What’s happening outside: Young tree swallows gather in flocks. Some wildflowers to look for: blue flax, cinquefoil, elephanthead, fairy slipper, golden aster, harebell, Indian paintbrush, western coneflower, yarrow. Bison rut between July and August.

Calling All Bakers! An elk made of pound cake? A water fall of frosting over a cheesecake mountain? MNHC’s 15th Anniversary cake contest is open to the first 25 entries! On July 15th, the public will have a chance to vote for your cake as their favorite. The first prize winner gets publicity, an MNHC goodie bag, including basic family annual MNHC membership! Contact Gabrielle for registration or call 327-0405.

The Montana Natural History Center is your base camp for discovery.
Visit us Tuesday – Friday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturdays noon to 4:00 pm. Bring your family to enjoy fun activities and natural history exploration each Saturday, and admission for MNHC Members is always free.
Learn more at www.MontanaNaturalist.org

July 6- NEW Prairie Keepers- The Soil is Alive! 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
FREE! Plus free native plants and snacks. UM's Diettert Garden Greenhouse
What goes on underground in the wild prairie? Plant roots intermingle with fungi, insects and bacteria... Come and learn from ecologists while harvesting roots from a research project.

July 11- Prairie Keepers Leafy Spurge Flea Beetle Collection Party. 6:00 pm.
FREE! Meet in the parking lot of the UM Golf Course.  
Help collect spurge-eating beetles and to distribute throughout the Missoula Valley .  Flea beetles have been successful at controlling spurge throughout Montana. 

July 15- MNHC’s 15 th Anniversary Celebration! Noon – 4:00 pm
FREE! Free admission and children’s activities.
Party with us as we celebrate our 15th anniversary with cake, ice cream, and children’s activities with Donna Love, local author of Loons: Diving Birds of the North. Donna will have all sorts of fun, loon-related activities and stories to share from 1:00 - 3:00 pm .

July 19 – Teacher Workshop: Using Natural History to Teach Science. 10:00 – 3:00 pm.
FREE for Elementary Educators. OPI credits available. Registration Required. Call 327-0405 to learn more.

July 25 – Prairie Keepers Wildflower Gardening. 7:00 pm.  
FREE! Meet at the Nature Adventure Garden at Fort Missoula
Discover gardening with native plants by taking a guided tour of the Nature Adventure Garden and Fort Missoula Native Prairie. Help transplant wildflowers and grasses. Native plants for sale!

July 29 – Saturday Discovery Day: Big on Bugs. Ongoing from noon – 4:00 pm.
Free with Admission (Adults $1, Kids 12 and under $.50, MNHC Members free)
Back by popular demand; the Montana Natural History Center has gone buggy again! Buzz by with the family for interactive, invertebrate fun. Meet live insects, and learn about where they live and what they do during this ongoing celebration of bugs.

Save the Date! RiverFest is September 16 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.
FREE and for all ages!
The 8th annual RiverFest celebrates natural history education and is brought to you by The Montana Natural History Center and the Missoula County Weed District.

Membership supports educational programs and exhibits! Become a member today!
Join our Membership Drive and give the gift of education. You can make your gift online at www.MontanaNaturalist.org or contact Jazz. Celebrating 15 years of MNHC discoveries!

Community Links of the Month

The Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute will be hosting a hike on July 10 th at 6:00 pm.  Meet at the top of Lincoln Hills Road in the Rattlesnake area with guide Jim Shelden, Region One Geologist for the US Forest Service. The hike will involve a slight climb (approx 1/4 mile) so please bring hiking shoes, a snack and a drink. RSVP to Larry.

Visit New West http://www.newwest.net/index.php for the latest on-line news and commentary about the Rocky Mountain region.

MNHC is an independent non-profit organization celebrating its 15th Anniversary. Become a member and support MNHC’s mission of promoting and cultivating the appreciation, understanding and stewardship of nature through education. Members receive discounts on programs, special invitations, free admission to the MNHC Discovery Center, and the knowledge that they are supporting natural history education in local schools. MNHC is a proud member of Montana Shares.

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Feel free to forward this to friends who might enjoy learning more about the Montana Natural History Center.
120 Hickory Street, Missoula, Montana 59801
406.327.0405
www.MontanaNaturalist.org