New Acting LWG Coordinator Hired to Guide

Strategic Re-Visioning Process

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“Greetings LWG members, friends, and partners!  My name is Rick Potts, and I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.  I have recently been hired to serve as Acting Lolo Watershed Group Coordinator, and I will be serving you by facilitating the development of a new strategic plan, strengthening relationships with partner agencies and organizations, coordinating with DNRC to begin development of a drought mitigation plan, pursuing avenues to increase LWG’s capacity through board and membership recruitment, and seeking additional funding opportunities in support of our education, outreach, monitoring, mitigation, and restoration efforts.

Prior to starting WildCOR, LLC 3 years ago, to provide wildland conservation and outdoor recreation consulting services to nonprofit organizations and academic institutions, I worked for 35 years managing and administering public lands and waters for a variety of agencies, including 27 years with the National Park Service and 3 years managing the 1.1 million acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Montana.  I enjoy building strong collaborative partnerships to tackle complex and often contentious issues, and was successful in crafting a Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the CMR Refuge that was implemented without litigation or appeal, and also working with State DNRC, the six surrounding counties, ranchers, hunters, environmentalists and other stakeholders to negotiate a Federal Reserved Water Rights Compact for the more than 160 streams and tributaries that flow onto and through the Refuge.

I am very much looking forward to applying the collaborative partnership process as we build the capacity of the Lolo Watershed Group to continue the great work of the many dedicated members who have accomplished so much good work in the watershed since the group’s inception over a decade ago. I look forward to working with you! Thanks for all you do!“

 

-Rick Potts