Working Together for a Wild and Rural Montana
Born from a shared desire to protect the Blackfoot River and the surrounding rural landscape, the Blackfoot Challenge is a nationally recognized model for community-based conservation. Since the 1970s, local landowners, public agencies, and conservation partners have worked together to address threats like invasive species, habitat loss, and drought.
What began as informal conversations grew into a formal collaborative effort, rooted in respect, transparency, and shared values. Today, the Challenge brings together a broad coalition of stakeholders—from ranchers and recreationalists to federal agencies and conservationists—committed to conserving and enhancing the watershed’s rich ecological diversity and rural way of life.
Spanning 1.5 million acres in Western Montana, the Blackfoot watershed is one of North America’s most ecologically intact ecosystems. By focusing on consensus-building and long-term stewardship, the Blackfoot Challenge continues to make a lasting difference—preserving native fish habitat, supporting working lands, and sustaining wildlife corridors for future generations.
