line drawing of western larch Clark Fork Chapter

 PO Box 8783, Missoula, MT 5980-8783

 

Programs and Events

Programs: Held 2nd Thursday of the month (with exceptions).

  • Thursday October 14, 7:30 pm. It's Glacier National Park's 100th
    birthday. Hear about the interesting history of botany from Peter
    Lesica     when he presents Discovering the Jewels in the Crown: a Century
    of Botany in Glacier National Park. Rm TBA Gallagher Business Bldg, UM
    Campus.

  • Thursday November 11, 7:30 pm. Plant conservation is done in
    botanical gardens as well as in the field. Missoula's own Brenda
    Oviad     of Botanica will tell us about her efforts: Conservation of
    Madagascar's Orchids. Rm TBA Gallagher Business Bldg, UM Campus.

Field Trips For updates check below or call Kelly @ 258-5439. Events could be canceled due to weather.No pets please!

Clark Fork Chapter mushroom hike
 Clark ForkChapter members enjoy a robust schedule of hikes every year.
Here a few members relax in the midst of searching for mushrooms.
(Peter Lesica photo)

  • *June 18-20 Milton Ranch Cancelled for this year; will be rescheduled for 2011. Call Kelly (258-5439) or Wayne (453-0648) for details.
  • July 17-18 Montana Native Plants Society’s State Meeting –Birch Creek Outdoor Education Center near Dillon-An annual meeting of the MNPS brings together members from across the state to some of the most beautiful places in Montana to learn and socialize through field trips, workshops, and other programs.

 

Project Budburst

A nationwide initiative by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, The U of M., and others, Project Budburst allows citizen scientists (e.g., students, gardeners) to enter observations of the timing of flowers and foliage into an online database to help create a picture of our warming climate. The project operates year-round so early and late-blooming species around the country can be monitored throughout their lifecycles. UM researchers Carol Brewer and Paul Alaback are collaborators on the project; MNPS member Paul is the project's lead scientist nationally. Project Budburst is looking for Native Plant Society members and others to volunteer in monitoring when plants come out in the spring. This involves selecting one or more plants near your house-in a park or somewhere you walk regularly--then noting the day leaves and flowers first appear and leaves first change color in the fall. Observations on Mt. Sentinel would be particularly valuable. Last year over 4,000 volunteers participated nationwide! You can register to collect data at http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/ or contact Paul Alaback (palaback@gmail.com); phone: 406-728-4696.

 

For native plant restoration activities in Missoula, visit www.umt.edu/sentinel/volunteer.htm