Biological station to hold open house

The University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station invites the public to its free annual Open House from 1 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 5.

The station is 17.5 miles north of Polson and 14 miles south of Bigfork along Highway 35 on the east shore of Flathead Lake.

The event is designed to allow visitors to explore the station and learn about research and education programs. This year’s open house features boat trips, guided tours, nature walks and displays about FLBS science, especially Flathead Lake and its watershed.

Displays include stream, pond and lake animals; animal hides and skulls; and aquatic invasive species. Visitors also will have the opportunity to meet with and talk to FLBS researchers about their work.

Two presentations are scheduled:

•  2:15 p.m.: Jay Sumner, executive director of the Montana Peregrine Institute and 2015 Montana Audubon Special Achievement Award winner, will give a presentation about peregrine falcons in Montana. A live peregrine falcon will be the special guest.

 • 4 p.m.: FLBS Director and UM Bierman Professor of Ecology Jack Stanford will introduce several world-renowned freshwater scientists. Pioneering stream ecologist and longtime FLBS collaborator James Ward will give a retrospective of the bio station and Stanford’s scientific accomplishments, and the prestigious lake ecologist Charles Goldman, who set up and oversaw Lake Tahoe’s monitoring program for decades, will provide the background and achievements of the new incoming director, who also will attend.

 Research boat tours take place at 1:05, 1:40, 2:15, 2:50 and 3:25 p.m. Participants can reserve a space on the tour by picking up a free ticket during the Open House. Nature walks and guided tours will take place at 1:40 and 3:25 p.m.

Visit http://flbs.umt.edu/  or https://www.facebook.com/UMFLBS, call 406-982-3301 or email flbs@flbs.umt.edu.