The 7-million-hectare Crown of the Continent is a rare and special place — an ecological crossroads where plant and animal communities from the Pacific Northwest, eastern prairies, southern Rockies, and boreal forests mingle. This spine of glacier-carved mountains is also the headwaters for North America, where pristine rivers originate and flow to the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Hudson Bay.

This region — which includes the landscapes of southwestern Alberta, southeastern British Columbia and northern Montana — is the focus of an upcoming conference  "Remarkable Beyond Borders: Shaping the Future of the Crown of the Continent." For two days in September, a diverse gathering in Waterton Lakes National Park will explore the past, present, and future of the Crown of the Continent. Convened by the University of Montana's Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Policy on September 23-24, 2010, the conference features keynote speakers Jack Nesbit (author of Sources of the River: Tracking David Thompson Across Western North America), Jonathan B. Tourtellot (director and geotourism editor, National Geographic Traveler), Darrell Kipp (director, Piegan Institute), Lynn Scarlett (former U.S. deputy secretary of the interior), and the Hon. Jim Prentice (Canada's Minister of Environment; invited).

Keynote speakers, panelists, and audience members will examine the unique elements that define what it means to live and work in the Crown of the Continent, celebrating the efforts of people and organizations to preserve the culture, heritage, communities, and landscape of the region now and for future generations. Participants will assess the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and build relationships and knowledge to shape the future of the region.

Registration is now open, and rooms are filling fast. For more information on the conference, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit the conference website.