Article by April Craighead, Craighead Institute
On July 6th a remarkable event occurred at the Gallatin County Regional Park (GCRP). More than twenty volunteers of all ages joined three local nonprofits in enhancing wildlife habitat and improving water quality at the regional park. These wonderful volunteers decided to help their community and habitat to make Bozeman a better place to live. In talking with various volunteers, they were from all over Bozeman, and one young man came all the way from Ennis. We ended up planting more than sixty trees and shrubs, and most people stayed long past the time the event was scheduled to end. The common themes amongst the volunteers was their passion for wildlife and habitats and their desire to be part of a meaningful community—all very powerful and encouraging.
These native trees and shrubs will provide food for birds, increase cover and food for animals of all sizes, improve water quality, provide shade, and create areas for people to explore and contemplate nature. This is a small step toward enhancing Bozeman’s urban landscapes as the city continues to grow and native habitats are lost. This is the first phase of this project. We will be planting another sixty trees and shrubs next spring, and hope to plant in other parts of the park in the future.
Funding for this project came from Gallatin County as part of their grant programs. The Craighead Institute, Gallatin Watershed Council, and Sacajawea Audubon Society organized the project and volunteers. These nonprofits all strive to protect wildlife and habitat, but focus on different strategies. This was a unique opportunity to collaborate at a very local level. Most importantly, this project would not have been possible without the dedication and support of the volunteers.
