Opinion
Future West: Helping western communities create their future
Published
12 years agoon
Posted By
AdminBy Sharlyn Izurieta, Explorebigsky.com Contributor
The landscape of the Northern Rockies, with its high, rugged mountains and expansive valleys, shapes a way of life. Agriculture, recreation and natural resources are important to our history and future. There is a need to preserve this way of life for future generations.
But those who live here know that managing, conserving and maintaining the quality of life that we enjoy is a challenge.
Future West is a nonprofit consulting group that has taken up that challenge. Based in Bozeman, Future West works to foster constructive dialogue around natural resources and rural development issues. What makes it unique is its community-based, collaborative model that helps address the needs of each community and project.
Dennis Glick and Jennifer Boyer founded Future West, encouraged by communities, colleagues, friends and donors, in 2009. Their goal was to “make sure the hearts and minds of citizens in this region are engaged to achieve a future including vibrant communities and a healthy natural environment.”
Future West is working on multiple projects in the Northern Rocky Mountain region, including the Henry’s Fork Legacy Partnership, a consortium of twelve non-governmental organizations and government agencies all working together. The Henry’s Fork area is located west of Yellowstone National Park in a landscape encompassing stunning scenery, fish and wildlife, amazing outdoor recreation opportunities along with working ranches and farms. According to Dennis Glick, the partnership’s aim is “to conserve the critical open spaces and working places,” there. Future West was invited by the project partners to develop educational materials for the partnership in order to help the partners conserve this unique landscape.
Boyer and Glick have over 30 years of combined experience working with communities, which helps them develop capacity and determine solutions to their specific needs. Their expertise is bolstered by other professionals in GIS mapping, land planning, economic analysis, landscape architecture, communications, rural development, ranch management and conflict management.
Because Future West’s approach is collaborative, they work where they’re invited and do not influence project outcomes. Their aims are to foster a constructive dialogue around natural resource and rural development issues, provide professional expertise, as well as facilitating the public engagement necessary for informed decision making.
Future West also assists organizations, state and local agencies and provides community workshops and seminars, and hosts capacity building workshops for other conservation organizations and community leaders.
Sharlyn Izurieta is the owner of SGI Consulting in Bozeman. She has worked as a coordinator for several nonprofit organizations in Bozeman, including the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council, and the Montana Center for International Visitors.
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Some of Future West’s projects
Big Hole River Corridor Protection
Montana’s Big Hole River is one of the nation’s best-known trout streams. It also harbors rare fluvial Arctic grayling. Efforts to protect the river and its riparian habitat have resulted in improved management of fish and water, and better protection of the river corridor. FW is leading a landowner driven process to further strengthen both incentive and regulatory-based mechanisms aimed at improving floodplain protection. If approved, this innovative and unprecedented four county process will result in the most progressive floodplain management in Montana.
Rocky Mountain Front GIS Collaborative
Leading a team of Geographic Information System specialists, and in cooperation with Teton County government, FW has managed the creation of a comprehensive GIS database that will be used for land use planning, land and water conservation, and economic development initiatives along the Rocky Mountain Front. Local decision makers and citizens have been involved in identifying which natural, community and economic resource databases are most important for conserving local values. The result is a comprehensive set of over 60 GIS data layers. This project also offered hands-on GIS trainings, building local capacity for decision making on land use issues.
Upcoming Events
march, 2024
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Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
Time
15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
Location
Verge Theater
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
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March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
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Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass St. Joseph Catholic Mission
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Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass
St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Time
(Thursday) 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm