MT Soil Health Focus Group - Miles City
2022-03-23 11:00 - 14:00 (America/Denver) | Miles City, Miles City, MT, United States
From Sept 2021 – July 2022, MACD and partners are reaching out across the state to ask: “What more might be done to better support farmers and ranchers in managing soils in Montana?” The purpose of this outreach effort is to understand how to help increase the pace and scale at which land stewards implement voluntary practices and systems to maintain and improve soil health, and thereby the long term economic and ecological vitality of agriculture in Montana.

We are looking to hear from producers & partners through upcoming focus group meetings being hosted throughout the state (listed below). Each meeting will feature a local producer and provide an opportunity for all attendees to voice their ideas.

• March 16 in Great Falls at Holiday Village Mall conference room
• March 17 in Glasgow at the Valley County Courthouse
• March 23 in Miles City at Miles City College, room 106
• April 14 in Kalispell at Kalispell ImagineIF Library
• April 15 in Dillion at Armory
• April 20 in Livingston at Livingston Food Resource Center
• May 26 virtual meeting via Zoom

* Each meeting will be held from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

We encourage district staff, district board members, and any interested producers in your community to attend!

Please visit https://montanasoiloutreach.macdnet.org/ to RSVP and for additional information

CMR Community Working Group
2022-03-24 10:00 - 15:00
CMR Community Working Group The Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Community Working Group (CMR CWG) was formed to enhance and preserve the ecological, economic, and social well-being of the 6 counties (Fergus, Garfield, McCone, Petroleum, Phillips, and Valley) surrounding the Refuge. Participants in the group include agency representatives, landowners, grazing permittees, county commissioners, conservation districts, interest groups, and engaged citizens.

CMR Community Working Group
2022-03-24 10:00 - 15:00 | Cottonwood Inn and Suites, 54250 US-2, Glasgow, MT, 59230, United States
CMR Community Working Group
To all past and present participants to the CMR Community Working Group,
The CMR CWG Planning Committee, with the help of Valley County Conservation District, is planning to hold our next meeting on March 24, 2022 from 10:00am-3:00pm in Glasgow, Montana at the Cottonwood Inn & Suites. The topic focus for this meeting will be sage-grouse. We are setting up a broad range of presenters to cover the work Montana has done to benefit the species and talk about future plans as well. Once we have a finilized agenda, we will post it to our webpage, www.cmrcwg.org.
Please RSVP by March 10 if you are planning to attend in-person or virtually by clicking on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8PLKT6P. This will help us for the meal count and if attending virtually, who to send the Zoom meeting link to. If attending in person, please be prepared to pay $13 for the meal.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Thank you,
CMR CWG Planning Committee
-Bill Milton
-Dean Rogge
-Perri Jacobs
-Paula Gouse
-Molly Masters
-Morgan Marks
-Corrie Williamson
-Tory Sribner
CWG Purpose, Mission and Goals
RSVP Link (Please RSVP by March 10, 2022)
CMR NWR Community Working Group Website:
http://www.cmrcwg.org
Missouri River Conservation Districts Website:
www.missouririvercouncil.info

Monitoring in Service to Local Communities
2022-03-24 11:00 - 12:30
Data Stewardship: Monitoring in Service to Local Communities
How data can support and enhance collaborative efforts and outcomes for land stewards and local communities. Steward (verb): to manage or look after (another’s property)
Learn More

Soil Health Webinar Series: Soil Health Assessment
2022-03-30 08:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Soil Health Webinar Series: Soil Health Assessment, A New Approach
Panelists: Patrick Freeze, Willie Pretorius, Zach Wright, Ray Ward, Nick Ward
Date: April 16
Zoom Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5316474401423/WN_22epqjaEQg6RWcQaruZS7A
Description: Dr. Ray Ward, Dr. Nick Ward, Willie Pretorius and Patrick Freeze of Ward Laboratories along with Zach Wright of Living Soil Compost Lab LLC discuss a NEW way to measure soil health: the Soil Health Assessment. This test combines everything we’ve learned about soil fertility and soil health into a single test, helping farmers and ranchers measure and manage soil health without compromising productivity.

WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program
2022-03-31
WATERSMART COOPERATIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT GRANTS FOR WATERSHED GROUP DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, AND PROJECT DESIGN
The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I funding opportunity is now available from the Bureau of Reclamation to develop a watershed group, complete watershed management planning activities, and design watershed management activities. Applicants may request up to $200,000 for projects to be completed within two years. A non-federal cost-share is not required for this funding opportunity.
The funding opportunity is available on grants.gov by searching for opportunity number R22AS00163. Applications are due on March 31, 2022, at 4 pm MDT.
The Bureau of Reclamation will host a webinar on Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 1 pm MST to discuss eligible applicants and project types, program requirements, and the evaluation criteria for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I funding opportunity. Click here to join the live event or use the same link to watch a recording after the completion of the live event.
If you have questions regarding applicant and project eligibility, program requirements, or the evaluation criteria, click here and select CWMP Phase I Program Inquiry to schedule a time to talk with the program coordinators.
Find out more about the Cooperative Watershed Management Program by visiting our website at www.usbr.gov/watersmart/cwmp.

Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Training
2022-03-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom

MEPA Training
2022-03-31 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
MEPA for CDs
Demi Blythe, CARDD MEPA Coordinator, will provide an overview of the MEPA process as well as how to draft and prepare an ‘Environmental Checklist’ at this training. For those that won’t be able to attend, it will be recorded.
In our training we’ll cover:

Why we have to consider and think about MEPA
Step-by-step instructions on the Environmental Checklist
How the Checklist is used for DNRC (e.g., Environmental Assessments, Categorical Exclusion determinations)
Resources
Question/Answer session – we’re here to help!

Thank you for your participation! We hope this will help and clarify our MEPA process!
Zoom Info
Time: Mar 31, 2022 10:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/86363769910?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 863 6376 9910
Password: [REDACTED]
Dial by Telephone
+1 646 558 8656 or +1 406 444 9999
Meeting ID: 863 6376 9910
Password: [REDACTED]

Mill Levy, Permissive Mills Training
2022-03-31 13:00 - 15:00
Mill Levy, Permissive Mills Training
Darla Erickson with Local Government Services will discuss mill levies, permissive mill levies and touch on budgets during this presentation. There will be time for Q & A, too, so bring your questions! An agenda will be sent to you before the training.
Topic: Mill Levy, Permissive Mills Training
Time: Mar 31, 2022 01:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/82689338023?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 826 8933 8023
Password: [REDACTED]
Dial by Telephone
+1 646 558 8656 or +1 406 444 9999
Meeting ID: 826 8933 8023
Password: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://mt-gov.zoom.us/u/keIwadIs0d

Deadline: Watershed Management Grants
2022-04-04
The Watershed Management Grant (WMG) Program goals are to provide financial support for the development and implementation of locally led watershed related planning and capacity building activities that conserve, develop, improve or preserve state natural resources. These goals are aligned with Montana Code Annotated (MCA) Title 85, Chapter 1, Part 6.

MACD Executive Committee Meeting
2022-04-04 07:30 - 09:00 | Zoom
March Executive Committee Meeting
Meeting Information
Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88044316606?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID: 880 4431 6606
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile: +16699006833,,88044316606#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (San Jose)

Legislative Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
2022-04-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Zoom
Contact Rebecca Boslough for the most up to date meeting information (rebecca@macdnet.org)

MACD Legislative Committee
2022-04-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom

Ruby Valley Conservation District Board Meeting
2022-04-06 19:00 - 21:00
Monthly RVCD Board Meetings
Each meeting the board and staff cover:

310’s
News in the conservation world
updates on ongoing projects
public comment

USDA Funding: Climate Smart Commodities (Funding Pool #1)
2022-04-08
USDA to Invest $1 Billion in Climate Smart Commodities, Expanding Markets, Strengthening Rural America
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is delivering on its promise to expand markets by investing $1 billion in partnerships to support America’s climate-smart farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities opportunity will finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits. USDA is now accepting project applications for fiscal year 2022.
“America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest owners are leading the way in implementing climate-smart solutions across their operations,” said Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Tom Watson in Montana. “Through Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, USDA will provide targeted funding to meet national and global demand and expand market opportunities for climate-smart commodities to increase the competitive advantage of American producers. We want a broad array of agriculture and forestry to see themselves in this effort, including small and historically underserved producers as well as early adopters.”
For the purposes of this funding opportunity, a climate-smart commodity is defined as an agricultural commodity that is produced using agricultural (farming, ranching or forestry) practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon.
Funding will be provided to partners through the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation for pilot projects to provide incentives to producers and landowners to:

Implement climate-smart production practices, activities, and systems on working lands.
Measure/quantify, monitor and verify the carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits associated with those practices.
Develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.

How to Apply
The primary applicant must be an entity, not an individual. A range of public and private entities may apply, including:

County, city or township governments
Special district governments
State governments
Small businesses
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) (other than institutions of higher education)
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) (other than institutions of higher education)
Private institutions of higher education, or
Public and State-controlled institutions of higher education.

Funding will be provided in two funding pools, and applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on:

April 8, 2022, for the first funding pool (proposals from $5 million to $100 million), and
May 27, 2022, for the second funding pool (proposals from $250,000 to $4,999,999).

Proposals must provide plans to:

Pilot implementation of climate-smart agriculture and/or forestry practices on a large-scale, including meaningful involvement of small and/or historically underserved producers.
Quantify, monitor, report and verify climate results.
Develop markets and promote climate-smart commodities generated as a result of project activities.

USDA is committed to equity in program delivery and is specifically seeking proposals from entities serving all types of producers, including small or historically underserved producers. Providing sufficient incentives to encourage producer participation and generating both verifiable greenhouse gas reduction and carbon sequestration benefits are critical to project success and will be considered in the evaluation criteria.
More Information
Visit usda.gov/climate-smart-commodities for additional information, including details on Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities and resources to support your application. Get more information from a virtual meeting hosted Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. This webinar will focus on the details of the funding opportunity. Recordings will be available after the event.
USDA published a Request for Information in September 2021 seeking public comment and input on design of this new initiative and used the nearly 400 comments received to inform this funding opportunity.

MACD Board Meeting
2022-04-11 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.

Soil Health Webinar Series: Nature’s Functions
2022-04-12
Soil Health Webinar Series: Practical Example of Nature’s Functions
Panelists: Patrick Freeze, Willie Pretorius, Zach Wright
Date: April 12
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6316474401119/WN_VM5gb0ZZSk64qabKIwsvfg
Description: Willie Pretorius and Patrick Freeze of Ward Laboratories and Zach Wright of Living Soil Compost Lab LLC follow up from part 1 of our webinar series with a practical example of nature functioning in soil.

MT Saltcedar Team Meeting
2022-04-13 10:00 - 12:00
MT Saltcedar Team meeting at the Fort Peck Intrepetive Center. Please RSVP by March 13 by going to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZPRSLGV.
If you have questions, you may email Molly Masters at mrcdc@macdnet.org.

MT Soil Health Focus Group - Kalispell
2022-04-14 11:00 - 14:00 | Kalispell, Kalispell, MT, United States

Water Quality Education & Outreach Mini-Grant Deadline
2022-04-15
Water Quality Education & Outreach Mini-Grant Deadline
Apply: https://macdnet.org/mini-grants/
Learn More: 2022-Mini-Grant-Poster
About the Mini Grant Program

The goal of the mini-grant program is to provide support for locally-led education and outreach activities that address nonpoint sources of pollution to Montana’s surface waters. A priority of this program is to promote new educational activities, improve community awareness, and engage stakeholders in watershed management.
Eligible Applicants

Local governmental entity • Nonprofit organization
Conservation district
School
Local watershed or volunteer group (if a legal entity)
County
Extension service

MT Soil Health Focus Group - Dillon
2022-04-15 11:00 - 14:00 | Dillon, Dillon, MT, United States

Earth Week
2022-04-18 - 2022-04-22
Celebrate the Earth!

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program Webinar
2022-04-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Zoom
Montana Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is pleased to present a live webinar on the PL-566 Program on April 19, 2022, at 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm (MT). Join NRCS staff as they discuss eligible applicants and project types, program requirements, and the planning process for these funding opportunities. A question-and-answer panel will be hosted after the presentation and a recording of the presentation will be accessible.
Natural Resources Conservation Service ― Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program Webinar
Through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (PL-566), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with partners to co-invest and implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions meeting the following purposes:

Flood Prevention (Flood Damage Reduction),
Watershed Protection,
Public Recreation,
Public Fish and Wildlife,
Agricultural Water Management,
Municipal and Industrial Water Supply,
Water Quality Management,
Watershed Structure Rehabilitation.

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 202-650-0123,,955314676# United States, Washington DC
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Learn More | Meeting options

Employee Roundtable
2022-04-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
This Roundtable will be focused on the Permissive Mill Levy, as a follow up to the presentation that DNRC hosted on March 31st (can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95uz9nHUakg).
If you have any questions that weren’t answered during that training, or if you’ve come up with new questions on the process etc., please feel free to bring them to this Roundtable.
If we have extra time, I’d like to throw it open for folks to talk about current issues, questions etc. that they have with other topics.
If you haven’t had a chance to sit in on the Roundtables, and would like to review the recordings of the past Roundtables, go to the Recorded Roundtable Sessions tab of the Employee Organization website at https://employees.macdnet.org/trainings-recent-and-older/. There are only a few that we didn’t get recorded.

EO Roundtable Meetings usually meet on the third Wednesday of the month.

MT Soil Health Focus Group - Livingston
2022-04-20 11:00 - 14:00 | Livingston, Livingston, MT, United States

Gallatin CD: Cocktails & Conservation
2022-04-20 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
Spring workshop series: Sip sip hooray!
Join us for an educational happy hour. Register on our website or by scanning the QR code.
JTNDc3R5bGUlM0UlMEEudHJpYmUtZXZlbnRzLWV2ZW50LWltYWdlJTdCJTBBZGlzcGxheSUzQSUyMG5vbmUlM0IlMEElN0QlMEElM0MlMkZzdHlsZSUzRQ==

Deadline: RDGP Planning Grants
2022-04-21

Earth Day!
2022-04-22
Celebrate the Earth!
There is a toolkit on the earth day 2022 website: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/. This site has links to logos and graphics as well as recommended topics for posting on social media.

Stewardship Week
2022-04-24 - 2022-05-01
NACD Stewardship Week
NACD Stewardship Week is one of the largest national programs to promote natural resource conservation. Celebrated annually since 1955 between the last Sunday in April and the first Sunday in May, NACD Stewardship Week reminds us of our individual responsibilities to care for natural resources.
NACD’s 67th Stewardship Week will be held April 24 – May 1, 2022 with the theme “Healthy Soil: Healthy Life.” Join us in celebrating the 2022 theme by organizing an event in your community celebrating the significance of soil conservation.
Please visit NACD’s Stewardship Week webpage for tips, tools, and ideas to assist with making your Stewardship Week celebration successful and the talk of the town.
We want to know how you plan on celebrating Stewardship Week. Please connect with us via email at stewardship@nacdnet.org and utilize our hashtags #NACDStewardshipWeek or #DistrictsSupportSoilHealth to share your districts celebration.
Resources
Materials for Conservation Districts to use and/or distribute are available on the NACD website at https://www.nacdnet.org/news-and-events/stewardship-week/
Poster Contest
This event is also a way to promote NACD’s annual poster contest. Instructions for the “Healthy Soil: Healthy Life poster contest are online at: https://www.nacdnet.org/general-resources/stewardship-and-education-materials/contests/

2022 Envirothon
2022-04-25 - 2022-04-26 | Great Falls, Great Falls, MT, United States
2022 Envirothon
The Cascade Conservation District is now accepting registration for this year’s Montana Envirothon Competition.
This event is a great competition involving Range, Soils, Aquatics, Wildlife and Forestry. There is a written test portion along with an oral presentation to solve a current issue. The event will be held April 25th & 26th, 2022 in Great Falls Montana. This year’s event current issue is “Waste to Resources”.

2022 Competition Information Letter
Hotel Information and Competition Venue
Team Registration Form

Visit the DNRC Envirothon page for information.
For all other information, please contact the Cascade Conservation District at 406-866-0020.
