Montana Forest Stewardship Foundation
Annual Forest Landowner Conference
Friday, April 19, 2024
Location: Delta Hotels Helena Colonial, 2301 Colonial Drive, Helena, MT
The Forest Stewardship Foundation invites you to attend the Fourteenth Annual Forest Landowner Conference.
"The Future For Forest Stewards
and
Land Managers"
The agenda is prepared and available for download and viewing below. There are many experts that will present topics of great interest to forest landowners and professional foresters.
Brochures will be mailed out in mid-March. You may register here and pay online, or by returning a mail-in registration. We look forward to seeing you soon. Professional foresters should register through the Montana SAF website.
Registration Deadline: April 15, 2024
Come prepared to bid Silent Auction Items.
Room Reservations
A negotiated room rate has been set for our Conference with the Delta Hotels Helena Colonial, 2301 Colonial Drive, Helena, Montana 59601 from $159.00 per night.
Attendees may now make reservations by calling the hotel directly at 406-443-2100 or by calling reservations at 1-866-211-4604 please mention the function, MT Forest Landowners Conference
Last Day to Book: Tuesday, March 28, 2024
Delta Hotels Helena Colonial for 159 USD per night
Here's your reservation link guests can use to make reservations:
Book your group rate for MT Forest Landowners Conference [marriott.com]
DELTA HOTELS HELENA COLONIAL
2301 COLONIAL DR , HELENA, MONTANA 59601
Continuing Education Credits
Friday will provide 6 CFE credits for SAF Members and 6 credits Accredited Logging Professionals.
Saturday field trip will provide 3.5 credits for SAF members and 2 credits for accredited logging professionals
2025 Conference Agenda
Presented by:
Forest Stewardship Foundation
Friday, May 16th
8:00 - 8:30 AM Registration - Delta Colonial Front Lobby
8:30 - 8:45 AM Welcome - Executive Room
- Ed Levert - Montana Forest Stewardship Foundation
- TBA - Montana Society of American Foresters
8:45 - 9:45 AM Opening Session - Executive Room
Montana Wood Products and Infrastructure Update
Sam Scott, University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research
Gordy Sanders, Retired Forester
9:45 - 10:00 AM Break with Refreshments (Visit Silent Auction) - Capital/State Room
10:00 - 11:00 AM Round 1 - Morning Breakout Sessions (Choose one)
Session A: Executive Room
How Markets Help You Attain Your Goals as a Landowner and Land Manager
John Ottman - Private Forestry Consultant
Matt Arno - DNRC
Dan Rogers - DNRC Trust Lands and Forestry Assistance
TBA - USFS
Session B: Legislative/Judicial Room
Riparian Restoration: It's Important for Ecological Resilience
Wendy Weaver - Executive Director, Freshwater Partners
11:00 –12:00 PM Round 2 - Morning Breakout Sessions (Choose one)
Session A: Executive Room
Road Design, Maintenance and Repair Using Best Management Practices
Mark Vessar, DNRC Forest Practices Program Manager
Session B: Legislative/Judicial Room
Site Preparation for Successful Reforestation
Rick Moore - DNRC service Forester, Retired
12:00 - 1:30 PM Luncheon with Speaker - Capital/State Room
Lore, Legends, and Outright Lies: Tales of the Early Region One Foresters
Rich Aarstad, Archivist, Montana Historical Society
1:30 PM Close Silent Auctions
1:45 - 2:45 PM Round 3 - Afternoon Breakout Sessions (Choose one)
Session A: Executive Room
Fire, Fungus, and Beetles! Co-starring a Bird and A Tree.
The Rapid Decline of Whitebark Pine and How we can Rescue It
Mike Giesey - Retired USFS, Board Member of Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation
Session B: Legislative/Judicial Room
Seedling Resources for Montana Landowners
Michael Butts, Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery
3:00 - 4:00 PM Round 4 – Afternoon Breakout Sessions (Choose one)
Session A: Executive Room
Wildland Sourced Goods From the Woods!
Dave Atkins - President, Montana Forest Owners Association
Session B: Legislative/Judicial Room
Bear Habitat Expansion and Safety in Montana
Bill Cook - FWP
4:00- 4:20PM Closing Session - Executive Room
Announce Silent Auction Winners - Closing Comments
Saturday, May 17th
7:30 -9:00AM University of Montana Alumni Breakfast
9:00 - 12:30PM Mount Helena Fuel Reduction Field Trip
Sam Gilbert - USFS Retired, Consultant
Brad Langsather - Open Lands Manager for the City of Helena
This field trip is a premiere opportunity to view different approaches to fuel reduction and to see
how the forest changes with time. Before and after forest conditions will be viewed with the first work completed in 2000, and a second entry in 2020. A rare opportunity to view the results of the fuel reduction
and different slash disposal methods. This will give you a window into how the trees, shrubs, and grasses
change over time. Several methods of slash disposal were utilized, and the results can be seen and assessed
to help you determine your best option. And just like your property.... what are the next steps? Great place
to get ideas for your projects.
A huge thank you to our many sponsors for supporting our event over the years:
