Montana Natural History Center April 2007 E-mail Newsletter

www.MontanaNaturalist.org  The Montana Natural History Center is your base camp for discovery.
Questions or comments about your e-newsletter? Please call 327-0405 or e-mail Jessie at programs@montananaturalist.org.

Note our Spring Hours: Tuesday – Friday from noon – 5 pm and Saturdays noon to 4 pm. Bring your family to enjoy fun activities and natural history exploration each Saturday, and admission for MNHC Members is always free.

April 2007 at your Montana Natural History Center
www.MontanaNaturalist.org

What’s happening outside:
Watch for the osprey to return
Glacier lilies spring up through the snow
Columbian ground squirrels emerge from hibernation
Painted turtles can be seen sunning themselves on rocks or logs near water.

Welcome New Staff to the Montana Natural History Center

We are pleased to welcome all of our new staff. Arnie Olsen is our Executive Director. Jenny Gray just started as our Administrative Assistant. Jessie Sherburne started in January as our Community Programs Coordinator. Sean Sullivan started this winter as our Watershed Festival Coordinator. Please stop in and say hello.

Summer Science Discovery Camps Open for Registration on April 3rd!
Day camp programs are available each week starting June 11th. Camps meet from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm with extended drop off and pick up hours from 8:00-9:00am and 4:00-5:00pm. Visit our website to see what exciting topics we’ll explore this summer! To register, visit us at 120 Hickory Street in Missoula, print and mail your registration from home or call 327-0405 and register by phone!

Saturday Kids Activities
Join us each Saturday at 2 pm for exciting children’s programs at MNHC. Admission is 50 cents for kids and $1 for adults. Great for children ages 5 and up; must be accompanied by an adult. Be prepared to go outside in any weather. Programs run about an hour and a half.

April 7- Beaver Boogie
Learn fantastic facts about this amazing semi-aquatic rodent. We will learn about beavers’ special adaptations and then we will take a walk to look for signs of beaver activity.

April 14- Tracks and Traces
Learn how to become a nature detective! We will learn how to identify common animal tracks, solve a track mystery and make our own track story.

April 21- Spectacular Spiders
How do spiders make webs? Why are some spiders colorful and some just brown? We’ll learn about how spiders do the things they do, read a spider story and make our own spiders to take home.

April 28- Awesome Amphibians
Discover what it is like to be a frog, a salamander, even a tadpole. We will explore amphibian life through fun activities, read a story and make amphibian masks.

May 5- Big on Bugs
See the calendar on our website for more details www.montananaturalist.org

Visiting Naturalist in the Schools Field Trip Training-April 21, 10:00-3:00pm
Learn about the plants, insects and other animals that live along the rivers in the Missoula Valley while getting the tools and techniques for teaching school groups in the field. We will spend the day exploring the riparian habitat, identifying native plants and wildlife, and practicing the skills of naturalists. This workshop serves as a Volunteer Naturalist training day for our May field trips. All equipment will be provided. Participants attending the training session are asked to commit to helping us on Montana Natural History Center spring field trips in May. Come prepared to spend the day outside and please bring a sack lunch.
Location TBA. Please register in advance. To register, call the Montana Natural History Center at 327-0405

13th Annual Clark Fork Watershed Festival – April 26th and 27th
Volunteer for an exciting day on the river! You’ll learn about topics in water quality and land use, fly fishing, bull trout migration, weed management, aquatic insects, and how water quality relates to human health! Contact the Montana Natural History Center at 327-0405 for more information on how to get involved.

Monthly Lecture Series - Thursday April 26, 2007
Featuring Mountain lion biologist Rich DeSimone

Lecture begins at 7pm MNHC
Call the Montana Natural History Center for more information about other upcoming lectures in this series. 327-0405

Saturday Discovery Days – April 28, 2007
Springtime in the Bitterroot: Writing and Sketching in the field with Kim Todd and Claire Emery

$45/ $35 MNHC members 8 am – 5 pm Meet at MNHC
Join local environmental science writer Kim Todd and local natural science illustrator Claire Emery for part two in a series of writing and drawing hands-on workshops at a 100-year old mining camp in the northern Bitterroot Mountains. Both hosts will offer tips and tricks on writing and sketching in the field. The day will be spent along a nearby creek in the cedar forest and cook cabin where we will write, draw, discuss pieces of environmental writing and push our skills to a new level.

This is the highly anticipated sequel to our popular February class: From the Ground up. It is not necessary to have attended the February class to participate.

No writing or drawing experience required. Materials list available upon registration.

Space is limited, registration required – call 327-0405

Monthly Lecture Series Tuesday May 1, 2007
Larry Evans – Mushrooms: Edible and otherwise, 7pm, 120 Hickory St

Come early for our open house to welcome our new Director Arnie Olsen. 6:30pm-7:30pm. Pizza and beverages provided.

See the calendar on our website for more details. www.montananaturalist.org.

Summer Camp Positions Available!
The Montana Natural History Center is hiring camp staff to lead our Summer Science Day Camp programs this June-August! MNHC’s day camps are fun, dynamic and a fantastic opportunity to build skills in teaching field-based environmental or natural history education. For job descriptions, qualifications and program time line, please visit our website http://www.montananaturalist.org/support/internships.htm. Staff positions are internships with a stipend and can be taken for university credit. The application deadline is February 19th. Contact Lisa Moore at the Montana Natural History Center for more information or to apply

Membership supports educational programs and exhibits!
Join our Membership Drive and give the gift of education. You can make your gift online at www.MontanaNaturalist.org. Help celebrate 15 years of MNHC discoveries!

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.

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

Copyright © 2007


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