HIGHLIGHT  2025 Board Meeting Calendar
The 2025 MACD Meeting Calendar is available here. You can find additional information about MACD, district, and partner meetings and events on MACD's web-based Events Calendar.

 NEW  MACD Executive Committee Meeting | March 10

 NEW  MACD Finance Committee Meeting | March 12 

 NEW  MaPTCC Resources & Networking Webinar | March 14

 NEW  MACD Board Meeting | March 17

Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council Meeting | March 10-12 in Helena

Montana Rural Water Systems Conference | March 12-14 in Great Falls

 NEW  Pollinator Conservation Symposium | March 18-19 in Ronan

 NEW  Wild Wings Festival | March 21-22 in Choteau

 NEW  Rangelands in the Rotunda | March 25 in Helena

Envirothon 2025 | April 28-29 in Great Falls

Aquatic Pet Rehoming Event | April 29 in Missoula

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  406 Grazing Academy | June 3-5 in Havre
Registration Deadline: April 28th

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  Grant Writing USA: 2 Day Grant Writing Training | March 10-11

 NEW  Steve Kenyon Workshop | March 19

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  MWCC Conservation Conversation Webinar: How to Keep the Gages On | March 26

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  Land Stewardship Series: Landowner Fire Preparedness | April 3 

 NEW  Lewis and Clark Conservation District Pollinator Workshop | April 22

 NEW  2025 Conservation District Wage & Benefit Survey | Deadline: March 10
Wage data collected through this survey will be used to inform CD supervisors and legislators about current staff attrition rates, to illustrate how compensation compares to market rates, and to demonstrate the increasing demands and responsibilities associated with conservation district staff positions

Nomination Period is Now Open for the 2025 NCSS Awards | Deadline: March 14
USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) requests nominations for the 2025 National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Awards to recognize scientists involved in the Soil Survey Program. Nominations are being accepted in the following categories: Scientist of the Year; Scientist Achievement; Cooperator Achievement. For more information, contact Dr. David Linbo.
 

 NEW  Gilly Software for CDs Questionnaire | Deadline: April 15
CDB is offering Gilly to Conservation Districts. This first year, while we get our ducks in a row, 9 CDs will be able to use Gilly for their 310 permit administration. If there is significant interest, the software will be available to additional CDs at a later date. If you are interested in using Gilly at your CD, please complete short questionnaire.

Nominations Open for 2025 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award | Deadline: May 1
The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Montana Environmental Stewardship Award. Each year, MSGA honors a Montana ranch that exemplifies environmental stewardship and demonstrates a commitment toward improved sustainability within the beef industry.

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  High Plains CD needs volunteers for Envirothon
For more information, contact Teresa Wilhelms or Tenlee Atchinson.

 NEW  NACD Conservation District Survey
This conservation district survey was developed to help us understand the ongoing impacts of executive actions. Your responses are anonymous, unless you would like to be contacted by a NACD staff member.
 

 NEW  NACD Educate Elected Officials
NACD has created a letter template to assist conservation districts and their associations in sharing stories and impacts with members of Congress. If you have any questions or wish to discuss further, please don’t hesitate to contact the NACD Government Affairs team.

Conservation District Directory
A landing page for all of your conservation districts general information.

310 Violation Workflow Toolkit
This document establishes guidelines and procedures for the resolution of complaints and 310 violations. It outlines the process conservation districts should follow to seek judicial enforcement under Mont. Code Ann. §§ 75-7-122 and -123.

CDB 10-Minute Training Program Library
Updated 10-minute trainings from this program include Strategic Planning, Project Development & Grants, Mill Levies, Personnel, Board Engagement, Fiscal Responsibility, 310 Joint Application, Rental Equipment, Meeting Hybridization, and Meeting Minutes.

Discounted ESRI subscriptions available through MACD
As of December 3, 2024, five discounted ESRI subscriptions are available through MACD. Each of these subscriptions is only $120. For more information, contact ginsterwlcc@macdnet.org.

New Trust Lands Public Access Map
This ArcGIS map provides the locations of trust lands in Montana and identifies which ones can be publicly accessed.

How's My Waterway
Check out the EPA’s “How’s My Waterway” map to discover the details about the water bodies across the US. It shares discharge permits, monitoring locations, water uses, and condition status as well as more information for specific uses such as swimming and fish consumption.

Prescribed Fire References Document
This link contains a list of resources for learning about prescribed fire.

 NEW  Swan Valley Connections seeks Development Director | Deadline: March 15

HydroSolutions Inc. seeks Hydrogeologist I (Entry level) | Deadline: April 30 

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  MACD Mini-Grant Call for Applications | Deadline: April 18
MACD is pleased to announce an open Call for Applications for the Education and Outreach Water Quality Mini-Grant Program. MACD offers mini-grants up to $4,000 to help fund local education and outreach efforts that address nonpoint source water quality issues. Funding for these mini-grants is made available through the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s 319 program. Mini-grant applications are being accepted now through 5pm on Friday, April 18. Funded projects need to occur within a year of being awarded. If you have any questions, please email Sara Smith, MACD Program Manager.

 NEW  NACD Updates on Executive Actions
The attached document is a statement from NACD CEO Jeremy Peters about how recent executive orders and actions will impact the operations of conservation districts and adjacent agencies. 

 NEW  Natural Resources Scholarship Opportunity for Montana Students
Two $1,000 Scholarships are available for Montana students—high school seniors or students who are attending an accredited post-secondary institution in Montana may apply.

 NEW  Montana Salinity Control Association Flyer
MSCA is a satellite of Montana's conservation districts that was created to deal with salinity issues too large for individual districts to handle.

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  Stewardship Week 2025 
In preparation for the 2025 Stewardship Week, hosted April 27 - May 4, NACD has released additional materials for your district's use. Included are templates for a press release, formal proclamation, and radio announcement.

New Mileage Reimbursement Rates
Milage Reimbursement rates have changed!

Education Work Group Is Looking To Compile A Mini-Library
The MACD Education Work Group is creating a mini-library of the different projects and programs that districts in Montana do. Please send one project or program per email to eo@macdnet.org

The Montana Conservation Menu is now live! This web resource includes grant applications, information about conservation district offices, and more.

 NEW  DUE SOON Nonpoint Source 319 Program | Deadline: March 7 

 NEW  DUE SOON DNRC Conservation District Project & Planning Grants | Deadline: March 15 

 NEW  DUE SOON DNRC Pollinator Grants | Deadline: March 15 

 NEW  DNRC Conservation District Administration Grants | Deadline: May 31

MACD Legislative Committee Meeting Minutes | February 11, 2025

 NEW  MACD Legislative Committee Meeting Minutes | February 19, 2025

 NEW  MACD Legislative Committee Meeting Minutes | February 25th, 2025

 HIGHLIGHT  MCDEO Roundtable Meeting Dates
MCDEO holds roundtable discussions on the third Wednesday of each month. 

 NEW  Government Shutdown Resources & Info

MCDEO Dues
Dues are still $30/employee. Employees can pay it themselves, or their districts can pay it. If you could fill out the 2025 Dues notice and send it with a check to the address on the Dues notice. If your district has already paid 2025 dues please fill out the form anyway and note that on the form!

EO Current Board Members
There's been some shuffling on the Employee Organization Board as of our January meeting. Click the link above to see the current list of the board Members.

 NEW  Conservation Clips

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  Montana Forest Products Story

 HIGHLIGHT   NEW  Regenerative Agriculture in Action - Journey on the Yellowstone

 NEW  Study Quantifies the Impact of Invasive Annual Grasses on Rangeland Soil Carbon Levels

Want a meeting, event, job, funding opportunity, or other announcement featured in District Dispatch? Please send it to communications@macdnet.org or ginsterwlcc@macdnet.org.