Tag Archives: Headwaters Montana

Public forum on ecological value of Waterton-Glacier Park to be held March 12

(Text and images shamelessly stolen from the latest Headwaters Montana newsletter. . .)

Leading Scientists to Talk about Griz,
Critters with Teeth, and Wet-and-Wild River Things

 ~ Please Join Us for an Informative Evening ~

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When: Monday, March 12, 2012, 7-9pm
Where: Grouse Mountain Lodge, 2 Fairway Dr., Whitefish
Cost: $10 suggested donation
Cash Bar / Seating Limited ~ come early!

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Headwaters Montana is co-sponsoring an important science forum on the ecological value of Waterton – Glacier International Peace Park and the importance of completing Waterton Park by expanding the park into British Columbia.

Three leading researchers will make presentation on transboundary grizzly bear populations, aquatics, fisheries, ungulates and predator wildlife species.

The three researchers will focus on recent scientific discoveries and insights made in the vicinity of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park.

  • Dr. Richard Hauer is director of the recently formed Montana Institute on Ecosystems of the University of Montana, will speak about the biological richness of the transboundary Flathead River (aka the North Fork Flathead River), and make the case that the Flathead River system is one of the most ecologically intact rivers in the Lower 48.
  • Dr. Michael Proctor is the Principal Investigator for the Trans-Border Grizzly Bear Project based in British Columbia.  Dr. Proctor recently published a ground-breaking study published in the Wildlife Monographs that documents the challenges facing grizzly bears in the transboundary region of the Rocky Mountains between Montana and British Columbia.

Headwaters Montana is co-sponsoring the event with Wildsight, National Parks Conservation Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, and Sierra Club BC.

Headwaters Montana starts “Flathead River Otter” Facebook page

This is kind of fun. Headwaters Montana started up a “Flathead River Otter” Facebook page to increase awareness of the Flathead watershed and provide a place for informal discussion. If you’re on Facebook, wander over there and “like” the otter’s page . . .

Folks, no one knows the Flathead River and Flathead Lake better than the Flathead River Otter. If you love the Flathead, you “otter” like this page and share it with your friends!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flathead-River-Otter/214196345315615

The devil’s in the details: Resolving state mineral rights in the North Fork Flathead Valley

From the most recent Headwaters Montana newsletter . . .

When Gov. Schweitzer and BC Premier Gordon Campbell signed the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the North Fork Flathead River in February 2010 Headwaters Montana heralded that event as an “historic breakthrough”.  And indeed it was.  But like all signed agreements, the MOU was only a beginning.

Unless fulfilled (i.e. made concrete with legislation and other actions) the MOU and the protections it promised could be lost for another generation to fight…

Continue reading . . .

Headwaters Montana looking for volunteers to help “complete the park”

From a newsletter sent out yesterday by Headwaters Montana . . .

We need your help.  Do you have just one day this summer to spend at spectacular Logan Pass to help complete the world’s first Peace Park: Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park?

Last summer Headwaters Montana sponsored volunteers at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park to collect signed post cards from visitors who support doubling the size of Waterton Lakes National Park into the Flathead Valley in British Columbia (see map here).  Volunteers collected the names of over 3,000 supporters last summer alone. The campaign to ‘Complete the Park’ and ‘Protect the Flathead’ now has well over 10,000 visible and vocal supporters.

Each supporter, like you, adds to the mounting inevitability of expanding Waterton Park.  And while we already enjoy a super majority of supporters in south-east British Columbia and across the international boundary in Montana, we need to continue to build support to push this effort over the finish line.

We can achieve a breakthrough in the next year with your help.

Continue reading Headwaters Montana looking for volunteers to help “complete the park”

“Wild Places” needs cookies

According to a note from Dave Hadden of Headwaters Montana, the Third Annual Wild Places Photo Exhibition needs cookies . . .

We need cookies and other treats to sell at the “Wild Places” photo exhibition on March 11 in Whitefish as part of our fundraising effort to continue the Work! Please call Meg Wolfe if you can bake a plate of cookies or other treats.

Meg’s contact: lullwolfe@msn.com or 863-9501.

Thanks for your help in making Wild Places a success.  See you there!

Announcing the 3rd Annual Wild Places Photo Exhibition

As we mentioned earlier, a group of Montana photographers is getting together to benefit Headwaters Montana, a non-profit organization working to protect the Flathead and Elk Valley watersheds, the Glacier and Waterton Parks and the Crown of the Continent ecosystem.

According to Dave Hadden of Headwaters Montana,

Thirteen of the region’s top photographers will display amazing wildlife, mountain scenery, and people in Nature. The artists’ work will be projected on the Big Screen, and 13 of their photos will be raffled off during the evening with great chances to win the photo of your choice. Reception with appetizers and beer and wine for sale. This event supports Headwaters Montana’s work to protect the water, wildlife and outdoor heritage in the Crown of the Continent.

Raffle of some of Montana’s best photography to benefit Headwaters Montana March 11th

A group of Montana photographers is getting together to benefit Headwaters Montana, a non-profit organization working to protect the Flathead and Elk Valley watersheds, the Glacier and Waterton Parks and the Crown of the Continent ecosystem.

This fund raiser, titled “Wild Places — A Celebration of Montana’s Wilderness Heritage,” features the work of some 13 photographers by my count and has an interesting hook: Each photogrpher has donated a piece to be raffled off. There will also be a slide show of their collected works.

The big event is Friday, March 11, at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. Admission is $10. Raffle tickets are $5 for one, $20 for five or $50 for 20. There will also be an artists’ reception, appetizers, adult beverages and the above-mentioned slide show. Call 837-0783 or 862-0438 for more information.

See the article at the National Park Traveler website for some additional information.

Partnering to protect the Transboundary Flathead watershed

Dave Hadden, director of Headwaters Montana, Robin Steinkraus, executive director of the Flathead Lakers and Will Hammerquist, program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association’s Glacier Field Office have a nice commentary piece in today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

Here in Montana, August brings us the county fair and farm harvests. And this year we also celebrate a harvest of victories for Glacier National Park, the North Fork Flathead River and Flathead Lake. In addition to commemorating Glacier’s first 100 years, citizens from across the Montana-British Columbia border, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester did yeoman’s work to protect this special place.

Read the full article . . .

Protecting the North Fork must be a team effort

Dave Hadden, Executive Director of Headwaters Montana, had a letter to the editor published in today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

The North Fork of the Flathead River (a.k.a. the Transboundary Flathead) continues to play in the news of late. The news media report that Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are at odds over how to best protect our river, Glacier Park and Flathead Lake from upstream industrial activity. While a bit confusing to the reader, we think it’s important to keep the North Fork in the news for one simple reason: Our fabulous North Fork ain’t protected yet.

Read the complete letter . . .

Headwaters Montana advocates North Fork wilderness

From the Wednesday, October 14, 2009 online edition of the Hungry Horse News . . .

There’s a renewed push for wilderness in the North Fork. Headwaters Montana, a relatively new conservation group has released a plan for land conservation on both sides of the border.

Tucked in that plan is a call for 140,000 acres of designated wilderness in the Thompson-Seton and Mount Hefty areas.

But the plan doesn’t end there. It includes a wilderness designation for Glacier’s backcountry, expansion of Waterton Lakes National Park to the Canadian Flathead and wildlife management zones west of the Waterton expansion.

Read the entire article . . .