VARIED INTERESTS REPORTED ON AT AREA 

 MEETINGS 



Six area meetings of the Montana Asso- 

 ciation of Soil & Water Conservation 

 Districts were held across Montana the 

 week of October 5th on consecutive days 

 starting at Billings, hosted by Still- 

 water, then to Jordan hosted by Garfield, 

 Choteau hosted by Teton, Missoula 

 hosted by Deer Lodge Valley and North 

 Powell, and Three Forks hosted by Jeffer- 

 son Val ley. 



The biggest turnout was at Billings 

 where all districts were well represent- 

 ed and about as many wives as supervisors. 

 District reports showed an outstanding 

 amount and variety of new activity in 

 addition to the ongoing programs of 

 prior years. Districts seemed to be 

 increasingly concerned about reclamation 

 of mined lands, city and county plan- 

 ing and zoning, pollution control, 

 helping cities and towns, working with 

 county commissioners, getting more 

 help, conservation education, finances, 

 highway locations, state resource plans 

 land use, etc. 



Wally McRae, Director of Montana 

 Stockgrowers Association and rancher at 

 Colstrip, Montana, addressed the group at 

 Broadus on coal strip mining operations 

 and problems created to reclaim these 

 lands. He said there is a question of the 

 value of these lands to future generations 

 McRae emphasized the need for organiza- 

 tions such as the stockgrowers. Soil and 

 Water Conservation Districts, and others 

 to coordinate and cooperate. 



Senator Jack Rehberg, candidate for 

 Congress, Senator Carrol I Graham, and 

 Representative Bill Christian visited 

 with the supervisors at Broadus. Senator 

 Dave Manning and Representative Ed Smith 

 visited with the supervisors at Jordan 

 and inspired the group with their comments. 



All areas heard reports from the Soil 

 Conservation Service and the State Sol I 

 Conservation Committee. 



Many new supervisors as well as old 

 hands were In attendance. 



Resolutions advanced concerning 

 coal mined land reclamation, unnecessary ^ 

 ruination of land in search of minerals, ^ 

 pollution of ground water by Improper 

 deep core drilling and blasting, acti- 

 vation and representation on county olan- 

 ning boards, conservation education, pub- 

 lic relations, finances, etc. 



Carl Johnson, president, reoorted 

 that all but two districts had supported 

 the purchase of the land and buildings for 

 the operation of the Plant Materials 

 Center and that formation of a non-profit 

 corporation called Soil and Water Con- 

 servation Districts of Montana, Inc., 

 was completed. 



At the Missoula meeting Mrs. Don 

 Naegli of the Green Mountain District 

 reported on new techniques In teaching 

 conservation in the schools and recommended 

 the association consider these for fur- 

 ther use in other districts. 



m§ 



MONTANA WATER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION MEETS 



The Montana Water Developinent Associa-™ 

 tion met In Helena Oct. 22-23. Highlights of 

 the meeting were talks by Ellis Armstrong, 

 commissioner. Bureau of Reel amation,Lorin 

 Markham, president. National Water Re- 

 source Association, and Henry Loble, Helena 

 attorney. 



Interesting reports were made by Mont- 

 ana Water Resources Board, Montana Water 

 Research Center, Soil Conservation Service, 

 and Bureau of Reclamation. 



Several other talks and panels made the 

 meeting a very informative session. H. G. 

 White, Townsend is president. Brad Parrish, 

 Lewistown, MASWCD Director Is also a direct- 

 or of the MWDA. 



MONTANA RANGELAND RESOURCE PLAN 



The final draft of the proposed Mont- 

 ana Rangeland Resource Plan will be ready 

 for distribution soon, Pete Jackson, chair- 

 man of the development committee announces. 

 The program will require some additional 

 funding by legislature to the State Soil 

 Conservation Committee so it will be im- ^k 

 portant that legislators become acquaint- 

 ed with the plan and understand its great 

 potential for economic development. 



