In Montana, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is responsible for the protection of water, soil, forest, and rangeland resources of the state. The DNRC also ensures that Montana’s land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. The head of the DNRC is the director of natural resources and conservation, who is appointed by the governor in accordance with Mont. Code Anno., § 2-15-111.
The DNRC is divided into seven divisions:
- Centralized Services Division- provides managerial, administrative support, information, computer, legal, and personnel services to all divisions of DNRC;
- Conservation and Resource Development Division- provides technical and financial assistance to local governments, state agencies, and private citizens for conservation, development, protection, and management of the state’s natural resources;
- Forestry Division- ensures sustainability of Montana forests, rural lands, and communities through cooperative wild land fire protection, sound forest management practices, and by promoting a viable forest-based economy;
- Montana Board of Oil & Gas Conservation- serves the administrative purposes;
- Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission- serves the administrative purposes;
- Trust Land Management Division- manages the State of Montana’s trust land resources to produce revenue for the trust beneficiaries while considering environmental factors and protecting the future income-generating capacity of the land; and
- Water Resources Division- promotes and coordinates the wise use and conservation of Montana’s water resources for current and future generations.
Apart from these divisions, there are nine boards and commissions attached to the DNRC such as Board of Land Commissioners, Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission, Board of Oil and Gas Conservation, Board of Water Well Contractors, Flathead Basin Commission, Montana Grass Conservation Commission, Resource Conservation Advisory Council, Rangeland Resources Committee, and Drought Advisory Committee
