BITTERROOT BIRDING AND NATURE TRAIL

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BITTERROOT BIRDING AND NATURE TRAIL
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What is the Bitterroot Trail?

• The Trail will be a network of about 25 great
  places to see birds and other wildlife--from Lost
  Trail to Lolo Pass.

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Made possible by a matching grant from
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With thanks to

• Bitter Root Resource and Conservation Development
  Area--fiscal agent
• Travel Montana--contributor of grant matching
  funds
• Many in-kind partners like the Bitterroot and
  Lolo National Forests..the list is growing!

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Pilot Project of the Montana Birding and Nature
Trail

• A multi-partner
• nature tourism project
• Bruce Lyon photo

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Montana Birding Nature Trail Steering Committee

• American Bird Conservancy
• Bitter Root RCD Area
• Blackfoot Challenge
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Montana Arts Council
• Montana Audubon
• Montana Department of Commerce
• Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife Parks
• Continued.

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Montana Birding Nature Trail Steering Committee

• Montana Department of Natural Resources
  Conservation
• Montana Department of Transportation
• Montana Governor's Office
• Montana Heritage Preservation Development
  Commission
• Montana Historical Society
• Montana Lewis Clark Bicentennial Commission
• Montana Outfitters and Guides
• Montana Partners in Flight
• Montana State University Extension
• Montana Tourism Recreation Initiative
• Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance
• Continued

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Montana Birding Nature Trail Steering Committee

• National Forest Foundation
• National Park Service
• Trail of the Great Bear
• Travel Montana
• Tourism Advisory Council
• University of Montana - Institute for Tourism
  Recreation Research
• University of Montana Avian Science Center -
  Division of Biological Sciences
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• USDA Forest Service--Northern Region, Lolo and
  Bitterroot National Forests
• US Fish and Wildlife Service

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Bitterroot Trail Proposed Theme --Discover the
Natureof Lewis Clark

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Lewiss Woodpecker

• Named for Meriwether Lewis
• An unusual woodpecker that flycatches and migrates

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Clarks Nutcracker

• Named for William Clark
• The bird with a superior memory

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A Trail that blends Nature and Culture.

• Bitterroot history connected to its landscape and
  wildlife--known longest by the people before
  Lewis and Clark-

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Take a look Bitterroot Natural Treasures

• Great Gray Owl
• Largest owl in North America

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Take a Look Bitterroot Natural Treasures

• Red-naped
• Sapsucker
• --so thats who drilled those holes in a line in
  the aspen..
• Kristi Dubois photo

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Black-backed woodpecker

• Bird of the burned forests

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Bitterroot Natural Treasures

• American Bittern
• Elusive bird stalking in the wetlands
• Kristi Dubois photo

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Marsh Wren

• Sings 200 songs, can you?
• Kristi Dubois photo

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More than Birds

• Painted Turtles
• A favorite of children and the young at heart
• Kristi Dubois photo

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Bighorn Sheep FWP
file photo
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And More Charismatic Critters..

• Elk summer in the mountains and spend the winter
  within valley view.
• FWP file photo

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Whos watching?

• Mountain lion
• FWP file photo

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Bitterroot Natural Treasures

• Sunsets and Sunrises over the mountains
• Dark skies at night
• Kristi Dubois photo

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Planning the Trail--What could a site look like?

• A Hike to the Top of a Peak--
• Home to Golden Eagles, Rosy Finches, and
  Butterflies..

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Or along the river corridor
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Its Your Trail

• Shaped by the people who know and care about the
  Bitterroot--You!

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We can build upon a successful model

• Birding Trails are spreading across the country
  and proving their worth.

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Montana Wildlife Viewing Guide--our starting point

• Familiarity of binocular sign

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How Will We Mark This Trail?

• Highway signs bearing the logo of the trail will
  direct visitors to sites.

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What are the tangible Products?

• A full-color, fold-out brochure with maps and
  directions to the sites.

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On the Internethttp//biology.umt.edu/landbird/b
irdtrail/
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Who Will Take Our Trail?

• 511,000 non-residents 341,000 residents
  actively participated in wildlife watching in
  Montana in 2001.

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Birdwatchers

• Birdwatching grew by 232 from 1983 to 2001.
• In 2001 USFWS survey, 70 million people
  considered themselves bird-watchers.

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Visitors to Montana

• Wildlife viewing is the number ONE reason people
  visit Montana
• One of the top activities is visiting state
  national parks

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What about Montanans?

• Wildlife viewing is the third most popular
  outdoor recreation activity among Montana
  households--52 percent of the states population
  participates.

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Montanans Love Birds

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Survey in 2001 found that
  44 of Montana residents watched birds.
• On average, 22 of the nation, 46 million watched
  birds and they spent 32 billion in 2001 and
  supported more than 836,000 jobs.

3rd grader
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What are the Benefits ?

• Economic
• Conservation
• Education
• Social

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Economic Benefits

• Economic benefit of wildlife watching in Montana
  is about 207 million per year.

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Economic BenefitsWhat can we expect?

• Birders on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail
  spend an average of 78 per day in communities.
• Think of the potential for Bitterroot towns like
  Darby!

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Eat and Watch Wildlife

• For example
• Broad Axe Restaurant

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Stay and Watch Wildlife

• Watch bighorn sheep from your room!
• Broad Axe Cabins,
• East Fork Bitterroot

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Conservation Benefits

• People conserve what they know, understand and
  care for

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Conservation Benefits

• 61 say their travel experience is better when
  the destination preserves natural, historic, and
  cultural sites and attractions.

Mt Jumbo Open Space
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Education Benefits
Sites will cultivate understanding of natural
processes such as fire flooding
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Social Benefits

• Builds pride in the
• Place we call home.
• Strengthens family and
• Community relationships

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Lets Make It Happen

• Sustainable economies
• Conserve nature
• Build relationships

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Making it Happen--the right way!

• Community involvement so we make the best
  decisions about sites and locations

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2004 Trail Calendar

• March Community Meetings
• March-April Nominate sites
• May Review nominations
• June-August Evaluate sites in field
• September Draft Trail for review
• October-November Design and layout brochure and
  website

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Next step?

• We need YOUR ideas and participation

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Nominate a Site

• Birding And Nature
• Sites from Lolo to Lost Trail Pass
• Public and private lands--with permission

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Become a Trail Sponsor

• Please consider supporting the Trail with a
  tax-deductible donation-- matched 11 by the
  National Forest Foundation

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For More Information

• Visit the Montana Birding Nature Trail Website
• http//biology.umt.edu/landbird/birdtrail
• Contact the coordinator
• Deborah Richie Oberbillig
• 721-6609
• debrichi_at_montana.com

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Thanks for Coming!