CONSERVATION EDUCATION 

 by R. C. Setters trom 



A good 50 pound cow dog can move a 2,000 

 pound bull out of the brush by nipping at 

 his heels. Sometimes we feel that the Job 

 of selling conservation is so large that we 

 become frustrated. Yet like a good cow dog 

 we can get the job done if we keep "nipping 

 heels." 



Persuasion is the best tool we have to 

 convince people that good conservation 

 practices will benefit them. The process 

 is slow but we can be thankful that we 

 don't have the alternative of force by 

 government. We had an opportunity to 

 observe agriculture behind the "Iron 

 Curtain" and we kaow that Government 

 control is not the way to give our people 

 abundant food. 



Years ago the Montana Conservation Coun- 

 cil sponsored Conservation Caravans each 

 year. It was a week long trip in a bus and 

 covered roughly one fifth of the state each 

 year. Approximately forty people made the 

 trip each year but through organized meet- 

 ings In communities, several hundred people 

 were influenced by this effort each year. 

 Carolyn Larsen was the "sparkplug" which 

 kept the effort "firing" for many years. 

 The caravans were very effective in bring- 

 ing the conservation story to people In a 

 rational and well rounded manner. 



Environment is a much used word in the 

 news today. Some have become highly 

 M^ional and even fanatical about the con- 

 d^Ron of our environment. The Soil and 

 Water Conservation Districts in their quiet 

 but persistent efforts have been concerned 

 about environment for several decades. We 

 never do as much as we would like to do 

 but we do keep working at it. 



The December issue of Soil Conservation 

 covers the status of conservation based 

 upon a national survey. The following tab- 

 ulation shows the status. 



Category 



Cropland 



Native Crazing land 



Pastureland 



Forest land 



Watershed Projects 



% Needing Conserva- 

 tion Treatment 



59 percent 



66 



68 



71 



46 



Only about one third of the job has been 

 done. Tlie Lord gave us this choice land and 

 a system of government where we have freedom 

 of choice. If we abuse our rangeland by 

 overgrazing, there is no government agency 

 t^^oTce us to rectify this abuse. The 

 plRon who over-grazes his land Is hurt finan- 

 cially, but until he recognizes this situa- 

 tion no one can force him to change. 



-5- 



I would like to pay tribute to a 

 great Montana conservationist 0. Leon 

 Anderson, for the work he is doing in 

 organizing world wide People to People 

 tours. This program which was started 

 by President Eisenhower 12 years ago 

 is designed to bring people of the world 

 together at their own levels of Interest. 

 On a European trip, we found the people 

 in agriculture Including the Russians 

 were friendly and willing to tell us about 

 their operations. We also saw the extreme 

 conservation efforts required by some 

 countries in order to produce enough 

 food for their needs. Holland's Zieder 

 sea reclamation is a good example. The 

 People to People trips are worth while 

 and I urge everyone to make an effort to 

 make such a trip. They are certainly 

 "mind-expanding . " 



I would also like to pay tribute 

 to Dr. Lou Hagener of Northern Montana 

 College for his annual conservation work- 

 shop for teachers. He uses down to earth 

 methods which are very effective. 



The list of People in Montana 

 who are doing outstanding jobs in conser- 

 valilon education is too long for this 

 article. Dr. Will Clark of Eastern who 

 headed up the Conservation Education 

 Association for several terms certainly 

 deserves praise. More people in Montana 

 should join the Conservation Education 

 Association and benefit from the excell- 

 ent publications which are mailed to mem- 

 bers. 



In conclusion, I would like to 

 see some organization reactivate the Con- 

 servation Caravans. It will require some 

 real effort but the rewards will be 

 great. 



( This page is sponsored by Ladles Aux- 

 iliary, MASWCD.) 



