The Montana Conservationist March 29

Greetings, readers! We have a great issue for you on this last week of March (a lion/lamb that’s going out a little too slowly, if you ask me). Here’s what’s in the issue this week:

• Suppression of lake trout in Glacier NP’s backcountry lakes is showing to be a successful strategy in helping bull trout recover
• And backcountry cameras are helping biologists learn more about the elusive wolverine (just realizing this issue may have an elusive species theme). Check out the Great Falls tribune for a gallery of wolverines & biologists in action!
• The President’s budget proposal may have big impacts on the federal agencies serving Montana’s conservation community (that’s where proposal is key: changes are inevitable)
• NRCS is warning you to watch for the invasive Palmer Amaranth in conservation planting mixes, especially those purchased from the South & Midwest regions
• A new study shows that late season grazing may benefit sage grouse
• Politico points out what it calls the “Vegetable Technology Gap”, and the need for more research funding for specialty crops
• Speaking of funding, may of us know that young farmers have trouble finding it, especially when they have large student loans. That’s where a state & a national bill come in, proposing a “Young Farmer Student Loan Forgiveness” program. Civil Eats has the details, Northern Ag supplies a sweet graphic.
• Finally, the Prairie Star featured a story on the From the Ground Up: Montana Women in Agriculture project, with some of our favorite ladies.

All of that, plus more! It’s this week’s Montana Conservationist: TMC 2017-03-29