Earlier this year, the Council lost one of its founding fathers when Dale Marxer, age 82, passed away peacefully at his ranch in the Millegan area outside of Great Falls. Dale served for 44 years on the Cascade County Conservation District and was involved with the Council from the very beginning. The Council’s previous Coordinator, Gayla Wortman Oehmcke, remembers Dale and his incredible service.

Read the article In Memory of Dale Marxer from the April 2008 River Journal.

Regular meetings, open communication, stakeholder involvement, technical reports, and quantitative studies—all ingredients for a sustainable solution to most natural resource concerns—but will it be enough to kick the Whitmore Ravine issue off the fencepost and onto the road toward a solution?

An expert understanding of geology, an acute awareness of the impacts of development, and a desire to bring everyone to the table to consider the question “What are we doing to the river collectively?” are what keep MRCDC member John Chase actively involved in Council issues. John first joined the Council in January 2006, following in the footsteps of MRCDC founding member Dale Marxer. John immediately took on the important task of tracking the Council’s financial reports, grants, and contract obligations.

City of Great Falls
Board of Commissioners
P.O. Box 5021
Great Falls, MT 59403

RE: Natural Areas Program

Dear City Commissioners:

The Missouri River Conservation Districts Council, a coalition of the 15 Conservation Districts along the Missouri River in Montana, supports a Natural Areas Program for the City of Great Falls. Many of the areas proposed for enrollment in the Natural Areas Program lie within the Missouri River corridor; therefore, the program could enhance and sustain an important section of the river that would otherwise be subject to inappropriate management. We applaud your efforts to develop a long-range management plan that recognizes the unique needs of natural areas, including weed management, restoration of degraded land, and a holistic approach to sustainable ecosystems.

By Sarah Carlson, MACD Executive Director