Path to Eden

The Path to Eden is a welcoming tool designed to assist new landowners in their understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities that accompany landownership. This project evolved after seeing the positive response that was generated from an earlier film Owning Eden. Owning Eden, created by the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks and supported by the Montana Stockgrowers Association, is a12-minute film designed to address changing landownership in Montana. It was a wonderful start and made all involved realize the need for much more. The Rural Landscape Institute, formerly The Cook Center, offered to take the concept to a new level. With the support of seventeen Montana organizations including Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Undaunted Stewardship, NRCS, and the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, Path to Eden was created.

With the ever changing face of landownership in Montana, including absentee and non-traditional landowners, Path to Eden seeks to be proactive in its encouragement of landowners to be good neighbors and active community members.

Shelley Chauvet Von Stein, at the Rural Landscape Institute, produced and developed this informational DVD for newcomers, along with a community implementation template for local landowners on how best to reach out to their new neighbors.

This production is 26 minutes in length. It serves as a multi-media tool for new landowners, encouraging good neighboring within Montana communities. The production also empowers these communities to offer their new neighbors a friendly orientation with regard to such “neighboring” topics as the nature of the community, rural values, land stewardship, water rights, noxious weeds, wildlife management, ranch manager selection for absentee landowners, and range stewardship. Particular emphasis is being placed on implementation strategies in Montana and beyond.

Tom Brokaw, retired anchor for the CBS news, not only agreed to participate but he did so for free. He has been in Montana for many years and speaks from experience about all the issues to consider. His talent for narration and the fact that he is a Montana landowner brings credibility to the video. Several other Montana ranchers featured throughout the production include Roger Lang, Chase Hibbard, Bob Sitz, Allan Hamilton, George Trischman, Harold Peterson, and others.

Request a copy of Path to Eden online or contact The Rural Landscape Institute at 406-522-7654.

Work continues on distribution, funding, and outreach to realtors, banks, land trusts, conservation groups such as Extension and conservation districts, chamber of commerce groups, county planners, etc.

Last Modified: 07/11/2007