Leah Lewis of Boulder was one of six recipients of the 2017 Montana Neighbor Awards presented by Governor Steve Bullock August 1. The award recognizes Montanans for their “dedication to cooperation, land stewardship, conservation ethic, neighborly land access, and community leadership.”
Nominees are judged by representatives of the Montana Association of Land Trust, Artemis Common Ground, Montana Farm Bureau Federation, The Nature Conservancy of Montana, the Montana Council of Trout Unlimited, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), and the Governor’s Office.
Lewis was honored because she participates in Block Management through her ranch, hosts children’s tours, and has worked with the Elk Foundation to improve habitat. She also worked with BLM to install wildlife-friendly fencing. She has served as a member of the collaborative Elkhorn Working Group, and has been a member of the Jefferson County Fair Board for two years.
“In Montana, we are blessed with incredible public access so that we can enjoy our spectacular, unspoiled nature. We are also blessed with so many folks throughout our state who are always striving to make our communities better,” said Governor Bullock. “These honorees exhibit the best our state has to offer and show that we do what’s right for future generations by putting others ahead of ourselves.” The governor added, “At the end of the day we all care about our neighbors.” He went on to say, “This award is a reflection and reminder of the strength of our communities, the foundation of what makes Mon- tana so awesome.”
Other awardees came from Trego, Winnett, Philipsburg, Lolo and Corvallis. The concept for the Montana Neighbor Award grew out of a desire to honor and recognize the spirit of community that was a hallmark of Montana’s traditional ranching and rural life, said the governor’s office.
