Madison Valley Ranchlands Group Inc

CO-OPERATIVE WEED CONTROL PROJECTS - We partnered with the Madison County Weed Board on a special project in Meadow Creek watershed near McAllister. The Weed Committee helped facilitate this project by performing extensive outreach to landowners, communicating with commercial applicators, surveying, and mapping. Our crew also participated in the annual Bear Trap Spray Day, a large cooperative effort that brings together public land managers and the public.

WEED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION - In 2024, the Committee worked to bring noxious weed awareness to the community by doing the following: Developed, updated and ordered printing of new noxious weed education activity/materials to be used with groups of youth or adults. Completed noxious weed identification boards as well as biocontrol boards. These have already been used by local elementary school as part of their noxious weed science curriculum. Continued development of placemat education campaign materials. Provided monthly articles to the Madisonian newspaper via Natural Resource News and produced and distributed our scenic and educational calendar.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH - MVRG partners in the Winter RoundTable Series which brings presenters together with local ranchers and others of the public to share ideas relevant to current challenges and new concepts for rancher profitability and land use health. We were a partner in the Wildlife Series Summer Presentations. MVRG is active in safety trainings for people working livestock, interacting with carnivores, and operating farm machinery. Active in the CRC (Conflict Reduction Consortium), a western states group working to find solutions to pressures on working lands. Carcass Management Technical Advisory Committee member for NRCS and FSA program innovation and implementation protocols. Virtual presenter at several on-line meetings regarding conflict prevention strategies and current challenges facing ranchers and open space fragmentation.

NOXIOUS WEED COORDINATION - The MVRG Weed Committee works closely and coordinates with professionals across the state (and often throughout the West). The Project Coordinator is the SW MT Biocontrol Representative, participates in statewide biological control steering committee meetings and the SW Area of the MT Weed Control Association's Council. We also have agreements with both the Bureau of Land Management and the MT Department of Transportation. The Committee also spends much time working with other public and private land managers to address noxious weed issues in the region.

CARCASS COMPOST SITE - The site is managed by the Bar MZ Ranch and the MVRG Project Director. There are substantial costs associated with placing carcasses in the bunkers, monitoring the carcass decomposition process and keeping the electric fenced enclosure maintained, turning the piles, and materials for mixing to make the compost. DEQ training session for proper management are currently on-line and help with maintain the site accreditation.

CARCASS REMOVAL - MVRG's carcass removal program is operated on the east side of Madison County covering over 150 square miles and currently servicing 40+ landowners (ranchers and small acreage livestock owners). It is operated by the MVRG Project Director with MVRG's dump trailer and her pickup. The carcasses once removed are brought to the carcass compost site. Removing carcasses from ranches and small acreages reduces predator and scavenger conflicts with ranchers and the general public.