Working to Protect Billion Dollar Montana Industry – 04.22.2011

A June 7th – 8th workshop to be held at the Best Western Great Northern Hotel in Helena, Montana will provide wildlife managers, elected officials, planners, citizens, rural landowners, and the conservation community with the tools they need to effectively plan for development while protecting wildlife and their habitat, and conserving ecologically important lands.

“Conservation of wildlife and their habitat is critical to state revenues, promoting economic prosperity, and maintaining a high quality of life for Montana residents,” said Diane Snyder, director of the Sonoran Institute’s Northern Rockies Program. “Our work with local leaders to develop custom strategies that can be implemented in their communities will help to address Montana’s wildlife conservation challenge. This workshop is a vital step in the process.”

Snyder indicated that attendees will gain a solid understanding of the issues and learn specific skills to guide their own decision-making in the future, including:

  • The broad context and challenges of habitat conservation.
  • The role of both state and local government.
  • Landowner opportunities.
  • Specific growth planning tools.
  • The economic value of fishing and wildlife to the state economy.
  • The purpose of Montana’s Comprehensive Fish & Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
  • How to define a community’s wildlife and wildlife conservation goals and build consensus and support for those goals.
  • The legal framework.

The workshop is jointly sponsored by the Sonoran Institute and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.  Full details as well as application criteria for teams is available on the Sonoran Institute website at www.sonoraninstitute.org. Space is limited for the workshop. The deadline for application is May 1, 2011 with successful teams being notified by May 16th.  For more information, interested parties can also contact workshop coordinator Marjo Curgus at 719-207-4563, or via email at mcurgus@sonoraninstitute.org“>mcurgus@sonoraninstitute.org

The Sonoran Institute inspires and enables community decisions and public policies that respect the land and people of western North America. The Institute is a nonprofit organization that is working to shape the future of the West. For more information, visit www.sonoraninstitute.org