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MSU Wheeler Center Annual Spring Conference

What does the future of agriculture and energy in Montana appear to be, particularly in the variable climate challenges we face?

This is the spotlight of the discussion at the Burton K. Wheeler Center’s statewide conference next week, “Climate Change in Montana: Impacts and Opportunities for Energy and Agriculture.”

On May 12-13, an immense conversation between the agriculture and energy sectors, environmental, educational and state agencies, legislators, officials and climate scientists will focus on Montana’s energy and agriculture sectors’ innovations and opportunities, climate challenges and its impacts, and future prices and outlook. [more]

New West News Brief

As the controversy over the Yellowstone National Park’s population of bison continues, Bozeman-based TERRA shares a three-part video series on the “free-ranging” population’s scenerio and the hazing that is occurring. (Click video above for a preview of the series.)

As there are passionate people on both sides of the debate, this series tries to understand all sides of this issue. [more]

New West News Brief

With more than half of the Yellowstone National Park bison population removed this season due to slaughter, winter weather and hunting, the Interagency Bison Management has halted all additional deaths and are holding 255 cows and calves until the grass greens.

Meanwhile, an estimated 600,000 pounds of meat from the slaughtered 1,700 bison is currently being distributed to Montana tribes and food banks, reports the Billings Gazette. An additional 700 are estimated dead due to weather.

The Montana Food Bank network recently purchased 15,000 pounds of bison meat that will be distributed to 189 banks throughout the state, perfect timing with the February recall of 143 million pounds of Californian beef. [more]

A Little More Room to Breathe

For the first time in a decade, wild bison will be allowed to legally roam outside of Yellowstone National Park.

The purchase of the cattle grazing rights from the Church Universal and Triumphant’s Royal Teton Ranch will provide an approximate 5,000-acre “zone” where bison can roam outside of the park boundary while having little-to-no risk of possible interaction and transmission of brucellosis to Montana’s cattle.

Although too small in landmass to provide the title “Free-ranging Yellowstone bison," the range is released through a pact agreement and collaboration between three federal agencies, two Montana agencies, one private landowner and a coalition of four non-profit organizations.
[more]

Trade in and Trade up

It’s time to gear up for spring and dust off the bike.

For all your cycling needs visit the Bike Swap this Saturday, April 19 at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. The Gallatin Valley Bike Club sponsors an annual bike swap which is open to the general public from 11am – 1pm. If you are hoping to sell stuff on consignment, it must be at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds between 8-10am that morning. Swap items usually include kids’ bikes, bike trailers, mountain bikes and competitive racers.

A percentage of the sales supports the Gallatin Valley Bike Club, a non-profit organization which provides recreational and competitive activities for area cyclists. [more]

New West News Brief

The divorce of millionaires Edra and Tim Blixseth has turned nasty, as they find themselves in a court-disputed power struggle over the operations of the Yellowstone Club, reports Scott McMillion of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Edra claims that the Yellowstone Club is on the brink of bankruptcy due to overdue court settlements and drained assets for Tim’s Yellowstone Club World venture, McMillion reported from the Virgina City courtroom. She asks to be reinstated as the chief operating officer and have her estranged husband banned from the offices. Tim claims this is a legal move to circumvent the court process in California.

“There is no competent evidence that Blixseth has raised or can raise sufficient cash to solve the crisis and stabilize the club without effecting ‘firesale’ lot sales. He has also lost the confidence of the club’s creditors and employees,” as reported from Edra’s court papers.

Click here for the full story.

Update: The Chronicle reported after the continued hearing, Judge Loren Tucker stayed all motions from the 12 lawyers until a deposition is received from the Yellowstone Club's loan holder, Credit Suisse. Tim Blixseth will remain in his position overseeing the club at this time. It was also reported that Boston financier Sam Byrne backed out of purchasing the club due to the overdue settlement to Greg LeMond and other minor shareholders, and the bad publicity that followed. [more]

Census Report

Gallatin County has surpassed Flathead County as the third most populous in Montana — and is leading in the state for growth.

The recent U.S. Census reports over 87,359 current residents in Gallatin County, gaining 19,528 new residents since Census 2000, a 28.8 percent population increase in eight years.

Gallatin County is also ranked No. 92 on the “100 fastest growing counties” in the United States, where 22 of the 100 are in the West.

Montana’s overall population increased 6.2 percent since 2000. But this growth was concentrated in 22 of the 56 counties, while 34 counties, mainly in Eastern and North Central Montana, faced declining population. [more]

Resort Market not holding

The application for a large-scale base area development at Bridger Bowl Ski Area, outside of Bozeman, Montana has been withdrawn.

After hundreds of public comments in April and May of 2007, the Bridger Canyon Partners asked the Gallatin County Planning Department to table their Planned Unit Development in order to continue discussion and come to an agreement with the Bridger Canyon Property Owners’ Association (BCPOA).

The Bridger Canyon Neighborhood Zoning, established in the 1970’s by the BCPOA, shaped strict rules and regulations about development in this pristine canyon, particularly when it came to the proposed 452 overnight units, 75 recreational home lots, a commercial village, a recreational lodge and employee housing.

The Bridger Canyon Partners decided the timeline, including reasonable agreement with the BCPOA, water rights and permitting, coupled with housing downturn, makes the project unfeasible at this time and withdrew their application on March 26th. [more]

An Amateur Photo Contest

Try to capture — in one photo — what you care about in the Gallatin Valley.

That is what dozens of amateur photographers strived to do as part of the Gallatin Valley Speaker Series photo contest “Shaping the Future of our Valley: Picturing our Place.”

With the Mayors of Three Forks, Manhattan, and Bozeman and a Gallatin County Commissioner as judges, the unveiling of the winners will be exhibited on Wednesday, March 26th at the Museum of the Rockies from 5:30-8pm.

There will also be a special evening presentation by world-renowned, Bozeman-based adventure photographer Gordon Wiltsie, sharing his stories of adventure and power of place. [more]

Across State Lines as a regional whole

The 25 counties that comprise of the Yellowstone-Teton region of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana may be separated by state lines, but all share common amenities: high-quality natural areas, extensive amount of public lands, large wildlife populations and plentiful outdoor recreation.

But this also subjects the region’s economy to seasonal fluctuation — a shared challenge between both the rural and urban centers. How does this region, which shares similar environment and economic drives, understand and coordinate with each other in order to turn on the off-season?

The Yellowstone Business Partnership recently completed the first phase of a research project to characterize and analyze off-season assets and economic opportunities in the region. Therefore, local businesses and governments can grasp the regional growth trends and build an understanding across jurisdictional boundaries and vast geography. The recently completed report can be found here. [more]

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