News Release: Do you know a landowner who is an outstanding neighbor?

Someone who takes good care of the land for production and wildlife values, who enables neighborly recreational access, and is actively engaged in their community in working to solve problems?

If so, the Montana Neighbor Awards wants to hear about it! They want to give such “good neighbors” the recognition they deserve.

The Montana Neighbor Awards is a working group including Montana Association of Land Trusts, Montana Farm Bureau, Artemis Common Ground, The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Montana Council of Trout Unlimited, and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. In 2016 MT-N presented four awards to leading ranching and farming families across Montana.

Awards are based on four criteria, including Cooperation, Land Stewardship/Conservation Ethic, Neighborly Land Access, and Community Leadership.

“Our purpose is to give recognition to landowners who go the extra mile through collaborative efforts to enhance our Montana sense of community,” says Winnett rancher Chris King, representing Montana Farm Bureau. “Our mission is to promote the on-the-ground reality of being a good Montana neighbor in a time of transition in our state. We believe that publicizing the good things that are happening will encourage others to undertake similar efforts.”

Every year, the group solicits nominations of landowners from across Montana. An awards committee, along with the Governor’s office, reviews the nominations and selects the award-winners. Winners will receive specially printed and framed Montana Neighbor Award certificates signed by the members of the awards committee and by Montana Governor Steve Bullock.

“There can be tension between landowners, public resource agencies, and sportsmen. Those situations get press,” says Glenn Marx, member of the Awards Committee. “But the fact is there are many new and long-time landowners who are great neighbors in the Montana tradition. We want to give them recognition.”

Nomination forms can be obtained by writing to Montana Neighbor Awards, PO Box 748, Helena, MT 5624, or by email at brian.kahn@earthlink.net, montanamalt@q.com, or glemon@mt.gov. .

Deadline for nominations is May 21.

For more information Contact Brian Kahn, Montana Neighbor Awards Committee, 444-8744 or brian.kahn@earthlink.net.

Much of the content for this post originated as a news release by the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks at fwp.mt.gov.