northern Plains region (which includes Montana!) are especially encouraged to apply. NACD wants CDs/communities from all regions to benefit from this funding, and so far CDs located in these regions have received the smallest percentage of UAC grants.
Additionally, NACD launched a new UAC grant option this year. CDs may still apply for the traditional UAC implementation grants (up to $50K), and NACD added a second planning grant option. Planning grants (up to $10K) are for CDs in early stages of exploring urban/community conservation work and who could use some funding to support efforts such as developing partnerships or conducting a community needs assessment. The idea is these planning grants would position CDs to be more effective in their long-term efforts and more competitive for an eventual UAC implementation grant.

More info and the application are available on the NACD website: https://www.nacdnet.org/about-nacd/what-we-do/urban-and-community/
Request for proposals: https://www.nacdnet.org//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/UAC-FY2022-RFP-1.pdf
Contact: Ariel Rivers, NACD Pacific Region Rep (ariel-rivers@nacdnet.org)

MACD Executive Committee Meeting
2022-01-31 07:30 - 08:30 | Zoom
The MACD Executive Committee Meeting will meet January 31st at 7:30am via zoom.
Contact Rebecca Boslough (rebecca@macdnet.org) for zoom meeting information.

Stream Permitting Workshop
2022-02-02 10:00 - 15:00
Stream Permitting Workshop
Marena Gilbert and Jason Garber are offering a Stream Permitting Workshop on Febuary 2nd, 2022 in Miles City Montana.
To register contact:

406-944-3242 – Carol Watts, Custer Co. CD
406-943-3001 – Julie Goss, Richland Co. CD
406-778-2965 – Kay Webb, Little Beaver CD

AGENDA
10:00 -10:15 INTRODUCTIONS
10:15-11:00 KNOW THE PROCESS – 310 LAW AND RULES

A brief history of the 310
permitting program
What is the CD’s Role, FWP’s
role in the 310 Law
The law, Administrative Rules,
CD Rules, Forms
Determining Jurisdiction –
Stream, Project, Immediate
Banks, Applicability
What is an emergency

11:00-11:15 TOOLS AVAILABLE
11:15-11:30 GENERAL 310 INFO Quorums

Potential Projects Discussion
Emerging projects

11:30-12:00 QUESTIONS
12:00- 1:00 LUNCH
1:00 – 1:45 USACE Regulatory Program Mission and Goals

Rivers and Harbors Act (Section
10) and Clean Water Act
(Section 404)
Geographic and Activity
Jurisdiction
Types of Permits
Nationwide Permit Reissuance
Exempt Activities
Application Submission
Process

1:45 – 2:30 USACE Regulatory Program Wetland Delineations

Cultural Resource Surveys and
Consultation
Endangered Species
Consultation
Compensatory Mitigation
Project Examples

2:30 – 3:00 QUESTIONS

Area 1 Soil Corps Discussion Forum
2022-02-03 10:00 - 12:00
Area 1 Soil Corps Discussion Forums
The Discussion Forums invite Conservation Districts and other partner organizations to have a conversation around building soil health capacity in our respective regions. Specifically, is there a need for a Soil Corps program in Montana and what might that look like? Many districts operate on a lean budget, so how can an AmeriCorps member add value to your already strapped team? What kind of projects does your community need assistance with? Many districts and organizations have spoken via survey about what their region’s needs are in regards to potential soil health projects they could use more help with, whether that’s actual soil sampling, help with outreach, grant writing, help with soil assessments, etc. We will focus these discussions on the opportunities and barriers of hosting a member. Please join us for an in-person discussion at the following Conservation Districts. Partner organizations outside of districts are welcome to attend.
Area 1Valley County CD is hosting Thurs Feb 3, 10AM-Noon

NCF-Envirothon: Diversity Grant Applications
2022-02-04
NCF-Envirothon Accepting 2022 Diversity Grant Applications
Making environmental education accessible to all is a top priority of the NCF-Envirothon program. Through the Diversity Enhancement and Underserved Audience Grant program, NCF-Envirothon brings hands-on, outdoor natural resources education to students in minority and underrepresented groups across the United States and Canada. The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the NCF-Envirothon are committed to greater equity and inclusion among student access to and participation in Envirothon. As such, NCF is pleased to continue its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in the delivery of our Diversity Enhancement and Underserved Audience Grant (Diversity Grant) Program.
See the full RFP online. Applications are due February 4, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
Learn more about the NCF-Envirothon at www.envirothon.org or by following us social media; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

MT Soil Health Symposium
2022-02-08 - 2022-02-10 | Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney Ln #6391, Billings, MT, 59101, United States
MACD & NRCS host a 2 day Soil Health Symposium Feb. 9th-10th plus a pre-conference workshop on Feb. 8th.
See https://soilhealth.macdnet.org/ for more information and registration
Registration Opens in October, 2021

MACD Board Meeting
2022-02-14 07:30 - 09:00 | Zoom
The MACD Board will meet on the second Monday of the Month at 7:30am. Contact Rebecca Boslough for meeting details.

Employee Roundtable
2022-02-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
EO Roundtable Meetings usually meet on the third Wednesday of the month. For this month’s zoom information contact Chris Evans (chris@lewisandclarkcd.org). [Note: The EO Roundtable meetings for July 2025 and August 2025 have both been cancelled. For more information, contact Chris Evans.]

Topic: MCDEO Roundtable
Time: 10:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYlcO6vqj4vH9JCgJL-Wxx0Fi_fv8J3lFOD/ics?icsToken=DEGG1umcCWKBUYQiuQAALAAAADwKmtGvG2Rvb0Ff-PjxGh-OCZo8B4pWN1MFq51i9EHWuYLq0wiyxAIgdIFl_0MckQV3gWP3-FYgUYYRQTAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=lPa1Rf1TSMegj2n2gdrRKQ

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Applications of Data in Adaptive Management
2022-02-17 11:00 - 12:30
Flexibility with Accountability: Applications of Data in Adaptive Management Feb 17th, 11:00 – 12:30 MT
Big picture overview of ranch-scale to regional monitoring across multiple jurisdictions and the value of data for decision-making in complex and shifting systems (i.e., influenced by drought, market fluctuations and regulatory dynamics).
Register Now

RRGL Planning Grants
2022-02-18
RRGL Planning Grants
The DNRC Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program (RRGL) is accepting planning grant applications. Planning grants are available to government entities for planning activities which lead to an RRGL program project application to conserve, manage, develop or protect a renewable resource in Montana.
Program Guidence PDF

MRCDC Quarterly Meeting
2022-02-22 00:00 - 15:00
MRCDC Quarterly Meeting. An agenda will be posted to our website once it is finilized.

CDOWG
2022-02-22 10:00 - 12:00
CD Outreach Work Group (CDOWG)
Contact Tahnee Benson for zoom information: SheridanCD@macdnet.org

Area 2 Soil Corps Zoom Discussion Forum
2022-02-23 09:00 - 11:00
Area 2 Soil Corps Zoom Discussion Forum

Thanks to all that were able to make the Soil Corps Discussion Forums in Ennis, Missoula, Great Falls, and Glasgow the past couple of weeks. I have scheduled a Zoom option for Area 2 & 4 next week if you are interested in weighing in about the potential for a Soil Corps AmeriCorps program in Montana. Please RSVP as soon as possible here if you plan to attend. Thanks.

Area 2: Wednesday, Feb 23 9-11AM

The Discussion Forums invite Conservation Districts and other partner organizations to have a conversation around building soil health capacity in our respective regions. Specifically, is there a need for a Soil Corps program in Montana and what might that look like? Many districts operate on a lean budget, so how can an AmeriCorps member add value to your already strapped team? What kind of projects does your community need assistance with? Many districts and organizations have spoken via survey about what their region’s needs are in regards to potential soil health projects they could use more help with, whether that’s actual soil sampling, help with outreach, grant writing, help with soil assessments, etc. We will focus these discussions on the opportunities and barriers of hosting a member. Please join us for a Zoom discussion. Partner organizations outside of districts are welcome to attend.
