Governor's conference focuses on forest issues

The Daily Inter Lake

"Working Forests, Managing Communities' is the theme of a free conference June 18-19 in Kalispell.

The conference is an opportunity for participants to voice their concerns and discuss critically important issues facing Montana as development continues.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer is working with the Governor's Institute on Community Design to host the event at Flathead Valley Community College.

Speakers and break-out sessions will cover topics ranging from the challenges of forest management on public lands and fighting fire in a growing wildland-urban interface, to the important role the timber industry plays in maintaining forest health and taking full advantage of emerging opportunities in biomass energy.

A detailed conference agenda listing featured speakers and break-out topics, as well as an online registration form can be found at:http://governor.mt.gov/instituteconference/registrationform.asp