Gallatin Valley Earth Day

Celebrating and Supporting Wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem:

the Last Best Wildlife Habitat in the Lower 48

Watch past event recordings here:

Donate to Gallatin Valley Earth Day on Venmo:

Earth Day 2023: Saturday, April 22nd

For your complete guide to all Earth Day events April 14 - May 30th click here

Upcoming talks: Thursday, March 30th

Risk and Resilience for Montana’s Trout Fisheries under Climate Change

w/ Tim Cline of Montana State University

Thursday, March 30th

7 pm at the Hope Lutheran Church

FREE (in person & live streamed)

Thursday, April 13th

Our Backyard - How Can We Support Wildlife & the Ecological Integrity of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

with George Wuerthner

Thursday, April 13th

7 pm at the Hope Lutheran Church

FREE - in person & live streamed

Recent talks:

"Solutions for Montana’s Trout Fisheries Facing a Changing Climate" Watch the recording here

"African Inspirations: Conservation Successes in Hwange National Park" Watch the recording here.

Watch the recording of "Wildlife Crossings: Exploring Solutions to Prevent Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions" here

Scroll down to see a list of UPCOMING TALKS & WORKSHOPS

Upcoming Talks

Upcoming Events

Calendar

TALKS

Friday, January 6 7:00 pm Nature's Best Hope with Douglas Tallamy at the Emerson Center Watch the video here.
Wednesday, Feb. 1 7:00 pm What's The Real Future For Grizzly Bears? Can One of America's Greatest Wildlife Success Stories Continue? - Discussion with Grizzly Bear expert Chris Servheen & journalist Todd Wilkinson at the Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture - live stream also available Watch the video here
Thursday, Feb. 16 7:00 pm The Importance of Private Lands for Wildlife: The Role of Land Trusts w/ Chet Work of GVLT at the Hope Lutheran Church's Fireside Room Watch the video here
Thursday, Feb. 23 7:00 pm Wildlife Crossings: Exploring solutions to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions- Film & panel discussion w/ Rob Ament, Western Transportation & Liz Fairbank, Center for Large Landscape Conservation at the Hope Lutheran Church Watch the video here
Friday, March 3 7:00 pm African Inspirations: Conservation Successes in Hwange National Park with Zimbabwean Pro Guide Mark Butcher at the Hope Lutheran Church Watch video here.
Thursday, March 9 7:00 pm Solutions for Montana’s Trout Fisheries Facing a Changing Climate w/ Connor Parrish of MT Trout Unlimited at the Hope Lutheran Church's Fireside Room Watch video here
Thursday March 30 7:00 pm Risk and Resilience for Montana’s Trout Fisheries under Climate Change w/ Tim Cline of Montana State at the Hope Lutheran Church's Fireside Room REGISTER here
Monday, April 10 7:00 pm Plastics in the Wild: the Impact of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife -- and You! w/Youpa Stein of the Families for a Livable Climate Plastics Working Group (an affiliate of Beyond Plastics) - Partner event with Sacajawea Audubon Society and Gallatin Valley Beyond Plastics at the Hope Lutheran Church REGISTER here
Thursday, April 13 7:00 pm Our Backyard - How Can We Support Wildlife & the Ecological Integrity of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem? with George Wuerthner at the Hope Lutheran Church's Fireside Room REGISTER here

WORKSHOPS

Saturday, Feb. 18 12-3 pm Animal Tracking in the Snow Workshop (limited to 20) with Cedar Mathers-Winn of Montana Outdoor Science School SORRY - registration has reached the 20 person limit
Friday, April 14 5-7 pm Animal Communication (part 1) Lecture with Cedar Mathers-Winn of Montana Outdoor Science School
Sunday, April 16 12-3 pm Animal Communication (part 2) Field session with Cedar Mathers-Winn of Montana Outdoor Science School REGISTER here

FILM

Thursday, April 20 7:00 pm "Path of the Panther" film with the Bozeman Doc Series at the Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture Watch the movie trailer here

GALLATIN VALLEY EARTH DAY 5K FUN RUN -

Saturday, April 22 9:00 am 5K Fun Run to benefit the Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve at the Gallatin County Regional Park REGISTER here starting March 10th.

GALLATIN VALLEY EARTH DAY FESTIVAL

Saturday, April 22 10am - 3 pm| Talk - Exhibits - Live Music - Food - Children's Activities Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

10:00 am Magic Monster Show with Random Acts of Silliness in the Crawford Theater

FESTIVAL TALKS

10:00 am After 85 Years of Frustration: Can We Return Public, Wild Bison to the CMR Refuge? with Dr. Jim Bailey, author & coordinator of the Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition

11:00 am Unintended Consequences of Trapping Wildlife - How to Free your Pet from a Trap with Clare Beelman of Footloose MT

12:00 pm Living with Bears w/ Sabrina Bradford of Montana Fish & Wildlife

1:00 pm Pollinator Conservation for Montana Gardens with Abi Saeed of MSU Extension

2:00 pm Landscaping for the Birds – Plant a Bird Friendly Backyard w/ Victoria Saab of Sacajawea Audubon Society

Risk & Resilience for MT Fisheries INSTAGRAM (1).png

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the University of Montana studied how climate change affected trout fisheries across 3,100 miles of rivers in Montana from 1983 to 2017. They found that over the past several decades, Montana’s trout fishing economy was resilient in the face of climate extremes. However, they also found that 35% of Montana’s cold-water habitats may no longer be suitable for trout by 2080, resulting in the loss of $192 million per year in state revenue. Join lead author of this study, Tim Cline, to find out how Montana fisheries can become more resilient in the face of a warming climate.

Risk and Resilience for Montana’s Trout Fisheries under Climate Change w/ Tim Cline of Montana State University

Thursday, March 30th

7 pm at the Hope Lutheran Church

FREE (in person & live streamed)

Timothy Cline is an assistant professor of cold-water fish ecology and management at Montana State University. Formerly, he worked for the USGS as an Aquatic Ecologist.

FB POST Our Backyard - How Can We Support Wildlife V1.png

FREE - in person & live streamed

Join us as George Wuerthner, ecologist and author describes the treasures of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and why it is a global model for conservation. And how we can work to preserve this unique temperate zone ecosystem into the future.

George Wuerthner is an ecologist, writer, and photographer who has published 38 books on national parks, wilderness, and environmental issues. He's travelled extensively around the United States and visited more than 200 National Park units..

Animal Communication Workshop

with Cedar Mathers-Winn

Friday April 14: Classroom session | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Hope Lutheran Church

Sunday April 16: Field session | 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Triple Tree Trail

Price: $50

REGISTER for this workshop HERE.

The calls and songs of birds, the sparring of elk and deer, a cocked head or a raised tail -- animals are constantly communicating around us, about us, and even with us. In this workshop, we will first learn to interpret some of the most commonly-seen strategies that animals use to communicate. Then, we will get a chance to apply these lessons in the field.

Cedar is a biologist, naturalist, and educator. He has studied animals and their behavior all over the world, and enjoys nothing more than sharing what he's learned through many years spent patiently watching and learning from animals and their environments. Cedar prides himself in being able to show his students fascinating things in nature that most people don't even notice are there. He also has a Master's degree in ecology, and teaches Montana Outdoor Science School's Bozeman Master Naturalist Course, and other classes in natural history.

Coming April 20th!

in partnership with the Bozeman Doc Series ~

"Path of the Panther"
Thursday, April 20th @ 7 pm
Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture

Watch the movie trailer here

Earth Day Fun Run

5K fun run

Gallatin County Regional Park
9 am

Fundraiser to benefit the
Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve

For more information and to REGISTER for the race goto winddrinkers.org (available starting March 10th)

2023 Earth Day Festival

Exhibits

Kids' Activities

Live Music

Delicious Food

Live Talks

Short films

Saturday, April 22, 2023
10 am - 3 pm
Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture

10 am: Magic Monster Show
with Random Acts of Silliness

Talks in the Weaver Room:

10 am: "After 85 Years of Frustration: Can We Return Public, Wild Bison to the CMR Refuge? " with Dr. Jim Bailey, author & Coordinator of the Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition
11 am: "Unintended Consequences of Trapping Wildlife - How to Free your Pet from a Trap" w/ Clare Beelman of Footloose Montana
noon: "Living with Bears" with Sabrina Bradford of Montana Fish & Wildlife
1 pm: "Pollinator Conservation for Montana Gardens" with Abi Saeed
of MSU Extension
2 pm: “Landscaping for the Birds – Plant a Bird Friendly Backyard" with Victoria Saabo of Sacajawea Audubon Society

Earth Day Fun Run

Past Events

Earth Day Fun Run

INSTAGRAM; Solutions for Montana's Trout Fisheries .png

WATCH THE RECORDING HERE

As our climate warms and clean water supplies dwindle, what can we do to save our trout fisheries? Find out how we can improve our streams and wetlands through management actions and by mimicking nature with Connor Parrish, project manager with Trout Unlimited.

Connor Parrish is a Project Manager for Trout Unlimited, based out of their Bozeman office. He has a B.S. in Natural Resource Sciences and an MS in Biology with an emphasis in fisheries ecology. Prior to joining Trout Unlimited, Connor spent 9 years working in the Pacific Northwest’s Columbia River basin where he focused on fisheries research and habitat restoration for steelhead, salmon, and bull trout. Currently, Connor focuses on habitat and water quality issues impacting the Gallatin Watershed’s treasured trout fishery.

INSTAGRAM African Inspirations Conservation Successes in Hwange National Park (8 12 x 11)

Watch the recording here

Join Zimbabwean Pro Guide Mark Butcher, managing director of Imvelo Safari Lodges, as he shares success stories from the frontlines of conservation in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Mark will discuss the successful efforts to eradicate elephant poaching in the park, the recent reintroduction of white rhinos after they were poached out of existence decades ago, and the common thread that made these achievements possible: empowerment and involvement of the local communities.

BIO-

Mark Butcher is visiting Bozeman from his home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where he works as the managing director of Imvelo Safari Lodges in Hwange National Park. Over his 40-year conservation career Mark has worn many hats, from game ranger to Provincial Wildlife Officer to certified guide to safari lodge owner.

Festival

Gallatin Valley Earth Day Festival 2022

Gallatin Earth Day Business Stewards

Click HERE for a list of participating businesses

Business Stewards

SolarSchools

Who we Are

In 2019, a group of community members volunteered to plan an Earth Day festival, “Community Solutions for a Healthy Planet”. 500 people attended the festival at the Bozeman Public Library, enjoying talks, exhibits, and food as well as music, dance, art, and theater!

Our multi day in person celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day was cancelled in 2020, but we held two virtual events with more than 1000 attending.(Watch a recording on our YouTube channel). In 2021, we had over 2000 people attend our many online & in person events, including our in person festival in front of the Bozeman Public Library and our first annual Earth Day Fun Run at the Gallatin County Regional Park.

In 2022 we celebrated Earth Day with virtual and in person events from February through April. See the YouTube channel for recordings of online events!

In 2023, we are back at the Emerson for our annual Earth Day Festival. Check the calendar for additional events!

Our Fiscal Sponsor:

Great Gallatin United Way (GGUW) serves as the fiscal sponsor for the Earth Day Festival 2020 Committee. All donations made to GGUW on behalf of the Earth Day Festival will be designated solely for Earth Day Festival events and programs.

Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers

In the News

Check out local coverage of our events:

Resources

Earth Day Guide 2022: Bozeman Daily Chronicle

City of Bozeman 2021 Planting Guide

Creating a Zero Waste Home by Julie Fathy

Gallatin Conservation District Pollinator Guide

Gallatin Valley Earth Day Guide 2021: Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Montana Bee Identification Guide (.pdf) Department of Land Resources & Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT

Recycling information from Republic Services:

For a map of Gallatin County’s FREE recycling drop-off locations, click here.
For information on alternatives to traditional plastic garbage bags, here are some options.
Alexis Alloway's favorite source for staying up-to-date on the recycling industry is https://resource-recycling.com/ (and you can sign up for plastics-related newsletters and updates).

Single Use Plastic Water Bottles Info.jpg

D"Nature's Best Hope" with Doug Tallamy

Resources

To watch the video recording click HERE
To watch the high resolution recording click HERE

Resources to help you:
Find native plants for your area with: https://www.nwf.org/nativeplantfinder/

Links to "Nature's Best Hope" partners:

Movies

Looking to stream movies that GVED has offered for free viewing in the past?

“KISS THE GROUND", is a powerful documentary exploring soil regeneration and its place as a compelling and effective solution to our planet's climate crisis. Stream it on NETFLIX.
"THE STORY OF PLASTIC" looks at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people that inhabit it. Watch on the Discovery Channel HERE.
"2040" is a delightful film, directed by and starring award winning Australian filmmaker Damon Gameau. The film looks at the effects of climate change over the next 20 years and what technologies that exist today can reverse the effects. See streaming options HERE.