MTGMss189.xml Guide to the Montana Conservation Council Records 1939-1975 Montana Conservation Council Records Finding aid prepared by Jodi Allison-Bunnell and Laura Lopach Funding for creating the initial finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding the initial finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula © 2004
The University of Montana--Missoula Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-2053 http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc library.archives@umontana.edu
Finding aid encoded by Jodi Allison-Bunnell and Donna McCrea 2004 and 2008 Finding aid written in English. December 2008 This finding aid was updated following the addition of collection materials in late 2008. University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
The University of Montana--Missoula Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-2053 http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc library.archives@umontana.edu
Mss 189 Montana Conservation Council Montana Conservation Council Records 1939-1975 4.75 linear feet 10 boxes The Montana Conservation Council was an organization founded in 1948 to educate Montanans about wise use of natural resources. The collection contains the organization's correspondence, governance documents, newsletters, clippings, and photographs that document its interests in soils, forests, wildlife, reclamation efforts, the work of women (including garden clubs and women's clubs), range management, and conservation education. Materials are in English Historical Note

The Montana Conservation Council formed in 1948 to educate Montanans about the wise use of their natural resources by bringing together public and private agencies with citizens to "harmonize and integrate" interest in resource management. The group was originally organized as a region-wide group known as the Northwest Conservation League. Kenneth Davis, Dean of Forestry at Montana State University (The University of Montana), became the first Council president. In 1951, the Council formed a board of directors that directed the Council's affairs throughout its existence. The membership was made up of middle-class men and women concerned about dwindling resources.

The organization focused on soils, forests, wildlife, reclamation efforts, the work of women (including garden clubs and women's clubs), range management, and conservation education. One of the Council's programs, beginning in 1949, was its annual Conservation Caravan, in which members and interested citizens traveled by chartered bus around Montana observing good and bad resource management techniques. The final caravan took place in 1958.

The Council helped bring about change in conservation methods and attitudes through political and educational means. Members of the Council were directly involved in the legislative process and one board member, WintonWeydemeyer, served in the Montana Legislature. Through these and other means, the Concil was a strong and influential voice in Montana's conservation movement. The group disbanded in the early 1970s.

The collection contains the organization's correspondence, governance documents, newsletters, clippings, and photographs that document its interests in soils, forests, wildlife, reclamation efforts, the work of women (including garden clubs and women's clubs), range management, and conservation education. Materials document the organization's major programs: the annual meeting, held yearly in Montana; the Conservation Caravan; Conservation Week; and trail rides.

The collection is arranged in six series:

Series I: Correspondence, 2.25 linear feet, 1949-1973

Series II: Financial Records, 1 folder, 1958-1972

Series III: Governance, 1.5 linear feet, 1939-1975

Series IV: Newsletters and Brochures, 0.25 linear feet, 1950-1965

Series V: Clippings, 0.5 linear feet, 1948-1972

Series VI: Photographs, 0.25 linear feet, 1949-1957

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana

[Name of document or photograph number], Montana Conservation Council Records , Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.

The majority of these records were in the office of the Montana Conservation Council until time of donation. Additional materials were transferred from the Montana Historical Society's Winton Weydemeyer papers in 2008.

Gift of the Montana Conservation Council through Executive Secretary Lillian Hornick, 1965 and 1972; transfer from the Montana Historical Society, 2008.

The collection was originally processed in the 1970s. In 2004, the collection was rearranged slightly, and the existing finding aid was encoded with few modifications; photographs were provided greater identification. In 2008 a small group of administrative materials were transferred to the Archives from the Winton Weydemeyer papers at the Montana Historical Society and were incorporated into this collection.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Weydemeyer, Winton, 1903- Montana--Environment conditions Conservation of natural resources--Study and teaching--Montana Conservation of natural resources--Montana Conservation of natural resources--Montana--Citizen participation Conservation of natural resources--Montana--Societies, etc. Conservationists--Montana Forest conservation--Montana Gardening--Montana--Societies, etc. Range management--Montana Soil conservation--Montana Wildlife conservation--Montana Women--Montana--Societies and clubs Women conservationists--Montana Women in conservation of natural resources--Montana Clippings--Montana Newsletters--Montana Photographs--Montana Montana Photographs Agriculture Labor History Environmental Conditions Fisheries and Wildlife Forestry and Forestry Products Mines and Mineral Resources Sports and Recreation Women Series I Correspondence 1949-1973 2.25 linear feet

This series contains the Council's correspondence, which mainly focuses on its major programs: the annual meeting, held yearly in Montana; the Conservation Caravan; Conservation Week; and trail rides. There is also correpondence with the U.S. Forest Service and with Montana's congressional delegation.

1/1 Annual meeting: Bozeman 1951 1/2 Annual meeting: Billings 1952 1/3 Annual meeting: Missoula 1953 1/4 Annual meeting: Havre 1954 1/5 Annual meeting: Dillon 1955 1/6 Annual meeting: Livingston 1956 1/7 Annual meeting: Kalispell 1957 1/8 Annual meeting: Butte 1958 1/9 Annual meeting: Lewistown 1959 1/10 Annual meeting: Hamilton 1960 1/11 Annual meeting: Helena 1961 1/12 Annual meeting: Butte 1962 1/13 Annual meeting: Billings 1963 1/14 Annual meeting: Lewistown 1964 1/15 Annual meeting: Missoula 1965 2/1 Annual meeting: Great Falls 1966 2/2 Annual meeting: Butte 1967 2/3 Annual meeting: Helena 1968 2/4 Annual meeting: Billings 1969 2/5 Annual meeting: Missoula 1970 2/6 Annual meeting: Bozeman 1971 2/7 Annual meeting: Great Falls 1972-1973 2/8 Bureau of Indian Affairs 1959-1960 2/9 Bureau of Land Management 1959-1963 2/10 Columbia Basin Inter-Agency Committee 1961 2/11 Conservation Education Association 1960 2/12 Conservation Education Association 1954 and 1961 10/1 Conservation Education Association, Conferences and Publications 1954 and 1961 2/13 Congressional correspondence 1959-1961 2/14 Conservation Caravan 1949 2/15 Conservation Caravan 1950 2/16 Conservation Caravan 1951 2/17 Conservation Caravan 1952 2/18 Conservation Caravan 1953 10/2 Conservation Caravan 1954 3/1 Conservation Caravan 1955 3/2 Conservation Caravan 1956 3/3 Conservation Caravan 1957 3/4 Conservation Caravan 1958 3/5 Conservation Week 1950 3/6 Conservation Week 1952 3/7 Conservation Week 1953 3/8 Conservation Week 1954 3/9 Conservation Week 1955 3/10 Conservation Week 1956 3/11 Conservation Week 1957 3/12 Conservation Week 1958 3/13 Conservation Week 1959 3/14 Conservation Week 1960 3/15 Conservation Week 1961 3/16 Conservation Week 1962 3/17 Conservation Week 1963 3/18 Conservation Week 1964 3/19 Conservation Week 1965 4/1 Trail rides 1960-1962 4/2 Trail rides 1963 4/3 Trail rides 1964-1965 4/4 Training project 1959 4/5 U.S. Forest Service 1959-1962 4/6 J.K. Vessey 1955-1961 4/7 Water Pollution Advisory Board 1961 4/8 Water Resources Committee: Policies, functions 1962 4/9 Water study 1963 4/10 Water study 1964 4/11 Youth conference 1969 4/12 General correspondence 1953-1963 Series II Financial Records 1958-1972 1 folder

This series consists of one folder of financial reports, which consist mostly of treasurer's reports from the organization's annual meetings, and one audit report from 1958.

4/13 Financial Reports 1958-1972 Series III Governance 1939-1973 1.5 linear feet

This series contains materials that document the governance and core activities of the Council. They include a complete set of the Board of Director's meeting minutes and files on the Council's various committees, including education, forest insects, legislative action, new industries, and recreation. It also contains the organization's founding documents, including its constitution and by-laws. In 2008 a group of materials was added to this series; the majority of these records are in box 10.

4/14 Articles of incorporation, by-laws, history 1954-1963 4/15 Department of Public Instruction 1959-1965 4/16 Education Committee 1947-1956 4/17 Forest Insect Committee 1956 5/1 Handbook 1953 5/2 Montana Fish & Game 1959-1961 5/3 Montana Highway Department 1959-1961 5/4 Montana School of Mines 1959-1961 5/5 Montana State College (Bozeman) 1959 5/6 Montana State University (Missoula) 1959 5/7 Soil Conservation Service 1959 5/8 Soil Conservation Society of America 1959 5/9 State Forester 1959-1962 5/10 National Parks Association 1961 5/11 Legislative action 1963-1969 5/12 Legislative action 1970-1972 5/13 National Wildlife Federation 1960 5/14 Legislative Committee 1956-1965 5/15 Louis Hill Foundation 1955-1964 5/16 Natural Resources Council 1960 5/17 New Industries Committee 1952-1954 5/18 Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association 1951-1952 5/19 Recreation Committee 1959-1963 5/20 Resolutions 1952-1964 5/21 Resolutions 1962-1970 5/22 Resources for the Future 1949 5/23 Science fairs 1957 6/1 Select Committee on National Water Resources 1959 6/2 Summary 1961 6/3 Board of Directors Meeting 1954 6/4 Board of Directors Meeting 1955 6/5 Board of Directors Meeting 1956 6/6 Board of Directors Meeting 1957 6/7 Board of Directors Meeting 1958 6/8 Board of Directors Meeting 1959 6/9 Board of Directors Meeting 1960 6/10 Board of Directors Meeting 1961 6/11 Board of Directors Meeting 1962 6/12 Board of Directors Meeting 1963 6/13 Board of Directors Meeting 1964 6/14 Board of Directors Meeting 1965 6/15 Board of Directors Meeting 1967 6/16 Board of Directors Meeting 1968 6/17 Board of Directors Meeting 1969 6/18 Board of Directors Meeting 1970 6/19 Board of Directors Meeting 1971 6/20 Board of Directors Meeting 1973 6/1 Minutes 1948-1960 7/1 Minutes 1960-1964 10/3 Board of Directors and Executive Staff Lists 1949, 1955-1975 10/4 Columbia Interstate Compact 1960 10/5 Conservation Education Committee, Minutes 1956-1968 10/6 Conservation Education: Great Falls Public Schools undated 10/7 Conservation Education: Lincoln County Schools 1954-1955 10/8 Constitution and ByLaws, Northwest Conservation League undated 10/9 Finance and Membership Committee 1953-1958 10/10 Leadership Training 1958-1962 10/11 Membership Lists and Officers 1939-1942 10/12 Membership Lists and Receipts 1953-1956 10/13 Miscellaneous 1954-1959 10/14 Program Committee 1954 10/15 Publicity Committee 1954-1955 10/16 Resolutions, Objectives, Policies 1952-1970 10/17 Water Resources Conference 1960 10/18 Watershed Committee 1954 10/19 Workshops 1957-1968 Series IV Newsletters and Brochures 1950-1965 0.25 linear feet

This series contains copies of the Montana Conservationist, published by the Montana Conservation Council, and the Council's newsletter.

7/1 Montana Conservationist 1954-1955 7/2 Montana Conservationist 1955 7/3 Montana Conservationist 1956 7/4 Montana Conservationist 1957 7/5 Montana Conservationist 1958 7/6 Montana Conservationist 1959 7/7 Montana Conservationist 1960 7/8 Montana Conservationist 1961 7/9 Montana Conservationist 1962 7/10 Montana Conservationist 1962-1963 7/11 Montana Conservationist 1963-1964 7/12 Montana Conservationist 1970 7/13 Montana Conservationist 1972 7/14 Bolle statement 1969 7/15 Newsletter, Bar Nothin' 1950-1954 Series V Clippings 1948-1972 0.5 linear feet

This series contains newspaper clippings from Montana newspapers about the activities and concerns of the Council and its members.

7/16 Chamber of Commerce newsletters 1952-1958 7/17 1948-1952 7/18 1952 7/19 1953 7/20 1954 7/21 1955-1956 7/22 1957-1958 7/23 1959 7/24 1960 7/25 1961 7/26 1962 8/1 1963 8/2 1964 8/3 1965 8/4 1966 8/5 1967 8/6 1968 8/7 1969 8/8 1970 8/9 1971 8/20 1972 Series VI Photographs 1949-1957 0.25 linear feet

This series contains photographs produced by and for the Council. Most document the Conservation Caravan and annual meetings. There are also images with the Montana Governor and Council members. Most of the photographs were taken by Winton Weydemeyer of Fortine, Montana.

9/1 Conservation Caravan 1949 9/2 Conservation Caravan 1953 9/3 Council 1954 9/4 Council 1955 9/5 Council 1955 9/6 Council 1956 9/7 Conservation Caravan 1956 9/8 Conservation Caravan 1957 9/9 Unidentified undated 9/10 Negatives 1954-1955 and undated