THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Natural Resource News

The Season of Stewardship

The health of our land and water becomes an important topic to remember every year at the end of April. It’s a refreshing time of new life: plants are beginning to grow again, the rainbow trout begin to spawn, and our local farms and ranches are a flurry of activity. Fitting for this season, there are several dates that help honor the themes of healthy water, soil, and working lands in our area and across the nation.
The annual Ruby Valley and Madison Conservation District Banquet in Twin Bridges is the first to kick off the series of dates, and includes a special program to honor the 2018 Stewardship Award winners for both the Ruby and Madison Valleys. The selected recipients are nominated by fellow community members for their dedication to healthy and productive lands, and they are honored in the gathering of conservation supporters at the Round Barn in Twin Bridges.
This year’s banquet will also feature the award winning photographers who capture the beautiful images of these landscapes and provide us a reminder of how valuable our resources are in our region. Next in line is Earth Day on April 22. In the early 1970’s, a growing awareness of environmental problems created the first Earth Day. While the theme of that era was to protest the problems being faced by the nations waters, April 22, has now become a day when people take action to improve their surroundings. In Montana today, these events include tree plantings, river and neighborhood clean ups, youth education programs, and restoration projects.
Arbor day falls on April 27, and is a national effort to encourage people to plant trees on their property for the many benefits they provide. Initially started in Nebraska Territory in 1872, people in that region were encourage to plant trees to provide shade from the hot sun, erosion prevention, materials for fuel and building, and for the simple aesthetics and beauty. Today, the effort continues nationally, with this day being dedicated to continuing the planting legacy that has been successful for nearly 150 years.
Soil and Water Stewardship week is a nationally recognized effort from April 29 to May 6. The week provides opportunities for community members to understand the value of healthy soils and water throughout the United States and how our actions can make a positive impact on these important resources. The theme for 2018 is “Watershed: Our Waters, Our Home” and it emphasizes the fact that the health of the soil, range and forests ultimately affects the health of our waterways.
Through the series of events and recognition days, the importance of understanding the value of conservation is a common theme. Each topic provides us all a chance to consider the benefits we provide to our landscape and opportunities where we can be better stewards.
It is thinking of the next generation that may be our best motivation. As the great naturalist John James Audubon once said, “A true conservationist is a man who knows the world is not given to him by his fathers, but borrowed from his children."

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The Madisonian

65 N. MT Hwy 287
Ennis, MT 59729
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