Montana Western to Host 2026 Joint Planning Conference of the Montana & Idaho Chapters of the American Planning Association

The University of Montana Western will welcome planning professionals, community leaders, elected officials, and other professionals from across the region when it hosts the 2026 Joint Montana & Idaho Chapter Conference of the Montana Chapter of the American Planning Association, also known as Montana Association of Planners (MAP), and the Idaho Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Idaho) Sept. 9–11 in Dillon, Montana.

Montana Western’s campus will serve as the central meeting point for the conference, providing a setting for planners and community leaders from throughout Montana and Idaho to exchange ideas and explore approaches to community development and land-use planning.

This year’s conference theme, “Across the Divide: Planning for a Shared Future,” highlights the shared planning challenges facing communities across state lines and the intermountain west.

The conference will feature two keynote speakers: Ben Hitchings, FAICP, CZO, principal of Green Heron Planning LLC and an APA Region II Board Director, and Kelly Pohl, associate director of Headwaters Economics.

Hitchings brings more than 30 years of experience working on planning issues and has developed award-winning community plans and professional publications. He previously served as planning director for the towns of Chapel Hill and Morrisville, North Carolina, and is a member of the American Planning Association’s Board of Directors.

Pohl is associate director of Headwaters Economics, a Montana-based independent nonprofit research organization focused on improving community development and land management decisions. Her work examines how communities use and manage land amid changing economies and risks, including wildfire, recreation, conservation, and development.

In addition to conference sessions and professional development opportunities, attendees will have the opportunity to experience Dillon and the Beaverhead Valley while connecting with fellow planning professionals from across the region.

The joint conference will take place Sept. 9–11. Registration, conference schedules, session information, lodging and additional details are available through the conference webpage: https://mtplanners.org/conference/montana-association-of-planners-2026-annual-conference/.