Outdoor news

Native plants

Local native plant expert Bill McClaren will present a free lecture on planting and caring for native plant gardens at the Flathead Valley Community College Arboretum behind Blake Hall on June 5 at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Sue Evans at 756-3963.

ALERT banquet

The 35th annual ALERT banquet on April 27 is expected to raise $135,000 for the emergency helicopter service operating out of Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Whitefish philanthropist Michael Goguen donated $50,000 to the service. He also pays for the Two Bear helicopter, which is equipped with specialized search-and-rescue equipment and works closely with the ALERT helicopter. The Clyde Smith Award was given to ALERT board members Hollister Larson and Van Kirke Nelson, and the Triple Divide Award was given to chief flight nurse Linda Chambers.

Naturalist course

The Glacier Institute will host a Montana Master Naturalist Certification Course from July 6-11 in Glacier National Park with experienced naturalists Brian Williams, from the Montana Natural History Center, and Greg Peters, from the University of Montana’s Biology and Botany Department. The course will take place at the Glacier Institute Field Camp Cost is $675, including lodging, meals, education, transportation and certification. For more information, call 406-755-1211 or visit online at www.glacierinstitute.org.

Outdoor youth

The Montana Conservation Corps is looking for teens 15-17 years old to participate in their Youth Service Expedition program this summer. Two sessions of outdoor adventure and volunteer service will take place in the National Bison Range, southeastern Montana and the Rocky Mountain Front. Deadline to apply is June 7 and July 12 for the two sessions. For more information, visit online at www.mtcorps.org.