FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 2024
RAVALLI COUNTY TO HOST PUBLIC MEETING FOR NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT POLICY UPDATE
RAVALLI COUNTY TO HOST PUBLIC MEETING FOR NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT POLICY UPDATE
Ravalli County is developing an updated Natural Resource Management Policy (NRMP) to guide decision-makers in their coordination and collaboration with federal and state land managers regarding land and natural resource management in and around Ravalli County. The NRMP will update the County’s 2012 guidance document titled Bitterroot Valley Natural Resource Use Policy. The update is intended to address changes in the County’s demographics and natural resources since the 2012 document was prepared. The updated policy document will help County officials coordinate with state and federal land managers to ensure that the County’s interests are duly considered during federal and state land management planning processes. This is particularly important for Ravalli County because nearly 75% of the County’s land area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
The County has convened a Core Team to guide the NRMP update process. The Core Team consists of representatives from the County government (Board of Commissioners, forestry, planning, legal counsel, and office of emergency management), Bitterroot Resource Conservation and Development, Ravalli County Economic Development Authority, and U.S. Forest Service. An important part of the process is to gather information from the public about what they would like to see included in the policy document so that it reflects the unique needs and values of the community. To those ends, the County will host two public meetings and conduct a public survey.
The first of these meetings will take place on March 18, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room in the Administration Building at 215 S. 4th Street, third floor, Hamilton, MT 59840. Those who cannot attend in person can join virtually through Zoom using the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83536330026?pwd=7OrBfZhD7DdUd9mRPKMBGtfzPdsaVd.1
Meeting ID: 835 3633 0026; Passcode: 344266
The primary purpose of this meeting will be to explain the update process, inform members of the public about the various involvement opportunities, and direct interested parties to the survey questionnaire. The questionnaire will be available online for a period of two weeks following the meeting at ravalli.us
Under Newsflash on the home page
Please direct any comments or questions to the County commissioners at commissioners@rc.mt.gov.