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Montana Wildlife Federation Objects to Insurrections at Capitols

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The last week has been a challenging time for our entire nation. The deadly, unprecedented attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob was totally unacceptable and a direct assault on our Constitution and values as Americans. And now law enforcement is reporting credible threats that more violence could be coming, including here in Montana. This must stop, immediately. This is not who we are.

For eight decades, MWF has engaged in vigorous public engagement in the democratic process.  We were founded when a handful of average Montanans decided to stand up to the Robber Barons who pulled the strings at the State Capitol – and for 85 years we’ve fought special interests to protect the right of every Montanan to enjoy our outdoors and natural heritage.

We have never been shy about disagreements or leading peaceful protests. We know that fights in our Republic are settled by vigorous but peaceful debate, not violence, nor even the threat of violence. Armed intimidation of lawmakers is contrary to the values of our state, our citizens and our community.  Remember, just a few years ago, MWF co-led a thousand Montanans to peacefully and legally rally in our Capitol – without a single act of violence or vandalism. We support free and fair elections, and the results of those elections, regardless of partisanship. The election of 2020 is no different: some candidates won, some lost, and there has been no evidence whatsoever of widespread irregularities in Montana nor across the country. We at MWF pride ourselves at reaching across the aisle to both Republicans and Democrats in Helena and Washington to advance our mission in support of wildlife, habitat and access. We fervently believe that conservation brings people together. The safety of law enforcement, journalists, local, state and federal employees, lawmakers and their staff and of course, the public, should never be in jeopardy as they carry out the People’s business.

During this trying time – and whatever times are ahead – know that MWF will continue to support our country, the rights enshrined in our Constitution, and the right and responsibility of all Montanans to participate in the democratic process.

 

Sincerely,

The MWF Board of Directors

Legislative Action Team Meetings 2023

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Don’t miss the weekly MWF 2023 Legislative Action Team zoom call.  Join our Legislative Action Team to receive the weekly zoom invites. The call will be every Monday at 7 PM. Unable to attend a call? View the recordings below.

The 68th Montana Legislative Assembly convened on January 2nd  and will be, as always, a busy one for issues that affect wildlife, habitat, and access for sportswomen and sportsmen, and recreationists. 

Montana Poised to Establish a National Precedent for 21st Century Conservation Funding

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Montana hunters, anglers, conservationists support bid for $18 million-a-year investment in wildlife, habitat, access

The Montana Wildlife Federation is Montana’s oldest, largest and most effective statewide wildlife conservation and sporting organization. Our roots date back to 1936, when hunters and anglers joined landowners to restore Montana’s depleted wildlife. We have an 84-year record of working to solve the difficult issues surrounding public wildlife, habitat and access to enjoy our public trust resources.

MWF endorses I-190 and CI-118 because of their tremendous potential to address longstanding financial issues surrounding many of our public resources. It’ll be extraordinary if Montana voters support this new revenue stream for conservation. Natural resources, working lands and public recreation would tremendously benefit from passage of these ballot initiatives.

With CI-118 and I-190, it’s estimated that Montana’s budget for public land access and management would see an $18-million boost in revenue. I-190 is a statutory initiative that legalizes, regulates, and taxes marijuana in Montana. CI-118 amends the Montana Constitution to make the minimum age for consumption and purchase of marijuana 21.

I-190 includes language that earmarks half of generated marijuana tax revenue for conservation efforts, however, CI-118 also needs to pass for these funds to be made available. The Nongame Wildlife Special Revenue Account, State Park Special Revenue Account, and Trails and Recreational Facilities Account will each get more than 4 percent of tax revenue generated from marijuana sales. Habitat Montana alone will get 37 percent of collected revenue. Combined, that’s more than $18 million per year in funding for Montana’s wildlife, waters, and public lands.

Montana Wildlife Federation is taking the extraordinary step of endorsing these ballot measures because funding deficiencies for public natural resources and their enjoyment have been decades in the making and need to be addressed. A 2019 report produced by Montana-based Headwaters Economics found numerous funding shortfalls to keep up with the growing demands on our state’s parks, ranches and farms, public trails and public wildlife. For example:

  • Wildlife management and conservation needs an estimated $15 million annually to keep pace with a host of growing challenges, from emerging issues like Chronic Wasting Disease in big game, aquatic invasive species in our fisheries to longstanding conservation priorities that include restoring key wildlife habitat such as big game winter range.
  • Working lands including private farms, ranches and timberlands have an unmet need of $12.4 million. The needs include conservation easements over lands slated for development. Easements keep these lands in working agriculture and timber production, while also ensuring they provide the open space to maintain wildlife habitat and public recreation on these important areas.
  • State trails for multiple-use recreation have a $7.1 million need to address safety, erosion and access. Statewide nearly three quarters of Montanans use trails Funding is needed for maintenance and improvements.
  • The Montana State Park system has an estimated $25.7 million maintenance backlog just to keep up with the demand on facilities. The backlog includes repairing and upgrading campgrounds, toilets, and other facilities, and boosting educational programs to meet the increased visitation.

With roughly half of the public revenue generated by I-190 and CI-118 dedicated to these important needs, Montana is poised to establish a significant national precedent for funding conservation in the 21st century. The funding will benefit wildlife habitat on public and private lands – including important big game winter range and helping efforts to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. It will go toward our state parks. And it will go toward trails and recreation that all Montanans enjoy. This initiative would benefit all Montanans; our quality of life, ranchers and landowners who are our partners in conservation, and our growing outdoor recreation economy.

If approved by Montana voters, Montana Wildlife Federation will collaborate with many others to ensure that state government will abide by the will of the electorate.  MWF will staunchly oppose any attempts at reallocation of existing or new conservation appropriations.

 

 

The 2021 Montana Legislature: Bills and Budgets

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Every session of the Montana Legislature, numerous bills come forward that affect our public lands, waters, fish and wildlife resources. In addition, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks needs to craft a budget that meets the needs of those resources, as well as all Montanans who enjoy wildlife, fish, and our state parks in numerous ways. Join state Sen. Tom Jacobson, Montana FWP Chief of Staff Quentin Kujala and MWF Conservation Director Nick Gevock for a look at what are likely to be the biggest issues in the upcoming 2021 Legislature. 

You can now register to attend the celebration conservation victories and help build capacity for the challenges and opportunities ahead. The auction and Membership meeting is open to conservationists in Montana, across the country and around the world. Share this invitation widely with your networks! Register today, invite your team, and get ready for some exciting updates in your inbox soon!

Sen. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, has served three terms in the state House and one in the Senate while serving on the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Senate Fish and Game committees. Tom is a lifelong hunter and angler and has been a strong advocate for Montana hunters, anglers and outdoor recreational users. He has also stood up for protecting public lands and been a strong advocate for increasing access to those lands and waters. He has twice received awards for his work from the Montana Wildlife Federation. 

Quentin Kujala is chief of staff for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He has previously served as a senior biologist within the Wildlife Division of FWP and as a field biologist working along the Rocky Mountain Front. He has a master’s degree in fish and wildlife science from Montana State University. 

Nick Gevock serves as the conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. Before that he worked as newspaper reporter in Bozeman and Butte, covering numerous natural resource, wildlife and public lands issues throughout southwestern Montana. He is an avid hunter, angler and outdoor recreationist. He travels throughout Montana with his dog Willow in pursuit of birds, hunts big game and likes to flyfish. Gevock works on key wildlife, habitat and access issues at the local, state and federal level. 

Public Access to Public Lands, Opportunities

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Access to public land – everybody’s for it. But often, the solutions to landlocked or large blocks of public lands that are inaccessible to the public are complex. There are a host of state and federal programs that help acquire land that is mixed in with public land, or open easements to those lands. But in other cases, the solutions are more complex. 

Join a panel discussion that includes MWF staff and a board member, and a federal official to talk about an effort in the East Crazy Mountains to increase access, as well as other measures MWF is pursuing to help increase public access. Registration is required.

Learn more about the panelists.

JohnS John Salazar serves as a board member for the Montana Wildlife Federation. He is a longtime hunter and angler, and outdoor recreationist who lives in Livingston. John has served for nearly two years on a working group of landowners, hunters, conservation interests and others working to improve public access into the Crazy Mountains of the Custer-Gallatin and Lewis and Clark national forests. He owns a restoration company in Livingston and enjoys the outdoors with his family. 

 

nickG Nick Gevock serves as the conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation. Before that he worked as newspaper reporter in Bozeman and Butte, covering numerous natural resource, wildlife and public lands issues throughout southwestern Montana. He is an avid hunter, angler and outdoor recreationist. He travels throughout Montana with his dog Willow in pursuit of birds, hunts big game and likes to flyfish. Gevock works on key wildlife, habitat and access issues at the local, state and federal level. 

View our packed agenda!

The auction and Membership meeting is open to conservationists in Montana, across the country and around the world. Share this invitation widely with your networks! Register today, invite your team, and get ready for some exciting updates in your inbox soon!

Jeff Lukas – MWF Elk Campaign Manager

Jeff Lukas

Conservation Director

Jeff Lukas is a passionate conservationist who has been fishing and hunting his entire life. Whether it’s floating a small stream chasing trout, pursuing elk in the high country, or waiting in a blind for ducks to set their wings, Jeff is always trying to bring more people afield to show them what we are trying to protect. He loves being in the arena, and he will never shy away from conversations about the beautiful and unique corners of Big Sky country.