EBS STAFF
A Gallatin County resident living along the Gallatin River has been recognized for his dedication to noxious weed management. Mike Ellig received the 2025 Gallatin County Noxious Weed Management Award on June 3 during a county commission meeting. The county commission celebrated Ellig’s innovation in de-weeding the land.
“Every community in our state struggles with managing noxious weeds. It has negative impacts not only on agriculture but ecological processes and wildlife management. It is never-ending work,” Gallatin County Commissioner Jennifer Boyer said. “We are really excited this year to recognize Mike Ellig. I was particularly struck with the innovation and early-adopter mentality of doing proactive land management. It’s really great [to] provide this recognition for countless hours and years of dedicated management.”
After considering community nominations, the Gallatin County Weed Board selected Ellig for his effort in stewarding the land. Gallatin Valley Land Trust recommended Ellig for the award for his enduring multi-faceted approach to treat his property, which is under a conservation easement. Ellig uses chemical, mechanical and holistic weed treatments, and has personally invested in specialized equipment to fight invasive weeds.
“Mike hires on seasonal help and organizes group efforts to spray and pull weeds on his property each year. He has spent considerable resources purchasing and modifying equipment to best meet his needs over the years. And he is open and committed to trying new things,” wrote Kevin Grunewald with GVLT in his nomination.
Last year, Big Sky resident Mel Crichton earned the award.
