Who:

Natural Resource Partnership of MT

Laurie Riley & John Chase, MRCDC

Joyce Swartzendruber, NRCS

Jane Holzer, MSCA

Jan Fontaine & Jeff Tiberi, MACD

Ray Beck, DNRC

Julie Ralston, MACDEO & Ravalli County CD (via conference phone)

What:

Monthly (or semi-monthly) meeting

Where:

DNRC Building, Helena

When:

August 18, 2011 10:00-1:30 a.m.

Why:

Discuss mission, progress, direction, and tasks

Accomplished:

• We determined that the mission needs no change;

• We discussed actions for past and future articles/editorials;

• We agreed to meet with Ray Ledgerwood during the Area Meetings in Sep/Oct as formation of this partnership stemmed from his concept;

• Joyce brought us up to date on NRCS activities (Farm Bill, partnership positions in Phillips and Cater Counties, staffing);

• Discussed establishing a speaker's bureau, nothing determined;

• Ideas for future articles include: pollinators, cottonwoods, impact of energy price on cost of food (high input costs), irrigation monitoring, spruce budworm/pine beetles/moths.

Follow Up:

• Send (future) articles/editorials to CDs for inclusion in their newsletters and for distribution to their mailing lists

• Laurie will prepare article packet on all past articles and email to Ray to print and package for distribution at Area meetings and email to Julie for distribution at upcoming fair

• Joyce has people working on cottonwood article - time sensitive because of tremendous natural regeneration from recent flooding events

• John Chase to find publication for seniors (distributed throughout state) and we will add it to distribution list

• Ray will arrange meeting(s) with Ray Ledgerwood

• Ray will continue work on pollinator article

• Jane will work on impact of energy to cost of food article; we should all send her info on this subject as it is identified

• Joyce will email group photo of cottonwood regen in Roundup

• Joyce is meeting with Carter County Commissioners regarding partnership positions

• Laurie will contact Nicole to assure continued updates to NRP Facebook page