Montana Neighbor Award

Deadline for nominations is November 16. Awards will be announced in December.

Do you know a landowner who is an outstanding neighbor? Someone who takes good care of the land for production and wildlife values, who enables neighborly recreational access, and is actively engaged in their community in working to solve problems?

If so, the Montana Neighbor Awards® wants to hear about it. They want to give such “good neighbors” the recognition they deserve. Awards are based on four criteria, including Cooperation, Land Stewardship/Conservation Ethic, Neighborly Land Access, and Community Leadership.

“Our purpose is to give recognition to landowners who go the extra mile through collaborative efforts to enhance our Montana sense of community,” says Bruce Farling, Executive Director of Montana Trout Unlimited. “Our mission is to promote the on-the-ground reality of being a good Montana neighbor in a time of transition in our state. We believe that publicizing the good things that are happening will encourage others to undertake similar efforts.”

The group is soliciting nominations of landowners from across Montana. An awards committee comprised of the founding organizations, along with the Governor’s office, as well as individuals involved in ranching or farming, will review the nominations and select the award-winners. Winners will receive specially printed and framed Montana Neighbor Award certificates signed by the members of the awards committee and by Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer.

“It’s no secret that land ownership in Montana is in transition,” says Chris King, Winnett rancher and member of the Awards Committee. “There is tension out there between landowners, public resource agencies, and sportsmen. Those situations get press. But the fact is there are many new and long-time landowners who are great neighbors in the Montana tradition. We want to give them recognition.”