Outdoor news
Wilderness talk
The Montana Wilderness Association and Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation will host retired Forest Service wilderness and recreation manager Jonathan Klein’s talk on “One man’s story: Wilderness and 700 miles of Canada’s Churchill River” at Flathead Valley Community College’s Arts and Technology Building, Room 139, on Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. His presentation is the last in a series of talks in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.
Fishing clinic
Glacier Anglers will host an Orvis 101 free 2 hour casting clinic at the Glacier Outdoor Center Ponds, on U.S. 2 in West Glacier, on June 22 and 28 from 10 a.m. to noon. To reserve a spot, call 406-888-5454 and get a free membership to Trout Unlimited for attending.
Native plants
The Flathead Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will host a free talk by Patti Mason, a resource conservationist for the Flathead Conservation District, on “Inseparable and indispensable: Native plants and pollinators” at the Teakettle Community Hall, 235 Nucleus Avenue, in Columbia Falls, on Wednesday, April 16, at 7 p.m.
Boating safety
Montana State Parks will offer a Float Smart personal pontoon boat training program at Lone Pine State Park, in Kalispell, on Saturday, April 5, from 11 a.m. to noon. T.E. Lewis, founder of the Float Smart program, will be the instructor. The interactive program is designed for anglers or water recreationists who use one-person pontoon boats or are considering purchasing one. Using video, classroom discussion and on the water demonstrations, participants will learn about cold water survival, personal protective gear, and what to do when something goes wrong or equipment breaks. For more information, visit online at www.floatsmart.info.
Outdoor women
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will offer horsepacking and mountain bike riding classes in the Flathead as part of their Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. The horsepacking workshop for beginners will take place at an indoor arena near Columbia Falls on Sunday, May 4, co-hosted by the Back Country Horsemen of the Flathead. The $35 fee includes lunch and the use of all equipment and packing stock. The mountain biking workshop for beginner and intermediate riders will be based at the Whitefish Bike Retreat near Whitefish on Saturday and Sunday, June 28-29. To register or for more information, call 406-444-9940 or e-mail llodman@mt.gov.
Fly-fishing talk
The Flathead Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited will host Lakestream fly-fishing guides Rob Weiker and Justin Lawrence for a talk at the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks offices, 490 North Meridian Road, in Kalispell, on Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m. With more than 20 years experience guiding on the Flathead, Weiker and Lawrence will talk about hatches, flies and techniques for early-season fishing. Refreshments will be served, and door prizes will be awarded. For more information, call 250-7473.
Owl class
The Glacier Institute will offer a course on “Owls of the Mission Valley” on Saturday, April 12, taught by Matt and Jessica Larson, from the Owl Research Institute. The day program includes excursions into the field to learn about the habitats, adaptations for silent flight, hunting breeding and life histories of these raptors. To register, call 406-755-1211 or visit online at www.glacierinstitute.org. Cost is $65 per person.
Owl populations
Flathead Audubon will host a talk by wildlife researcher Denver Holt about declining populations of long-eared owls in the United Way conference room, at the Gateway Community Center in Kalispell, on Monday, April 14, at 7 p.m. Holt is the founder and president of the Owl Research Institute and the Ninepipes Wildlife Research Center, in Charlo. He will describe how after 27 years of year-round research on long-eared owls in western Montana, a clear downward trend has emerged. For more information, visit online at www.owlinstitute.org.
RAC recruiting
The Flathead National Forest is seeking people interested in serving on the Flathead County Resource Advisory Committee. RAC’s 15 volunteer members are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture for a four-year term. They recommend projects for funding that will benefit National Forest System lands within the county. Applications are available at the Flathead Forest Supervisor’s Office, 650 Wolfpack Way, in Kalispell. For more information, e-mail ewmuehlhof@fs.fed.us or call 406-758-5252.
Invasive species
The Glacier Institute will host a weeklong student symposium on invasive species at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center in the North Fork Valley on June 22-27. The symposium will challenge students to creatively address real-world invasive species issues through practical workshops with scientists, practitioners, landowners and agencies. The week will culminate with a public exposition. Twelve students will be awarded the opportunity to participate. To register and gain more information, call 406-755-1211 or visit online at www.glacierinstitute.org.
Wild Mile
The 39th annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival will take place on the “Wild Mile” of the Swan River, above downtown Bigfork, on Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25. The festival will include a whitewater slalom, down river and a boater-cross race on a challenging whitewater section rated Class IV to Class V. Raft competition and a triathlon are also planned. The film “Big Drop” will be shown at The Roost in downtown Bigfork on Saturday, May 3, at 8 p.m. as a fundraiser for the whitewater festival. For more information, visit online at www.bigforkwhitewaterfestival.com.