A few
statistics: Bozeman is the fastest growing micropolitan area in the country; if
the current annual growth rate of 3.8 percent persists, the population of
Gallatin County will double in less than 20 years; one billion dollars of
improvements are currently underway in Big Sky; in Livingston, a 132-acre
subdivision was recently approved and Forbes Magazine has named Livingston one
of the best places in America to invest in vacation rentals.
Consider how
things are changing around us—our communities, our rural landscapes and our
parks and wildlands. Then imagine how,
in an ideal world, you would like them to be 10, 20 or 30 years down the
road. What came to mind? Conversely,
what didn’t?
When I ask
people that question, sometimes they respond in a split second. I’m impressed
by their clear and compelling vision for the future. It makes me less
apprehensive about the long-term well-being of our towns, working lands,
wildlife and wild places. More often than not, however, I am met with blank
stares followed by colorful language related to how “things are going to hell
in a hand basket.”
In 2017, a
Future West conference in Bozeman put a spotlight on the array of 21st
Century conservation issues affecting the Northern Rockies. “Sustaining the New
West: Conservation Challenges – Conservation Opportunities” brought together a
variety of individuals concerned about growth and its impacts, climate change,
increasing pressure on public lands and other threats to environmental quality
and our quality of life. It was a wake-up call for many in the audience.
Some good news
has followed the event. Major conservation victories like the passage of the
Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act demonstrated that when people with a shared
concern come together thoughtfully—in this case to overcome a conservation
challenge—they can accomplish great things.
Still, general
trends related to growth and its impacts are alarming, and do not bode well for
efforts to conserve our natural environment and the sustainability of our
communities. It’s gut-check time for all who love the West and want to keep
wide-open spaces wide open, communities livable and affordable and wildlands
truly wild.
There’s no lack
of organizations—governmental and nongovernmental—focused on understanding
these problems and working hard to solve them. What is lacking is a shared long
term vision for the future of the natural and community assets that set us
apart from so many other places.
On June 5, at
Bozeman’s Emerson Cultural Center, a lineup of speakers will come together for
a second Future West conference, “Sustaining the New West: Bold Visions –
Inspiring Actions.” We will once again
review how growth and climatic trends are impacting the region, but the bulk of
the day will be spent exploring alternative future scenarios and actions we can
take to make these visions a reality. What do representatives from local
government, the ranching, and conservation community have to say about their
future vision for the Northern Rockies?
We’ll find out.
To demonstrate the feasibility of these alternatives, some of the West’s
most promising efforts to plan for and achieve sustainability on a regional
scale will be highlighted. Among others, the Mayor of Canmore, Alberta, will
talk about a town that has become famous for their efforts to reduce growth
impacts on adjoining wildlands while addressing community challenges like
affordable housing and transportation. We’ll hear from representatives of the
Blackfeet Nation who have crafted a climate change adaptation and sustainable
agricultural plan for their territory. One of the country’s premier regional
planning efforts, The Tahoe Basin Planning Agency, will describe how their
efforts have managed growth in an internationally-known tourist destination.
Other Westerners, from both near and far, will share inspiring stories that could
provide us with guideposts for a more sustainable future.
-Dennis
Glick
Director,
Future West
For more details on “Sustaining the New West: Bold Visions – Inspiring Actions” visit www.future-west.org.
