Montana's native plants and their communities
Lion Creek trail - Condon Saturday, May 16, 9:30 am in the Swan Valley Take an easy hike up the Lion Creek Trail to view spring wildflowers with plant ecologist Maria Mantas. We'll visit open forests, shrubfields, and bedrock plant communities. Call Maria at 406-407-2045 for more information, to reserve a spot, and inquire about […]
Citizen Botany Revisit Survey for Clustered Lady Slipper - St. Regis Sunday May 17 – 9 am to 2 pm Are you curious about becoming a Citizen Botanist? Or already participating and want to join a group effort? Join Botanists Erynn McNeill and Ecologist & Clark Fork Chapter President Teagan Hayes on a rare plant […]
Tuesday, May 19, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Columbia Falls - Cedar Flats Trails -- FULL as of 5/14 Learn about forest plants and hunt for wildflowers on in our backyard, just north of town. The terrain is gentle, and our journey will be less than two miles. Limit 12 people. Contact Rachel Potter at […]
Berray Mountain - Noxon Saturday, May 23 This walk goes through a number of plant communities as you gain elevation. Last year, more than 35 species were recorded in bloom! Total distance of hike will depend on snow and the group's energy. Moderate, 4 miles total, elevation gain about 1,800 feet. Contact Eric Dickinson at […]
Monday, May 25, 6 pm to 8:30 pm Columbia Falls - Columbia Mountain Trail Join Ellen Horowitz for a 2½-hour evening wildflower walk. We’ll travel through a variety of habitat types, from moist forests to dry, open slopes. Expect an easy pace with lots of stops to view big, bold blossoms like balsamroot, and less […]
How to identify Prairie plants - Malta Tuesday, May 26 - time TBA Contact Kelsey Molloy for details about when & where.
“Butte Tough” Flora May 26 at 6 pm - Butte We’ll visit several heavy-metal-contaminated sites around Butte to examine native plant species that have adapted to thrive under extreme soil conditions. We’ll assess metal concentrations in soils and associated plant species, providing real-time insight into the contamination levels these plants are tolerating. For more information […]
White Pine Creek - Trout Creek Saturday, May 30 Moderate walking for less than a half-mile -- there's no trail to follow and it’s a bit brushy. But once we arrive, we'll find some rather uncommon orchids. Based on where people are traveling from, we may carpool from Libby or just meet up in Trout […]
North Cottonwood (Belgrade) Saturday, May 30 – 9 am Explore the rich prairie flora atop this alluvial fan, then climb into the forested foothills on the west side of the Bridger Mountains. This will be a slow-paced walk on trail that may cover 3 miles total. Please bring a lunch. Meet at the trailhead on […]
Loon Lake Ranch - Polson Saturday, May 30, 9:30 am - FULL Join us while we explore intact intermountain grasslands on the largest conservation easement in northwest Montana. Loon Lake Ranch is more than 15,000 acres recently conserved by the Montana Land Reliance. Led by Mark Schiltz of the Reliance and plant ecologist Maria Mantas […]
Bumble Bee Atlas Training - Columbia Falls Sunday, May 31, 9 am to noon To kick off Bumble Bee Atlas field season, join Michelle Toshack of the Montana Bumblebee Atlas, and Tabitha Graves of USGS, for the Columbia Falls field day only about 10 minutes outside of town. We will practice catching, photographing, and releasing […]
Bird’s Eye View Trail - Dillon 10 am on Sunday, May 31 - Bannack State Park This is a moderately strenuous 2.3-mile-hike on a loop trail with about 500 feet of elevation gain. The leisurely, plant-focused hike, including a lunch stop, promises wide views over the sagebrush/ grassland steppe. An extensive native flora should be […]
