Stories for Action

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Stories for Action’s mission is to spark connection around a thriving environment and strong communities. Join us for conversations with people taking bold steps, bridging divides, and creating calls to action; helping you find your role in fostering a healthy world. Find out more at www.StoriesforAction.org. Stories for Action produces documentary films, this podcast, and hosts story workshops.

Episodes

Tuesday Apr 18, 2023

Daniel Kemmis: The Politics of Place (Life in the Land series)

Tuesday Apr 18, 2023

Daniel Kemmis has divided his public career between democratic theory and practice. He has been an active politician, author, and thought leader on the topics of community guided governance and decision making based upon citizens’ rooted connection to place.

Kemmis grew up on a small family farm in Eastern Montana, attended Harvard University, and the University of Montana’s School of Law. Kemmis served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1974 to 1984, rising to be Speaker of the House. He went on to become the Mayor of Missoula from 1990-96. Utne Reader recognized Kemmis as one of its “100 Visionaries” in 1995, he was awarded the Charles Frankel Prize for “outstanding contribution to the field of the humanities” by President Clinton, and honored with the Wallace Stegner Prize from the Center of the American West. Kemmis has authored the books Community and the Politics of Place, The Good City and the Good Life, and This Sovereign Land. His most recent book, Citizens Uniting to Restore Our Democracy, was published in 2020. In this book, by examining the historical and current context of American society, Kemmis reminds us that when we bring our problem-solving skills to bear as engaged members of collaborative communities, we can rise above the divisive partisanship and polarization so common today, and move onto the truly democratic ground of the common good.

We speak about these topics and more, and joining Daniel and I in this conversation is Bill Milton. Bill is a cattle rancher in the community of Roundup, Montana and is engaged in a variety of entities on a local, state, and national level, as an advocate for finding symbiotic relationships between people and the landscapes they're a part of.

LINKS:
Citizens Uniting to Restore Our Democracy

This episode is part of the Life in the Land project, which is a series of films and podcasts produced by Stories for Action, which hears from folks that interact with the complexities of Montana's landscapes, speaking to the value of locally-led work and the holistic approaches needed for the health of communities and the ecosystems they're a part of. Find out more about the project and watch the films at LifeintheLand.org

Stories for Action holds a mission to use the power of storytelling to create human connection and advance a thriving planet for all. Learn more at StoriesforAction.org Instagram and Facebook: @StoriesforAction

#Montana #missoula #politics #bipartisan #nonpartisan #polarization #dividednation #collaboration #danielkemmis #mayor #howtoheal #howtoconnect #createcommunity

Wednesday Mar 08, 2023

Creating Community and Representation in Outdoor Recreation

Wednesday Mar 08, 2023

This episode hears from Alex Kim, a Korean American, who in 2020 founded the social enterprise Here Montana. Here Montana works to increase representation and inclusivity for People of Color and intersecting communities in outdoor spaces and recreational activities in Montana. It also works to develop personal and professional leaders in these spaces. Here Montana operates on the values of community, education, engagement, and joy to create opportunities for connection, fun, and healing that nature can provide. This episode has messages for those seeking community, those who may need a perspective shift, and folks interested in starting up their own social enterprise.

Find out more at HereMontana.org or on Instagram @Here_Montana.

This episode is generously sponsored by the Patagonia Outlet in Dillon, Montana. Patagonia's work is now guided by the following words from the company's founder, Yvon Chouinard, "Earth is now our only shareholder. If we have any hope of a thriving planet - much less a business - it is going to take all of us doing what we can with the resources we have. This is what we can do."

Stories for Action is a media company working in audio, film, and photography and holds a mission to use the power of storytelling to share human connection and advance a thriving planet for all. You can find out more about our work at StoriesforAction.org or on Instagram or Facebook.

#Montana #outdoorrecreation #getoutside #publiclands #recreation #diversity #equity #diversityintheoutdoors #keepitpublic #community #ski #run #hike #hunt #fish #rafting #socialjustice #outsidejoy

Tuesday Dec 13, 2022

Reframing Rural: Sarah Vogel, the Farmer’s Lawyer

Tuesday Dec 13, 2022

For this episode of Stories for Action, we did an "episode swap" with the Reframing Rural podcast, hosted and produced by Megan Torgerson. While they graciously are airing one of Stories for Action's episodes on their feed, we are airing this first episode of Reframing Rural's third season. In it, Megan speaks with Sarah Vogel, attorney and author of "The Farmer's Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm." Sarah shares about her experience taking on the U.S. Government in a class action lawsuit brought forward by 240,000 farmers who were facing foreclosure in the 1980's farm crisis.

This episode touches on the pressures facing local farms and ranchers, which we still see today, but also reminds us to be involved with our democracy, to use our voices, and to hold our elected officials accountable. It reminds us that relatively recently, the public was less concerned with political party loyalty and tearing down one another and more concerned with choosing leaders who selflessly got things done for the betterment of their constituents.

We hope you enjoy this episode from Reframing Rural, and checkout their previous two seasons which share stories of people and places in rural America in an effort to cultivate curiosity and conversation across geographic, class, and cultural divides.

LINKS:

Reframing Rural Podcast

"The Farmer's Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm," Sarah Vogel

Elk and the Devil’s Kitchen Management Team (Life in the Land series)

Tuesday Oct 18, 2022

Elk are essential components to a healthy ecosystem, and food source for many. They can also create some very complex dynamics, some that can get tense. In this episode we are focusing on the intersection of ranchers and landowners, elk populations, hunters, and wildlife biologists and agencies involved in guiding management of wildlife herds. This episode is for those directly involved (ranchers, agency, hunters, wildlife enthusiasts) and beyond as there are messages that speak to anyone involved in getting folks in a room together to work out problems, or who may be jaded with our polarized society and need some renewed faith that when we work together, we can move mountains, as a guest today says.

We are speaking with four longtime members of the Devil's Kitchen Management Team, which focuses on the Beartooth Wildlife Management Area north of Helena in Montana. This collaborative working group came together over 30 years ago, as ranchers, agency, and sportsmen who saw tensions around local elk herds building and did not want to end up in angry commission hearings. They took it upon themselves to begin managing the area, not only the elk herds but the greater ecosystem, in ways that worked for everyone, including the land and wildlife. Hear about the challenges, the methods of success, and why they have now become a model for collaborative groups on the landscape.

Guests: Bill Long (Solid Ground Consulting), Chase Hibbard (Sieben Livestock), Cory Loecker (Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Region 4 Wildlife Manager), and Dave Cole (Hunter & Sportsman)

Gravel Pits and the Public Losing Their Voice

Friday Oct 07, 2022

It could pop up in that field next to your home, or kid’s school, or elk migration corridor…and newly passed laws in Montana have made it that much easier for it to happen without input or transparency with the public. Gravel pits, or open cut mines…they may seem benign, but when you hear about how much this could effect you, your health, your well water, aquifers, the wildlife, it may make you wonder why more people aren’t talking about them. This episode will inform you about the impacts of open cut mines and inform and equip you with the information to take action if you find yourself impacted, or better yet, how to take action now to prevent the current system from operating as it does. This episode is also great for legislators and decision makers to hear, as well as agency and the Department of Environmental Quality.

Hear from Anne Hedges and Melissa Nootz of Montana Environmental Information Center, whose mission is to advocate for the public on issues that impact environmental and human health. We will also hear from two residents of Arlee, Montana, Jennifer Knoetgen and Shelly Fyant, who are now involved in grassroots efforts to mobilize their community in response to a gravel pit and asphalt plant proposed in their neighborhood (Friends of the Jocko).

LINKS:
Montana Environmental Information Center
Friends of the Jocko
Map of Open Cut Mine Sites in Montana

#Montana #gravelpits #environmentaljustice #mining #environment #propertyrights #water #cleanair #pollution #hb599 #meic

Thursday Aug 25, 2022

Old Salt Co-Op: Strengthening community and land stewardship through food (Life in the Land series)

Thursday Aug 25, 2022

Today we are speaking with Cole Mannix, one of the founders of Old Salt Co-op, a Montana entity with growing avenues of operations to rebuild infrastructure for Montana’s meat…but their work goes well beyond the meat itself with a mission to connect customers and producers in a shared purpose; to be stewards of the land, and to strengthen community. This conversation with Cole will touch on so many larger concepts that go well beyond meat and well beyond Montana…because what the team of ranchers, chefs, butchers, and entrepreneurs behind Old Salt are building, centers around something much deeper. They are proving what can be possible when a business entity leads with respect for the land and people it is connected to, and the shaping of Old Salt is dictated by the holistic connections of people and place.

This episode will speak to ranchers, policymakers, food consumers in all locations, those concerned about wildlife and their habitats, those concerned with community well-being, and entrepreneurs & small business owners of all kinds. In the face of so many pressures; of wild and agricultural lands being bought up and fragmented, rural and urban divides, environmental and social impacts of delocalized food systems, and a fading in human connections, our discussion today shows how Old Salt is creating the energy and impact to touch on all of these concepts.

LINKS:

Old Salt Co-op

Tuesday Jul 19, 2022

Life in the Land: MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks’ Mike Ruggles; agency partnerships in Central Montana

Tuesday Jul 19, 2022

Mike Ruggles is the Region 5 Supervisor for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Mike has spent much of the last 10+years in the field working with wildlife and communities connected to the Musselshell River in Central Montana. The 350 miles of the Musselshell River flows through a great deal of agricultural lands, supports migratory birds and a variety of aquatic species, and has experienced a great deal of channelization over the past 150 years due to infrastructure for highways, mining, railroad, and irrigation.

Mike will speak with us about the significance of agency positions creating relationships with folks on the ground and having them help guide the work, the value in honest dialogue and the need to break habits of making assumptions about different sectors or demographics on the land. He has great insight for folks working both in government agency, as well as landowners. He shares on his work with the Musselshell Watershed Coalition; a watershed group that brings together a variety of stakeholders to restore the natural floodplain of the river, and create communication around the needs of the river and water users. Mike also speaks to the value in connecting communities to their own environments, and an exciting project that MT FWP is partnering on with Musselshell County.

LINKS:

Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks

Musselshell Watershed Coalition

Connect to your local Conservation District

Thursday Jun 30, 2022

Life in the Land: Rancher & Community-led Conservation; Bud and Sheila Walsh

Thursday Jun 30, 2022

We are on the Walsh Ranch, speaking with Bud and Sheila Walsh, in Central Montana on the edge of the Fort Belknap Reservation. Many elements are dependent on the health of these grasslands; they provide key wildlife corridors, are key for regional watersheds, carbon sequestration, and the health of this region supports hardworking communities largely centered around cattle ranching. These folks take great pride in producing quality food for the world, in ways that can also steward the land.

Here in Central Montana, there are several partnerships being formed, many non-traditional, which Bud and Sheila Walsh are involved in and will be speaking to today. To put it nicely, and vaguely, the world of ranching landowner and conservation non-profits or government agencies have not always had histories of working well together. But Bud and Sheila Walsh will share with us how these partnerships can be done with established trust, communication, and when the needs and knowledge of the ranchers on the ground are truly listened to and respected. They will share with us about being involved with The Nature Conservancy’s Matador Ranch grassbank and the Rancher’s Stewardship Alliance, where rancher's are leading work, through partnerships, that benefit communities and the ecosystems they're a part of. Bud also speaks to his involvement with the Agricultural Committee for the Island Mountain Development Group, an Indigenous-led entity working to create self-sustaining economies and opportunities for members of the Aaniih and Nakoda Nations. This is a great episode for ranchers, folks in conservation, community development, or great insight for those who think their lives may not relate to those of ranchers at all, because I’m sure in some way you will find that it does. Bud and Sheila share insight on building trust and the values in listening, learning together, creating opportunities for the next generation, and the involvement of local communities.

LINKS

Ranchers Stewardship Alliance

The Nature Conservancy's Matador Ranch

Island Mountain Development Group

Thursday Jun 09, 2022

Life in the Land: Blackfeet Nation, Joe and Kathy Kipp, Stewardship as a rancher and community advocacy

Thursday Jun 09, 2022

Joe and Kathy Kipp, of The Blackfeet Nation, Amskapi Piikani, are always on the move; always busy with a variety of things, as cattle ranchers, advocates, parents, grandparents, and so much more. They live outside of Browning, Montana in the heart of Blackfeet Country, on the Blackfeet Reservation in Northwest Montana. As they are involved in so much, you will hear about a variety of topics in this episode.

Joe will speak with us about the importance of stewarding native grasslands, as a rancher and as Amskapi Piikani, his people’s connection to this land, and his experience working in predator/livestock conflict. Kathy will share with us about connecting to traditional foods and her berry orchard, and the value in having community representation. They will both speak to the realities of trauma endured, and the continued strength of their people, and their own messages they have for those within and outside of the Blackfeet community in how to communicate and move forward in a good way.

LINK:

Blackfeet Nation Stockgrowers Association

Piikani Lodge Health Institute (includes outreach for producers)

Farm Service Agency, Montana Directory

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services

Food Access & Sustainability Team FAST Blackfeet

#Blackfeet #Indigenousleadership #blackfeetnation #amskapipiikani #browning #ranching #regenerativeranching #stewardship #resiliency #NativeLeadership #NativeVoices

Thursday Jun 09, 2022

Life in the Land: Bill Milton (Rancher), Collaborative Work & Resiliency, Central Montana Plains

Thursday Jun 09, 2022

Bill Milton and his wife Dana run a cattle ranch just northeast of Roundup in Central Montana. Bill and Dana have always strived to find symbiotic relationships amongst all life on the land, and this means being involved in a lot of efforts that involve collaboration between agriculture, agency, and conservation interests.

Bill will share with us about the realities of what ranchers are up against and ways he sees resiliency being built for people and place. He speaks to the value and urgency in working collaboratively, creatively, and having honest dialogue around the shared challenges and successes. He will speak specifically to his work with the Musselshell Watershed Coalition, Winnett ACES, and an exciting new project, the Rangeland Monitoring Group, which involves rancher guided research and data collection of the rangeland ecosystem. Bill has great information for fellow ranchers, agency, conservation groups, and those who may see themselves as distant to agricultural communities, expressing shared needs of humanity and resiliency. We will also hear from Natalie Berkman, apprentice at the Milton Ranch through Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program.

LINKS:

Musselshell Watershed Coalition

Winnett ACES

Quivira Coalition's New Agrarian Program

Rangeland Monitoring Group

Montana DEQ's Abandoned Mine Land Program

Ranchers Stewardship Alliance

Montana Conservation Districts

BioRegions International

WWF Sustainable Ranching Initiative

The Nature Conservancy Montana

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Northern Great Plains Joint Venture

#regenerative #regenerativeranching #ranching #ranchlife #drought #montana #resilience #collaborativeconservation