Wildlife Crossings

Winter 2016-2017 MONTANA

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Wildlife Crossings

Bats in Winter | Chasing Larches | Geological Explorations | Winter Solstice Poetry MONTANA Naturalist Winter 2016-2017 inside Features 4 WINGED HIBERNATION Bats’ amazing adaptations for winter survival BY STEPHANIE LAPORTE POTTS

6 WILDLIFE INTERSECTIONS How the science of road ecology is helping us build roads that are better for wildlife BY KYLIE PAUL 4 6 Departments

3 TIDINGS 10 AS TO THE MISSION 11 GET OUTSIDE GUIDE Montana animal tracks; winter 11 fruit scavenger hunt; resources for the budding geologist 15 COMMUNITY FOCUS Rockin’ with the Hellgate Gem 20 and Mineral Society BY CHRISTINE MORRIS 20 FAR AFIELD 16 Chasing Larches: Field Notes IMPRINTS from a Season of Exploration 25th anniversary auction thank yous; BY ALLISON DE JONG celebrating Field Notes book creators; welcoming Sarah Millar; honoring 22 15 Betty Oleson; Homeschool Naturalists MAGPIE MARKET program; gearing up for summer camps; MNHC Holiday Gift Guide 23 REFLECTIONS Cover – Mountain bluebirds caught in a late Winter Solstice spring snowstorm in Montana’s Mission Valley. POETRY BY DANIELLE LATTUGA Photo by Mark Mesenko, www.mesenko.com.

2 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 Connecting People with Nature 120 Hickory Street, Suite A tidings Missoula, MT 59801 406.327.0405 www.MontanaNaturalist.org This past fall, my husband and Executive Director I adventured on Thurston Elfstrom longer hikes to more Education Director new places than is usual Lisa Bickell for us this busy time Communications Coordinator of year (page 20). And Allison De Jong over and over again, I Community Programs Coordinator found myself gazing in Christine Morris

awe at the landscapes PHOTO BY GREG PETERS Visiting Naturalist and creatures we Observing alpine larches at Carlton Ridge in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Program Coordinator encountered. Sometimes on a misty day. Christine Wren Greg and I were the only Development Director Ramey Kodadek people on the trail, and knowing we were the only humans observing a particular spot Native Plant Garden Manager at a particular time had a powerful effect. It made me especially grateful that we decided Sarah Lederle to get outside even on rainy days. ID Nature Coordinator But it also made our presence feel more weighted. It made me think about those Amy Howie days when no humans happen to visit these wild places, the days when the river otters Youth Programs Coordinator swim and dive in Turquoise Lake or the snowshoe hares bound beneath the trees on Stephanie Laporte Potts the Crystal Lake trail unobserved by any but creatures who also call those places home. Teaching Naturalists To observe something is to change it. It may not be a big change, but still: the hare we Drew Lefebvre Bailey Zook encountered beneath the trees chose a different path after seeing us. Office Manager It is important to remember the impact our presence has, whether as an individual Holly Klier exploring a wild landscape or, on a larger scale, as the human species living on this Development & Marketing Coordinator planet. Our collective lives have an enormous impact on the earth and all the other Sarah Millar living things on it. Knowing this, we need to ask what kind of an impact we want to Osprey Program Coordinator have. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative one, though that seems, too often, to be Jenélle Dowling our tendency. AmeriCorps VISTA But there’s another side to having a presence, to being present, to observing. Yes, Heather Waetzig our observing a thing changes it—but it also changes us. Seeing that snowshoe hare Volunteer Visiting Naturalist Instructors made me pause; look closer; take in its half-brown, half-white fur; step quietly, trying Valerie Bayer not to startle it. Upon seeing it, I chose a different path, too. Rod Snyder Perhaps the real challenge is choosing to truly observe in the first place, knowing Board of Directors that it will change us. And that’s where being a naturalist comes in: we are observers Tom Roy, President of the natural world, knowing fully that the more we learn, the more we find to love. Stephen Speckart, Vice President Ian Foster, Secretary Perhaps we revel in the swooping of bats at dusk and wonder about their winter survival Wayne Chamberlain, Treasurer strategies, like naturalist Stephanie Potts (page 4). Or perhaps we feel a thrill at finding Hank Fischer unusual rocks and minerals, like the geology-lovers of the Hellgate Gem and Mineral Ryan Huckeby Marcia Kircher Society (page 15). Or perhaps we look at all the roads crisscrossing our country and Kris Litz ponder what we can do to ensure that wildlife can travel through this landscape safely, Colleen Matt like environmental consultant Kylie Paul (page 6). Mark Metcalf This winter, a challenge: go outside. Observe. Let your observations change you. Edward Monnig Rick Oncken Then go out and do it again. Kelley Willett Montana Naturalist Art Director Eileen Chontos Allison De Jong EDITOR [email protected]

WINTER 2016-2017 ~ MONTANA NATURALIST 3 PHOTO: USFWS/ANN FROSCHAUER INGED HIBERNATION

BY STEPHANIE LAPORTE POTTS

Bats huddle together in hibernacula to conserve warmth.

Moonbeams glisten off the tops of waves and mountains as I gaze out into nighttime at Kintla Lake. My legs warm from hiking and belly warm from campfire burritos, the day feels complete. It’s time to sit for a moment, and breathe. But as I gaze towards Canada and prepare to think of the Big Things in Life, small clicking noises grab my attention and root me firmly to my spot. Then, faint swishes rush past my ear. And—if I’m not deceiving myself in excitement—air currents, barely perceptible, fan my surroundings. The bats have started their day! Swirling past me out of their day roosts in the forests and cliffs, bats skim the lake surface for a drink before heading off in search of their insect prey. I am overjoyed, marveling at their acrobatics as they swoop and dive on wings translucent in the moonlight. I shiver as a cool breeze blows down from the mountains. Imagining a yellow glint starting to form on the larches silhouetted against the top of the ridge, my thoughts turn to questions about what my fluttering friends will do once winter descends. To me, bats are a hallmark of Montana’s warm summer nights. But what will they do when summer ends? Winter brings changes to the landscape that impact the ability of all wildlife to survive. Persevering through winter is all about using fewer calories to stay alive than you can find or have stored. Days are shorter and cooler, requiring animals to expend more energy to stay warm. Meanwhile, lakes and streams freeze, and plants, which form the base of food chains, become scarcer as leaves are shed or covered with snow. Animal prey can also be scarce as many species hibernate, hide, migrate, or die off in the winter. As small, warm-blooded carnivores, Montana’s 15 species of insectivorous bats face a particularly ardent challenge in winter. During the summer, it’s not unusual for a bat to eat its body weight in flying insects every night to maintain its high metabolism. But in winter, insects are scarce and the water that bats drink while on the wing is mostly locked up in ice. Moreover, tiny creatures like bats have more surface area in ratio to their body mass, and as a result lose heat to the winter cold faster than larger animals. Many small creatures address this challenge by burrowing into the ground or snow to protect themselves from the elements while they eat stored food caches and go about their lives. But the thin, flexible wings of bats, which bring such agility to summer hunts, become a burden in winter, preventing bats from burrowing while also increasing the surface area from which they can lose precious heat. Even if they could burrow, insect-eating bats could not subsist on caches of nuts and seeds like their distant relatives, the rodents. So instead, as they do in so many aspects of survival, bats have developed a number of unique adaptations that allow them to persist through the coldest and darkest part of the year. PHOTO BY NATHAN SCHWAB PHOTO BY NATHAN

4 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 Some of these are changes in behavior: a hibernation chamber, from temperature healthy body weight going into winter, bats hibernate, migrate, or both. Although to humidity to airflow. Even when two despite their usually high calorie needs. some bats in the United States, such as or more different species share a cave, To further reduce their metabolism the Mexican free-tailed bat, undergo epic they segregate themselves into different during winter, female bats also have the hemisphere-spanning migrations, most of areas and chambers that match their ability to delay their pregnancy. Bats mate Montana’s bats hibernate in Montana or specific requirements. Many bats choose once a year, in the fall, as they gather at and PHOTO: USFWS/ANN FROSCHAUER surrounding states during the winter. But hibernacula with high humidity levels, swarm around their hibernation spots, but nearly all of our bats do undergo at least a perhaps to help avoid dehydration. When female bats store sperm during hibernation short seasonal migration from their summer bats do wake during hibernation, it is and do not release an egg for fertilization roots to their winter hibernacula. They are often to drink water off the cave wall or a until spring. This allows them to perfectly drawn together from their scattered summer stalactite rather than to feed. time the development and feeding of hunting by the promise of acceptable shelter newborn pups with the seasonal increase in and a community of other bats with which food supply. to huddle against the cold. A beautiful, delicate balance of Many of Montana’s bats prefer behavioral and physical adaptations allows to hibernate in caves or mines, where Many of Montana’s bats bats to persist despite cold and lack of food temperature and humidity tend to stay prefer to hibernate in in the depths of winter. Sadly, the creeping constant throughout the winter, but not threat of white-nose syndrome (WNS) all caves are created equal. Each species caves or mines, where jeopardizes this equilibrium. A fungal has particular requirements it looks for in temperature and humidity disease, Pseudogymnosacus destrutans causes bats to wake out of torpor unnecessarily, PHOTO BY CARL FROSLIE tend to stay constant burning up precious stored calories and eventually causing death by starvation. throughout the winter… Although there are no confirmed cases of WNS in Montana, a number of our native Other adaptations that help bats bat species have contracted the disease survive winter are physical: during elsewhere in the country. As bats migrate hibernation, bats enter a state of true and mingle at different hibernacula, there torpor, in which their metabolism is a chance of transmission. This risk slows down drastically and their body is greatly increased by cavers and other temperature drops to nearly freezing. explorers who do not follow posted cave Their movements decrease to as little as closures and decontamination procedures. one breath and heartbeat per minute. This Those planning to explore caves or mines adaptation significantly reduces their daily in Montana can do their part to help stop caloric expenditure and allows bats to the spread of WNS by educating themselves survive through the winter without needing about recommended closures, regulations, to devour insects. and protocols; www.whitenosesyndrome.org Despite the ability to use long-term is a good place to start. torpor, bats must still enter the hibernation Lost in thoughts about bats, I didn’t period with sufficient fat supplies to get see the clouds blowing in. The moon them through winter. Leading up to is hidden now, and darkness is truly winter, a few bad nights of hunting could falling. Though I can no longer see their spell disaster for an animal whose normal silhouetted bodies, the clicks of my metabolic rate requires it to eat its weight in chiropteran companions continue out over food daily. But bats have another adaptation the lake. It’s time for me to leave them to that allows them to prevent such a difficulty: their work and return to the fire. We’re unlike many other animals that use seasonal leaving in the morning, but I’ll be back torpor, bats are also able to enter torpor for next year. And, thanks to their amazing much shorter periods. The ability to cut winter adaptations, so will the bats. their metabolism for even part of the day in poor conditions allows bats to maintain —Stephanie Laporte Potts is the Youth PHOTO BY CARL FROSLIE Programs Coordinator at the Montana BOTTOM LEFT: The hoary bat is one of Montana’s migratory Natural History Center. She holds an MS bat species, spending only summer months in our state. in environmental studies from UM, and is BOTTOM RIGHT: Many bats choose caves at or near 100 passionate about exploring, learning, and percent humidity when hibernating, and are sometimes getting others excited about Montana’s diverse found surrounded by water droplets. landscapes and species.

WINTER 2016-2017~ MONTANA NATURALIST 5 BY KYLIE PAUL Wild Intersections

Thanks to the collaboration of many agencies and groups, we’ve had success building wildlife crossing structures in western Montana—success that can serve as a model for projects both elsewhere in the state and beyond.

hile on your way to to your favorite Millions of animals die each year, ranging from mammals of all hiking (or skiing) spot in the Bitterroot sizes, reptiles, and birds, to insects and other invertebrates. Along or Mission valleys, have you noticed with this tragic loss of wildlife, collisions cause significant human any of Montana’s new wildlife crossing injury and property damage. In North America alone, one to two structures?W Seen a fence leading to a tunnel under a road? Have million annual wildlife collisions cause several hundred human you wondered if and to what extent they help wildlife and fatalities, tens of thousands of human injuries, and more than people? We’re all sadly familiar with the smear marks and mushed eight billion U.S. dollars in damage. body parts of dead wildlife along highways, the result of our We rely on our transportation infrastructure to move movement in conflict with the movement of wild animals—the resources and keep us connected. So roads are here to stay, but dangerous intersection between daily natural wanderings and that doesn’t mean we are helpless against the challenge of wildlife modern transportation. But as you may collisions and habitat fragmentation. We have seen while driving our Montana can counteract the negative impacts of highways, there are things we can do our transportation infrastructure with to lessen animal-vehicle collisions and a comprehensive and interdisciplinary provide safe wildlife movement. approach to research, conservation, The miles of roads and total planning, and education. Road ecology is number of vehicles worldwide are a relatively new applied discipline that drastically increasing. There are an focuses on understanding the interactions estimated 750 million vehicles on 63 between road systems and the natural million miles of paved and unpaved environment. It develops diverse roads in the world. North America has strategies for avoiding, minimizing, and more than 4.5 million miles of roads and more than 250 million mitigating negative environmental impacts of transportation. vehicles on those roads. Globally, road travel is predicted to When considering large terrestrial wildlife species (think double in the next 40 years, creating an additional 15.5 million deer!), road ecology research has shown that the most successful miles of new roads worldwide, mostly in the world’s fastest tool to reduce roadkill and increase connectivity across a highway urbanizing regions, including those with exceptional biodiversity is to add wildlife underpasses or overpasses, coupled with wildlife and ecosystems, such as Latin America, China, and India. fencing that funnels animals to these crossing structures. These So what do all these roads and vehicles mean for wildlife structures make drivers and animals safer by reducing wildlife- and wildlands? Research has shown that transportation vehicle collisions. They also help keep habitats and populations infrastructure like roads and railroads are a major cause of habitat connected by providing opportunities for wildlife to cross under loss, fragmentation, and degradation. Roads penetrating into or over the highway safely. wilderness or frontier lands are major drivers of wildfires, over- Many of us live in Montana because of the fantastic access hunting, poaching, and land speculation, often with irreversible to public lands, the wealth of wildlife, and the low number of

impacts on ecosystems. And of course, there’s the mortality. people—and the resulting relatively low number of major roads PHOTO BY KYLIE PAUL AND WTI-MSU; OVERPASS MDT, OF CSKT, WILDLIFE IMAGES COURTESY

6 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 Wild Intersections

in the state. With this gift of wildlife and wildlands, it is perhaps not surprising that we have the nation’s A 56-mile stretch second-highest rate of deer, elk, or moose collisions. that cuts across the According to a report by State Farm insurance company, a Montana driver has 1 in 58 odds of Flathead Indian colliding with one of the large ungulates and filing Reservation an insurance claim for damage. A recent study by the Center for Large Landscape Conservation compiling between Evaro and Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) roadkill data found that between 2010 and 2015, a Polson represents total of 36,940 animal carcasses were recorded along the most extensive the state’s highways by MDT. Of these, more than 24,750 were white-tailed deer. The majority were wildlife-sensitive found along Interstate 90, followed by Highway 2 highway design effort across the northern tier of the state and Highway 93 near Missoula. The top high-risk zones (in the fall, the in the United States peak collision season) in the state are US 93 south of Hamilton, US 191 near Four Corners, and US 212 to date. by Red Lodge. This is only the minimum number of

MAP: DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE (DATA SOURCES: PAD-US, USGS, USCB, BIA, CSKT, NATURAL EARTH, ESRI) EARTH, NATURAL USGS, USCB, BIA, CSKT, SOURCES: PAD-US, MAP: DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE (DATA large animals killed on Montana’s highways. This does not, for instance, include any animals deemed unnecessary for the most extensive wildlife-sensitive highway design effort in the pickup by MDT (i.e., smaller species) or those that wander off United States to date. There are now 41 fish and wildlife crossing the highway to die after a collision, or those carcasses picked up structures, 16 miles of wildlife fencing, 58 jump outs that allow by the public. Since 2013, people are allowed to pick up roadkill wildlife to escape if they get trapped inside the fences, and many for meat consumption; the roadkill law requires a permit, though wildlife crossing guards that make it difficult for animals to get on it’s unknown the rate at which people obtain them. the highway from access roads. Since the start of reconstruction in 2006 this project has helped large numbers of wildlife move safely Montana Examples across the highway. There has been ongoing research studying As befits a state with so many wildlife-vehicle collision problems, the efficacy of the structures, with a final report now available at Montana has developed some exciting and successful examples of www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/env/wildlife_crossing.shtml. road ecology solutions at work. Over 70,850 wildlife movements through the structures were documented with motion-activated cameras between 2010 and U.S. Highway 93 North: A 56-mile stretch that cuts across the 2013 (though not all structures were assessed for research). Flathead Indian Reservation between Evaro and Polson represents Most movements are made by white-tailed deer, mule deer,

WINTER 2016-2017 ~ MONTANA NATURALIST 7 Ways to Get Involved Interested in helping make our roadways safer for both people and wildlife? As citizens, we can identify our local DOT environmental scientists and engineers and simply ask that they keep wildlife mitigations in mind when considering projects. Bridge restoration and replacement projects are a great place to start. New designs can fairly easily incorporate wildlife needs, and Wildlife of all kinds has been documented using the underpasses and overpasses retrofitting existing structures is less along Highway 93. Such structures help keep wildlife habitats connected, and expensive than building new ones. have been effective in minimizing the number of animal-vehicle collisions. Bridges can be extended to span the stream to allow for some dry ground or an artificial ledge beneath the bridge on and domestic dogs and cats, but over 30 animal species have been documented using one or both sides. Soil and vegetation the structures, including grizzly and black bear, mountain lion, elk, moose, river otter, can be added to large rocks to create bobcat, birds, skunk, red fox, coyote, raccoon, rabbits, weasels, badger, porcupine, an erosion-resistant surface that marmot, and a variety of small rodent species. And since the reconstruction, the number allows animals to move easily under of wildlife-vehicle collisions has decreased in these mitigated areas. the bridge, thereby increasing the road safety of bridge approaches. Adding U.S. Highway 93 South: Between Florence and Hamilton, the MDT installed 19 large wildlife fencing to funnel wildlife under existing crossing structures with wildlife fencing from 2004 to 2012. Research has focused on use bridges and culverts is cost-effective by white-tailed deer and changes in animal-vehicle collisions. During post-construction and increases their use by wildlife. monitoring (October 2008 through December 2014), cameras recorded individual white- These and other recommendations tailed deer moving through wildlife crossing structures on 24,323 occasions. Further can be made with a phone call, email, information is available in the final report on the MDT website. or visit to your local DOT office. Sharing your concern and local knowledge of Challenges and Successes specific wildlife movement areas with Despite the growing evidence that wildlife-crossing infrastructure is effective, and the DOT and other public officials despite some successful examples like those described above, the innovations developed can help encourage inclusion of to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and provide for wildlife connectivity across roads wildlife mitigations in those areas. It is have been slow to materialize on the ground. It’s a complicated problem. Road ecology important to share your concern prior has to balance potentially conflicting goals between engineering and ecology while also to a transportation project’s initiation, addressing human behaviors, economic considerations, and diverse wildlife populations. however, because the planning process Transportation networks cross many jurisdictional and management boundaries. for a DOT project takes years prior to Governing agencies tasked with managing different resources have different priorities actual construction efforts. Sharing your and mandates as well as differing cultures and attitudes. Success requires significant concerns early and often is important. collaboration, but there is no mandate that infrastructure agencies conserve regional Several groups work with ecosystems. Indeed, one of the greatest challenges is a lack of policy or governing wildlife and road issues in the framework. There is a policy gap (especially in the U.S.) that does not require or oversee West. In particular, Montanans for wildlife mitigations, and there are no federal or regional planning protocols. Legislative Safe Wildlife Passage advocates support and leadership at all levels of government is critical in order for wildlife for innovative solutions to maintain crossings to be constructed on a large scale. habitat connectivity and provide safe Not surprisingly, education is the answer—for the public, policy makers, and passage for Montana’s people, fish, agencies—to ensure the research and implementation results are shared, more legislative and wildlife. You can get involved as a action taken, and eventually more wildlife mitigations are constructed. Regular local citizen—contact them and read communication between the public and transportation agencies is essential. more at www.montanans4wildlife.org. The success of Montana wildlife crossing projects can serve as a model for more Useful recommendations for citizen work in Montana and, in fact, the rest of the nation. Our U.S. 93 North reconstruction engagement can be found through: has proven to be highly effective in mitigating highway impacts to wildlife. This did Getting Up to Speed: A Conservationist's not occur overnight; it came after ten years of disagreement and discussion. The MDT Guide To Wildlife and Highways, available proposed widening U.S. Highway 93 through the Flathead Indian Reservation, which at: www.defenders.org/publications/ is inhabited and governed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CKST), in the 1990s. Tribal members were concerned about the impact the expansion could getting_up_to_speed.pdf AND WTI-MSU MDT, OF CSKT, WILDLIFE IMAGES COURTESY

8 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 have on their landscape, culture, and natural Fictions & Facts: Some misconceptions must be regularly resources. They insisted that the new design take tackled by researchers and advocates, with a constant need for the well-being of wildlife into account. CSKT and MDT were unable to reach an agreement education of the public and decision-makers: for several years. Finally, in 2000, the Federal • Wildlife crossing structures like underpasses and overpasses aren’t used by Highways Administration (FHWA) met with wildlife. No way. Research and monitoring throughout the world has documented both parties and they all agreed to share an rare species and common ones using these structures by the hundreds of approach that recognized the “Spirit of Place”— thousands. Animals also learn about the location of the structures and that they are the landscape, water, plants, animals, and native safe to use, and will use them more frequently when they have been in place for a people. The CSKT, MDT, and FHWA signed few years. a memorandum of agreement that included • Wildlife crossing structures are too expensive—they aren’t worth the money. measures to mitigate the road’s impacts to Between vehicle repair costs, medical bills, towing fees, hunting value of road- wildlife and other natural processes and to killed game species, and more, the total costs for the average collision with a large improve human safety through a reduction in ungulate in the United States and Canada have been estimated by researchers at wildlife-vehicle collisions. over $6,000 per deer or bighorn sheep, $17,000 per elk, and $30,000 per moose Moving Forward (in 2007 US$). Despite their upfront costs, wildlife mitigation measures have been shown to pay for themselves over time through collision cost savings when installed Next time you drive by a wildlife overpass or at collision hotspots. tunnel, ponder how many animals (including humans!) those structures are helping, and • Any kind of crossing structure will definitely work. Some wildlife species have consider the hard work that has gone into specific habitat or behavioral requirements that need some specialized structure developing them. The science of road ecology modifications. For instance, small prey mammals need sufficient cover such as piles has helped us better understand the impacts of of wood branches to move through comfortably. And while elk, moose, and grizzly transportation infrastructure on wild species bear will use large underpasses, they use overpasses in much higher numbers. and ecosystems so that we can develop effective • Animals will always use a crossing structure if given the option. Research shows strategies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate many wildlife is much more likely to use a structure if it has fencing that funnels animals negative effects. The challenge we still face is to to the structure. prioritize and implement this effort. We need • Fencing a highway to keep animals off is all we need to do. Increasing the to identify and retrofit the worst parts of the barrier effect of a highway for wildlife through installing wildlife fencing without also existing transportation network and build and providing for safe and effective crossing opportunities for wildlife is bad practice manage a network for tomorrow that benefits because it fragments populations and may simply lead to new conflict areas. both biodiversity and people. This starts with you and me, engaging and sharing our informed • We can build any road, anywhere, and that will be okay so long as we have views with our local decision-makers. wildlife crossing structures and fences. Sadly, these mitigation tools can’t solve everything, and fragmenting wildlife habitat in the first place should be avoided when —A wildlife biologist, conservationist, and possible. There is only a small window of time to influence a road’s location and enthusiast for decades, Kylie Paul enjoys design, and the most cost-effective time is before a road is being built or upgraded. documenting and sharing the wonders of the • Avoiding deer-vehicle collisions is the only issue of importance. Nope. Mortality natural world. She currently works as owner of from roadways is a major threat to the survival of 21 species listed under the U.S. Kylie Paul Environmental Consulting. Endangered Species Act, and people have died swerving to miss more than just deer.

WINTER 2016-2017 ~ MONTANA NATURALIST 9 As To The Mission: Thank You, Ron A Hero Story Clausen & Friends! The Montana Natural History Center Ron Clausen has been a tireless champion exists to foster a connection between of Montana’s outdoor places for many people and nature. This work entails years, and is especially dedicated to helping people of all ages not only to making sure children have the opportunity

understand, but to love the natural world. DREW LEFEBVRE PHOTO COURTESY and resources they need to get outside This winter, rather than share specifics and experience the wonder and beauty about our programs, I think the best way of the natural world. To this end he to tell you about our work is to tell you organizes both the Montana Extravaganza, about Sofia and Drew. where he hosts groups of his friends at Sofia is a fifth grader from a small his home for multiple days of fishing town in western Montana. and outdoor activities as well learning Drew is one of our teaching about the work of various Montana non- naturalists—she visits Sofia’s school, and profit organizations who work in outdoor many other schools, on a regular basis education, conservation, or wildlife to teach kids about science and biology, management; and the Montana Matters take them outside to explore, and to be Concert, which features an evening of a mentor. music, barbeque, and a live auction in Last month, Sofia entered a Napa, California.

community essay contest about personal SOFIA LEWANSKI PHOTO COURTESY We are incredibly grateful to Ron super heroes. Sofia Lewanski (bottom) and her hero, for his generous support over the past Sofia’s subject was Drew. naturalist Drew Lefebvre (top). several years. Since 2015 Ron has helped You see, Sofia has a burgeoning love for nature, especially birds and us purchase much-needed buses for our wildflowers. But Sofia never found anyone her age to appreciate that part of programs that take children and adults her life. She wrote about how she felt alone in this interest. But in Drew she into the outdoors. He has also helped fund found not only someone to share her love of nature, but a mentor as well. our newest teaching naturalist position, Sofia wonderfully described how Drew inspired her to be more which has made it possible for us to teach confident, writing that she now realizes that she doesn’t have to wait until 1,700 kids in 68 4th- and 5th-grade she grows up to help people experience the wonders of nature. She can classrooms in Missoula and beyond—from be like Drew right now: inquisitive, exploring outdoors, and sharing what Pablo to Hamilton, and from Alberton to she learns with others! Seeley Lake. We so appreciate Ron and his No matter where you live, there are opportunities to connect with many friends who have helped MNHC the natural world. It is passion like Sofia’s for birds, wildflowers and trees, as we grow and expand to carry out our mammals, reptiles, and fish that has the potential to preserve nature—but mission of connecting people with nature. this interest needs to be nurtured. We are very much looking forward to our There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. continued partnership. Thank you, Ron! If you want to go far, go together.” We are asking you to join us and help us go far—to educate the next generation, to encourage their love for nature, and to help them feel empowered to impart that love for generations to come.

Thurston Elfstrom, Executive Director

Ron Clausen (second from right) and friends posing with one of the buses they helped MNHC purchase. RON CLAUSEN PHOTO COURTESY

10 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 Who’s Been Walking Here? get outside guide Winter is a great time to practice your tracking skills. How well do you know your Montana wildlife? Brush up on your knowledge here, and then take an amble in the snow for a real-life test!

Coyote - Canis latrans Snowshoe hare - Lepus americanus Shrew - Soricidae family 8 20 Tracks have four toes, with inside toes Hind feet are long and wide to help hares Tiny! Five little clawed toes on

a little larger. Claw marks usually show. “float” on the snow. Front prints are small each foot, with a grouping of 9 1 Bottom pad is roughly and circular, about half the small pads below. Track pattern

triangular. You can draw size of hind prints. Hind is similar to squirrel, with the 8 1 a rough “X” through the prints are parallel, and land larger hind feet landing ahead of front feet; 1 7

center of canid tracks, ahead of the diagonal front can look U-shaped in deep snow. Hind 7 1 between the two outer prints. ~2” long by 1.5” prints are parallel, front prints often slightly

toes on each side to wide (front); 4-5” long by diagonal. .25” x .2” (front), .4” x .4” (hind). 6 1 between the pad and 3.5-4.5” wide (hind). outer toe on the opposite side. ~2.5-3” long Grouse - Dendragapus spp. 2 by ~2-2.5” wide. (Wolf tracks are larger - 5” Red squirrel - Four toes, three pointing by 4”, and fox tracks smaller - 2” by 1.8”.) Tamiasciurus hudsonicus forward and one pointing Front prints are back. Back toe is shorter Mountain lion - Puma concolor the size of a and may not show, making Four toes, usually no claws showing. Bottom quarter, with track look a little like an 3 pad is wide and trapezoidal, with three four toes; hind anchor or an arrow. Toes lobes on bottom and prints are longer are fairly wide, and feet two on top, and makes and five-toed. may point slightly inward. up nearly half the Short claws. ~2.5” long by ~2” wide. print. Tracks are as The hind feet land ahead of the front 4 wide or wider as they feet in a squarish shape, with front are long, about the feet a little closer together. 1” by 1” RECOMMENDED READING diameter of a baseball (3.5” by 3.6”). (front), ~2” long by ~1” wide (hind). (all available for checkout at the Montana Natural History Center library): White-tailed or mule deer - River otter - Lutra canadensis Scat and Tracks of the Rocky Mountains 5 Odocoileus spp. Each foot has five clawed by James C. Halfpenny Tracks are heart-shaped, toes; hind prints are wide Field Guide to Tracking Animals in Snow and look a little like an open and about twice the size by Louise R. Forrest mussel shell, with their curved of front prints. ~3.5” long Tracking and the Art of Seeing: How to edges and slender, pointed by ~2.5” wide (front), 4-5” Read Animal Tracks and Sign 6 tips. Dewclaws may show (about an inch long by 3.5” wide (hind). by Paul Rezendes behind the main print) in deep snow. All feet have webbed toes, Mammals of Montana by Kerry Foresman ~3” long by ~2” wide. and hind prints look a little like our hands might Moose - Alces alces look if they were webbed. 7 Tracks similar to deer, but Look for tail drag much larger, ~6” long by tracks as well—and, ~3.5” wide. Stride (distance even more fun, the 9”-wide troughs between prints of the same otters make when sliding down a hoof) is much longer than that snowy hill into the water! 8 of deer—70” to a deer’s 30-36”. Moose may drag their feet in deep Tracks from an otter sliding downhill. snow, leaving long, parallel troughs. PHOTO COURTESY USFWS PHOTO COURTESY

WINTER 2016-2017 ~ MONTANA NATURALIST 11 get outside calendar SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

MNHC Hours: December miniNaturalist Winter Pre-K Program, December Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10-11 a.m. Gallery, all Closed for the Holidays solstice Saturday, noon - 4 p.m. month. Gail Trenfield December 24-26 and and Mary Kelley: Water Admission Fees: $3/adults (18+), December 31-January 1. $1/children (4-18), $7/family rate and Sky: Ninepipes Free/children under 4 and MNHC members Landscapes. 18 19 20 21 22 miniNaturalist Pre-K Program, Programs for Kids 10-11 a.m. December 22, 29 miniNaturalist Pre-K Program, Moose Deer, elk, and bighorns BUGWOOD.ORG SPIVEY PHOTOGRAPHY, TERRY 10:00-11:00 a.m. Free with admission. forage forage along river January 5, 12, 19, 26 miniNaturalist Pre-K for willow bottoms Program, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Free with admission. twigs January 14 Saturday Kids’ Activity, 2:00-3:00 p.m. 25 29 30 31

Hibernation Celebration. Free with admission. miniNaturalist Homeschool

February 2, 9, 16, 23 miniNaturalist Pre-K January Pre-K Program, Naturalists, 10-11 a.m. Program, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Free with admission. 10-11 a.m. Saturday Discovery

February 11 Saturday Kids’ Activity, 2:00-3:00 p.m. First Friday Day, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. January Gallery, Gallery Opening, Staff-led Snowshoe Nature Art with Artist in Residence Peggy all month. 2016-2017 Christian. Free with admission. 2016-2017 Audubon Photo Hike for members. Audubon Photo Awards Awards Traveling Exhibit. March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 miniNaturalist Pre-K 1 Traveling Exhibit. 2 3 4 5 4:30-6:30 p.m. 6 7 ECOLOGICAL CALEB SLEMMONS, NATIONAL NETWORK, BUGWOOD.ORG OBSERVATORY Program, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Free with admission. Evening miniNaturalist March 11 Saturday Kids Activity. 2:00-3:00 p.m. Program, Pre-K Program, Saturday Kids’ Rockhounding! Free with admission. Evening Program 7 p.m. Naturalist 10-11 a.m. Activity, 2-3 p.m. March 21-24 Spring Break Camp! 10:00-11:00 Series, 7-8:30 p.m. Trivia Night. Hibernation a.m. daily. Nature Activities for Kids & Their Families. Geology Rocks! Celebration. Tuesday, Outrageous Owls. Wednesday, Backyard Birding. Thursday, Exciting Explorers. Friday, Fabulous Fossils. Free with cost of admission. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 April 6, 13, 20, 27 miniNaturalist Pre-K Program, Glacial Lake 10:00-11:00 a.m. Free with admission. Grouse grow miniNaturalist stiff feathers Missoula Chapter Pre-K Program, April 15 Saturday Kids’ Activity, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Evening Program Meeting, 4 p.m. 10-11 a.m. Wild Raptors. Free with admission. on their feet, Series, 7-8:30 p.m. Sip and Sketch which function Geology Rocks! January 6, February 3, March 3, and April 7: with Nancy Seiler: like snowshoes Birds, 7 p.m. Homeschool Naturalists, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Natural history education 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 program for homeschool students ages 6-12. Registration required; see page 19 miniNaturalist for more information. Pre-K Program, Bear cubs Evening Program Biers for Benefits 10-11 a.m. born Series, 7-8:30 p.m. at Bayern Brewing, Geology Rocks! 4:00-8:00 p.m. Adult Programs December Gallery, all month. Gail Trenfield 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 and Mary Kelley: Water and Sky: Ninepipes Homeschool Landscapes. February Naturalists, January Gallery, all month. 2016-2017 Audubon Lynx Evening Program February miniNaturalist 10-11 a.m. Photo Awards Traveling Exhibit. pursue Series, 7-8:30 p.m. Gallery, Pre-K Program, First Friday January 6 First Friday Gallery Opening, snowshoe Geology Rocks! all month. Tom Curry: 10-11 a.m. Gallery Opening, Tom Curry: Montana 4:30-6:30 p.m. hares Montana Wildlife January 7 Saturday Discovery Day, Photography. Wildlife Photography. 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Staff-led Snowshoe Hike. 31 1 2 4:30-6:30 p.m. 3 4 Members only. Free. Glacial Lake miniNaturalist Saturday Kids’ January 10, 17, 24, 31 Evening Program Series, Missoula Pre-K Program, Activity, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Geology Rocks! with Bruce Baty. Chapter Meeting, 10-11 a.m. 2-3 p.m. Nature Art Join us for a four-class series with geologist 4 p.m. with Artist in Residence and retired Hellgate High School earth sciences Peggy Christian. teacher Bruce Baty, and learn all about why geology rocks! $35; $30 MNHC members. Registration required. 7 8 9 10 11 January 11 Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. Glacial Lake miniNaturalist Naturalist Trivia Night. $4 suggested donation; Missoula Chapter Pre-K Program, MNHC members free. Meeting, 4 p.m. 10-11 a.m. MICHAEL ZAHRA, FLICKR.COM January 18 Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter General Volunteer Meeting, 4:00 p.m. Free & open to the public. Orientation, 5:30-6:30 p.m. January 18 Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. Evening Program, 7 p.m. Naturalist Sip & Sketch with Nancy Seiler: Birds. $25. 12 13 14 Trivia Night. 15 16 17 18

12 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 Programs and events held at MNHC - 120 Hickory Street - unless otherwise noted. SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT January 25 Biers for Benefits at Bayern Brewing, 4:00-8:00 p.m. 50¢ from every beer goes to MNHC! Come out to Bayern, Evening miniNaturalist Bluebirds, Program, Pre-K Program, enjoy a tasty brew, and know you’re helping 7 p.m. Sip & Sketch 10-11 a.m. robins, and us connect people with nature! with Peggy Christian. red-winged February Gallery, all month. Tom Curry: blackbirds Montana Wildlife Photography. return February 3 First Friday Gallery Opening, 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 4:30-6:30 p.m. February 7-May 9, February 9-May 11 Spring Non-profit March Homeschool Master Naturalist Courses. FULL. Tuesday miniNaturalist Naturalists, Check www.MontanaNaturalist.org for March 10-11 a.m. at Caffe Dolce. Pre-K Program, information on our summer course. 5-9 p.m. Gallery, 10-11 a.m. First Friday February 15 Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter all month. Peggy Gallery Opening, Meeting, 4:00 p.m. Free & open to the public. Christian, Artist in Peggy Christian, Artist in Residence: Specimen Residence. February 15 Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. 28 Study in Photography. 1 2 4:30-6:30 p.m. 3 4 Naturalist Trivia Night. $4 suggested donation; MNHC members free. miniNaturalist Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. Pre-K Program, Saturday Kids’ February 22 10-11 a.m. Activity, 2-3 p.m. Sip & Sketch with Peggy Christian. $25. Rockhounding! February 28 Non-profit Tuesday at Caffe Dolce. 5:00-9:00 p.m. 15% of the evening’s sales go to MNHC. Enjoy a delicious Italian dinner while supporting MNHC!

JOY VIOLA, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, BUGWOOD.ORG UNIVERSITY, JOY VIOLA, NORTHEASTERN 7 8 9 10 11 March Gallery, all month. Peggy Christian, Glacial miniNaturalist Artist in Residence: Specimen Study in Great blue Lake Pre-K Program, Photography. herons return Moscow Missoula Chapter 10-11 a.m. Saturday Discovery March 3 First Friday Gallery Opening, to nests in Monday Meeting, 4 p.m. Day, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Montgomery Evening Staff-led Nature Walk March 13 Moscow Monday at Montgomery rookeries Distillery, Program, for members. Distillery, 12:00-8:00 p.m. $1 from each 12 a.m.-8 p.m. 7 p.m. Naturalist cocktail goes to MNHC! Join us! 12 13 14 Trivia Night. 15 16 17 18 March 15 Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter Spring Break Spring Break miniNaturalist Spring Break Meeting, 4:00 p.m. Free & open to the public. Camp! Camp! Pre-K Program, Camp! March 15 Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. 10-11 a.m., 10-11 a.m., 10-11 a.m. 10-11 a.m., Naturalist Trivia Night. $4 suggested Outrageous Owls. Backyard Birding. Spring Break Fabulous Fossils. donation; MNHC members free. Camp! 10-11 a.m., March 18 Saturday Discovery Day, Exciting Explorers. 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Staff-led Nature Walk. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Topic & location TBA. Members only. Free. March 29 Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. Western screech Evening miniNaturalist April Navigating a Changing World: A Geological owls begin Program, Pre-K Program, Perspective with Kallie Moore, Collections 10-11 a.m. April breeding 7 p.m. Navigating a Manager at the UM Paleontology Center. Changing World: A Gallery, See our website for ticket info. Geological Perspective all month. TBA. April Gallery, all month. TBA. with Kallie Moore. April 7 First Friday Gallery Opening, 29 30 31 1 4:30-6:30 p.m. April 12 Evening Program, 7:00 p.m. miniNaturalist Homeschool Naturalist Trivia Night. $4 suggested Pre-K Program, Naturalists, donation; MNHC members free. 10-11 a.m. 10:00-11:00 a.m. April 19 Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter First Friday Meeting, 4:00 p.m. Free & open to the public. Gallery Opening, 4:30-6:30. 5 6 TBA. 7 8 Volunteer U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU U.S. DEPARTMENT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA OFFICE RECLAMATION, Evening miniNaturalist Opportunities Program, Pre-K Program, Saturday Kids’ 7 p.m. Naturalist 10-11 a.m. Activity, 2-3 p.m. February 15 General Volunteer Orientation, Trivia Night. Wild Raptors. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Located on campus, this is a chance for UM students to learn about volunteer opportunities at MNHC. Exact location TBD. No prior experience necessary. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 April 19 Volunteer Naturalist Training, Glacial miniNaturalist 4:30-6:00 p.m. Learn how to teach kids Columbian Lake Pre-K Program, about the flora and fauna of western ground Missoula Chapter 10-11 a.m. Montana during the May VNS school field squirrels Meeting, 4 p.m. trips for 4th & 5th graders. Training will be held at the Native Plant Garden at Fort wake up Volunteer Missoula. No prior experience necessary. Naturalist Training, 16 17 18 4:30-6:00 p.m. 19 20 21 22

Visit www.MontanaNaturalist.org for directions. To register or to learn more, call MNHC at 327.0405. WINTER 2016-2017 ~ MONTANA NATURALIST 13 get outside guide Interested in geology? Want to learn more? Here are some great educational opportunities, events, and books to check out!

• MNHC’s Geology Rocks! Evening • Northwest Federation of • Rockhounding Program Series with Bruce Baty. Mineralogical Societies 79th Annual Montana: A Guide Tuesdays, January 10, 17, 24, & 31. Show hosted by the Bitterroot Gem to 100 of Montana’s Registration required. See the calendar and Mineral Society, Hamilton, May 19- Best Rockhounding or visit www.MontanaNaturalist.org for 21. www.ravailligemandmineral.org Sites by Montana more info. • Roadside Geology Hodges and Robert • MNHC’s Saturday Kids’ Activity: of Montana by Feldman Rockhounding!, March 11, David Alt and 2:00-3:00 pm. Donald W. Hyndman • Everybody • The Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter • The Practical Needs a Rock of the Ice Age Floods Institute. Geologist: by Byrd Baylor The chapter meets at 4:00 p.m. on The Introductory (kids’ book) the third Wednesday of every month Guide to the Basics

at MNHC. of Geology and tasty fruits (nuts) fruits tasty B.

tasty fruits (berries) fruits tasty A. (winged)

• Hellgate Gem and Mineral Society to Collecting and

explosive fruits explosive E. fruits wind-dispersed

Annual Show and Sale, Missoula, Identifying Rocks F.

(fluffy) to fur or clothing or fur to

March 18-19. by Dougal Dixon fruits wind-dispersed D. attach that fruits C.

BELOW: QUIZ TO ANSWER

Scavenger Hunt: Fruits in Winter A D Flowering plants have adapted to spread their seeds in a variety of ways. Some seeds are attached to structures that are easily blown about by the wind—light and fluffy ones, like dandelions and milkweed, or winged ones, like maple “helicopters.” Other seeds are encased in structures with hooks or barbs that get caught in animal fur (or people’s clothing), and hitch a ride far away, like houndstongue or cheatgrass. Still other seeds are spread by expulsion, where the seed casing dries and cracks and the seeds burst out, like lupine and beans. And of course there are seeds buried in fruits that are tasty to eat, like rose hips and B E huckleberries, which animals deposit far from the parent plant with a nice pile of nutrients! You may think that there’s not much to see once plants are dead or dormant in winter, but you’d be surprised at how many fruits you can find even when it’s cold and snowy. Animals need to eat in winter, too! So the next time you take a walk, see how many different kinds of fruits you can find. And remember, when talking about flowering plants, the fruit is the part of the plant that contains seeds, whether it’s a bur or a pod or a “helicopter,” not just the ones we find tasty! C F wind-dispersed fruits (fluffy)

wind-dispersed fruits (winged)

fruits that attach to fur or clothing

explosive fruits

tasty fruits (berries)

tasty fruits (nuts) A: SATOSHI SAWADA; B: TIIA MONTO; C: FLICKR USER FREEUSEPHOTOS; D: JD PARKER; E: FLICKR USER GRAIBEARD; F: STEVE HURST, USDA E: FLICKR USER GRAIBEARD; F: STEVE HURST, B: TIIA MONTO; C: FLICKR USER FREEUSEPHOTOS; D: JD PARKER; SAWADA; A: SATOSHI

14 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 community focus Treasures from the Earth: Explore Geology with the Hellgate Gem and Mineral Society

BY CHRISTINE MORRIS PHOTO BY CHRISTINE MORRIS

welve years ago on a cool spring Montana iris agate—a very day, I was shown a secret crystal special find, and more colorful Thunting spot. I collected clusters of than regular Montana agate. red-tipped dog-tooth calcite crystals and curious pieces of knobby limestone. The Summer is prime calcite vein was right off the road but rockhounding time for Genevieve Fix shows off pyrite unmarked. Treasures from the earth were the club. The group cubes collected near Lincoln. hiding there in plain sight. My interest in organizes field trips to

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM CORRIGAN PHOTO COURTESY geology really began with finding these sites in the hills, along have seen more than one map drawn rocks and I now consider all elements of rivers, and at long- on a napkin). The remainder of the field fascinating. abandoned mines. Several trips include the meeting is comprised of educational Eventually this interest led me to camping and potlatches. The yearly trek lectures and videos. the Hellgate Gem and Mineral Society’s to Agate Mountain near Dillon is a club The annual show this year is March Annual Show and from there to the club. favorite. During the day members scour 18-19, and will feature display cases of At my first meeting I was welcomed by a bare hilltops and slopes for petrified wood, specimens, wire wrapping and faceting group of convivial rockhounds. Hellgate fossilized snails and algae, and chips of green demonstrations, and a popular kids’ mineral Gem and Mineral Society members collect common opal. Everyone struggles back to dig. Vendors occupy the main room with and work crystals, agates, gems, and the rigs, dusty and hot, with armloads of equipment, jewelry, rocks, and fossils. The colorful minerals. Many of the members geologic wonders. Happy rockhounds fill show is a wonderful introduction to the shape the rocks into cabochons (stones the evenings with stories as the sun sets late great variety of mineral forms found in that are polished but not faceted) and set behind the Clark Canyon Reservoir. Montana and around the world. them into jewelry. Others use rock saws In the winter the club focuses on Once you start looking for rocks, you to slice agate into translucent sheets or bi-monthly meetings and the annual may not be able to stop. Your hikes may tumble jasper into beautifully polished March show and sale. Meetings offer an slow down and your pockets will grow stones. From the novice to seasoned opportunity for members to display stones heavy wherever you go. Beautiful in their collector, members of all ages especially that they have tumbled or worked as well own right, all rocks also have a fascinating enjoy searching for rocks together in as a chance to plan future adventures (I story to tell. beautiful country.

Hellgate Gem and Mineral Society meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the First Christian Church, 2701 S. Russell, Missoula (just across from the Fairgrounds). For more information, visit the Hellgate Gem and Mineral Society

PHOTOS BY THURSTON ELFSTROM Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/ Hellgate Gem and Mineral Society member Parker Hall HellgateMineralSociety). (second from right) created an exquisite display case of The Annual Show and Sale is March Montana minerals for his Eagle Scout badge. The Rose Houseman Memorial Exhibit is currently located at MNHC. 18-19 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Stop by and view the collection to learn more about 3720 N. Reserve St., Missoula. Montana’s mineral treasures!

WINTER 2016-2017~ MONTANA NATURALIST 15 NEWS FROM THE MONTANA NATURAL HISTORY CENTER imprints

A Fabulous 25th Anniversary Celebration…and Record-Breaking Year! Thanks to everyone for helping us connect people with nature! Once again, we’d like to convey our sincere thanks to everyone to our Fund A Dream challenge, helping to strongly launch us who attended MNHC’s 25th Anniversary Annual Banquet & into the next 25 years of connecting people of all ages with Auction at the University Center Ballroom on October 7th. More nature. And, of course, we couldn’t have done it without the than 370 generous guests helped us raise nearly $140,000 (a following businesses and individuals whose generosity and new record!) in support of nature education for children and hard work made the whole event possible. (Please accept our adults. We are especially grateful for your outstanding response apologies for any missed names.) Thank you!

Auction Contributors Brought to you *Live Auction Donors **Live & Silent Donors by our A Balanced Body Acorn Naturalists LEAD SPONSORS: Adventure Cycling Albert Osellame Allison De Jong Ambrose-Barton Wedding Cakes & Auction Sponsors Fine Desserts Animal Wonders Annie Garde *Anonymous Donor Aoko Su Art Attic Backpacker Magazine Bagels on Broadway Edward Monnig Barnes & Noble ackie edell Bayern Brewing & J W *Belton Chalet Betty's Divine Big Dipper Big Sky Bikes Big Sky Brewing *Big Sky Prints Black Coffee Roasting Co. Blackfoot Communications Blue Mountain B&B Bob Knight Bob Wards The Book Exchange Boone & Crockett Break Espresso *Bret George Bridge Pizza Brooke Summerfield Buttercup Knit Club Buttercup Market & Cafe Butterfly Herbs Cabela's *Caffe Dolce Caffe Firenze Canvas Studios Caras Nursery Boyle, Deveny and Meyer George’s Distributing Cate Campbell Bryon Smith Mortgage John Snively, DDS Childbloom Guitar Cowgirl Salon and Spa Robert Korenberg, MD Children's Museum/Families First Garden City Janitorial Missoula Surgical Associates China Woods

16 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 *Clyde Coffee Imagine Nation Brewing *Missoula Bicycle Works Ruby Moon Originals - Jenah Mead Mark Heyka Cowgirls Salon & Spa Jackie Wedell Missoula Insectarium Laura Snyder Julie Ellison Ian and Dana Hupp *Diana and Rick Nash *Janel Woodworth of the Missoula Wine Merchants Runner's Edge Kallie Moore Dick Hutto and Susan Reel Dig + Co. Art Attic Montana Aloha Samantha Schmidt Karen Weaver Victoria Jenkins Don & Andrea Stierle **Janet McGahan Montana Distillery The Sapphire Gallery Kate Sutherland Bob and Marcia Kircher *Doug Johnson Jay Gore Montgomery Distillery *Sea and Adventures, Inc. Lena Viall Bob and Ellen Knight Downtown Dance Collective *Jerod Peitsmeyer Mountain Press Publishing Silk Road Stephanie Parker John Koenig and **The Dram Shop Jerome Walker Murdoch's Snowbowl Tom Setner Donna Erickson Draught Works Jim Romo *Nancy Erickson Sorella's Day Spa Mark Metcalf, Willis and Caroline Kurtz Drum Coffee JM Bar Outfitters/ *Nathan Varley of Stephen Speckart Master of Ceremonies Peter Landres and Dunrovin Ranch Jeff Freeman The Wild Side Steve Slocomb Madeline Mazurski Earth & Wood **John Ashley Native Yards Stevensville Playhouse Fund A Dream Donors Ian and Joanne Lange Emily Hall Joseph's Coat Natural Grocers Studio 2 Frank and Maggie Allen Solon and Emily Linton Energetic Holistic Healing Kelley Willett *Notorious P.I.G BBQ Studio Pandora Fred Allendorf Caroline Lonski *Erick Greene Kettlehouse Open Road Bicycles Suzanne & Thurston David and Arlene Andrews Craig and Lee Macholz Fact & Fiction Killing Frost Farm Orange Street Food Farm Elfstrom Larry Aumiller and Alan McQuillan and Fairmont Hot Springs Kochel Apiaries Patagonia Outlet The Sweet Palace Colleen Matt Minie Smith Five Valleys Land Trust Kristy Beck-Nelson & Patagonian Hands *Sweet Peaks Trent Baker Steve and Sheila Miller Garage Tees Megan Haenn Paws Up *Tamarack Brewing Co. Dick and Sharon Barrett Zach and Sarah Millar *Gary Fee and Jo Burris La Stella Blu *Pearl Cash *Tandem Bakery Kristy Beck-Nelson Edward Monnig and Glacier Ice Rink Larry DePute *Peter Lambros Taste Buds Kitchin Larry and Loling Bickell Jackie Wedell Great Harvest *Larry Weeks Pink Grizzly Ten Spoon Winery Ed Brunsvold and Nick Nichols and Green Light Laurel Creek *Plonk *Tom Philips Peggy Schlesinger Robin Tawney-Nichols *Greg Shifflett and Libby Maclay Pruyn Veterinary Hospital *Tom Snyder Bruce and Nancy Bugbee Tyson O’Connell and Jill Warren Lisa Tate Glass Ranch Club Top Hat Tom Bulger Janna Lundquist Grizzly Liquor *The Lodge at *Randy Matchett The Trailhead Tim and Lisa Chamberlain Rick Oncken *Hank and Carol Fischer Whitefish Lake Rattlesnake Market & Cafe Truly Wild Plates - Dan and Eileen Chontos Grant Parker and Hank Fischer Maclay Ranch ReCompute Kathleen Sheard Amy Cilimburg Molly Galusha *Harriet Eichenholz Madeline Mikolon ReCreate **Wayne Chamberlain and Dick Clemen Susan Hay Patrick Hellgate Cyclery Madison Creek Furnishings REI Betsy Grimley Nici Holt Cline Bill and Becky Peters Hidden Legend Winery Marchie's Nursery Rocky Mountain Elk Western Montana Growers George and Lynda Corn Kim and Ruth Reineking Home Resource *Mark Metcalf Foundation Cooperative Meg Cronin Elizabeth Richardson Hothouse Yoga *Market on Front Rocky Mountain Gardening *Whitefish Mountain Resort Bill Bevis and John and Kathy Rogers Hunter Bay Coffee Mary Ellen Eversole The Roxy Theater Wild House of Bees Juliette Crump Sue and Tom Roy Willard Alternative Larry and Connie DePute Diane Sands High School Marc and Jennifer Dousset Joe and Laura Scott Your Life Nature LLC Stan and Becky Duffner Nancy Seiler Zootown Arts Ben and Julie Ehlers Freddy Spataro and Community Center Thurston and Marcy Allen Suzanne Elfstrom Stephen Speckart Auction Volunteers Gary Fee and Jo Burris and Patricia Forsberg Althea Gyde Hank and Carol Fischer Don and Andrea Stierle Bill Mead Paul and Theresa Floyd Land Tawney Camille Jones Ian and April Foster Kathy Thomas Carolyn Hart Tom France and Sander Tollefson Colter Murphy Meg Haenn Sandy and Pam Volkmann Deb Jones Bill Gabriel Jerome Walker Geoff Farinholt Dave and Minette Glaser Gates and Annie Watson Jackie Wedell Erick and Anne Greene Brant and Jessica Welborn A few of our founders, celebrating 25 great years! (l-r) Sue Reel, Dick Hutto, Pat Tucker, Janet Allison Jan Guffin Beth Woody Erick & Anne Greene, Robin Tawney-Nichols, Ellen Knight.

At this year’s Banquet & Auction we also had nature writing and education, and hours upon hours standard of nature writing. Her energy and passion the opportunity to celebrate our newly-published of reading and editing 25 years’ worth of Field Notes helped guide this book to the finish. compilation of 25 years’ worth of naturalist brought this book to life. observations: Field Notes from the Montana Natural Eileen Chontos is the visual artist behind History Center. This book recognizes the work—and Field Notes from the Montana Natural the passion—of the naturalists who have been History Center—and Montana Naturalist connected to the Montana Natural History Center in magazine, our annual report, our exhibit area, its first 25 years. We were thrilled to honor three of and nearly every mailing you receive from the people whose hard work, talent, and dedication MNHC. Eileen’s artistry and professional skills made this book possible: Caroline Kurtz, Eileen helped us to take a stack of Field Notes and Chontos, and Allison De Jong. turn them into a beautiful book. Caroline Kurtz has been part of MNHC for Allison De Jong is now our Field Notes much of the past 25 years, facilitating the Field and Montana Naturalist magazine editor. Notes program and launching Montana Naturalist She is our resident writer and makes sure

MNHC PHOTOS magazine in 2004. Her energy, commitment to the voice of MNHC is reflective of the high LEFT TO RIGHT: Eileen Chontos, Allison De Jong, and Caroline Kurtz

WINTER 2016-2017 ~ MONTANA NATURALIST 17 NEWS FROM THE MONTANA NATURAL HISTORY CENTER imprints Honoring Betty Oleson It is with enormous gratitude of committed volunteer service were concurrent with her and unending respect that the paid work as the Fiscal Affairs Director for the Mansfield entire MNHC community, past and Foundation at the University of Montana. present, from board members to Despite this constant load of responsibility, Betty was staff to volunteers, bids a fond always in good spirits, issuing the monthly financial reports farewell to our friend and colleague with a smile and even a bit of levity. When engaged with Betty Oleson. Her many years of complex, difficult, and sometimes confusing committee work, concern, love, and commitment she could provide a piercing clarity when the subject material to the Center are visibly inscribed was confounding others. Betty’s talent for condensing a pile in every room and activity of our of jargon into succinct sensibility is one we all appreciated. nature-based educational organization. In the past several years MNHC has experienced Betty began her service as a board member way back in substantial increments in growth: moving its primary location 2003, and became board treasurer one year later—little did she from Fort Missoula to our present location, followed by know she’d be doing this for 13 remarkable years! As MNHC a major remodel just two years ago. The number of staff, grew and developed ever more programs connecting people with developing programs, and volunteers increases annually, and nature, Betty served with great gusto and determination. we are now extending some of our programs statewide. Much Betty was singular in her total immersion and mastery of this would not have been possible without Betty's of MNHC’s financial details, well beyond the usual set of enthusiasm, dedicated financial oversight, and guidance. responsibilities for a non-profit treasurer. She was entirely Betty, we are so grateful you have loved and labored committed to the complete business of our rapidly changing with us all this time. And we thank you for all of your nature center. She spent significant time at MNHC, working wonderful contributions to the Montana Natural History with the executive director and other staff in order to produce Center and hope to see you in days to come—here and comprehensive financial reports for our monthly board there, on nature’s pathway. meetings. And as a member of the executive committee she had additional assignments and responsibilities beyond —Stephen Speckart, those of accounting. Even more impressive is that her years Vice President, Board of Directors

SPOTLIGHT: INTRODUCING SARAH MILLAR This fall Sarah Millar shifted from being one of our board members to one of the MNHC staff as our Development & Marketing Coordinator. Sarah has an M.Ed. from the University of Montana and a B.S. in Wildlife Biology. Her experience includes several field seasons as a wildlife technician, working as a mountain bike ranger for the Forest Service, and teaching elementary- aged students in a variety of settings. Most recently, she and her husband opened The Dram Shop in downtown Missoula. She has a passion for science education, natural history, skiing, and sailing with her family on Flathead Lake, and is thrilled to be working for the Montana Natural History Center. Sarah takes the place of Deb Jones, our long-time office manager, development coordinator, and finance guru, who has a fabulous new job as Executive Director at the Loyola Sacred Heart Foundation for the Missoula Catholic Schools. We’re glad she still stops in to see us sometimes, and we wish her the best in her new position!

18 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 MNHC Holiday Gift Guide Looking for that perfect present for your mom, grandpa, sister, spouse, friend? Look no further! MNHC has some fabulous gifts, great for holidays, birthdays, or “just because.” Field Notes from the Montana Natural History Center Our brand-new book of Field Notes is a fantastic gift for nature lovers of all ages. This collection of nature essays, on topics from snowfleas to moose to Field Homeschoolers, Have We Got geology and everything in between, Notes from the Montana Natural captures the variety of personal History Center a Program For You! experience of natural phenomena and MNHC is excited to offer our new Homeschool Naturalists the brilliance of seasonal change in program for homeschool families! Homeschool Naturalists Montana. $17.95. Stop by MNHC to takes place from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on the first Friday purchase in person, or order online at of the month from November to May. Each month, www.MontanaNaturalist.org/field-notes-book. homeschoolers ages 6-12 will learn about and explore different habitats through the lens of a naturalist. This Explore Cretaceous T-Shirts year’s focus is “a naturalist as a scientist,” so many of Designed by artist and naturalist the activities involve research and experimentation. Drop Tom McKean, these original t-shirts in for one program, or receive a discount for signing feature a baculite, a prehistoric up for the entire year. Family discounts are available as cephalopod (related to today’s octopi well. For more information, contact Stephanie Potts at and squids) that thrived in seas 406.327.0405 x209 or [email protected]. throughout the world during the late Cretaceous. Available in men’s L & XL and women’s M, L, XL & XXL (sizes run small). $20. Stop by MNHC or call 406.327.0405 to purchase.

MNHC Memberships What a great way to share the love of nature! We offer individual ($35), family ($60), and grandparent ($75) memberships, which include free admission to the Center, discounts on programs, a subscription to Montana Naturalist magazine, and reciprocal admission to more than 300 science centers in North America. For more information and to purchase, visit www.MontanaNaturalist.org/membership. Gearing up for 2017 Summer Camps MNHC is looking ahead to a full summer of day camps for kids in pre-K through 5th grade! We will also have options for middle and high school students to get involved and explore nature with us. Look for information about camp themes and dates in early 2017; registration will open in March. Scholarship applications will be available in February so that families can be pre-approved before registration opens. Sign up for our newsletter (www.MontanaNaturalist.org/newsletter) to stay updated MNHC PHOTOS on all the latest summer camp news. We hope you’ll join us for another great summer camp season!

WINTER 2016-2017~ MONTANA NATURALIST 19 far afield

A quilt of golden western larches covers a hillside near the Crystal Lake trailhead in the Chasing Larches: Mission Mountains. Field notes from a season of exploration STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALLISON DE JONG

It’s hard to explore western Montana’s Turquoise Lake in the Mission Mountain of larch color we’ve seen. They’re a bright wild places and not fall in love with Wilderness, second week of September complement to the blue-green water and the larches. Those fabulous deciduous conifers It’s a bluebird day, perhaps a little warm for rocky peaks reflected in it. At that moment, rank right up there with wolverines and mid-September, but beautiful nonetheless. a V-shaped ripple catches my eye—a duck? snowfleas and pikas on Montana’s list No, it’s a sleek, dark head: a river otter, the of awesomely adapted species. So when This is my first foray into the Mission first I’ve ever seen. It tucks headfirst beneath my husband and I made a commitment Mountain Wilderness. After a six-mile the surface, its sinuous body curving up this fall to get outside on one long hike hike to the lake, we’re eating lunch on a per week, we focused on visiting prime large rock on the southwest side. On the and then disappearing beneath the water. larchy locations. Of course, where there north-facing slope above us, we see those Perhaps twenty seconds later it surfaces a are larches, one can’t help but find other long-awaited splashes of pale yellow: alpine short distance away. Then dives down again. beauties, too. Here are a few observations larches, already shifting to gold, the first hint We watch it resurface, dive, resurface, dive from a season of larch hunting. for several minutes until it approaches the far southern tip of the lake and scrambles into the underbrush. On our way back down the trail, we gaze east across the valley at the Swan Mountains, tall and grey and snowless. Below us to the south is Glacier Lake, its water the same shade as the lake we’ve just left. Just then, a loon sends out its lonely cry; the sound rises up and echoes in the air. Farther down the trail, we come across several Steller’s Jays, who flutter from tree to tree ahead of us, their feathers as blue as the sky.

Carlton Lake in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, third week of September Looking down at Glacier Lake The day is grey and drizzly and cool. We and the Swan Mountains from hike up the trail and almost immediately the Turquoise Lake trail in the walk into a cloud. The mist is thick, hiding Mission Mountain Wilderness. the long vistas behind a shimmering grey

20 MONTANA NATURALIST ~ WINTER 2016-2017 wall. Water droplets cling to everything: the ridge to the west, and ten seconds later with greens and golds. From above and branches, larch needles, eyelashes. The the squall hits. Cold raindrops pelt down, behind, it takes us a moment to recognize larches on Carlton Ridge are greeny-gold, and a fierce breeze blows me halfway down it. It’s bigger, brighter, wilder. just approaching peak color, their hues the long length of the lake. I float there for intensified by the grey day. We walk along a moment, damp, chilly, shocked. But a few Crystal Lake in the Mission Mountain Wilderness, the ridge and then descend towards the minutes later, the wind and rain subside, and third week of October lake. The water level is very low; we leave I’m able to make my slow way back to Greg. We are in the middle of one of the wettest many yards of muddy footprints as we When his turn comes, the water is smooth as Octobers on record in western Montana, approach the water. The fog is so thick glass the entire time. and misty rain falls on us during our we can’t even see the other side. At last we entire adventure. At the lake, the opposite return from the quiet, misty beauty back hillside is awash in golden splendor. Even into the world beneath the clouds. after weeks of chasing larches, the sight of so many flame-colored trees awes us. To the north, snowy mountains connect lake and sky. Those white peaks, shimmering in the mist, seem like something out of a fairy tale. But their beauty is real, and Glen Lakes we are here, now, witnessing it. Hiking out, the clouds lift and the sun streams Glen Lakes in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, through, gilding the larches against their first week of October dark backdrop of sky. Across the valley, the It’s our annual pilgrimage, this hike. Every snowy peaks of the Swans disappear into fall we come here to see the alpine larches, the clouds. We come upon a snowshoe hare but this is the first year we’ve seen them hopping on the dark ground beneath the glowing yellow and orange in so many trees, half brown, half white. Dewy alpine other places first. The colors, as always, are larch needles on rich and stunning, from the larches to the Blodgett Canyon Carlton Ridge. bright reds of the huckleberry leaves to the always-vivid green of the heather. I find Fish Lake in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, caddisfly larvae pulling their sand-grain fourth week of September cases around beneath the water. I admire the familiar craggy ridgeline above the lake. Twenty miles up Lost Horse Canyon, the I walk slowly among the gold-clad trees, alpine larches are at their peak, blazing basking in their glow. yellow-orange on the mountainsides. We cross from Montana into Idaho and back Blodgett Canyon in the Bitterroot National into Montana as we hike. The shrubs are Sawmill Gulch in the Rattlesnake Recreation Forest, fourth week of November crackly-dry here, their leaves brown and Area, second week of October The day after Thanksgiving, we hike several shriveled, making harsh scraping sounds as It’s so close to home, yet I’ve explored this miles into Blodgett Canyon. This is the we brush by them on the trail. The day is area very little. It’s a hazy, overcast day, and southern limit of the western larch’s range, part sun, part cloud, and we don and shed the light is diffuse yet harsh. But I revel and we notice only a handful along the road layers, a strange dance. At the lake, we inflate in the variety of the landscape we explore, to the trailhead. They are bare, their bright our brand-new kayak, and my husband from grassland to open mixed-conifer needles long shed, a dusting of new snow insists that I be the first to try it. I paddle forest to a stand of western larches, which, narrowly piled on their brown, knobby out into the quiet water, admiring the since they live at lower elevations, are just branches. On the trail, the snow gets thicker golden trees on the slope at the far end of starting the shift from green to yellow. We the farther in we go, making the footing the lake. Just when I’m equidistant between pass a tumbledown cabin, and I ponder uncertain. Our attention turns downward, shorelines, a dark grey cloud appears over the people who lived there a century ago, to the stories told in the snow. Lots of nestled beneath a squirrel tracks, and several snowshoe hares. Fish Lake, calm again steep ridge. At the The impossibly miniature prints of a small after the squall. end of our loop, mammal—a mouse or shrew, perhaps? And we are surprised then some larger tracks we first assume are a by a view of the pet dog’s, until we realize they are going the main Rattlesnake opposite way as the two sets of human tracks. corridor and one We find a couple of clear prints: cat, not of our favorite dog. Too big to be a bobcat. Mountain lion. larch-covered I imagine it, lean and tawny, padding along hillsides, splashed the trail, the forest quiet around it.

WINTER 2016-2017~ MONTANA NATURALIST 21 MAGPIE MARKET

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Volunteer with our Visiting Naturalist in the Schools Program! Help MNHC’s staff naturalists teach 4th-5th graders about the natural world with hour-long lessons on winter adaptations, skulls, birds and more. To volunteer or for information, contact Stephanie Potts, Volunteer Coordinator, at 327.0405 or [email protected].

Tune in to Field Notes Hear all about the flora, fauna, bugs and birds of western and central Montana. Field Notes can be heard Sundays at 12:55 p.m. and Tuesdays and Fridays at 4:54 p.m. on KUFM/KGPR radio, 89.1 in Missoula and 89.9 in Great Falls.

Field Notes welcomes new writers and sponsors. Contact the Montana Natural History Center at 327.0405 for details. reflections Winter Solstice

BY DANIELLE LATTUGA

My mother claimed it was the longest day of her life. Of course I don’t remember taking my first breath, sliding from the dark on the darkest day of the year.

But I do know it was raining, when it should have been snowing.

I have since learned that cardinals are buoys, having swallowed the sun

and they carry her in their small bodies, all sparks and embers, no matter the turn of the earth

—whistling merrily like rain on prayer bells, first words, broken glass.

I have since learned that should is merely human invention

but Writer’s note: Cardinals are far more common hope in my childhood home of Vermont, but they do is a red bird make the occasional appearance in Montana— against which, for this writer, makes them an even white snow more remarkable embodiment of hope.

scattering light Danielle Lattuga is a writer, editor, and on dark days, Master Naturalist who lives happily in Missoula, Montana. You can read more of her on birth days, work at letterstomontana.com. no matter the turn of my mind. © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; HAYA_P

WINTER 2016-2017~ MONTANA NATURALIST 23 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE Connecting People with Nature PAID 120 Hickory Street, Suite A PERMIT 569 Missoula, MT 59801 MISSOULA, MT www.MontanaNaturalist.org

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