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 

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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

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                                    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

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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

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                                   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

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Saturday, May 17th

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7:30 -9:00AM          University of Montana Alumni Breakfast

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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

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                                   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.