wildlife, and Parks, the Montana Association of Conservation 

 Districts, the Montana Logging Association, and the Montana 

 Wood Products Association. 



In April 1987, the members of the cooperative signed a 

 memorandum of understanding (MOU) adopting a set of minimum 

 best management practices on their lands. In November 1987, 

 the Montana Association of Conservation Districts also 

 approved the MOU's Best Management Practices. The Conserva- 

 tion Districts are responsible for implementing the Natural 

 Streambed and Land Preservation Act of 1975 (310 Law) . More 

 recently, members of the cooperative have been developing a 

 three-step process to identify, verify, and respond to 

 cumulative watershed effects. 



Clark Fork Coalition . In 1987, the National Wildlife 

 Federation and the Clark Fork Coalition began working on 

 strategies to control nonpoint sources of pollution on forest 

 lands in Montana. A paper published by the Coalition in 

 October 1987 (Knudson 1987) reviewed nonpoint water quality 

 problems associated with forest practices, discussed the 

 value of clean water and recreational resources, and 

 suggested possible management strategies. Volume II of the 

 report was released in draft form in March 1988 (Knudson 

 1988) . This report includes suggested best management 

 practices and a set of water quality conservation regulations 

 to guide those forestry practices that can adversely affect 

 water quality. These draft standards have been submitted to 

 EQC for use in its NPS work on forest practices. The 

 Coalition is also considering submitting some form of these 

 standards in a rule-making petition to the Montana Board of 

 Health and Environmental Sciences. 



Agriculture programs 



Conservation Districts . Conservation districts are 

 legal subdivisions of state government responsible under 

 statute for soil and water conservation activities within 

 their boundaries. They develop and carry out long-range 

 programs that result in the conservation and improvement of 

 soil and water resources, provide assistance in the planning 

 and application of conservation measures, and encourage 

 maximum participation of the general public and all local 

 public and private agencies to fulfill this purpose. 

 Although the districts deal with a variety of NPS problems, 

 their efforts have been primarily directed at those related 

 to agriculture. 



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