Dear Friends,
Greetings from Montana Audubon!
Like this Chestnut-collared Longspur, now is our time to squawk!
With nearly one month into the 68th Montana Legislature, we have learned that, now more than ever, we need to unite and show up at the Capitol together. All of us need to tell our elected officials that we will not stand by silently and let them chip away at Montana’s long legacy of conservation, a history that, along with our inherent beauty and natural resources, makes Montana The Last Best Place.
Read on for information on the Rally for Public Lands, February 23rd; our Citizen Lobby Days, February 23rd and March 15th; and our January legislative report.
Also learn more about Audubon Conservation Ranching, our three new Big Sky Watershed Corps Members, and the latest winter happenings and events at Montana Audubon Center.
Thank you for standing up and "squawking" for Montana's wildlife, for our long legacy of conservation, and for our Montana way of life!
Yours in Conservation,
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Larry Berrin
Executive Director
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The Rally for Public Lands is Back! |
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Montana’s public lands and waters are at risk, making the 2023 Legislative session a big deal.
Once again, Montana lawmakers are threatening our public lands. It’s our duty to unite and show our elected officials that we won’t tolerate ANY attacks on the lands, waters, wildlife, or outdoor way of life that we love.
Join Montana Audubon, our partners, and other Montanans who love our wild public lands to deliver that message loud and clear at the Rally for Public Lands 2023.
Thursday, February 23
Noon - 1pm
Montana State Capitol Rotunda in Helena
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One Month In! January Legislative Update |
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The 2023 Legislative Session is almost a month in, and it's time to turn up the heat on efforts to support Montana’s wildlife, clean air, healthy environment, and public lands.
These really great events are coming up, so mark your calendars!
We the People Constitution Rally #1
February 1st, 2023
Contact: Svein @ Northern Plains Resource Council
Rally for Public Lands
February 23rd, 2023, Noon - 1pm
Capitol Rotunda
Conservation Lobby Day
February 23rd, 2023, 10am
Sanders Auditorium, DPHHS Bldg.
Conservation Lobby Day
March 15th, 2023, 10am
Sanders Auditorium, DPHHS Bldg.
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Read more about our progress and upcoming opportunities to make a difference for Montana's wildlife. |
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Welcome Lily, Malia, and Nora! |
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We welcome three new Big Sky Watershed Corps members to Montana Audubon! Lily Simon and Nora Goldhammer are serving at the Montana Audubon Center in Billings, and Malia Agee is serving at Montana Audubon in Helena. Please feel free to reach out to these new team members to get to know them!
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About Lily
Lily grew up in Cleveland, OH, and will graduate from The Ohio State University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Environmental Science. After realizing her love for the West, she applied to work with MCC as a Big Sky Watershed Corps Member. She works in education programs and is working to improve the social media presence of the Montana Audubon Center during her time. Lily is a certified bird nerd and loves to go hiking, trail running, and exploring in her free time.
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About Malia
Malia grew up in northeast Nebraska right where Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota meet. Every summer she and her family would go to northern Minnesota and hang out at a lake where she learned to love the outdoors. After graduating with her BS from Iowa State University in Animal Ecology, Malia came to Montana for the Big Sky Watershed Corps position at Montana Audubon in Helena. Malia likes spending time outside, being with her cat, playing with her mom’s dogs, and watching movies.
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About Nora
Nora moved to Billings after graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder with two BS degrees in Geography and Environmental Studies. Her passion for conservation is rooted in design, and she hopes to incorporate more Landscape Architecture into restoration projects around the Audubon Center. In her free time she loves to run, ski, hike, and taste local beers! She is looking forward to birding and driving the lawn mower.
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Montana Ranches:
An Enormous Opportunity for Conservation
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Since the 1970s, North America has seen a more than 50% decline in grassland birds. Two of the species that have been reduced dramatically are the Chestnut-collared Longspur and the Bobolink. In response to the decline, the Montana Audubon Conservation Ranching Program (ACR) supports ranchers with good land stewardship (in the market and on the ranch) so that they continue to support bird habitat. Since 2019, we’ve enrolled approximately 110,230 acres across nine bird-friendly ranches across the state. |
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Celebrating the New Year at the Center |
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We've been ringing in the New Year with loads of winter fun! Fledglings Preschool and Flyers Kindergarten students were the first groups on site in 2023. They certainly enjoyed the warmer temperatures and loved exploring the mixture of snow, ice, and mud. Also, Homeschool Science classes kicked off the New Year with a fresh look at winter ecology.
Over the next few weeks, Winter Audubon Naturalists in the Schools (ANTS) field trips will start, bringing busloads of students to the Center to identify tracks, see birds, learn native games, and explore animal adaptations.
Although we can’t say we have a favorite season, winter brings the kid out in most of us at the Center. When else can you test snow to see what consistency makes the best snowball, explore a frozen pond or navigate between the icy, snowy, and gravelly patches on trails? Winter always provides a myriad of ways to test our knowledge through wonderful experiences for all who come to learn and explore with us.
You can see a full lineup of our winter programs on our website.
Upcoming programs include:
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Nature Nuts, parent and toddler program, every Tuesday at 10am
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Owl Prowl, for all ages, February 3rd and March 17th from 6:30pm - 8pm
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June 9 - 11, 2023
Heritage Inn, Great Falls
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Donate $100 or more and receive our new Wildlife Guide, or our popular Bird Guide. Give $200 or more and get both!
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