INDRELAND AUDUBON WETLAND PRESERVE UPDATE: MARCH 2024

Many Efforts Advance Watershed Protections in Gallatin Valley

On February 2nd, over 200 people came to the Museum of the Rockies to celebrate World Wetlands Day 2024. The program was opened by the entertaining barbershop quartet, Colter’s Run, followed by National Geographic Explorer Ronan Donovan sharing some of his stunning photographs of wetland species around the world and a video on beaver relocation and the benefits of beavers’ engineering to riparian restoration. County Commissioner Jennifer Boyer moderated a panel discussion on wetland conservation, management, and restoration. Panelists Mayor Terry Cunningham (City of Bozeman), Torrey Ritter (Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks), and Erik Anderson (U.S. Forest Service/Custer Gallatin Forest) brought their expertise and experience to the table and answered questions from the audience. 

Before the program, visitors met representatives from our wetland partners and learned about their projects, including:

  • Montana Freshwater Partners’ work on wetland and stream mitigation, wetland restoration projects, and collaboration on beaver conflict resolution, education, and action. 
  • Gallatin Valley Land Trust’s safeguarding of the watershed through land conservation and sustainable trail design.
  • Trout Unlimited’s upcoming restoration of the Mandeville Creek floodplain including installing beaver dam analogues and planting woody vegetation. 
  • Gallatin Local Water Quality District’s water monitoring and mapping efforts.
  • Gallatin Watershed Council’s restoration and enhancement of the watershed, including current projects to restore floodplain connectivity in the East Gallatin and collaboration with Trout Unlimited to restore vegetation.
  • Montana Outdoor Science School’s classes and camps that teach youth and adults about wetland ecosystems.

Attendees received information on even more local wetland and riparian work from Montana Watershed Coordination Council; Confluence Consulting; Montana Land Reliance; Gallatin River Task Force; Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; the U.S. Forest Service; Gallatin County; and the City of Bozeman.

You can watch a recording of the event at: www.gotostage.com/channel/1c8878c1033747dba0cd82e9b5e6146f/recording/2e1574519bd44e7bb9c902d88d7aaa61/watch.

 

Thank you to our panelists, wetland partners, and event sponsors: Confluence Consulting, Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Montana Freshwater Partners, and Gallatin Local Water Quality District. We also thank Terri Narotzky for providing hors d’oeuvres, and Emma Narotzky and Ronan Donovan for coordinating the event.