Presidents New Years Message

During this holiday season I feel the need to thank all of you who have contributed to a very successful year for our organization. We are far from winning them all but we have made significant progress in areas such as recruitment, accountability, recognition and respect.

Bernie and I and Tony Schoonen can remember only a few years ago when there were a few dozen or so active members and our coffers were nearly empty. Now our membership numbers in the hundreds and although we are still in debt we are financially sound.

We cannot count our blessings, however, without acknowledging the work of the Goetz Law Firm and especially Devlan Geddes. Without them we would be far less effective. We also need to remember those who passed on and recognized our efforts by leaving us a bequeathing as part of their will: A final tribute to our work to protect public rights.

Although it is easy to blow one's own horn, so to speak, it is far better to hear it from others. The most recent example of that would be from the editor of the fishing magazine "The Drake" (In regard to the Ruby River / Madison county case.) “The amazing thing is not that PLWA won the case---all the judge did was uphold the law. What’s impressive is that they were ever able to bring it at all, against a man whose resources surely dwarf their own. PLWA is an organizational model that should be copied in every state, as more and more wealthy landowners try turning the West into a series of English chalk streams. There will be plenty more public access battles, that is for sure. And each of them will be expensive. This country fought the Revolutionary War because we figured a monarchy was a pretty lame idea and we preferred independence instead. It’s nice to see at least one small organization that is still willing to fight for it.”

In conclusion, let me say "Thank You all". We have made great progress but have a long way to go.

John Gibson
PLWA President

related articles I-161 Guest Opinion ( 08/18/2010 )   Citizen Initiative 161 is sponsored by Montana resident hunters, tired of battling negative impacts caused by the current law guaranteeing Montana hunting outfitters 7,800 non-resident clients. These impacts include the loss of hunting access and the privatization of our wildlife. Sixteenmile Creek Acquisition Project ( 07/06/2010 )   Sixteenmile Creek Acquisition Project Needs Support and Comment. Two members of Public Land/Water Access Assoc.

public land issues Cherry Creek Road - Sweetgrass Cty Cherry Creek Road The Cherry Creek Road nine miles south of Big Timber, east off of Highway 298, crosses about a quarter-mile of Lee Smoot's property and then three-quarters of a mile of George Matelich and Michael Goldberg's ranch before reaching the Gallatin National Forest boundary – and 16,000 acres of public land. SCENIC VIEW ROAD - April 2010 IMPORTANT LOCAL ATTRACTION CLOSEDPrairie County commissioners are taking action approximately 2 years after a landowner erected a gate, installed a cattle guard and posted a sign across a road that leads to a popular scenic overlook northwest of the town of Terry.     10 more public land issues