Did you know that there are many different types of creatures living in our local rivers?  At this booth, you will learn about aquatic macroinvertebrates.  Macroinvertebrates are organisms large enough to be seen without a microscope and that do not have backbones.  Macroinvertebrates are part of the Animal Kingdom too!  Many people refer to macroinvertebrates as bugs, but that term is not inclusive as many are insects, but there are others such as clams, mussels, worms, and scuds that are not technically insects.  Macroinvertebrates are indicators of stream health an ..read more

Rayelynn Brandl Montana’s iconic landscapes are shaped by the waterways that course through her mountains, valleys, and plains.  Water has determined where the people live, the movement of goods and resources, and has provided for all human needs including food, shelter, clothing, and eventually commerce.  Beginning with our Native Peoples, waterways were named and honored for the bounty they provided, and often regarded as sacred areas for many tribes.  Tribal peoples were bound to the land and its waterways. The intrepid explorers who ventured into these lands made their own m ..read more

The Science Mine began in the 1990s as a gleam or a dream in the eyes of a few individuals in Butte, Montana, where children could interactively play with and experience the wonders and sometimes counterintuitive nature of the world around them. At the risk of omitting some of these early contributors, individuals who played a role in these early beginnings of the Science Mine include Patrick and Marilyn Kujawa, Andrea and Don Stierle, and Doug Coe. A seminal moment in the history of the Science Mine occurred when Nick Kujawa (Patrick and Marilynn Kujawa’s son) renovated the historic Sear’s B ..read more

Dalit Guscio of the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program and the Montana Osprey Program have been working with Osprey in the Clark Fork for over ten years.  She will walk through the process of banding osprey, our current understanding of food-chain effects from metals, and discuss the awesome evolutionary adaptations of osprey ..read more

Joan Martin, owner of Martin’s Masks. Joan started Martin’s Masks in 2017 after the company she was working for as a laboratory technician closed its doors. She has always been an artistic person, if you asked the 5-year-old Joan what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer was almost always “an artist.” Hence it was natural to open a business painting on her favorite canvas – faces. Joan feels very fortunate to live in an area that has been so supportive of her business. She looks forward to making people happy with her art in Butte and the rest of Western Montana for many years to com ..read more

Linda Morley, owner of Marley’s Paint & Party. Linda dreamed of a place for kids to express their creativity and have a lot of fun doing so.  She also dreamed of a place where adults could learn the therapeutic and relaxing benefits of creating art. This dream became “Marley’s Paint & Party.” She is extremely grateful to all her customers that she is able to do what she loves, all while making a living. Marley’s has been in business at 400 W. Park Street in Butte for 7 years. At Marley’s, she does public paint parties, traveling paint parties, fundraisers, team building, and priv ..read more

Tom Mocilac is a genuine old fart, retired from state service, and has worked as a National Park Ranger in Yellowstone National Park. He started fly fishing in 1969 and started tying flies in 1973. He is a member of Trout Unlimited and Fly Fishers International.  He ties about 2-3 thousand flies per year and donates them for free to various non-profits such as CFWEP fly-fishing summer camp, Montana Trout Unlimited kid’s camp, Casting for Recovery, Reel Recovery, MayFly Project, Tie-a-Thon, and others. He spends Monday afternoons in Anaconda tying flies with a bunch of grumpy old men. At 7 ..read more

Wetland ecosystems are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They support native plants and animals and provide services such as flood control and water purification. Unfortunately, wetlands are also some of the most threatened ecosystems. Born from a love of Montana’s natural spaces, Montana Wetlands, and Waterfowl seeks to bring much-needed attention to these vital systems. Montana Wetlands and Waterfowl serve to restore and protect Montana’s wetlands and their inhabitants. Our vision is to become the leader in wetlands conservation and restoration in Montana so that these valuab ..read more

Our mission is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat, and our hunting heritage. We provide funding for Permanent Land Protection and Land Conservation, Habitat Stewardship, and Enhancement, Research for wildlife management, and Hunting Heritage Projects. Our Vision is to be the best membership-based conservation organization and to be exemplary stewards of our funds, for the benefit of hunters, elk, and other wildlife and their habitat. We value stewardship and taking a science-based approach to the management of our wildlife. We see ourselves in a leadership role within t ..read more

Families for a Livable Climate project, Montana Climate Stories, brings personal stories about climate change to the forefront. All Montana families need a livable climate and thriving environment to ensure a bright and secure future. We also need good jobs, healthcare, and equitable access to education and other opportunities. These stories reflect these shared needs. Our hope is that by sharing stories, Montanans can find common ground and come together to ensure strong protections for our shared climate, and a livable future for all of our families and this beautiful state we call home.&nbs ..read more