Well, that sure was a strange and unsettling winter. I’m hoping this spring slows down, stays cool, and brings a little more predictability for us, the water, the wildlife, and the forest. We’ve watched grizzlies wandering around and trees budding in the valley in February, temperatures nearly reaching 80°F last week, and now it’s snowing!

This unprecedented season makes it obvious that our public lands, wildlife, community, and natural resources are under immense pressure. It’s not just the weather, we are seeing a policy shift toward broad, multi-year mandates and programmatic changes that bypass the site-specific input our community relies on.

The most current and active threat locally is the proposed industrial gravel pit on Section 22 of our state lands. Take Action: Sign the Petition to Protect Section 22.

Join us at Neptune’s Brewery

Wednesday, April 8th | 5:30–7:30 PM

This isn't just about gravel or need for local resources; it’s about the industrialization of a vital wildlife corridor and the potential loss of public access to an intact perennial grassland. Most concerning to us is the overall sense that the public process and our local community voice are slowly being softened—making it more important than ever that we show up to help drive these decisions.

Join us as we discuss the nuances of the proposed gravel pit, how to write a meaningful public comment to the DNRC Land Board, and get the most up to date information from PCEC staff.

The evening is intended as a casual get-together where we are encouraging our members to show up to drive the conversations that you are interested in the most. We hope that this network can truly reflect our community’s shared values and vision.

We are currently looking at several significant conservation opportunities and giant hurdles ahead in addition to the gravel pit: from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Siskin Island public land acquisition, to the Backcountry Area Roadless Rule recension, to the newest USFS Draft Tri-Forest Management Plan, read more about the forest plan here. To help us navigate and understand all these moving parts, we are inviting community members and experts to come together for another Neptune’s Pint Night on April 8th 5:30-7:30.

We want this next pint night to be an opportunity for our community to stay informed and active across all fronts, ensuring our voices are heard as we work toward true sustainability for our public resources and public lands.

Hope to see everyone next week, Wednesday, April 8th at Neptune’s Brewery.

Pint Night: Make Sure Our Local Voice Is Heard