Blackfoot Challenge board takes the show on the road

Now in its 25th year, the Blackfoot Challenge is once again taking its monthly Board of Directors meeting on the road after several years of hosting the meetings at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest facilities.

Last month, the Challenge hosted its board meeting at the Lincoln Community Hall, May 23. Next month the meeting moves to Seeley Lake's Community Hall, June 20.

The travelling board meetings began earlier this year and are a throwback to the organizations earlier practice of moving them around the watershed. Outreach Coordinator Sara Schmidt explained that they brought the practice back to increase participation, celebrate the organization's 25th anniversary and introduce residents and partners to their executive director, Charles Curtin.

"The primary reasoning is that we're an organization that works within the entire watershed and relies on community participation to function, so we recognized the need to move around to be able to interface more with people," she told the BVD.

The meetings, which are open to the public, provide the chance for people to learn more about what the Challenge has going on, which includes projects ranging from stream restoration to carcass removal.

The May meeting featured a presentation by Eric Graham, the Blackfoot Challenge Wildlife technician and range rider. As the face of the organization for many of the watershed's landowners, Graham monitors predator activity and works with livestock producers on nonlethal predator control such as electric fencing and flaggery, which was his main topic during the meeting last month.

Schimidt said folks are invited to the board meetings, which begin at 1 p.m. For the rest of the year the traveling meetings will probably also include a social get together from 3-5 p.m.

"Our hope is that folks join us to learn about what we have going on, ask questions, give us feedback, join a committee, start participating in a program, etc," Schmidt explained.

The Blackfoot Challenge board takes a hiatus from large meetings in July and August since its a busy time for most members, but Schmidt said they expect to start them again in September. The fall meetings will most likely be held in Bonner, Helmville and Ovando.

Schmidt said they may try for a second meeting in Lincoln this year as well.