Laura Nowlin grew up on her family’s ranch in Winnett, MT, in the prairies and coulees of Central Montana. After a decade away, Laura returned home and continues her family's tradition as a cattle rancher. Her passion and heart is clearly tied to not only the land and waters here, but the community of Winnett. Laura speaks to her involvements with locally led organization Winnett ACES, whose holistic approach touches on everything from ranch viability, ecosystem health, and reviving old buildings to serve the needs of the community.

She also speaks to her work with the Musselshell Watershed Coalition and the value in partnerships and local voices leading the work. In this conversation, Laura offers inspiration and insight for others who may be looking to push forward a locally-driven group in their own communities, from boosting Main Street to the health of your watershed. This segment also features Aaron Clausen, Senior Program Officer of World Wildlife Fund's Sustainable Ranching Initiative.

LINKS:

Winnett ACES

Musselshell Watershed Coalition

World Wildlife Fund's Sustainable Ranching Initiative

The Nature Conservancy's Matador Ranch grassbank

This episode is part of the Life in the Land project, which is a series of films and podcasts produced by Stories for Action, which hears from folks that interact with the complexities of Montana's landscapes, speaking to the value of locally-led work and the holistic approaches needed for the health of communities and the ecosystems they're a part of. Find out more about the project and watch the films at LifeintheLand.org

Stories for Action holds a mission to use the power of storytelling to create human connection and advance a thriving planet for all. StoriesforAction.org Follow along on our Instagram and Facebook: @StoriesforAction