8:30 a.m. -- Registration 10:00 a.m. -- Opening Remarks Dave Heilig, President MT Chapter SWCS Moderator: Dave Heilig, President, MT Chapter SWCS National Perspective Pam Tierney-Crisifulli, Aide, Senator Burns Tribal Perspective Ira Newbreast, Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Blackfeet Tribe State Perspective Todd O'Hair, Assistant, Governor Martz Federal Agency Perspective Dennis Loreth, Acting NRCS State Conservationist State Agency Perspective Chris Smith, Chief of Staff, MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks 12:00 a.m. LUNCH - Moderator: Heidi Brewer, Vice-President, MT Chapter SWCS Vince Yannon, Keynote Speaker

1:00 p.m. Concurent Sessions - Sessions will be conducted simultaneously Session 1 -- Eastern Montana's Prairie Ecosystem Moderator: Anna Bold, Secretary, MT Chapter SWCS "Prairie Dogs and Black Footed Ferrets " Heidi Youmans, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "The Birds of the Prairie" Rob Hazelwood, Senior Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Sagegrouse and It's Habitat Status " John McCarthy, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "The Prairie River Systems and Their Important Fisheries " Bill Gardner, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Session 2 -- Western Montana's Intermountain Ecosystem Moderator: John Rouane, Director, MT Chapter SWCS "Grizzly Bears" Mike Mattel, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "Wolves" Joe Fontaine, Wolf Researcher, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Plants" Richard Cannor, Botanist, Natural Heritage Program "Bulltrout " Ken McDonald, Bulltrout Coordinator, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks Session 3 -- The Endangered Species Act and It's Implications Moderator: Ed Musser, Director, MT Chapter SWCS "The Endangered Species Act Process" Lori Nordstrom, Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service "The Montana Natural Heritage Program: Tracking Endangered Species" Sue Crispin, Director, Montana Natural Heritage Program "A Rancher's Perspective on Agricultural Implications of the Endangered Species Act " Steve Pilcher, Executive Vice-President, MT Stockgrowers Association "Assisting Private Landowners with the Endangered Species Act" Pete Husby, Biologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2:30 p.m. -- Break

3:00 p.m. -- Concurrent Sessions (continued) Session 1 -- Eastern Montana's Prairie Ecosystem Moderator: Anna Bold, Secretary, MT Chapter SWCS "Prairie Dogs and Black Footed Ferrets " Heidi Youmans, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "The Birds of the Prairie" Rob Hazelwood, Senior Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Sagegrouse and It's Habitat Status " John McCarthy, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "The Prairie River Systems and Their Important Fisheries " Bill Gardner, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Session 2 -- Western Montana's Intermountain Ecosystem Moderator: John Rouane, Director, MT Chapter SWCS "Grizzly Bears" Mike Mattel, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "Wolves" Joe Fontaine, Wolf Researcher, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Plants" Richard Cannor, Botanist, Natural Heritage Program "Bulltrout " Ken McDonald, Bulltrout Coordinator, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks Session 3 -- The Endangered Species Act and It's Implications Moderator: Ed Musser, Director, MT Chapter SWCS "The Endangered Species Act Process" Lori Nordstrom, Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service "The Montana Natural Heritage Program: Tracking Endangered Species" Sue Crispin, Director, Montana Natural Heritage Program "A Rancher's Perspective on Agricultural Implications of the Endangered Species Act " Steve Pilcher, Executive Vice-President, MT Stockgrowers Association "Assisting Private Landowners with the Endangered Species Act" Pete Husby, Biologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service 5:00 p.m. -- SWCS General Membership Session 6:00 p.m. -- No-Host Social and Silent Auction

8:00 a.m. -- Buffet Breakfast Moderator: Heidi Brewer, Vice-President, MT Chapter SWCS "Milk River Irrigation System Producer Group" 9:45 a.m. Concurent Sessions - Sessions will be conducted simultaneously Session 1 -- Eastern Montana's Prairie Ecosystem Moderator: Anna Bold, Secretary, MT Chapter SWCS "Prairie Dogs and Black Footed Ferrets " Heidi Youmans, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "The Birds of the Prairie" Rob Hazelwood, Senior Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Sagegrouse and It's Habitat Status " John McCarthy, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "The Prairie River Systems and Their Important Fisheries " Bill Gardner, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Session 2 -- Western Montana's Intermountain Ecosystem Moderator: John Rouane, Director, MT Chapter SWCS "Grizzly Bears" Mike Mattel, Biologist, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks "Wolves" Joe Fontaine, Wolf Researcher, US Fish and Wildlife Service "Plants" Richard Cannor, Botanist, Natural Heritage Program "Bulltrout " Ken McDonald, Bulltrout Coordinator, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks Session 3 -- The Endangered Species Act and It's Implications Moderator: Ed Musser, Director, MT Chapter SWCS "The Endangered Species Act Process" Lori Nordstrom, Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service "The Montana Natural Heritage Program: Tracking Endangered Species" Sue Crispin, Director, Montana Natural Heritage Program "A Rancher's Perspective on Agricultural Implications of the Endangered Species Act " Steve Pilcher, Executive Vice-President, MT Stockgrowers Association "Assisting Private Landowners with the Endangered Species Act" Pete Husby, Biologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service

11:20 a.m. -- Closing Remarks Moderator: Ted Hawn, Past President, MT Chapter SWCS National Perspective Senator Max Baucus, (invited) President's Message Dave Heilig, Mt Chapter SWCS President 12:00 a.m. -- Adjournment

Registration Information for the Annual Conference 2002

April 2002 Newletter Page III

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