BLACKFOOT CHALLENGE INC
PO BOX 103, OVANDO, MT 59854 www.blackfootchallenge.org

---

Organizations Filed Purposes: The mission of the Blackfoot Challenge is to coordinate efforts that will conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Blackfoot watershed for present and future generations.

Formed in 1993, the mission of the Blackfoot Challenge is to coordinate efforts that conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Blackfoot watershed for present and future generations. Our success is rooted in our approach. Through a community-based and collaborative process, we bring people together to identify shared values around community needs, we facilitate respectful conversations and information sharing, and we build enduring partnerships based on trust. The results are homegrown solutions that stand the test of time. 2019 Accomplishments: BLACKFOOT COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AREA5,600 acres managed cooperatively by community council for multiple uses. Est. 2005. Continued to implement and refine three rest-rotation grazing leases on more than 5,000 acres. Conducted 160 acres of forest restoration treatments to increase forest health and resiliency. Controlled 150 acres of invasive weeds along road systems and native prairies with herbicide treatments and biological control methods. Hosted annual field tour in June for more than 30 council and community members to review progress and discuss future management. Hosted a University of Montana PhD student conducting research on wildlife populations under sustainable grazing management. Planned for two collaborative prescribed burn pilot projects in 2020. Rehabilitated hundreds of slash pile burn sites associated with forest treatments and Rice Ridge Wildfire fuel break.CONSERVATION STRATEGIESCoordinating land conservation and stewardship to keep working landscapes intact. Est. 2000. Hosted annual meeting for 30 conservation practitioners in the Blackfoot to share information and leverage one another's efforts. Coordinated Montana Forests Workgroup member participation in trips to New Hampshire and Oregon to learn about community forests with The Nature Conservancy. Hosted a two-day tour focused on the creation and ongoing management of the BCCA. EDUCATIONNurturing watershed awareness and stewardship through place-based education. Est. 1993. Over 150 students from seven schools attended Youth Field Days to learn about riparian vegetation, fish habitat and ecology, stream hydrology and restoration, and fly fishing on the Blackfoot River and its tributaries in September. Rotating Naturalist Speaker Series included presentations on bear biology and bear awareness, native pollinator ecology and conservation, beaver biology, and bird monitoring and riparian habitat to approximately 250 students from all watershed schools. K-12 students monitored stream temperatures and flows in four communities. Over 40 students visited the bird banding station in Seeley Lake. 18 students collected forest stand data in areas slated for a prescribed fire on the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area near Ovando. 12 adult citizen science volunteers collected data on water quality and bird populations. Hosted a family-friendly field trip on wildfire ecology and a public presentation on prescribed fire as a tool on private lands.FORESTRYRestoring forest health and reducing wildfire risk near communities. Est. 2008. Provided on-site forest health and fuel reduction education to more than 20 landowners. Coordinated 351 acres of hazardous fuel reduction around homes to improve forest and community resilience to wildfire. Supported local forestry jobs and provided wood products to local sawmill and chip plant. Initiated collaborative, cross-boundary prescribed burn planning across thousands of acres for implementation in 2020. LAND STEWARDSHIPSupporting landowners through stewardship assistance one property at a time. Est. 2016. Provided over 40 landowners with property-specific stewardship recommendations including: Soil health management techniques focused on high stock density grazing, cover crops, no-till farming, bale grazing, and drought tolerant species to build soil organic matter, increase nutrient cycling, and enhance drought resiliency. Grazing management plans that compliment stream and riparian projects. Aspen stand enhancement projects that reduce conifer encroachment, stimulate aspen sucker growth, and encourage stand expansion. Helped landowners access stewardship resources, including the planning and implementation of Farm Bill conservation programs. Assisted partners with fish screen maintenance to keep native trout out of irrigation ditches.SWANSRestoring Trumpeter Swans to their native habitat on Blackfoot wetlands. Est. 2004. Eight pairs of trumpeter swans nested and successfully fledged 17 cygnets. At least 60 trumpeters returned to the watershed, including 15 pairs. Over 200 people, including 120 students, attended Trumpeter Swan Release Day in September.WATERVoluntary water stewardship grounded in shared knowledge and shared commitment. Est. 2000. Coordinated a shared giving approach to drought response, involving 90 landowner water conservation plans, adding several new participants, reaching thousands of visiting floaters and anglers, and sustaining habitat for native trout. Installed first beaver dam mimicry stream restoration project to improve wetlands, floodplain, water quality, and aquatic and riparian habitats. Monitored three local lakes with volunteers to help prevent invasive mussel introduction. Created weekly irrigation water management and soil health reports, guiding 100 landowners on improving soil health and operating with limited water. Piloted soil moisture monitoring program, using new technology to measure soil moisture in croplands and help producers improve irrigation water efficiency, especially in drought years. Monitored 10 streams to inform restoration and drought planning and to assess water quality impacts of major wildfire.WILDLIFEReducing human-wildlife conflicts through proactive and preventative strategies. Est. 2002. Installed three electric fences in the Helmville area to reduce grizzly bear conflicts, including at the garbage transfer site, a private residence, and one to encompass a residence and three calving yards. Distributed 30 bear resistant garbage bins to residents and 100 cans of bear spray to area recreationists and landowners. Since Carcass Pickup Program began in 2003, 8,604 carcasses removed from 100 ranches in the Blackfoot watershed and surrounding communities. Four seasonal Range Riders continued to monitor carnivore activity and increased herd supervision on ranches and grazing leases in the Potomac, Ovando and Helmville areas from May through October. Fulltime Wildlife Coordinator position continues to work closely with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to respond to and manage grizzly bear conflicts in the watershed. Maintaining consistent communication, upholding transparency, and building trust between Blackfoot Challenge staff, agency partners, and landowners.VEGETATIONIntegrated, locally-led approaches to invasive plant management across fence lines. Est. 1995. Offered site visits and treatment recommendations to landowners including native and exotic plant identification, herbicide application products and rates, biological control with insects, and appropriate reseeding practices. Provided biological control insects for 10 landowners to release and established two monitoring sites. Treated 115 acres across two counties covering 96 miles of Blackfoot River shoreline. Hosted two weed pulls at the Russell Gates Fishing Access Site for the 21st year in a row. Two landowner-led Cooperative Vegetation Management Areas took advantage of cost-share grants to treat over 2,000 acres of noxious weeds. Began implementation of three-year Wildlife Habitat Improvement Grant on the BCCA Core, including targeted spot treatment herbicide applications and biological control with insects. Participated in youth education events hosting native and exotic aquatic and riparian plant demonstration stations.

---

---

Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202013219349316281_public.xml