Mission
To enhance, conserve, and protect the natural resources and rural lifestyle of the Blackfoot River Valley for present and future generations.
Participants
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Structure & Funding
The Blackfoot Challenge has an open membership, which has grown to over 100 members. It is directed by a volunteer board comprised of 21 members from the user groups listed above. The board operates under a consensus-based model making decisions informed by committees with 80 percent agreement by board members. The committees informing board decisions are: conservation strategies, education, executive, forestry, water resources, weeds, and wildlife. As the Blackfoot Challenge has grown so has its paid staff size, which is currently at 14 with an executive director and operations manager, as well as others.
The Blackfoot Challenge is funded by state and federal grants, foundations, and private donors. |
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Catalyzing Event
During the keynote address of the Future West workshop, rancher and Blackfoot Challenge board chair, Jim Stone quipped: "Do you know what follows A River Runs Through It?" A realtor runs through it!" Although efforts to protect the Blackfoot Watershed by local landowners had begun in the 1970s, the notoriety of the 1992 blockbuster and the influx of those looking to capture some of the magic (and land) of the watershed provided the catalyst for official formation of the Blackfoot Challenge.
The pristine beauty depicted in the film though was a little bit of cinematic exaggeration; the Blackfoot Valley's long history of poor mining, logging, and livestock practices had deteriorated the health of the Blackfoot River. Local landowners recognized that they “needed to come together to figure it out” rather than have outsiders dictate land use in the watershed. The new collaborative's first challenge: restore watershed health. Early efforts focused on small, tangible projects which helped build momentum for the new group and facilitate partnerships between landowners and agency.
The tension between external influence and local self-determination was a catalyzing one for the Blackfoot Challenge, and remains a guiding consideration. Today, fragmentation of the landscape into summer homesites, golf courses and other commercial developments pose a much more serious, long term threat to the area.
The pristine beauty depicted in the film though was a little bit of cinematic exaggeration; the Blackfoot Valley's long history of poor mining, logging, and livestock practices had deteriorated the health of the Blackfoot River. Local landowners recognized that they “needed to come together to figure it out” rather than have outsiders dictate land use in the watershed. The new collaborative's first challenge: restore watershed health. Early efforts focused on small, tangible projects which helped build momentum for the new group and facilitate partnerships between landowners and agency.
The tension between external influence and local self-determination was a catalyzing one for the Blackfoot Challenge, and remains a guiding consideration. Today, fragmentation of the landscape into summer homesites, golf courses and other commercial developments pose a much more serious, long term threat to the area.
Keys to SuccessRelationships built on mutual respect and trust have been absolutely essential for the Blackfoot Challenge, both on an individual and community level. This has fostered all of the communication, problem solving, collaboration between stakeholders, and effective outcomes that the group has generated. These relationships exist on both a working and personal level, and have allowed key members of the collaborative to come together and work towards shared interests.
Greatest ChallengesChallenges are common in collaboration, and although the Blackfoot Challenge has achieved much success, even they aren't immune to challenge. Bringing certain parties to the table was a big barrier to success at the beginning, and areas they continue to work on are:
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2015 Highlights
Conservation Strategies
Coordinating land conservation and stewardship to keep working landscapes intact
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Forestry
Restoring forest health, creating defensible space, and increasing community safety
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Wildlife
Reducing human-wildlife conflicts through proactive and preventative strategies
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Swans
Restoring trumpeter swans to their native habitat on Blackfoot wetlands since 2004
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Water
Voluntary water conservation grounded in shared sacrifice and shared commitment
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Weeds
Integrated, locally-led approaches to noxious weed management across fence lines
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Outreach
Sharing the community-based and partnership-centered approach with others
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Education
Fostering resource stewardship in youth through place-based education
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Blackfoot Community Conservation Area
5,600 acres managed cooperatively by community council for multiple uses
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It is amazing and inspirational to see how they are able to find common goals
and interests between land owners in such a large area.
- Ryan, Helena High School senior