HANDS ON THE LAND –
2008 Hands on the Land Schedule
Stemming from the combination of landowners’ desires to restore and enhance the conservation values on their property and the interest many FVLT members have expressed in getting involved with meaningful projects on the land, FVLT has launched our Hands on the Land (HOTL) program. Working with partnering landowners and a growing crew of volunteers, the HOTL program promotes outstanding stewardship through grassroots, on-the-ground restoration and education. This program has quickly proven an effective (and fun) way to enhance the conservation standards of our easements while increasing our members’ ability to become directly involved in our work.
Each year FVLT invites members of our community to visit easement properties and learn about the land’s conservation values and the value of holistic stewardship practices. Participants have the opportunity to walk with experts from diverse fields, such as fire ecology, native flora of intermountain prairies, restoration ecology, and ornithology while lending a hand on habitat restoration projects, such as:
* Riparian and Wetland Plant Community Restoration
* Native Prairie Restoration/ Noxious Weed Pulling
* Fence Building/ Removal
* Trail Maintenance
* Habitat enhancement for rare and threatened species
Contact Alina Niklison @ 549-0755 or alinan@fvlt.org to become involved with one of the events from the calendar below.
Hands on the Land 2008 Schedule
August 9– Tuesday – Sundance Ranch: Dry & Salmon Creek Restoration:
To this date more than 6,000 shrubs and trees have been planted at the beautiful
Sundance Ranch near Ovando. Just this spring more than 4,500 riparian native
shrubs and trees of 13 different species have been planted by volunteers and a
professional crew. Lend FVLT, TU and TNC a hand with this magnificent project to
weed, water and maintain browse protectors. Meet in Missoula at the Eastgate Park
& Ride parking lot at 5:00 pm or at Trixi’s at 6:00 pm. A picnic dinner and
refreshments will be provided.
August 19– Saturday– Ashby Creek Restoration:
FVLT has led an effort to restore the ecological functions of Ashby Creek and the
large wetland it once fully supported. We have worked with partners to sustain
necessary agricultural yields from the land while maintaining a functioning stream in
hopes of restoring Westslope Cutthroat Trout into their original spawning habitat. In
2006 Ashby Creek was restored to its original course and more than 1,500 shrubs
were planted. This summer join FVLT, Trout Unlimited and The Blackfoot Challenge
to water these thirsty shrubs, do some weeding, and browse-protector maintenance.
Meet in Missoula at the Eastgate Park & Ride parking lot at 9 a.m. or at the Potomac
Grille at 9:40 am. A picnic lunch and refreshments will be provided.
