measiuine 



STATE DOCUMENTS 



JUL 9 1971 



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MAY-JUNE 1971 



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BOB ANDERSON - PRESIDENT SEZ 



The forty-second legislature is 

 at a close as I prepare this statement. 

 It has been a long hard fight with some 

 wins and some losses. Our State Commit- 

 tee will be involved in reorganization 

 but will be retained in an advisory capa- 

 city. The budget for the next biennium 

 was increased approximately $30,000 over 

 last. The new IRange Program will absorb 

 most of this. However, It is hoped that 

 some coordination of jobs can produce 

 some economy and still yield the desir- 

 ed results. 



It is more evident to me every day 

 that we simply are not getting our story 

 to the right people. We spend too much 

 time talking to our own kind apparent- 

 ly. Few legislators know the distinc- 

 tion between Soil Conservation Services 

 Districts, the Water Board etc. We must 

 do a better job. People must recognize 

 the environmental emphasis are our eff- 

 orts. Some can't seem to see the forest 

 for the trees. 



NEW NAMES 

 "CONSERVATION COMMISSION" 

 "CONSERVATION DISTRICTS" 



Montanans will be hearing and read- 

 ing about a new name applied to an old 

 agency of state government. 



Effective July 1, 1971 the State 

 Soil Conservation Committee will be 

 known as the "State Conservation Comm- 

 ission" and the 58 Soil & Water Conser- 

 vation Districts which virtually includ- 

 es all of Montana within a district 

 change their name to "Conservation Dis- 

 tricts". This !» because the HB540 - 

 passed by the legislature changes the 

 name as well as changes the voting elig- 

 ibility to include all qualified elec- 

 tors within the district who may vote 

 for supervisor. Most important the 

 name Conservation District is indica- 

 tive of the broad scope and responsi- 

 bilities of the Conservation Commiss- 

 ion and the 58 Conservation Districts. 

 The one-time basically farm program 

 now is more involved in ecological fac- 

 tors affecting environment, land-use 

 planning, total natural resource devel- 

 opment, and conservation programs, both 

 urban and rura I . 



Conservation Districts and the Con- 

 servation Commission will be a division 

 of the Department of Natural Resources 

 and Conservation under executive reorgan- 

 i zat i on , 



District programs under the name of 

 Soil and Water Conservation Districts 

 have resulted in yearly Investments of 

 over $12 million In conservation Improve- 

 r;wnts by land owners In recent years. 



