BHCED nears completion of its conservation guide project

A member of the Big Horn County Citizens for Economic Development (BHCED) board told the county commissioners last month that their conservation guide would be sent to the printer in January and made available to the community sometime in February.

Speaking at one of the commission’s November meetings, Nolan O’Neal said work on the guide started in 2022.  The idea surfaced back in 2020.

 “In the first COVID year and we had all that influx we were trying to come up with ways to greet newcomers. Here is where you go for information,” said O’Neal. One thing led to another. They looked at what all the conservation districts across the state were doing. A game plan came together. In 2023, a goal was set by BHCED to raise $30,000 to produce the guide. They ended up raising over $37,000. The additional amount will go toward printing costs. 

O’Neal continued that the “product” would be received better if it was seen to be owned by the county and the conservation districts together. “We’ve worked very closely with them (conservation districts) to get their material,” said O’Neal. “As a simple comment, it is interesting given how many topics there are and how many people have input … when you lined it all up you saw very little discontinuity.” 

Other agencies included in the process were the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming Game & Fish, Big Horn County Search & Rescue and county law enforcement. 

A PowerPoint of the guide was shown. The guide is currently 60 pages. O’Neal said the first page is a letter to the reader. It will be signed by the county commissioners and conservation districts. 

Some of the information in the guide includes a land ownership map, home energy and waste management, off-road vehicle travel information, sharing the road, agriculture, ranching/grazing, mining, soil conservation, water rights/quality, wildlife, fencing, dispersed camping and dark sky.  “None of these are too heavy. The writing style is keep it friendly, tell people how they can help and not what they are doing wrong.”   Many easily accessed links will be provided. 

The goal is to have the handbook online by February. They will mail postcards to every home in the county. 

The postcards may be traded for a free hardcopy at locations in Big Horn County.