Field Guide to Glacier National Park Funding Needs 2018 by Glacier National Park Conservancy

FIELD GUIDE TO GLACIER PARK FUNDING NEEDS

2018

GL ACI ER. O RG

Dear Friends and Glacier Community, We are thrilled to share with you our 2018 Field Guide to Park priority projects that provide for Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s margin of excellence. These are Glacier National Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most critical current needs, a list that continues to grow. With your generous support, the Glacier Conservancy has provided record setting support in the past year. While uncertainty in Federal funding is a challenge for day to day operations, the Conservancy provides resources that support exceptional projects that would not otherwise be possible without your commitment. This year, we expand the opportunity to connect with Glacier at a variety of levels and interests. We hope you find your personal connection to the Park through these programs and projects. Whether your passion supports educational opportunities, scientific research or enhancing the visitor experience season to season and day into night, your efforts are making the difference every day. Please join us to protect and assure the future of Glacier for increasing numbers of visitors, longtime friends and those discovering their own Glacier stories for the very first time. We are grateful for your support.

Board of Directors Glacier National Park Conservancy

Your Donation Matters As a donor to the Glacier National Park Conservancy, you help to preserve and protect the park for future generations. Your gift supports projects like the ones featured throughout this Field Guide and will make a lasting difference in this place you love. Your generous support at every level is critical. Thank you.

Table of contents GLACIER’S TRAILS

Rehabilitate Bowman & Kintla Shoreline Trails

Swiftcurrent Lake Trail Accessibility

Realign Lake Ellen Wilson Trail

Rebuild St. Mary Falls Bridge

Improve Winter Emergency Response

GLACIER’S WILDLIFE 10

Learning by Doing: Internship Opportunities in Glacier National Park

Glacier Trail Crew Intern

Developing the 21st Century Park Ranger

Science & Resources Management Intern

Interpretive Youth Internship Program

Providing a Glacier Experience to Students Near and Far

HABITAT & INFRASTRUCTURE RESTORATION

Preserve Glacier National Park’s

Paved Historic Roads

Prevent Catastrophic Mussel Infestation in Glacier Park

Bison at Home on the Range

Track the Movement of Bighorn Sheep with DNA Analysis

Create Safe Opportunities to View Wildlife

Providing Bear Safety Information to Foreign Travelers

Protect & Monitor Glacier’s Grizzlies

Bear Management Fund: Protect Bears and Visitors in Real Time

Reduce Conflict Between Humans and Grizzlies at Fifty Mountain

Collaborate with Transboundary Conservation Partners in the Crown of the Continent 39

LiDAR Data Collection on the Going-to-the-Sun Road

Expand the Bark Ranger Program for Wildlife Viewing and Safety

Improve Success of Native Plantings with a Mobile Water Tank

Citizen Science BioBlitz

Restore Grinnell Glacier Picnic Area

Glacier’s Mountain Goats: A Barometer of Climate Change

Noxious Weed Control on Red Eagle Trail

Preserve Glacier’s Gene Pool for the Future: Native Fish in Quartz Lake

Locate and Monitor Glacier’s Bat Roosts

CREATING A SAFE & ENJOYABLE PARK EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS

Black Swifts: The Poster Bird for Climate Change

Operate Spring Hiker Biker Shuttle on the West Side

Eagle and Raptor Counts: Outfit the Hawk Watch Site on Mt. Brown

Share Local Tribal Stories at Lake McDonald

Increase Access to Glacier’s Historical Archives

Add Restroom Facilities at Two Medicine for Winter Use

Increase Glacier’s Sign Shop Production Capacity with a Laser Engraver

Provide Satellite Communication Technology for Backcountry Trail Crews

Visitor Information in Print and on the Web

TRAINING FUTURE PARK LEADERS AND STEWARDS Glacier Youth Conservation Corps: Delivering Hands-On Experiences for the Park’s Next Generation of Stewards Veterans Green Corps: Transitioning from the Military to the Civilian Workforce

Provide Public Wi-Fi at St. Mary & Apgar Visitor Centers

Summer Youth Engagement Initiative

Ranger Pocket Reference

Native America Speaks

Funding Transportation for School Field Trips

SUSTAINABLE GLACIER

Expand GIS Capabilities at Columbia Falls High School

Use Solar Energy to Power the Apgar Visitor Center

Young Scholar Research Fellowships

Investing in Teachers: A Forest for Every Classroom

Support and Implement Sustainability Projects in the Park and Local Communities

Glacier in Focus

Half the Park Happens After Dark

Replace Fluorescent Light Bulbs at Park Headquarters with LED Bulbs

HOW TO GIVE TO GLACIER

INDEX

Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trails FUNDING NEEDED $240,267

REHABILITATE BOWMAN & KINTL A L AKE SHORELINE TR AILS - $67,646

SWIF TCURRENT L AKE TR AIL ACCESSIBILIT Y - $126,762

REALIGN L AKE ELLEN WILSON TR AIL - $20,000

REBUILD ST. MARY FALLS BRIDGE - $13,859

IMPROVE WINTER EMERGENC Y RESPONSE - $12,000

Rehabilitation & Access The combined impact of both Mother Nature and the increasing number of visitors to Glacier National Park can take a heavy toll on its trails. When deteriorating trails are not repaired and maintained on a regular basis, resource damage and safety concerns can require their closure. Much work needs to be done on an ongoing basis to preserve and maintain trails â&#x20AC;&#x201C; clearing of heavy brush, repairing broken walkways, rehabilitating eroded and fire-damaged trails, and in some cases, rerouting or rebuilding entire segments. The National Park Service devotes significant monetary and human resources to trail maintenance, but it is not enough.

It takes the commitment of private donations to keep Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trails safe and usable for the millions of visitors that arrive year after year. Basic, annual trail maintenance in Glacier National Park averages $800 per mile. Additionally, multiple long-term cyclic maintenance and repair/rehabilitation projects are completed each season. The total costs range from $1.3 - $1.5 million per year to maintain 745.9 miles of trails throughout the park.

Rehabilitate Bowman & Kintla Shoreline Trails FUNDING NEEDED: $67,646 Located in the far northwest corner of the park, and reached only by mile after mile of dusty gravel road in the summer months, are Bowman and Kintla Lakes. As park visitation rises and travelers continue to discover the more remote and less traveled sections of the park, these lakes are becoming more and more popular. The two trails traversing the north shore lines of the lakes are main access points to six popular backcountry campgrounds and one backcountry cabin. Steep terrain above these trail

sections combined with extreme mountainous weather such as heavy runoff from high-intensity storms causes frequent tread and trail structure failure.

Much of the trail damage results in uneven or inconsistent surfaces due to gouged-out tread, exposed loose rock and washed out sections, restricting stock use and at times

closing entire trail sections to visitors. Sections of these trails are located in damp areas next to the lakes where vegetation damage occurs rapidly in the form of trail widening and braiding as hikers create numerous parallel trails in an attempt to keep their feet dry.

Rehabilitation work on these trails will help prevent erosion

and damage which occurs to riparian, wetland, shoreline and other sensitive habitats. It provides long-term (10-15 years)

protection for these unique, irreplaceable resources including deferred maintenance along the upper three miles of trail

along Bowman Lake and the upper 2.5 miles of trail along Lower Kintla Lake.

This project places crews on site for consecutive blocks of time to complete long-lasting corrections rather than temporary stop gaps.

Trail crews work in remote locations throughout the park to remove downed trees, clear rockslides, and rehabilitate sections of trail prone to flooding.

THIS PROJECT INCLUDES Going to the Sun Road

St. Mary

• 1000 feet of trail re-alignments

Polebridge

Day labor with professional Park crews as well as youth

• 750 feet of check and fill

Logan Pass

Apgar

West Glacier

East Glacier

Highway 2

• 60 feet of turnpike construction

crews will be employed to accomplish the work.

• 5000 feet of retread 7

ÂŠ Shanthanu Bhardwaj

Realign Lake Ellen Wilson Trail FUNDING NEEDED: $20,000 This project would involve re-routing part of the trail from the Gunsight Pass Trail to the Lake Ellen Wilson Campground. Once the new alignment is established, the old trail will be rehabilitated and revegetated. The current trail alignment is unsustainable from a maintenance perspective, as it has degraded significantly due to its steep grades and its proximity to seasonal creek flows. The existing trail tread is steep, uneven, and presents a hazard to hikers and stock.

Swiftcurrent Lake Trail Accessibility FUNDING NEEDED: $126,762 The 2.5 mile Swiftcurrent Lake Trail in the popular Many Glacier Valley not only has spectacular views, but has minimal grade variance and can be accessed from the Many Glacier Hotel as well as the Grinnell Picnic Area. These attributes make it a great choice for an accessible trail. This is a multi-year project that began in 2011, and will eventually create a level walking trail all the way around the lake. The next phase of the project will add approximately 12,000 square feet of trail tread with nearly 130 tons of material.

Trail crews work to resurface the trail to provide an accessible surface for all visitors.

Rebuild St. Mary Falls Bridge FUNDING NEEDED: $13,859 Due to its close proximity to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, St. Mary Falls is one of the most highly visited day use sites in Glacier National Park. Currently, the walking surface and handrail are beginning to age and show signs of rot. This project would rebuild the existing bridge at St. Mary Falls to alleviate safety and aesthetic concerns at this extremely popular site. If not addressed within the next two years, the bridge could become a safety concern.

The existing bridge just below the falls is a popular gathering spot for visitors as it provides unimpeded views of the falls.

Improve Winter Emergency Response FUNDING NEEDED: $12,000 Glacier National Park maintains a “fleet” of snowmobiles placed in accessible locations throughout the park. These machines are necessary tools for the higher-risk emergency responses needed during the winter months. Snow machines are not allowed anywhere in the park under normal circumstances but park rangers use these vehicles during emergency or search and rescue responses, when minutes of response time may mean the difference between life and death. Snowmobiles often provide the fastest access when weather conditions or darkness make it impossible to use a helicopter for rescue. Snow machines are also used for combined patrols with the Forest Service and Border Patrol, and make it possible to reach radio repeaters and other critical infrastructure throughout the park that would otherwise be inaccessible during the winter months. Often the snow machine is the fastest and least expensive way of getting a technician there to restore the communications that we rely on daily for the safety of our staff and visitors.

The park currently has eight snow machines, all at least 15 years old. This project would purchase a newer, quieter and much cleaner-burning machine so the impact on wildlife and other visitors would be greatly reduced when park staff is forced to use these tools.

The Glacier Conservancy can also accept the donation of a new snow machine on behalf of the park for this project.

Glacier’s Wildlife FUNDING NEEDED $326,990

TR ACK THE MOVEMENT OF BIGHORN SHEEP WITH DNA ANALYSIS - $9,000

CREATE SAFE OPPORTUNITIES TO VIEW WILDLIFE - $32,500

PROVIDE BEAR SAFET Y L ANGUAGE TR ANSL ATIONS -$4,000

PROTEC T & MONITOR GL ACIER’S GRIZZLIES - $30,028

BEAR MANAGEMENT FUND: PROTEC T BEARS AND VISITORS - $6,000

REDUCE CONFLICT BETWEEN HUMANS AND GRIZZLIES AT FIFTY MOUNTAIN - $5,000

EXPAND THE BARK R ANGER PROGR AM FOR WILDLIFE VIEWING - $20,640

CITIZEN SCIENCE BIOBLITZ - $79,000

GL ACIER’S MOUNTAIN GOATS: A BAROMETER OF CLIMATE CHANGE - $41,400

PRESERVE GL ACIER’S GENE POOL: NATIVE FISH IN QUARTZ L AKE - $60,000

LOCATE AND MONITOR GL ACIER’S BAT ROOSTS - $16,546

BL ACK SWIF TS: THE POSTER BIRD FOR CLIMATE CHANGE - $16,038

EAGLE AND R APTOR COUNTS - $6,838

Track the Movement of Bighorn Sheep with DNA Analysis FUNDING NEEDED: $9,000 Respiratory disease is the primary threat to bighorn sheep populations in the west, yet little work evaluating the relative contributions of genetics, environment and herd size has been conducted. Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sheep are one of the only moderately large natural populations of bighorns in the U.S. and as such can serve as a benchmark for understanding evolutionary patterns in the absence of translocations, widespread hunting and other interventions. This project will use blood samples already collected from 98 bighorn sheep to evaluate the population structure and genetic health of bighorn sheep in and near Glacier National Park and help to understand the role of genetics and disease across multiple, mostly small, isolated populations of sheep. Earlier work suggested that very little gene flow has occurred across a likely barrier of the St. Mary Lake Valley with its relatively thick forest and large lake, likely preventing bighorn pathogens in the north from reaching the southern population. However, the recent Reynolds fire may change these patterns. Last year, DNA extraction kits were purchased and extracted for the 98 bighorn sheep samples. This project will provide the necessary funds to sequence the DNA samples to answer the questions about how the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flocks interact and the potential for disease resistance.

Photo ÂŠ Connor Welles

Create Safe Opportunities to View Wildlife FUNDING NEEDED: $32,500 The opportunity to see wild bears, mountain goats and bighorn sheep is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many visitors to the park; however, when these animals are visible from heavily traveled roads in the Lake McDonald, Many Glacier and St. Mary Valleys, a “wildlife jam” is often created, stalling traffic in both directions while people stop to get a closer look. Wildlife-related traffic jams can be problematic in that they

This project would employ a small team of Visitor Service

habituate wildlife to the presence of humans and perpetuate

Assistants, interns from local colleges, and volunteers to

wildlife feeling comfortable close to large groups of humans,

patrol, staff and mitigate congested areas and wildlife-

cars and roadways. However, not all “jams” are bad, and there

related jams throughout the park. Directly managing these

are thousands of wonderful wildlife-viewing opportunities

congested areas provides the safest experience possible for

that can be a special and educational experience for visitors.

visitors and wildlife, as the mobile “wildlife brigade” would be able to alleviate and/or resolve these incidents before they have a negative impact on wildlife or visitors.

As park visitation climbs, park staff is tasked with managing increased vehicle and human congestion while ensuring a safe experience for visitors to view wildlife.

A team dedicated to wildlife jams could remain at scenes, set up viewing scopes, and educate visitors on wildlife.

Providing Bear Safety Information to Foreign Travelers FUNDING NEEDED: $4,000 The park, and in particular the Many Glacier Valley, is

parks” and zoos, where hand-feeding of animals is common.

experiencing an increase in visitation by foreign visitors.

They have generally not experienced a wild animal and only

Due to communication difficulties and inherent cultural

know how to interact based on their previous experience

differences and norms, there is an urgent need to inform

with captive animals. This project will create 15,000

these visitors of the proper safety procedures around viewing

brochures highlighting bear safety and viewing protocols for

wildlife in general, and bears in particular. Visitors from these countries often experience bears close-up at “wildlife

安全を守る visitors from Japan and China.

ÂŠ NPS Photo / Daniel A. Leifheit

Protect & Monitor Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grizzlies FUNDING NEEDED: $30,028 Grizzly bears are at the heart of what makes Glacier National

it is likely that management efforts outside of the park will

Park unique. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon

shift, making this research critical to the entire Crown of the

begin to consider delisting the species, and a proposal to

Continent Ecosystem.

delist the bears could occur in the next two years. In order to ensure the continued health of the population, monitoring

This project will use existing data to help create a future

and management will be required after de-listing.

monitoring plan that would include the collection of hair samples to determine grizzly bear population size and

Preliminary research suggests there are small areas along

trends, and examine the influence of habitat, human-bear

park boundaries where the population may be declining.

interactions, and weather on the distribution of bears. This

Because of the number and diversity of bears in Glacier,

will provide the framework needed to create a conservation plan with neighboring management agencies.

To collect hair samples, wire is attached to trees frequented by bears that researchers can collect and analyze to determine grizzly population size and trends in a given area.

Bear Management Fund: Protect Bears AND Visitors in Real Time FUNDING NEEDED: $6,000 With nearly 300 grizzly bears, Glacier National Park is home to the highest density of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. Add in about 600 black bears and nearly 3 million human visitors per year, and the stage is set for a challenging management situation. Glacier has risen to the challenge and has one of the most successful bear management programs in the world. Visitor injury rates and property damage rates are exceedingly low and declining. Property damage claims are nearly nonexistent; furthermore, levels of human-caused bear mortality are also low. On average, less than one bear per year is removed due to management concerns. But this sterling record of success does not come without cost. The bear management fund, established in 2016, provides funding for these expenditures, and also for emergency expenditures that cannot be made through normal NPS

Glacier National Park has one of the most successful bear management programs in the world with less than one bear per year requiring removal due to management concerns.

funding mechanisms.

REDUCE Conflict Between Humans and Grizzlies at Fifty Mountain FULLY FUNDED

FUNDING NEEDED: $5,000 Fifty Mountain is a strategic crossroads for many backcountry

As issues in this area have increased, the need for an on-site

travelers and also a very important habitat for grizzly bears.

person is critical to educate the public and manage visitors’

The potential and history for conflicts is high, and park staff

ongoing issues with medical requests, re-routes, etc., and

are working to avoid human-bear conflicts. Because of its

prevent conflicts with wildlife. This project will outfit and

remote backcountry location, it’s difficult for emergency

facilitate a host at a strategic backcountry location who

responders to arrive in a timely manner.

will serve to educate hikers while protecting the resident population of Grizzly Bears.

Expand the Bark Ranger Program for Wildlife Viewing and Safety FUNDING NEEDED: $20,640 Bark Ranger Gracie was an instant success at Logan Pass last summer. More than just a tool to keep habituated sheep and goats out of the parking lot yet still within safe viewing distance, the appeal of a dog with a ranger brings people closer to ask questions and creates a valuable opportunity to talk about safely watching wildlife throughout the park. This project will train one to two additional wildlife working dog/handler teams to allow expanded coverage and visitor contacts in additional areas of the park, like the Many Glacier Hotel parking lot and the Two Medicine campground. Additional informational signage will be placed in high-use areas, such as park shuttles, restrooms, visitor centers and the park newspaper. Additionally, the park will partner with university professors and high school students from the area to collect and report on data during wildlife working dog activities to determine the efficacy of this technique in Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Bark Ranger, Gracie, helps to keep wildlife at a safe distance, while educating visitors on how best to view wild animals.

managing habituated wildlife.

Citizen Science BioBlitz FUNDING NEEDED: $79,000 As the National Park Service begins its second century of service, it is a crucial time to engage students and visitors as fully as possible in science and conservation activities, to instill a sense of resource stewardship, and create a new generation of advocates and supporters of national parks. This connection is further strengthened when visitors learn about sensitive species conservation and have the opportunity to observe wildlife in the field for themselves, and contribute data that managers can use.

focused citizen science outings. These will not only include common loon and high country monitoring, but also focused

This project will foster science literacy and resource

BioBlitz events to engage youth and families in surveying

stewardship in youth and adults through engagement in

species of interest including butterflies and mushrooms.

citizen science inventory and monitoring. These dedicated volunteers provide reliable baseline data about important

Citizen science has proven to be an effective tool for

wildlife and plant species, and aid with early detection of

introducing youth to career opportunities in science and

ecosystem changes.

technology. As participants of all ages engage in hands-on field activities, they become knowledgeable advocates for

There will also be new opportunities to reach more high

resource conservation and begin a lifetime of love for their

school and college students through a variety of youth-

national parks.

This project will help scientists to determine what management actions may be needed to protect Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mountain goats and their habitat in a changing climate.

Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mountain Goats: A barometer of climate change FUNDING NEEDED: $41,400 Glacier National Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic species, the Mountain Goat, is the subject of ongoing research. The National Park Service approved a plan for a park-wide study, beginning in 2018, to better understand how the goats and their habitat will respond to current climate change by studying their

Additionally, this project will support the refurbishing of GPS collars and the purchase of eight additional GPS collars and their associated operation and maintenance charges. GPS collars will improve the accuracy of the information collected and allow for around-the-clock collection of location points for

ecological drivers, such as snowpack and vegetation.

each goat fitted with one of these collars.

This grant request fills a funding gap in the NPS project that

Funds also will provide additional capture and handling

will provide the means to hire seasonal staff who will actively assist in data collection, animal captures, habitat monitoring, creation of informational handouts and media, and conduct distance learning lessons to more than 800 students around

supplies, telemetry flights, enhanced laboratory analysis of biological samples, as well as additional safety gear for field crews and travel funds for disseminating the results of this project at professional conferences.

the world each year.

Preserve Glacier’s Gene Pool for the Future: Native Fish in Quartz Lake FUNDING NEEDED: $60,000 Glacier National Park contains over one-third of the natural lakes that support bull trout across their range, yet it is losing these iconic populations to invasive lake trout. Bull trout, an endangered species, and other native fish species are fundamental to the park’s identity.

Since 2009, the park has been removing lake trout from Quartz Lake to benefit native species (including ESA-listed bull trout and Montana’s state fish – the westslope cutthroat trout) and to preserve visitor fishing opportunities for these native fish. The project has been successful to date; however, a lapse in funding for the 2018 field season threatens to undermine the significant progress that has been made to date. A gap in project operations in 2018 would allow adult lake trout to successfully reproduce, adding thousands of young lake trout to outcompete and predate upon native fish species. Lake trout numbers have declined since removal began in 2009, and it is critical to continue the work. The native fish populations in Quartz Lake have been maintained through these efforts and a failure to net lake trout in the coming year

Fisheries biologists work at Quartz Lake every summer to net and remove invasive fish species in an effort to help preserve the park’s native fish.

could remove nearly a decade’s worth of work in Quartz Lake.

Locate and Monitor Glacier’s Bat Roosts FUNDING NEEDED: $16,546 Over 6 million bats have died from white-nose syndrome

Funding will help to expand mist-netting efforts into new

across the Unites States – a disease caused by a fungus

habitats by using stock support to access backcountry

– since it was first discovered in a cave in New York in

and alpine areas and deploy state-of-the art bat acoustic

2006. In 2011, due to concerns about bats and threats to

detectors to survey for bats in the backcountry and alpine

their populations from white-nose syndrome and wind

areas, and near caves, mines and talus slopes, where mist-

energy development, the Waterton-Glacier Peace Park Bat

netting is not possible. It is critical to locate and monitor the

Inventory and Monitoring Program began.

largest bat roosts in the park and expand inventory efforts further into the backcountry and alpine habitats to complete

The disease infects hibernating bats and has spread to

and inventory of Glacier’s bat species to understand how the

30 states and five provinces, and is projected to arrive in

population changes after the disease arrives in the park.

Glacier by 2026. Since the Glacier monitoring inception, scientists have confirmed bat use in caves, bat presence in winter, identified hundreds of bat roosts in buildings, and added three species to Glacier National Park’s mammals list. This project will allow scientists to expand inventory surveys, to conduct bat emergence counts on select bat maternity roosts, and collect acoustic data to monitor and prepare for white-nose syndrome.

Black Swifts: The Poster Bird for Climate Change FUNDING NEEDED: $16,038 Black swifts are a bird species considered at highest risk of endangerment due to climate change. They only nest near or behind waterfalls that persist throughout the year. Persistent waterfalls are those fed by melting snowfields and glaciers rather than just spring rains. Glacier is incredibly rich in the number of waterfalls it holds; it is thought that many of these support nesting black swifts. Without additional resources, however, few waterfalls are inspected each year because most require backcountry travel. Glacier National Park currently boasts more than half (nine) of all known black swift nest sites in Montana. By locating additional nest sites, biologists can initiate monitoring of these colonies to ensure they are stable and do not require further protection.

Black Swifts nest near or behind year-round waterfalls. If waterfalls dry up due to changes in the climate, will these birds adapt or disappear?

Eagle and Raptor Counts: Outfit the Hawk Watch Site on Mt. Brown FUNDING NEEDED: $6,838 Glacier National Park boasts one of the most important golden eagle migration routes in North America. Nearly 2,000 golden eagles were recorded migrating past Mount Brown annually from 1994 through 1996. Recent trend data from outside the park, however, indicate significant declines in their numbers, attributed to environmental contaminants, habitat loss, prey declines and climate change. Many people are unaware of the risks raptors face while migrating and just to survive. Golden eagles and other raptors are top predators and migration counts are a cost-effective and efficient approach to detect changes in their numbers. This project will outfit a Hawk Watch International Site below the Mount Brown lookout. From this vantage point, volunteers get close-up, unforgettable views of raptors, enabling reliable identification and fostering raptor knowledge and passion. The primary observer would be responsible for monitoring raptors every day, and also teaching and assisting volunteer

warm and safe between survey days, and allow the park

scientists who hike up to the site each day. Funding would

biologist to coordinate logistics, train new volunteers and

ensure observers staying overnight in the lookout will be

ensure quality control.

Training Future Park Leaders and Stewards FUNDING NEEDED $688,463 >>

GL ACIER YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS - $92,500

VETER ANS GREEN CORPS: TR ANSITIONING FROM THE MILITARY TO THE CIVILIAN WORKFORCE - $31,300

SUMMER YOUTH ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE - $33,100

NATIVE AMERICA SPEAKS - $41,000

FUNDING TR ANSPORTATION FOR SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS - $14,000

EXPAND GIS CAPABILITIES AT COLUMBIA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL - $5,400

YOUNG SCHOL AR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS - $17,625

INVESTING IN TEACHERS: A FOREST FOR EVERY CL ASSROOM - $33,300

GL ACIER IN FOCUS - $10,680

HALF THE PARK HAPPENS AF TER DARK - $82,000

GL ACIER TR AIL CREW INTERN - $13,000

DEVELOPING THE 21ST CENTURY PARK R ANGER - $31,000

SCIENCE & RESOURCES MANAGEMENT INTERN - $3,400

INTERPRETIVE YOUTH INTERNSHIP PROGR AM - $30,000

PROVIDING A GLACIER EXPERIENCE TO STUDENTS NEAR & FAR - $169,758

Students collect water samples to discover and count insects and other organisms present as part of a BioBlitz event.

Glacier Youth Conservation Corps: DELIVERING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES FOR THE PARKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEXT GENERATION OF STEWARDS FUNDING NEEDED: $92,500 The Glacier Youth Corps strives to increase opportunities for youth to serve within Glacier National Park and to deepen their understanding of public lands. This program is a partnership with the Glacier National Park Conservancy, the Montana Conservation Corps, and Glacier National Park. Each year these organizations work together to bring youth, ages 15-24, to the park to work on projects that include trail maintenance, monitoring of sensitive species, weed elimination, and rehabilitation of historic structures. In providing these opportunities for young adults to work together on conservation projects of lasting benefit to the park, they are able to translate their knowledge and passion for the environment into valuable work experience.

This program also sponsors a Blackfeet crew which focuses on recruiting youth from underserved or tribal communities. This crew will primarily work on joint projects that benefit both the tribal lands and Glacier National Park. The Glacier Youth Corps will also be piloting a new component to this project this year that incorporates middle school youth. This new initiative will bring middle school youth, ages 13-14, into Glacier National Park for two weeks to participate in a combination of service projects and education programs.

veterans Green corps: TRANSITIONING FROM THE MILITARY TO THE CIVILIAN WORKFORCE FUNDING NEEDED: $31,300 The Veterans Green Corps aims to bring together a crew of volunteer veterans with valuable military trades alongside critical Glacier National Park projects. For two weeks they will work on a variety of projects throughout the park. This program, in partnership with the Montana Conservation Corps who are responsible for the recruitment and training of this crew, will provide an opportunity for veterans to work on conservation projects, gain additional valuable work experience, and be provided with the necessary skills to be

The veterans will assist on a variety of projects including trail maintenance, research for Citizen Science, and preservation of historic structures. All of these projects create a positive impact on the visitors and the resources at Glacier National Park.

competitive for jobs within the National Park Service. This opportunity is a means for veterans to reconnect with nature and find camaraderie while continuing to serve their country in a different capacity.

Youth and adult conservation crews sponsored through donations to the Glacier Conservancy perform work critical to the park including trail maintenance, weed elimination, and monitoring of sensitive species.

Summer Youth Engagement Initiative FUNDING NEEDED: $33,100 This project takes a multifaceted approach to engaging youth,

10,000 Number of children and family members who visit the Apgar Nature Center each year

80 Number of formal children’s programs

providing hands-on experience and forging connections with the natural world during the summer on the park’s west side. The program integrates formal children’s programs and activities, junior ranger program support, and a children’s campground lending library. The teacher-ranger-teacher program provides an important professional development opportunity for local teachers during the summer months while providing skilled staff members in the park to provide youth programs.

Native America Speaks FUNDING NEEDED: $41,000 Now in its 34th year at Glacier National Park, this project provides support for the Native America Speaks program. This award-winning program enables native people to tell their own stories to park visitors in the park’s campgrounds and amphitheaters, and provides an opportunity for tribal leaders to speak for their culture as an integral part of creating and sustaining productive and supportive relationships with the park’s neighboring tribes.

34,000 Number of reader junior ranger booklets printed

11,000 Number of pre-reader junior ranger booklets printed

24,000 Number of junior ranger badges printed

Funding Transportation for School Field Trips FUNDING NEEDED: $14,000 This project will provide funding for schools participating in Glacier National Park ranger- and staff-led field trips to apply for travel grants. As many as 30% of the schools that participate in park education programs are no longer able to pay for the buses and thus, cannot participate in the education programs. In addition, there is an increased interest in schools wanting to visit from a greater distance, but only if they receive transportation assistance. Although all of the schools are within a one-day drive to the park, many of the schools receiving these travel grants last year estimated that 50% or more of their students had never been to Glacier National Park.

Field trips to Glacier get students into a giant classroom – Glacier National Park – for an unforgettable day of hands-on learning.

SMITH’S ROUND UP FOR GLACIER

By removing the barrier to transportation costs, this

This program is supported in part each year through

program ensures that approximately 2,500 students,

the Smith’s Round Up for Glacier campaign. From

teachers and chaperones are able to participate in Glacier

June 25 - July 29, visit Smith’s in Columbia Falls or

field trips each year.

Kalispell and contribute to this project at checkout.

Expand GIS Capabilities at Columbia Falls High School FUNDING NEEDED: $5,400 The Field Ecology class at Columbia Falls High School began in the 2016-17 academic year, helped in part by a 2016 grant from the Glacier Conservancy. The model for this initial year of the class offering was to use the web-based version of ArcGIS software (ArcGIS Online, or AGOL) on Chromebooks already owned by the school. While the software has functioned well, students have already reached the limits of what can be achieved and learned with AGOL as compared with Desktop ArcGIS software. There are 32 students enrolled in two sections of Field Ecology this school year. This project will purchase six laptop computers that can operate GIS software and will allow students to access and learn the full suite of GIS tools available, enriching the quality of projects students can pursue in their studies of Glacier National Park. Student projects will benefit from creating new data, analyzing that data, and having the flexibility for compelling cartography afforded by Desktop ArcGIS software.

Investing in Teachers: A FOREST FOR EVERY CLASSROOM FUNDING NEEDED: $33,300 Forest for Every Classroom was established in 1999, a unique collaboration of partners comprised of Shelburne Farms, National Wildlife Federation, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service Conservation Study Institute and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park who came

Young Scholar Research Fellowships FUNDING NEEDED: $17,625 Park managers have identified a long list of priority research needs, with far more needs than can ever be addressed with internal NPS funding sources. The park relies heavily on research scientists from universities and other research

together with a common vision: If students are immersed in the interdisciplinary study of their own “place,” they will be more eager to learn and become involved in the stewardship of their communities and public lands. Through this partnership, they developed “Forest for Every Classroom.” This is a collaboration of at least one non-profit natural history or environmental education organization, and at least one land management agency who are committed to bringing a one-year professional training experience to

agencies to provide data to improve decision-making for the

teachers focused on place-based education in and about local

management of park resources.

forest areas. Flathead National Forest proposes partnering

Fully funding new research projects is often a costly

watershed.

endeavor. This project is a creative solution to economically meet many of the park’s research needs by providing seed money in the form of student fellowships to attract graduate and superior upper division undergraduate students to conduct their research projects in Glacier, selecting their project ideas from the research needs list and developing them with the support of a park manager. With this funding a new fellowship opportunity, entitled The Glacier National Park Conservancy Research Fellowship, would support research by students from schools affiliated with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (RMCESU). Projects may address either natural or cultural resource issues or social science that informs resource management about park resources. Fellowships would be awarded in the range of $3,000-$5,000 per project, and up to five projects would be supported with this funding. Students are expected to provide a final project report and copies of any publications resulting from the research. In addition, they will prepare a one-page, illustrated project summary suitable for the general public, and an additional educational product to facilitate information transfer beyond the scientific audience.

with Glacier National Park to focus on the Flathead

This program is aimed at changing the way educators perceive and practice their profession. In the course of the year-long program, educators are provided with the knowledge, skills and mentoring necessary to revitalize their curriculum with effective and engaging place-based learning opportunities using nearby public lands and forested landscapes as their classrooms. Participating educators have the opportunity to work with some of the very best resource professionals in their region. Educators develop their own individualized curriculum, increasing student literacy skills while also enhancing student understanding and appreciation for public lands and forests in and near their own communities. This program encourages “handson” study of community resources, both natural and cultural, integrating concepts of ecology, sense of place, land management and stewardship, service learning and civics.

Glacier in Focus

Photo: Autumn C. (age 12), Boys & Girls Clubs of the Flathead Reservation & Lake County.

FUNDING NEEDED: $ 10,680 The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parks in Focusâ&#x20AC;? program created by the Udall Foundation brings youth from Boys & Girls Clubs across Western Montana, a region rich in public lands and resources, to Glacier National Park for a week of camping, hiking and environmental education, anchored by a thematic focus on photography techniques and its application as a tool for conservation. Nature photography and a week-long immersion in the park invites this diverse cohort of young stewards to gain familiarity with ecological relationships and wilderness skills, acting as a ballast against the challenges and hardships they may be facing. Participants in these

Parks in Focus connects youth to nature through photography and action-packed excursions to awesome public lands.

programs learn far more than photography skills and ecology; through experiential learning opportunities around Apgar campground, students become comfortable and accountable in the outdoors, a vital step in the continuity of public lands and national parks throughout their lifetimes. This special program will host 24 middle school youth for 50 hours of program knowledge, skills and engagement in partnership with the park, the Glacier Institute, and the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Photo © SKYGLOW Harun Mehmedinovic & Gavin Heffernan

Half the Park Happens After Dark Glacier National Park is now the first transboundary dark

a cultural activity enjoyed by humans since we began asking

sky park in conjunction with Waterton Lakes National Park

questions about the world around us. Glacier’s very dark

in Canada. This designation demands cooperation as well

sky provides a huge impact for visitors from more polluted

as a commitment to protecting and improving the night sky

environments and encourages them to care about the sky

in these two parks. Educating visitors about the importance

where they live.

of the dark sky is also a required element of dark sky park status, and a key to spreading the word about Glacier’s

This project will provide support for one of the most

special night skies and why they are important to protect for

popular interpretive programs at Glacier National Park – an

future generations.

opportunity to look through a telescope at the wonders of the night sky (and our sun during the day) and to learn about

Visitors and wildlife both benefit from a truly dark sky and

why dark nights are important – not only to view wonderful

to be able to experience the kind of darkness under which

celestial objects, but as critical periods for many animal and

humans evolved as a species. While this program has focused

plant species, and directly connected to human health and

on telescopic observations of deep sky objects and planets,

well-being.

there is now also education covering a bigger-picture view of the night sky, the important emotional connections it

Programs are provided five days per week at Apgar and St.

provides, and the need to protect the dark sky experience as

Mary. The park also hosts star parties at Logan Pass with

Teepees on the Blackfeet Reservation, just east of Glacier National Park. The Blackfeet creation story includes the night skies that people have been able to see over their native lands for thousands of years.

FUNDING NEEDED: $82,000

This project has been selected as the featured project for the Backpackerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ball Live Drive. Join

the help of the Big Sky Astronomy Club. This request also

us for Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Big Night Out and help us fund this

provides support for the first full season of operation for a

project in full. Purchase your tickets at glacier.org

new observatory at St. Mary, funded through the Glacier Conservancy in 2016. More advanced programming as well as educational outreach will be provided at this new facility. Programming at St. Mary will also provide a bridge between a western scientific perspective and Blackfeet cultural interpretations of the night sky. This part of the program will be coordinated with the Conservancy-funded Tribal Outreach Program. A stronger focus will be placed on the value of the recent designation as Waterton-Glacier International Dark Sky Park and the many values associated with preserving pristine dark skies.

Saturday August 5, 2017 5:30pm

Green Valley Ranch

Coram, MT

Learning by Doing: Internship Opportunities in Glacier National Park Park rangers are the public face of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s precious natural resources, but how does someone learn the necessary skill sets to qualify for a position with the National Park Service? There are a wide variety of requirements for the positions including educating the public and supporting and implementing conservation efforts that preserve and protect the park. Many of these skills cannot be easily taught in a classroom and require hands-on experience in order to qualify for these important positions. Glacier offers a variety of both paid and volunteer programs for high school and college-age students to get summer experience leading educational programs, performing citizen

14 Internships 1 Trails Intern

1 21st Century Intern

8 Interpretation Interns

science surveys, and working with professional trail crews

Science and Resources Intern

that provide a lasting benefit to the park and significant

work experience for those interested in future careers with

Education Interns

the park service. Many of these positions are made possible through donations to the Glacier Conservancy.

Glacier Trail Crew Intern FUNDING NEEDED: $13,000 This project would fund a paid intern position in the trails division and would focus on recruiting qualified candidates from the local community who would not otherwise qualify for any of the regular federal hiring authorities due to a lack of experience, or may otherwise be eliminated from consideration due to limited availability. This position would serve as a stepping stone to a potential position with NPS, and provide the skills necessary to compete for those jobs successfully. The main objective would be to provide entry level job skills and experience on a professional trail crew.

Developing the 21st Century Park Ranger FUNDING NEEDED: $31,000 In a technology-dominated world, there is still a desire to visit

creating reasonable wilderness management plans with

wild places and reconnect to a simpler life. The Wilderness

measurable results. These positions produce immediate

Act of 1964 preserved wild places and provided a management

tactical benefits to Glacier National Park backcountry users

framework to maintain them, but ironically, increasing

resulting from added staffing in backcountry permit offices

technological sophistication in the workforce has led away

and increased ranger presence in the backcountry. The

from careers utilizing traditional ranger skills and left a drying

potential long-term benefits are significant as interns move on

pool of wilderness champions to protect wilderness values and

to future managerial roles and chart the course of wilderness

manage for the future.

protection for the rest of this century.

The challenge for 21st century wilderness advocates is to develop managers who embrace the benefits of technology to implement wilderness management ideals, and who also possess the traditional skills necessary for monitoring and measuring the success of those plans in the wilderness setting. This will be the third year for this program. The position duties are split between field and office, developing future wilderness managers with a balance of technological and traditional skills. Skill in technology and tradition are necessary for

Science & Resources Management Intern FUNDING NEEDED: $3,400 This program would recruit one intern from a local high school to work with various natural and cultural resources staff and crews. The student will experience firsthand a variety of activities that are conducted in the park for the sake of conservation. Activities would include working at the native plant nursery, including seed collection, out-planting with the revegetation crew, weed identification and handpulling, working with GPS and GIS participating in various fisheries and wildlife projects, and field experience with an archaeologist.

This internship would provide hands-on conservation experience for a local high school student.

Interpretive Youth Internship Program FUNDING NEEDED: $30,000 These internships will provide unique professional development opportunities for college students and recent graduates that will enhance their interpretive skills while providing valuable visitor services throughout the park. Students work at visitor centers and on trails throughout the park educating visitors and classroom groups on field trips. Interns receive three weeks of intense training, with additional professional development and cross-training sessions integrated throughout the summer.

Summer interpretive interns play an important role in educating children and their families at visitor centers and on trails throughout the park.

Providing a Glacier Experience to Students Near and Far FUNDING NEEDED: $169,758 Opportunities to get out of the classroom and into an engaging

All of these programs are curriculum-based, aligning with

environment like Glacier National Park develops childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

state and local standards. The programs reach numerous

curiosity about their natural surroundings and brings their

grades, schools, teachers and parents throughout the Glacier

lessons to life with hands-on activities. For decades, university

community both east and west of the Continental Divide. The

student teachers, interns and school-age classrooms have

distance learning programs reach schools around the nation

come to Glacier for these unique experiences.

and in some cases, around the world. Glacier education field trips had over 10,000 participants last year, an increase of

Educators in the local Glacier community and beyond continue

2,000 over the previous year.

to ask the park to help them meet their educational objectives with field trips, and more recently, virtual opportunities

This project also provides two to three internship

that relate to current resource issues including the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

opportunities for students interested in environmental

disappearing glaciers and climate change research being

education careers with the National Park Service. They

conducted here.

receive a weekly stipend, housing and uniforms. These positions are for people who are willing to work full-time and

This project will provide education ranger staffing, training,

receive on-the-job training as volunteers or who need the

supplies and materials to conduct ranger-led field trips,

internship for their degree requirements. For many of these

ranger classroom visits and ranger-led distance learning

students, the experience has changed the course of their lives.

programs in 2018.

Habitat & Infrastructure Restoration FUNDING NEEDED $421,540

PRESERVE GL ACIER NATIONAL PARKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAVED HISTORIC ROADS - $60,000

PREVENT CATASTROPHIC MUSSEL INFESTATION IN GL ACIER - $ 127,000

BISON AT HOME ON THE R ANGE - $75,000

COLL ABOR ATE WITH TR ANSBOUNDARY PARTNERS - $75,000

LIDAR DATA COLLEC TION ON THE GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD - $45,000

IMPROVE SUCCESS OF NATIVE PL ANTINGS WITH MOBILE WATER TANK - $9,540

RESTORE GRINNELL GL ACIER PICNIC AREA - $ 4,500

NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL ON RED EAGLE TR AIL - $10,000

Preserve Glacier National Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paved Historic Roads FUNDING NEEDED: $60,000 There are five paved roads in Glacier National Park that are considered historic, including the National Historic Landmark Going-to-the-Sun Road. These roads are subject to heavy visitor use over a short summer timeframe. The rest of the year they are subject to extreme weather. Both of these factors take a toll on the integrity of the pavement on these roads. With the deterioration of the paved roads within the park, millions of dollars are needed on a 7+-year cycle to perform pavement preservation in the form of chip and slurry sealing the potholes and cracks in the asphalt. Starting in the spring, the road crew hand-shovels the patch into the back of trucks, drives to a pothole location, and again hand-shovels the patch material into the potholes. This method of hand-patching puts the employees at risk of injury, and is a very slow and tedious process. It has also proven to be ineffective in keeping up with the deteriorating roads within Glacier because it is placed at a cold temperature and does not adhere well to the subgrade or the edges of existing asphalt. These patches often fail soon after they are applied. This project will fund the purchase or secure a donation for a DuraPatcher machine that is trailer mounted, and would be towed with a small Park Service dump truck. Road crews would use this machine to fill in cavities, cracks, potholes, deteriorated road shoulders, washouts, utility cuts, fissures and large patches of cracking on all of the paved roads and parking areas in Glacier National Park.

A DuraPatcher will enable the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s road crews to repair virtually all of the lane miles each year on park roads, improve the visitor experience and employee safety, while allowing staff to keep up with asphalt deterioration as it occurs.

Prevent Catastrophic Mussel Infestation in Glacier Park FUNDING NEEDED: $127,000 In December 2016, aquatic invasive mussels (AIS) were discovered just a few hours away from Glacier National Park in Tiber and Canyon Ferry Reservoirs. The park’s initial response was a complete closure of park waters to all watercraft. After assessing the threat of mussel transport in such close

Glacier’s waters would almost certainly mean infestation of

proximity to Glacier, the park reconfigured its AIS prevention

the Columbia River and all power-generating facilities along

program for the summer of 2017. The new program maintains

the river, as well as infestation of the Hudson Bay drainage

closure of park waters to all motorized or trailered watercraft,

and further infestation of the Missouri River drainage.

and provide a full inspection by park staff of all non-motorized watercraft prior to launching in Glacier. That program will

Through complete closure of Glacier’s waters we might

continue to operate in 2018 with inspection stations in Apgar,

prevent infestations from happening; however, the National

Two Medicine, St. Mary and Many Glacier.

Park Service has a dual mandate to preserve and protect resources while also providing enjoyment of those resources.

Aquatic invasive mussels pose a massive threat both

The Glacier National Park AIS prevention program provides

economically and ecologically throughout the United States,

both excellent resource protection and visitor access to enjoy

and continue to spread. With Glacier National Park sitting at

park waters. The current program provides high confidence

the top of three continental scale watersheds, infestation of

in our inspection program and access to park waters. The goal of this project is to provide for visitor boating on park waters while ensuring they remain protected from AIS introduction. To this end, all non-motorized watercraft wanting to launch on park waters will be inspected for

Invasive mussels on a boat propeller at Lake Mead.

aquatic invaders, including plants and mollusks. Park staff estimate 10,000 or more non-motorized watercraft will be inspected parkwide during the summer of 2017. AIS monitoring will take place on all vehicle accessible lakes each month of the summer.

This project has been accepted for the Whitefish Community Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Fish Challenge. If you wish to support this project, you can contribute directly to the Conservancy or visit greatfishchallenge.org and donate directly to the Whitefish Community Foundation on behalf of the Glacier Conservancy prior to September 15.

Bison at Home on the Range FUNDING NEEDED: $90,500 The Blackfeet Tribe, in conjunction with the Wildlife Conservation Society and NPS Biological Resources Division, have been working to bring bison back to their lands through the Iinnii Initiative which calls on the Blackfeet People to develop a new vision for land conservation on the Rocky Mountain Front to and help protect Blackfeet culture by creating a home for buffalo. Realizing this vision will create new, nature-based business opportunities and jobs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iinniiâ&#x20AC;? refers to buffalo in the Blackfoot language and has been the central focus of dialogues, workshops and summits among the Blackfoot Confederacy Tribes, in partnership and with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society and, in particular, the American Bison Society, going back to 2009. On April 4, 2016, the tribe received 88 plains bison from Elk Island National Park in Canada. These animals will form the nucleus of a herd that tribal leaders envision will someday roam freely across a vast landscape: The Blackfeet reservation, the Chief Mountain area of Glacier National Park, the grasslands of Waterton National Park, adjoining lands managed by The Nature Conservancy, and nearby Blood and Kinai First Nations lands. The tribe is poised to receive additional bison from Elk Island National Park in 2017 or 2018 to bolster this core herd. The lands they are targeting for initial recovery of this species include the Badger-Two Medicine area as well as Glacier National Park. This project will assess the current status of habitats on the east side of the park after more than a century of use by native wildlife and trespass livestock (primarily cattle). The results will provide a baseline for future comparisons when and if bison are allowed to return to park lands. Although

bison have been absent from these habitats since the late 1800s, this landscape evolved with their presence. Of all the megafauna species found in what is now Glacier, when Lewis and Clark passed through the area, American bison and pronghorn antelope are the only species currently missing from this ecosystem. This project will identify how landscape use by native wildlife may have been altered by the removal of bison and introduction of trespass livestock. It will examine use of riparian areas by native wildlife and trespass livestock, assess diversity of bird species in areas historically utilized by bison, map distribution and presence/absence of rare plants, and utilize modern laboratory technology to determine which plant species are currently being eaten by native wildlife and trespass livestock. The results will be documented in a report and maps that park managers will use to compare future changes to the current state. Having this information will help park managers to understand how native ungulates currently interact with the land. It will also inform management decisions for the possible return of bison to park lands. With the eventual return of free-ranging bison to Blackfeet lands, it is possible that bison will return to park lands in the future. However, before considering whether to allow them to return, park managers must first understand how native wildlife and trespass livestock are currently using the landscape. This information will allow them to monitor and document any future changes in wildlife use and/or distribution on the landscape, and help guide management decisions relative to those potential changes.

Collaborate with Transboundary Conservation Partners in the Crown of the Continent FUNDING NEEDED: $75,000 At the narrow waist of the Rocky Mountains, where Alberta, British Columbia and Montana meet, sprawls one of the wildest, most diverse and intact ecosystems in the temperate zones of the world. Glacier National Park sits in the middle of 18 million acres of pristine wilderness and protects the headwaters of three continental river systems. The term “Crown of the Continent” was coined by George Bird Grinnell in the 1890s and is largely defined by the habitat needs of diverse vegetation and wide-ranging wildlife that thrive here, like the grizzly bear, wolverine, wolf and bull trout. Management strategies for disturbances such as fire and invasive plants will need to adapt to the context of climate change pressures and reach much further outside of Glacier National Park. Engaging the support of neighbors and partners throughout the Crown of the Continent is critical as the park seeks solutions to these complex issues. This project funds a variety of projects important to the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park including the planning for the next Hands Across Borders workshop in 2019, and follow-up work from last year’s workshop, and a traveling exhibit on art inspired by the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park hosted by the Hockaday Museum in Kalispell.

The Goat Haunt Visitor Center sits on the border of the United States and Canada and welcomes visitors to and from Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park.

Additionally, landscape-scale work with the Crown of the Continent partners will involve providing matching funds for a Crown Manager’s Partnership Forum on wildfire and/ or carnivore connectivity, native community engagement for the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent, and providing assistance in working with partners on the transboundary Iinnii Initiative.

LiDAR Data Collection on the Going-to-the-Sun Road FUNDING NEEDED: $45,000 Extreme climate-related events in the recent past have caused extensive damage along Going-to-the-Sun Road, including Pineapple Express weather patterns and rainon-snow events that have produced extraordinary volumes of water carrying large and damaging debris. Damage to the Going-to-the-Sun Road pavement and associated road infrastructure (culverts, bridges, retaining walls) has cost millions in emergency repair.

LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing method to measure ranges to the earth, generating precise, three-dimensional information about the shape of the earth. This project will provide managers and the public with LiDAR-based elevation data to develop tools like flood hazard maps, throughout the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor, which donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t currently exist.

A shaded relief image derived from elevation data points captured by LiDAR including precise river channel (yellow) and road infrastructure including bridges and culverts (green).

Crews are clearing debris and hauling away rock slide debris at Big Bend.

Flood inundation mapping that is based on high resolution LiDAR elevation data is a powerful planning and response tool to help protect the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure.

Improve Success of Native Plantings with a Mobile Water Tank FUNDING NEEDED: $9,540 The lack of water tank equipment for park staff to adequately water newly transplanted plants has been a long-time challenge. The revegetation crew waters plant material by hand and often plants never get supplemental water or even an adequate amount of water, and thus rely solely on weather conditions, often to the detriment of the plantings. Handwatering is expensive, not efficient, and results in lower-than-expected success of new plantings establishing successfully.

At the present time, the park either pays the Federal Highways contractor to water the transplants or must rent equipment on a daily basis to ensure the new transplants are adequately watered so they have a better chance to successfully establish. This project will eliminate the need for future contracts with outside entities and expensive daily rentals of large-capacity water tanks to ensure newly transplanted vegetation is watered. The equipment purchased will provide park staff the ability to both water transplants and save money in the long term.

Restore Grinnell Glacier Picnic Area FUNDING NEEDED: $ 4,500 As park visitation increases, a growing number of hikers are visiting Grinnell Glacier. The Grinnell Glacier picnic area is a logical stopping point for those who do not want to go further, those needing a break, or for picnicking. This project is located in a subalpine environment at approximately 6500 feet, and is snow-covered, frigid and wind-blasted for up to nine months of the year. Due to the popularity of this trail and picnic area during the summer months, the resources have been greatly impacted

by pedestrian travel throughout the site, particularly to the fragile vegetation in the area. A large number of social trails in this area have been created due to the confusion as to where the outhouses are and where the main trail is located. This project will create directional signage for hikers, rehabilitate those areas that are becoming heavily impacted by pedestrian traffic, and delineate main trails for visitor use while restoring the vegetation in impacted areas around the Grinnell Picnic area.

Noxious Weed Control on Red Eagle Trail FUNDING NEEDED: $ 10,000 Spotted knapweed is a state-listed noxious weed. Weed surveys conducted the last several years have documented an estimated six infested acres of spotted knapweed along the Red Eagle and Beaver Pond trails. Spotted knapweed has been recorded as far up as 5 miles along the trail. There are 24 documented sites of knapweed on the Red Eagle trail and nine more on the adjacent Beaver Pond trail.

PARTIALLY FUNDED Successful noxious weed control takes multiple years to be successful. This project will dedicate two weeks for park staff and trained backcountry volunteers to focus on these six acres. After three years of effort in this concentrated area, the infestations should be easier to manage with a small crew for a limited amount of time.

The infestations along this trail are continuing to spread further down the trail into the backcountry and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imperative that it not become established in the recommended wilderness. There are also other noxious weed infestations at the Red Eagle trailhead parking lot and adjacent on the trail/road up to the 1913 Ranger Station. These areas must be treated to keep the trailhead and trail corridor from becoming reinfested. Photo ÂŠ Ken Schneider

Creating a Safe & Enjoyable Park Experience for Visitors FUNDING NEEDED $183,584

OPER ATE SPRING HIKER BIKER SHUT TLE ON THE WEST SIDE - $30,000

SHARE LOCAL TRIBAL STORIES AT L AKE MCDONALD - $ 18,206

INCREASE ACCESS TO GL ACIERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HISTORICAL ARCHIVES - $10,000

ADD RESTROOM AT T WO MEDICINE FOR WINTER USE - $40,000

INCREASE SIGN SHOP PRODUC TION WITH A L ASER ENGR AVER - $20,000

SATELLITE COMMUNICATION FOR BACKCOUNTRY TR AIL CREWS - $ 7,546

VISITOR INFORMATION IN PRINT AND ON THE WEB - $53,700

PUBLIC WI-FI AT ST. MARY & APGAR VISITOR CENTERS - $1,600

R ANGER POCKET REFERENCE - $2,532

Operate Spring Hiker Biker Shuttle on the West Side FUNDING NEEDED: $30,000 One of the favorite springtime activities in Glacier National Park is experiencing the Going-to-theSun Road by foot or by bicycle from Avalanche Campground to Logan Pass. This section of the road provides cyclists one of the most epic ride/climbs in the world, gaining almost 3,200 feet over the course of the 16-mile route between Avalanche and Logan Pass, with most of the elevation gain occurring over the last 10 miles where the road tops out at the pass, at an elevation of 6646 feet. The waterfalls, flowers, wildlife viewing and absence of traffic makes this one of the most popular and exciting experiences a visitor can have in the park. Hiker-Biker Season attracts families not just from the Flathead Valley but from across the nation and even internationally. As interest grows to experience the road in this way, parking congestion at the trailhead has become an issue. This request would fund the third year of a shuttle for hikers and bikers allowing them to park at Apgar or Lake McDonald Lodge and shuttle to Avalanche.

43 43

Share Local Tribal Stories at Lake McDonald FUNDING NEEDED: $18,206 Glacier National Park’s Lake McDonald has been known as a special place for thousands of years. Long before the park was established, traditions and celebrations held at the foot of the lake commemorated people’s livelihoods and reaffirmed their spiritual needs. This project would develop interpretive exhibits to convey

people and groups today. Funds would provide the production

the traditional stories and deep cultural connections of First

of photography, artwork and story content in collaboration

Nations and Tribes to this landscape, and emphasize how a

with the Kootenai Culture Committee and Salish-Pend

shared appreciation of this special place connects different

d’Oreille Culture Committee Elders.

According to Sally Thompson’s book, “People Before the Park”, the Kootenai had a winter camp known as “The Place Where They Dance” for 10,000 generations at the foot of Lake McDonald in the area now known as Apgar. Three songs were sung while dancing in a circle - the people did this so that the year ahead would be filled with good tidings.

Increase Access to Glacier’s Historical Archives FUNDING NEEDED: $10,000 The writers, interpreters and scholars who tap Glacier

mail inquiry. Due to the sheer volume of material in the

National Park’s archives can discover an inspirational

collection, that will continue to be the best way for research

treasure trove of photographic images, historic maps and

to be completed. It is also anticipated that the launch of some

architectural drawings, and a rich documentary record of

of the online photographic images on the Montana Memory

the park’s century-long history. The museum staff receives

Project website may stimulate more requests from the

about 100 to 125 requests for research, photographs and

collection.

information from the park’s collection each year. This project focuses on facilitating that access – connecting archives

This project will fund a part-time NPS museum technician

patrons with the material they seek.

that serves as the primary contact for collection researchers, producing books, articles and various educational materials.

Past support of the archives through donations to the Glacier

As research demands permit, additional duties of the

Conservancy has established an online presence for the

technician will include nuts and bolts-type of museum

park’s collection, allowing the park to make more archival

work such as environmental monitoring, integrated pest

material available online, but the bulk of the collection still

management, rehousing collection items, assisting with

remains only accessible by a site visit or an email/regular

required inventories and cataloging.

Cut through snowfield on the Logan Pass Highway (Going-to-theSun Road). [Also pictured: Mt. Gould (left) and Bishop’s Cap (right) in the distance.] 1934 Creator: Grant, George Alexander

Old touring car and three people at west side campsite with tent, cooking gear, etc. ca. 1920 Creator: Marble, R. E. (Ray Elmer “Ted”)

Alpine mountain climbers. [Hans Reiss, Dorothy Pilley, and an unknown man climbing Grinnell Point with Many Glacier Hotel and Swiftcurrent Lake below.] 1926 Creator: Bell, Ray

Two Medicine is a popular destination for cross country skiers in the winter months and for all visitors in the summer. This project would install a vault toilet that could be used year-round.

Add Restroom Facilities at Two Medicine for Winter Use FUNDING NEEDED: $40,000

camp store in Two Medicine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a popular winter destination

Visitation at Glacier National Park has been reaching record

winter visitation areas on the east side of the park and the

numbers over the last few years during the summer and winter months, creating restroom shortages throughout the park in the summer, and has increased the need for vault toilets for the shoulder seasons, and even winter months. This project would install a double-stall vault toilet near the

by cross country skiers. Two Medicine is one of the highest only available restroom from October 1 to May 20 is in the campground which is hard to access in the deep snow. An additional restroom would also be useful in the summer months when visitation to the area is at its peak and facilities are limited.

PROPOSED LOCATION

Increase Glacier’s Sign Shop Production Capacity with a Laser Engraver FUNDING NEEDED: $20,000 Glacier Park’s sign shop produces an enormous volume of signs and exhibits each year. Over the past three years, donations to the Glacier Conservancy have funded the purchase of a vinyl printer and a CNC machine for the sign shop which has been instrumental in increasing the production of large-scale projects that the shop handles yearly. This project is the third phase of that upgrade and would purchase a 24” x 36” laser engraver for use in the Glacier National Park Sign Shop. These machines are capable of engraving or cutting plastics, wood, coated metals, foam and many other substrates and will significantly increase the production of small-scale projects that the shop handles yearly. The current machine that the shop uses for its smaller signs and plaques is outdated and troublesome to operate. The operating system that the machine runs on is slow and inefficient and uses a rotary cutter head which is limited in its ability to engrave detailed images. The machine will allow for expanded interpretive uses as far as exhibits and tactile displays, will help to engrave braille facility signage easier than current methods used, and will be able to engrave plaques and awards quicker and with more detail than the current machine, ultimately streamlining production in the shop and allowing the sign shop team to handle a larger volume of projects each year.

The CNC machine, purchased through donations to the Conservancy in 2015, has streamlined shop production. This project will purchase a laser engraver that will further improve the sign shop’s ability to handle smaller-scale projects.

Provide Satellite Communication Technology for Backcountry Trail Crews FUNDING NEEDED: $7,546 For years, trail crews and rangers in Glacier Park have

donations to the Glacier Conservancy helped purchase 14

worked with almost no way to communicate once they

devices for the park. Supplying some trail crew and rangers

are in the backcountry. The isolated location and rugged

with the technology has been immensely helpful for general

backcountry that makes Glacier so special also creates

park communications, and the devices have also been

challenges to find communication devices that work in

critical in serious search and rescue operations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; improved

the park, and help the park locate lost or injured visitors,

communication that means the difference between life and

which is especially a problem in urgent search and rescue

death in an emergency.

operations. Glacier Park is one of the only national parks that has had no two-way radio or satellite communication

This project allows us to expand the capacity of the park to

possibilities for many years.

communicate in the backcountry, allowing more rangers and crew to carry the devices, enabling the park to manage

Today there are improvements in satellite technology that

projects in the backcountry more effectively, and also to have

are making two-way communication in the backcountry

more communication with rangers and park staff in remote

possible for Glacier Park. Delorme released a two-way

locations who can then respond to urgent communications

satellite device, and the park first purchased one unit for

regarding everything from lost hikers, severe weather, and

work on securing and protecting the International Boundary

critical search and rescue operations.

to trial the technology and had great success. Last year, Two-way satellite or SPOT devices allow trail crews and search and rescue teams to communicate even when in Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugged backcountry.

Visitors at the Many Glacier Ranger Station receive information on hiking, camping and boating on printed guides where cell service is limited to reach information on the Internet.

Visitor Information in Print and on the Web FUNDING NEEDED: $53,700 Printed publications reach nearly every visitor to the park. The summer Glacier Visitor Guide distributed at each entrance gate provides the primary means that the park has to get safety and regulatory information into the hands of visitors. Additionally the ranger-led activities schedule allows visitors the opportunity to plan and schedule their vacations to take maximum advantage of the park’s interpretive outreach. Additionally, other publications on specific topics like boating, camping, backcountry camping and fishing reach targeted audiences with critical information that the park needs to provide to visitors recreating in these ways.

Provide Public Wi-Fi at St. Mary & Apgar Visitor Centers

FUNDING NEEDED: $1,600 Provide public WiFi to visitors at Apgar and St. Mary. Displays and Glacier National Park information can be accessed with this WiFi.

Ranger Pocket Reference FUNDING NEEDED: $2,532 This project request supports the production of a “Ranger Pocket Reference”. This small booklet contains a vast amount of reference materials, specific to Glacier National Park, and is small enough to fit into an NPS uniform pocket. Information ranges from emergency contact information, to mileages, to natural resources, allowing rangers to quickly answer visitor questions about a wide variety of topics.

Sustainable Glacier FUNDING NEEDED $98,400

USE SOL AR ENERGY TO POWER THE APGAR VISITOR CENTER - $50,000

SUPPORT SUSTAINABILIT Y PROJEC TS IN PARK AND COMMUNITIES - $24,400

REPLACE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS AT PARK HEADQUARTERS WITH LED BULBS - $24,000

As Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s namesake glaciers continue to melt, the park continues to take action to ensure their operations are sustainable to lighten the impact on this delicate ecosystem.

Use Solar Energy to Power the Apgar Visitor Center FUNDING NEEDED: $50,000 The Apgar Visitor Center is certified LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design); however, the building still uses electricity to operate essential items like computers and lights. This project would install a solar energy system that would be capable of offsetting the electrical usage of the building by 100%, making it a â&#x20AC;&#x153;net zeroâ&#x20AC;? user of non-renewable

GLACIER RIDE

electricity and helps Glacier National Park kickstart a larger sustainability mission. A 17-kilowatt solar panel system on the roof or grounds of the Apgar Visitor Center would be tied to the electrical grid through an agreement with Flathead Electric Cooperative for electrical regeneration possibilities. The system would consist of 50 340-watt panels installed as an array, and would include a kiosk-type monitoring display for visitors and staff to observe output in real time. The Apgar Visitor Center is one of the most visited buildings

This project has been selected for fundraising by Glacier

in the park. It serves as a contact station for park visitors,

Ride, an annual six-day charitable bike ride through

a starting point for the Going-to-the-Sun Road and is the epicenter of the transit system. The roof alignment is ideal

Waterton and Glacier National Parks to raise awareness

for maximizing solar energy during the core hours of the

and support sustainability, active transportation, and

day and will also save the park in electrical bills over its

environmental causes. To support this event or sign up as

lifespan, allowing the savings to be distributed to other park

a participant, visit climateride.org.

operations or initiatives.

Support and Implement Sustainability Projects in the Park and Local Communities FUNDING NEEDED: $24,400 Glacier National Park’s melting glaciers are often held up in the media as an example of how our climate is rapidly changing, yet the park and surrounding communities have been slow to implement sustainability practices due to our remote location. The park has an important role to play in educating visitors about climate change, but still needs the resources to implement sound practices throughout the park to help improve sustainability of the operation and inspire change in the community. This project would fund a position and use a Sustainability Plan currently being developed by an Energy Corps Sustainability intern to seek creative solutions to implement items including outreach and communications to park staff, partners and visitors, to raise awareness and find opportunities to work together to make Glacier a sustainability leader in the Crown of the Continent. This position will involve outreach communication to train all staff on the importance of energy and fuel efficiency, proper waste management, green purchasing and becoming a leader in carbon footprint reduction, as well as public communication directly to hundreds of park visitors, provide training materials to park staff on interpreting climate change and sustainability to visitors, and organize a workshop with neighboring partners and businesses to identify opportunities to collaborate in sustainable community initiatives. As Glacier asserts itself as a leader in sustainable operations and increases outreach communications on how partners and visitors can do their part, this role can help transform the behavior of numerous individuals who will collectively make a difference in reducing our carbon footprint.

PROPOSED LIST OF PROJECTS: • Acquire two electric vehicle-charging stations, a small fleet of electric vehicles, and increase the percentage of fuel-efficient vehicles in the fleet • Explore and implement solar options at St. Mary and/or Two Medicine • Assess feasibility of acquiring a glass crusher • Add LED task lighting to offices • Install light fixture upgrades to maintain Dark Sky certification • Install winter storm windows on single-pane office windows • Use radiant heating pads in the auto shop to reduce the cost of heating the entire garage • Install timers on cadet heaters in HQ restrooms • Analyze optimal heating/cooling levels for park buildings to reduce energy consumption

Replace Fluorescent Light Bulbs at Park Headquarters with LED Bulbs FUNDING NEEDED: $24,000 The goal of this project is to remove all 861 4-foot

These 4-foot fluorescent bulbs use over twice the power

fluorescent bulbs in the headquarters building and the most

of replacement LED bulbs, and the storage and disposal

used bulbs throughout buildings in the headquarters and

of fluorescent bulbs is more costly than LED bulbs. This

Apgar areas and replace them with 4-foot LED bulbs that

simple update will reduce annual operational costs of

are compatible with fluorescent fixture ballasts requiring no

basic park administrative operations, freeing up the funds

rewiring of the fixtures.

typically spent on electricity to be spent on other projects throughout the park.

HOW TO GIVE TO GLACIER DONATE

TAX ADVANTAGED GIVING

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Online at glacier.org

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Contact Nikki Eisinger at nikki@glacier.org

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By mail to:

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Take advantage of the Montana Tax Credit For Endowment Giving

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Montana has a special tax credit that allows you to credit a gift to one of our permanent endowments against your tax liability.

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Gifts of Appreciated Securities

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You can avoid capital gains taxes on appreciated securities by donating them to Glacier.

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Tax-free IRA Transfers

BECOME A FRIEND OF GLACIER

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When you renew your commitment to the park with any gift of $35 or more, you’ll receive a passport coupon book for over $500 in discounts at participating businesses and a 15% discount every time you shop at one of our Park Stores or online.

You can avoid paying income tax on as much as the first $100,000 of your required minimum distribution from your IRA by making a donation to GNPC.

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Estate Planning

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There are many ways to leave a lasting legacy through helping Glacier.

GNPC P.O. Box 2749 Columbia Falls, MT 59912 • •

Monthly giving – become a Guardian of Glacier by joining our monthly donor program Gifts in Kind – to donate unused materials for Park projects contact 406.892.3250

MATCHING GIFT PROGRAMS If your employer has a matching gift program, you can double your impact for Glacier.

MEMORIAL AND HONOR GIFTS Honor someone special or a special occasion with a lasting gift.

GLACIER LICENSE PLATES Ask for Glacier plates when registering your vehicle at the DMV. Your fee will support a variety of projects throughout the park.

For further information call Nikki Eisinger at 406.892.3250 or email nikki@glacier.org

GNPC is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and all contributions are fully tax-deductible.

Index A

Apgar Visitor Center 52 Archives 45

Infrastructure 34 Internships 30

Bicycles 43 Birds 19 Black Swifts 19 Eagles 19

LED Bulbs 53 LiDAR 40

Native America Speaks 24

Teachers 26 Trails 4 Bowman Lake Trail 6 Grinnell Glacier Picnic Area 41 Kintla Lake Trail 6 Lake Ellen Wilson Trail 8 St. Mary Falls Bridge 9 Swiftcurrent Lake Trail 8 Transboundary Partner 39 Tribal Stories 44

Citizen Science 16

Plants 40 Print Information 49

Veteran Green Corps 23 Visitor Services 42

Ranger Pocket Reference 49 Rangers 31 Restrooms 46 Roads 35

Water Tank 40 Waterton-Glacier Peace Park 39 Weeds 41 Wi-Fi 49 Wildlife 10 Aquatic Invasive Species 36 Bark Ranger 16 Bats 18 Bears 14 Bighorn Sheep 11 Bison 38 Fish 18 Mountain Goats 17 Viewing 12 Winter 9 Emergency Response 9

Education 20

F Fellowships 26 Field Trips 25

G GIS 25 Giving 54 Great Fish Challenge 37 Glacier Ride 52 Glacier Youth Corps 22

H Half the Park Happens After Dark 28

Images in this publication are considered to be in the public domain from the National Park Service, unless otherwise noted.

S Satellite Communication 48 Sign Shop 47 Solar Panel 52 Summer Youth Engagement 24 Sustainability 50

Glacier National Park Conservancy P.O. Box 2749 402 9th Street West Columbia Falls, MT 59912 406.892.3250 glacier.org

Printed on Forestry Stewardship Council certified paper with BioRenewable Ink.

The printing of this publication has been made possible through the generous support of Charter Communications