|
The Mission of the Community Naturalist Program is to provide the educational materials, volunteer training and the opportunity to develop an atmosphere of creative and educational interaction within the communities in and around the Helena National Forest.
Introduction: The Helena National Forest encompasses six counties in west central Montana. It is home to over 75,000 people. The demographics of this area paint a picture of a diverse population spread out over a large land base, consisting of urban and rural communities. Fostering a good land ethic is a necessity for existence in an area dependent on its natural resources. The Community Naturalist Program (CNP), brings together community members with diverse knowledge and experiences. Fostering an appreciation and developing an understanding of local natural ecosystems and lifestyles will benefit all communities as it strengthens and works to develop an appreciation of this wonderful place where we live.
It is the intention of the CNP to provide a service to groups within our community that are chronologically and experientially diverse. We have many programs for our older generation as well as a multitude of programs and services for our youth. The CNP has developed programs to bring all ages together in settings which benefit everyone. These settings provide for mentoring opportunities while providing educational services that benefit the community as a whole.
Organization: The Community Naturalist Program is run by The Montana Discovery Foundation (MDF) with oversight by its Board of Directors, and Helena National Forest representatives. The program is enriched through communications with community members seeking place-based educational opportunities. The Montana Discovery Foundation co-hosts events and programs with (but not be limited to) the following organizations: Montana Historical Society, Bureau of Reclamation, Lewis and Clark County Library, Helena School District #1, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Foundation For Animals. All programs are co-sponsored by the Helena National Forest.
Program Development: Individualized programs will be developed and adapted for the audience based on collaborative discussion between CNP coordinator and the requesting individual. Programs generally will be 1 - 2 ½ hours in length, interactive, and will be outside as often as possible. A non-inclusive list of themes and possible ideas for programs are listed below.
- Conservation " reduce, reuse, recycle"
- History of Land Use: mining, logging, hunting/gathering, agriculture, wilderness
- Mt. Wildlife - predators, furbearers, the buffalo, game/nongame nocturnals, historical perspective on #'s
- Birds
- Winter Survival
- Flora (Celebrating Wildflowers)
- Recreational activities in MT -hiking. skiing, snowshoeing…
- Lewis and Clark through MT
- Water Quality
|
