2016 ANNUAL REPORT
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK CONSERVANCY
PRESERVING GLACIER NATIONAL PARK FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
FROM OUR BOARD & STAFF On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Glacier National Park Conservancy, we take great pride in presenting this Annual Report of our growth and accomplishments over the past year. We recognize and thank our many donors and friends committed to preserving this inspiring and historic place for generations to come. 2016 was a remarkable year, and not just due to the centennial celebrations of the National Park Service. The generosity of our donors and shoppers at our Park Stores has led us to significant funding milestones, allowing the Glacier Conservancy to fund a record number of projects and provide more financial support to the park than ever before in our history.
Every day Glacier National Park faces new challenges. Whether it’s providing outdoor education for a growing population of school children who have never set foot in the wilderness before, managing the huge influx of visitors along the Going to the Sun Road in the brief summer months, or studying and responding to the impacts of climate change on the unique plants and animals throughout the Crown of the Continent, the challenges we face are more significant and the opportunities timelier.
Board of Directors
Mo Stein, Chairman John Donovan, Vice Chair Margaret Notley, Secretary Jeanette McKee, Treasurer Darrell Worm, Immediate Past Chair Lin Akey Zak Andersen Tom Bannigan Rick Bennet Carl Berry Leslie Breaux Karen Chickering Nick Chickering Nicole Donester Abbie Milisci Greg Olson Susan Hay Patrick Tony Patterson Joe Raudabaugh John Repke Cathy Stein Jeannine Trousdale
The park continues to reach out and ask for help. You continue to answer.
Staff
While a simple thank you does not seem adequate, please accept our deep gratitude for your ongoing support. We pledge our energy toward even greater achievements. We are proud of the accomplishments each of you has made possible and look forward to your continued commitment to our partnership. We always appreciate your ideas and feedback.
Development
Nikki Eisinger, Director of Development Julie Daugherty, Director of Retail Barb Sieh, Director of Finance Amy Dempster, Director of Marketing & Communications
Linda Clark Lacy Kowalski Kristine Marvin Naomi Morrison
Retail
Amber Lundgren Tiffany Tyree Chris Walters Patti Johnson, Office Manager Becca Wheeler, Graphic Designer Mo Stein Chairman, Board of Directors
Nikki Eisinger Director of Development
National Park Friends Groups are working to support their parks every day. While private philanthropy should be the margin of excellence, often it is the margin of survival instead. -Sally Jewell, August 25, 2016 On the cover: Preserving Glacier’s dark skies will be a priority theme for the Conservancy in 2017. Photo credit: Jacob W. Frank, NPS
Former Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell recognized the critical role of private philanthropy while celebrating the centennial of the National Park Service in Glacier. Her visit included hikes and meetings to see firsthand the effects of increased visitation and a changing climate.
YOUR SUPPORT IN 2016 FUNDED A RECORD-BREAKING
$2.2 MILLION IN GRANTS TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
46
TOTAL AID TO THE PARK
SINCE 2013
PROJECTS
$4,888,283
FUNDED
IN TOTAL AID
GLACIER NATIONAL
PARK
- Jeff Mow, Superintendent, Glacier National Park
“
“ $2.2M
Over the past four years, support from the Glacier National Park Conservancy has significantly contributed to our ability to care for our resources and provide outstanding visitor experiences. As we consider how to continue to preserve and protect the park with a 25% increase in visitation and the potential for significant cuts to our budget and staffing in the coming year, the necessity of philanthropy is critical.
2016 FINANCIAL STATEMENT * 2016 P&L ($ in ,000s)
Total Giving
$2,382
Sales & other income
$3,489
Ordinary Revenue
$5,871
Total Expenses
$1,581
operating income
$2,262
Estate Gifts (one time)
$1,134
Total Revenue
$7,005
release of grants
$2,200
Net Profit Administrative & General Costs (2015 990)
$63 14%
PRESERVATION 58.35% research 9.38% education 32.27%
2016 GRANTS TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
statements of the Glacier National Park Conservancy are audited annually. Copies of the complete audited financial statements are available online at glacier.org. Final audited numbers for * Financial 2016 will be available in May 2017.
Your donations provide the first glacier experience for many local students Teacher Spotlight: Melaina Ames, Hedges Elementary in Kalispell
Melaina Ames has been bringing her classes on field trips to Glacier National Park for 12 years. These trips bring classroom material to life with outdoor education. Although she provides hands-on science labs at school, she finds it difficult for students to appreciate the intricacies of an ecosystem without spending time in one.
“While we were hiking along Lake McDonald we encountered a mule deer who was feasting on the fungi that were prolific due to the wet conditions. I had never seen a deer eating mushrooms and it made a huge impression on many of my students who went on to write about it after the field trip,” said Melaina.
Even living this close to the park, for many children this is their first visit to Glacier. Teacher Spotlight: Melaina Ames (right)
Creston School visits Glacier National Park: Photo Credit Jacob W. Frank
Blackfoot Glacier Sampling: Photo Credit USGS
Glacier’s stoneflies recommended for federal protection through your support Researcher Spotlight: Joe Giersch & Clint Muhlfeld, USGS Scientists Most visitors arrive at Glacier National Park eager to see things much larger than themselves: a mountain goat, a bighorn sheep, and the towering mountains. If you squint hard the next time you’re looking at those mountains, you might spot USGS aquatic ecologists Joe Giersch and Clint Mulfeld perched alongside an alpine stream, looking for some of the tiniest residents of the park: the meltwater and western glacier stoneflies. Glacier’s stoneflies are very sensitive to changes in water quality and temperature. These two particular species adapted to live in very cold alpine streams fed by glaciers. Climate change induced loss of their habitat may result in their extinction.
“Support from the Glacier Conservancy has been integral to our research. We were able to purchase new temperature loggers to monitor stream temperature changes at study sites and pay for cutting-edge DNA analysis of insect specimens”, said Joe. As a result, the scientists recently published the first comprehensive evaluation of the current status, distribution and habitat requirements of these stoneflies. In part, due to this research project and publication of their paper, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently recommended federal protection of these stoneflies under the Endangered Species Act.
Stonefly: Photo Credit USGS
why we give: Your donations make Waterton-Glacier the world’s first international dark sky park Donor Spotlight: John & Dana Donovan, Essex, Montana
John & Sarah Graves, Oklahoma
Glacier’s popular trail of the cedars rehabilitated by donors like you Donor Spotlight: John & Sarah Graves Donors John and Sarah Graves love the many beautiful spaces in their home state of Oklahoma, but Glacier’s grandeur continues to astound them on every visit. The Graves are long time donors who have chosen to support major improvements in the Trail of the Cedars and associated facilities for the past three years. This trail was one of the first accessible trails completed by the National Park Service in the 1930’s and is now one of the busiest destinations in Glacier.
A measured, contemplative journey through The Trail of The Cedars can be magical. Sarah and I hope to help ensure that it is magical no matter whether on foot or in a wheelchair. -John Graves Through the Graves’ support, the trail itself was returned to a fully accessible status in 2015 and this spring, the restrooms in the area that are shared by the Avalanche Campground will be fully rehabilitated, making it usable for all visitors on the trail and in the campground. Also in 2017, a new pedestrian bridge will be built over Avalanche Creek, eliminating the pedestrian congestion along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Trail of the Cedars: Photo Credit, Glacier Jacob W. Frank
At a time when light pollution prevents 80% of Americans from being able to see the Milky Way and all but a very few stars, the dark sky environment preserved in Glacier-Waterton has become another sort of endangered species. By changing out the light fixtures in both parks to confine the light to where it is needed, Glacier and Waterton are working to preserve one of America’s few remaining truly dark sky places. John and Dana Donovan want to ensure that future generations will still be able to experience the wonder of a naturally dark night sky. “Glacier’s dark skies offer magical night sky experiences for park visitors. Here’s an endangered resource whose preservation is truly within our reach. Through our current funding and our inclusion of the Conservancy in our estate plan, we can help preserve that resource and fund the park’s’ popular astronomy programs so that generations of future visitors can see that half of the park really does happen after dark,” said John.
Dana & John Donovan, Board Member, Montana
The preliminary designation of Glacier-Waterton as the world’s first trans-boundary dark sky park is just the beginning. Over the next three years, hundreds of light fixtures throughout the park still need to be replaced with lighting that directs the light only where it is needed and promotes a healthy night environment for nocturnal species. Donations to the Glacier Conservancy continue to fund this work and the park’s astronomy education program that is enjoyed by 30,000 visitors each year. Both solar and nighttime viewing is available at Apgar and St. Mary, and popular Star Parties are held at Logan Pass each summer. These programs would not be possible without your support.
Leaving a lasting legacy in the backcountry Donor Spotlight: David K., Minnesota After personally volunteering thousands of hours over ten years to work in Glacier’s backcountry, David was intimately familiar with the park’s most urgent needs across these most remote areas. As a result, he has created an endowment specifically to support backcountry projects throughout Glacier. In addition he has provided funding for two vehicles for use by the backcountry ranger team for the past two years.
“Preserving the natural world is more important to modern civilization than ever,” said David. “It is the underpinning of being a human being and explains our spiritual nature. Protecting this wilderness is the idea that the National Park Service was founded on and in today’s economically driven world, this is of utmost importance to me.” Kyle Johnson, the park’s Wilderness Specialist says, “David and I worked together to find a solution to our huge annual expense of transportation for backcountry volunteers. Without this endowment, providing the basics for our volunteers would be a struggle”. Whether you share a monetary or in-kind donation or volunteer your time and talents, David’s story demonstrates that there are many valuable ways to leave a lasting legacy in Glacier.
in 2016, the park Accomplished the Following donor Supported work PRESERVATION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
1400 feet of accessible trail added to the Swiftcurrent Lake Trail Hidden Lake Trail improved and rerouted to reduce future closures due to bear activity 2 new alternative fuel shuttle buses for the Going-to-the-Sun Road 2 bicycle trailers to provide a visitor shuttle during Hiker/Biker season 99 volunteers pulled over 600 pounds of invasive weeds New viewing platform and trail improvements at Appekunny Falls Trail improvements at Two Medicine Lake and Scenic Point by Blackfeet Youth Academy
EDUCATION
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
6 interns hired to provide education to 36,000 visitors while learning valuable on-the-job training for future careers 2 Teacher-Ranger-Teachers provided four family-friendly programs during the summer months for 6,500 visitors 41 schools received transportation grants for field trips to the park 18 teachers participated in a week-long workshop focused on climate change and cultural resources 4 Logan Pass star parties and daily astronomy education programs were offered at St. Mary and Apgar Visitor Centers 90 Native America Speaks presentations provided by members of local tribes 3 tipis created and erected in Two Medicine in partnership with the Blackfeet tribe and local schools
RESEARCH
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
4 Harlequin Ducks were fitted with geolocators and transmitters as part of an international project studying the changing habitat of this species of concern
Samples collected from 272 streams to assess habitat requirements for two stoneflies, now listed as “threatened” due to climate-change induced habitat loss
187 citizen scientists completed 375 loon surveys
many glacier hotel lobby This summer, the final phase of a multi-year project to rehabilitate the Many Glacier Hotel will be complete. Thanks to both public and private funding including the generous support of Pendleton and an anonymous donor, two of the most prominent historic features will be restored to the hotel lobby–the original double-helix staircase and reproductions of the dramatic “Orient Express” light fixtures originally installed by James J. Hill in the 1930’s.
Many Glacier Hotel Lobby: The original Helical Staircase
Bark Ranger gracie Reported For Duty at Logan Pass Gracie is a border collie trained to safely move wildlife to the 25-yard distance required for safe viewing while still allowing visitors the once-ina-lifetime experience of seeing the animals up close at Logan Pass. Then, Gracie and her handler, Natural Resources Program Manager Mark Biel, interact with the visitors to talk more about the goats and sheep and why it’s important to keep a safe distance around wild animals. Media stories featured this program in all of the local news outlets. In addition, the story was featured nationally on NPR’s Morning Edition, Outside Magazine and the Huffington Post. Gracie met Montana Governor Steve Bullock at our Backpacker’s Ball and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell at Logan Pass on the National Park Service Centennial. Gracie also has her own Instagram account: @barkrangernps and has amassed nearly 12,000 followers. This partnership between the park and the Conservancy was recently honored by the Public Lands Alliance for the Partner’s Choice Award, celebrating the best in partnerships on public lands.
Glacier’s most famous new employee Bark Ranger Gracie reports for duty at Logan Pass
Connect with us Online at glacier.org
thank you to all our donors for your support! $50,000+ Anonymous Anonymous BNSF Railway Foundation
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Association Darrell Worm & Karen Leigh
Greg & Kelli Gillingham
Todd & Deborah Williams
Missoula Sunrise Rotary Club
Glacier Guides, Inc.
Howard & Patricia Wilson
James & Beth Ann Nickelson
Glacier Restaurant Group
Christopher & Cheryl Zabel
Nursery Place, LLC
Alan & Sallie Gratch
John & Marilyn Olson
John & Jean Grove
$500 - $999
Richard & Karen Allen
Helen & James Hamilton
Anonymous
Chad & Carrie Parker
Richard & Lavonne Bennet
Walt Handschin
Motoko Aizawa
James Pine
Frederick Bentz
Joy Hargett
Tran & Barb Alfrey
Hugh & Theresa Reilly
Leslie Breaux
Kelly Harrington
Michael Altese
Therese & Norbert Reis
John & Patricia Case
Katie & Alan Heibein
Fritz Asche
The Oberkoetter-Richardson Family/
William & Jennifer Cassidy
Helena Rotary Foundation
Glenn Ballard
Renaissance Charitable Foundation
Thomas O. Brown Foundation
Charter Communications
Wilson & Charlotte Higgs
Michael & Kristi Barham
Linda & Justin Ries
Carolyn & Buzz Crutcher
Louis & Kathrine Hill
David Benson
Mike Rihner
$25,000 $49,999
Davidson Family Foundation
Marc Hochman
Big Dipper Ice Cream
James & Jenette Roberge
Nicole and Don Donester
Mary Hoolsema
Stephen Bockhold & Annmarie Geniusz
Mary & Mark Robertson
Dorrance Family Foundation
John & Sonya Hunt
Ralph & Elizabeth Bremigan
Sheila K. Salyer
Eddie Bauer
James & Wanda Hollensteiner Foundation
Kenneth & Karen Buchi
Perri Schelat
James & Linda Farley
Denis Johnston
Charlotte & Edward Wheeler Foundation
Tad & Eileen Smith
Whitefish Community Foundation
Fun Beverage, Inc.
Lisa & Marcus Kelley
Karen Christian & Richard Wenstrup
Kenneth & Muffin Spielman
Gardner’s RV & Trailer Center
Sonja Keohane
Clearwater Montana Properties
Rosanne & Robert Stocker
$10,000 - $24,999
Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission
James & Barbara Keppel
Jenny & Bill Colman
Tolleson Management LP
Glacier Payments, Inc
Ronald & Margaret Kimmet
Mary Stewart Ramsey Family Charitable
Ned R. Tomsheck
Klorfine Foundation
Kirby Inland Marine
Fund/Community Foundation of North Texas
Victor Tortorelli & Kathryn Hayes
Mark Mance & Katie Callahan
Bill and Laurie Klein
Donald & Marjory Crawford
David & Jeannine Trousdale
Steven & Sara Marquardt
John Kramer
John & Felice Crocker
Gordon & Janet Tsuchiya
Jerry & Rhona Meislik
Franklyn Kraus
Elizabeth & Brian Dillon
Michael Tumey
Mark & Mary Ann Miller
Joseph & Renee Lozon
William & Paulette Docktor
Joan & Robert Wellman
Baker & Mary Montgomery
Jesse & Gaylynn Lynch
Jacqueline Dyer & Keith Hammonds
Maria Wheeler
Nemacheck Family Foundation
Kirk MacKenzie
Brian Finneran
Henry Wilson
Northwestern Energy
Idelle Manning
First Interstate Bank Billings
Robert & Joli Wilson
Victoria Reich
Karen Maurer
Flathead Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Joseph Wollack
John & Beth Repke
Libby & Murray McCabe
Flow397
Suzanne Woo
Dean Robbins
Bruce & Karen McCaul
Donald & Mary Ann Garner
Randy & Susan Woods
Soka Piiwa Foundation
James R. McDonald
Dave Gezon
Earl & Joan Zinkham
Don & Lisa Stephenson
James & Elizabeth McDonald
Glacier Outfitters
Ed & Shirley Sullivan
Gregory & Dana McGowan
Kathryn Glas
Teck Resources Limited
Randy & Teresa Minchew
Richard & Cheryl Gordon
Whitefish Credit Union
Montana Shirt Co.
Michael Hannan
Nicola Opdycke
Kathryn Hayes & Victor Tortorelli
Oro y Plata Foundation
Joel Hester
Special thanks to these supporters for their substantial in-kind gifts:
Anonymous
Parks Project
Jill Hirsh
Anderson Zurmuehlen
Lin & Kathy Akey
Tony & Marylou Patterson
Robert Holland
Big Hairy Dog Information Systems
Anderson Zurmuehlen
Susan Hay Patrick
Rory Holscher
Brunswick Group, LLC
Robin Wheeler Azqueta & Norberto Azqueta
William & Ann Payne
Gail Holt
Charter Communications
Stephen & Jane Baldock
Julie Piepenkotter
Robert & Patricia Huberty
Daily Inter Lake
Carol Bibler & Jim Watson
Ryan Pyle
Thomas Hughes III
Delta Airlines
Mac & Patricia Binger
Jack & Mary Rader
Frederic & Cecilia Jenkins
Eisinger Honda
Jennifer Blakely
Richard & Nancy Nicholson Fund
John Jensen
Glacier Bear Retreat
The Bohne Family
Rocky Mountain Transportation Inc
Brian Johnson
Great Northern Printing
Scott & Rebecca Bracewell
Rotary Club of Kalispell Daybreak
Robert Johnson
Green Valley Ranch
Paul & Sally Bradshaw
Rotary Club of Lethbridge East
Johnson, Berg & Saxby, PLLP
Hike734
Ellen Brennan
The SahanDaywi Foundation
Mona & Jack Jones
Montana Athletic Club
George Bristol
Michelle & Tom Shahriari
Monica Jungster & Chuck Brasen
Nancy Cawdrey Studio & Gallery
Pamela Caraway
Charlotte Sine
Linda & Sidney Kleiger
Sportsman & Ski Haus
Stephen & Kelly Clark
Jim Streeter
William & Jennifer Koch
Swan Mountain Outfitters, LLC
The Kroger Co. Foundation
Steven & Linda Swartley
Molly Lenhart
The Party Store
Thomas & Gail Colman
Bob & Liza Tamashunas
Jean Light
Tarbell’s
August Dessel
The HealthCenter
Bill & Diane Lundgren
Tagen Vine
Marie Dix
The Huckleberry Patch
John & Karen Lynch
Thomas & Lucinda Downing
Richard Tigner
Sandi Lynch
William & Rusty Duvall
Carol Timmis
Richard & Jean Lynch
John & Patricia Endicott
Ann Yvonne Wagner
Paula Martin
The Erich & Hannah Sachs Foundation
Bill Moore & Mary Wagner
Julie Martinson
Matthew & Mary Ellen Estes
Todd Weaver
Bradley & Barbara Massam
First Interstate Bank
Kendall Wheeler & Sam Chew
Parker Massman
Peter & Jenifer Flynn
The George B. & Oma E. Wilcox & Gibbs M.
Bob & Julie Mattson
Marshall & Kathy Friedman
& Catherine W. Smith Charitable Foundation
Margaret McCaul & Peter Cabban
John & Sarah Graves Pendleton Woolen Mills /National Park Foundation REI Missoula Steve Samuel & Donna Hathaway Robert Sanders The Windmill Foundation, Inc.
Thomas & Louise Bannigan Climate Ride John & Dana Donovan Philip Jackson
Zak & Susie Andersen Anonymous Joe & Lana Batts Janet Brandt Karen & Nick Chickering The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation Glacier Park, Inc. Jeanette & Mike McKee Abbie & Chris Milisci Kathie Priebe Joseph & Beverly Raudabaugh Sperry Chalet, Belton Chalets, Inc Morris & Catherine Stein Subaru of America, Inc Priscilla Swanson Veverka Family Foundation Xanterra-Glacier National Park Lodges Yellowstone 2 Yukon
$5,000 $9,999 Anonymous Diane Barlow & David Laney Carl & Linden Berry Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana California Notley Foundation Linda Cornutt Eisinger Auto Group Expedia, Inc First Interstate Bancsystem Foundation, Inc. Foundation for Community Vitality Glacier Bank Izaak Walton Inn Kootenai Resource Corporation Don & Kim Lindley Casey Malmquist & Natalie Johnson Montana Coffee Traders National Parks Conservation Association Greg & Cyndi Olson Tom & Teresa Quinn Jamie & Janna Shennan Rex & Ginna Short Fred Simmons Smith’s of Columbia Falls & Kalispell Sonja Tate Fred & Shelby Thompson Mr. and Mrs. William H. Walton, III
$2,500 - $4,999
$1,000 - $2,499
Park Side Federal Credit Union
LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY TO GLACIER BY INCLUDING THE GLACIER CONSERVANCY IN YOUR ESTATE PLAN. The Glacier National Park Conservancy works in partnership with Glacier National Park. Whether raising funds for the enhancement of park facilities, or spearheading research on species, the Glacier Conservancy is wholly dedicated to preserving the landscape, its unique history and experience of the park. Glacier national park conservancy | PO Box 2749
|
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
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406.892.3250
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glacier.org