Virtual Naturalist Book Club #1
2026-09-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-10-13 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-11-10 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-12-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-01-12 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-02-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-03-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-04-13 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Denver) and 2 more dates | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Date: Monthly, on the second Tuesday of the month
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom
The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-minded people. We can help you do that! Join one of our free naturalist book clubs, where you can read and discuss a great new book each month, enjoying various perspectives and insights, all from the comfort of your own home. (Cozy pjs are perfectly acceptable attire.)
Your hosts are Master Naturalist Suzanne Hendrich and Deborah Drain.
You will need a computer that can access the internet and Zoom platform in order to participate.
There are some spaces available in this book club. Contact cmorris (at) montananaturalist.org to sign up.
Group is limited to 10 participants.

Botanical Imprints: Creating Clay Vessels
2026-09-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, September 9th
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: $40 MNHC members/$45 non-members
Join us for a relaxing fall evening of nature and creativity.
REGISTER HERE
In this botanically inspired workshop, you’ll craft your own custom clay vessel—whether it’s a bowl, plate, cup, or vase—using simple hand-building techniques. Ceramics artist Donna Flannery will guide you through the process and help you achieve your vision.
We’ll use plants gathered from MNHC’s vibrant native plant gardens to imprint intricate botanical designs right into the clay, capturing the beauty of fall foliage forever.
Naturalists will be on hand to help identify the plants you choose.
Note: Finished pieces will be fired, glazed, and ready for pickup two weeks after the workshop.
Enjoy sparkling water and light snacks as you work!
Instructor: Teaching Artist Donna Flanery lives and works in Missoula MT. She has an MFA from The University of Florida and BFA from The University of Montana. Her playful painted pottery has taken her to residencies in China, Germany, Minnesota and Helena, MT.
FAQs
What’s the refund policy?
The course fee (minus a 25% administrative fee) is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. See our full refund/cancellation policy here.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
Nope! We will have a list of all the attendees.

Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"
2026-09-14 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-10-12 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-11-09 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-12-14 18:00 - 20:00, 2027-01-11 18:00 - 20:00, 2027-02-08 18:00 - 20:00, 2027-03-08 18:00 - 20:00, 2027-04-12 18:00 - 20:00 and 1 more date | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Second Monday of the Month
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free, but please register
REGISTER HERE.
Whatever genre you prefer — poetry, essay, prose, flash, etc. — writing can help us connect with and reflect on our natural surroundings in deeply personal, unexpected, rewarding ways. But finding the time to write can often be challenging. This writing “hush hour(s)” is designed to provide nature writers with a quiet, supportive setting to work on your craft. This isn’t a workshop; this is space to write.
In this group, we’ll spend roughly the first 10-20 minutes inviting individuals to share what projects you’re working on, questions you might have about your work, suggest resources, any hurdles or writing blocks, and writing successes! Then we’ll write, write, write.
Bring your notebook, journal, or computer. Writing prompts will be available if you’re feeling stuck, or just want to play with words. Your MNHC group leaders are Allison De Jong (Montana Naturalist magazine editor and MNHC Field Notes instructor, and writer) and Beth Conway (Events and Marketing Coordinator, and writer).
Feel free to BYOB and snacks/dinner. Light refreshments provided.

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #2
2026-09-14 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-10-12 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-11-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-12-14 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-01-11 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-02-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-03-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-04-12 18:30 - 20:30 and 1 more date | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Date: Monthly, on the second Monday of the month (except January, May, June, July, and August)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom
The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-minded people. We can help you do that! Join one of our free naturalist book clubs, where you can read and discuss a great new book each month, enjoying various perspectives and insights, all from the comfort of your own home. (Cozy pjs are perfectly acceptable attire.) This book club meets September-April and breaks for the summer.
Book List
SEPTEMBER: “In Trees: An Exploration” by Robert Moor
OCTOBER: “The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating” byElizabeth Tova Bailey
NOVEMBER: “Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirit” by Lynda Lynn Haupt
DECEMBER: “The Secret Wisdom of Nature” by Peter Wohllleben
FEBRUARY (NO MEETING IN JANUARY) “Made for Each Other: A Symbiosis of Birds and Pines” by Ronald M Lanner
MARCH: “A Year in the Maine Woods” by Bernd Heinrich
APRIL: “The Secret Life of Clams” by Anthony Fredericks
The club pauses for January and breaks from May-August.
Your hosts is Sherry Staub. Sherry has led the Sacajawea book club for over two years in Bozeman and has extensively read in the nature book genre.
You will need a computer that can access the internet and Zoom platform in order to participate.
Interested in joining? There are spaces available! Email Christine at cmorris [at] montananaturalist [dot] org to sign up.
Group is limited to 10 participants.

Wild Work: Adventures of Women Field Biologists
2026-09-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, September 15
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free, but please register
Join Sophie Osborn, Susie Adams, and Lindsay Carlson as they discuss the new collection, Wild Work: Adventures of Women Field Biologists that offers a rare and powerful glimpse into the extraordinary work, risks, and rewards experienced by people who dedicate their lives to understanding and protecting our planet’s wild inhabitants.
REGISTER HERE!
Wild Work is an inspiring and entertaining anthology that brings to light the often untold stories of women in wildlife science. Featuring first-person accounts by dozens of adventurous field biologists, this collection immerses readers in the thrilling and compelling reality of studying and conserving fish and wildlife across the globe.
From playing tag with wolves or cuddling wild foxes to wading through rivers filled with venomous snakes or evading poachers, these women share stories of courage, curiosity, and resilience. Alongside the adrenaline and adventure, they reveal the delicate balancing act of juggling demanding fieldwork with family life, the lifelong friendships they forge in the wild, and the transformative power of connecting deeply with the natural world. They also bear witness to the fact that while women have been integral to fish and wildlife research for decades, their stories have rarely been represented in literature.
Copies of Wild Work will be available for purchase and signing.
About the Speakers:
SUSAN (SUSIE) B. ADAMS is an internationally recognized freshwater ecologist with a PhD in biology and ecology from the University of Montana. As a senior scientist at a federal agency, she researches crayfish and fish ecology in freshwater ecosystems. She has presented her research on four continents and served as president of the International Association of Astacology (study of crayfish). An avid outdoor recreationist, she is committed to helping women find their places in science and the outdoors. Learn more at adamsecology.net.
SOPHIE A. H. OSBORN is an award-winning writer and wildlife biologist who has worked with birds throughout the Americas. She contributed to reintroduction efforts for several endangered species, including as a field manager for the California Condor Recovery Program in Arizona. Her book Condors in Canyon Country won the 2007 National Outdoor Book Award for Nature and the Environment. American Birding Association reviewers chose her second book, Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds, as their favorite bird book of 2024. Learn more at wordsforbirds.net.
Lindsay Carlson is a field and quantitative ecologist and PhD candidate at the University of Saskatchewan. Her outdoor-centric upbringing sparked an early interest in wildlife and wildflowers that has never diminished. She completed her bachelor’s degree in biology at Montana Technological University and her master’s degree in ecology at Utah State University. Since those formative years, she has pursued opportunities to advance her career across the US and Canada but will always call the rugged peaks and windswept prairies of Montana home.
