Gallatin Valley Land Trust conserves southwest Montana's heritage of open landscapes, working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat;
and creates trails to connect people, communities and the land.
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EVENTS
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June Events
National Trails Day - Saturday, June 4th
9:00 a.m. Meet at Bogert Pavilion for Registration
Meet at Bogert Pavilion for snacks and to sign up for work projects. Volunteers of all ages will be helping to spread gravel on trails in Burke Park (Peets Hill) to improve the trail surfaces, refresh them after a long winter, and make them more sustainable for the long-term. Volunteers should bring work gloves, water bottles, sunscreen, hats, and layers for all kinds of weather. If possible, bring your own shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows, but we will have tools available. Work will wrap up by 12:00.
12:30 p.m. Meet at Langohr Park Natural Playground for Grand Opening & Dedication
Designed by Greenspace Landscaping, and installed by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust with the help of the City of Bozeman and local partners, this is the first public natural playground in the Gallatin Valley. Join us to celebrate this new feature on our trail system. The Natural Playground is located across the creek from the climbing boulder on the Gallagator Trail, and can be accessed off South Tracy Avenue from South Black Avenue
. We will provide snacks and drinks.
Longest Day of Trails - Friday, June 24th
Everyone is invited to participate in the fifth annual Longest Day of Trails on Friday, June 24th headquartered at Montana Ale Works. The Longest Day of Trails is a dawn-to-dusk celebration of Bozeman's extraordinary trail system and a membership drive for Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT). Members of the Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club will continually ride a 25-mile loop on town trails from sunrise (5am) to sunset (10pm) to showcase the Main Street to the Mountains trail system. Everyone is welcome to join in a spin around town, be it for a few miles, a single loop, or the entire day. Cyclists from GAS/ Intrinsik Cycling Team will be leading 'on the hour' bike loops if you would like to participate, but you only have an hour, come down at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm or 5pm and join in the fun.
$35 will get you a GVLT membership, a $20 gift certificate from Montana Ale Works and a wrist band to participate in the cycling activities. For a donation of $50 or more you will receive a second $20 gift certificate to a local retailer.
Longest Day of Trails Activities:
5 - 7am - Early Bird, Sunrise Loop
7-11am - Pancake feed hosted by Rosauers (if you are wearing a wrist band you are welcome to dine!)
7:30 - 9:30am - Morning Loop
On the hour between 11am - 5pm - 1 hour bike loops lead by GAS/ Intrinsik cycling team
3:30 - 4:30pm - Kids Loop *Parents please ride with Children
4pm - Outside Dining at Montana Ale Works (MAW) is open
5:30 - 7pm - Dinner Loop
6-10pm - Live music by Jawbone Railroad on the MAW patio
8 - 10pm - Sunset Loop
10 -11pm - Raffle Winner Announced
Longest Day of Trails Event Partners:
Montana Ale Works, Massive Studios, Strong Frames, Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club, The Moose, Insty Prints
Raffle:
Your dream bike awaits! If you are interested in a $1650 custom STRONG FRAMES road bike frame and $1500 in components (THANKS TO THE COCHRAN FAMILY and MONTANA RECLAIMED LUMBER), $5 will get you a raffle ticket (or $25 for 6) for this wonderful opportunity. The winner will be announced between 10-11pm at the event. Beginning May 16th raffle tickets will be sold at Summit Bike and Ski, Bangtail Bikes, GVLT office, and at registration on the day of the event.
Raffle Sponsors:
STRONG FRAMES, The Cochran Family and Montana Reclaimed Lumber
Get Involved!! Contact Anne Tyler at GVLT - 587.8404 to find out how you can sponsor, donate, and/or volunteer at Longest Day of Trails.
Chestnut Mountain Trail Dedication - Thursday, June 30th
Join GVLT, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), and other partners to celebrate the brand-new Chestnut Mountain Trail. Meet at 3:30 at the Trailhead on Trail Creek Road for a ribbon cutting and dedication of this fantastic new trail. A public hike and children's activities by the Montana Outdoor Science School will follow. From 6:00 - 8:00 pm join us on the patio at Starky's Authentic Americana to continue the celebration with ½ priced pints, snacks and cheer, with proceeds to benefit GVLT and TPL!
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FUNDRAISER
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GVLT is excited to introduce a NEW field guide  Please join us on Saturday, June 4th, 2011 at 4pm at the Country Bookshelf, located at 28 W. Main St., to celebrate the launch of a fabulous new field guide to local flowers, Flora of Montana's Gallatin Region: Greater Yellowstone's Northwest Corner. Author Whitney Tilt, and GVLT Executive Director, Penelope Pierce, will give a brief presentation, followed by a book signing. Books available for purchase for $25 and proceeds go to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. We hope to see you there after all the fun events of National Trails Day!
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GVLT STAFF
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GVLT is excited to welcome Peter Brown as our new full-time Stewardship Manager Peter's commitment to Montana is rooted in his grandmother's stories of their homestead truck farm in the Missouri River Break of eastern Montana. The original homestead is now under the waves of Fork Peck Reservoir and his family has since moved closer to the mountains to raise cattle and sheep in the Helena Valley and along the native bunch grass reefs of the Rocky Mountain Front. Peter's interest in Montana's open space and abundant wildlife led him to a BS in Resource Conservation at the University of Montana. The following ten years included guiding backpacking, whitewater rafting, and hunting trips into wilderness areas and national parks in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, and Utah. When not guiding he could be found conducting field ecology studies of amphibians, grizzly bears, gray wolves, and invasive species throughout the West. Two years ago, he was contracted by a watershed group in Ovando, Montana to develop a wolf and cattle monitoring program. He is currently near completion of an MS degree in Resource Conservation at the University of Montana (May 2011). His research chronicles the emergence of wolf and cattle conflicts post reintroduction, and the tools that have been developed to assist livestock producers in preventing depredation of livestock by gray wolves. Peter is excited to be joining Gallatin Valley Land Trust in the Stewardship Manager position, and looks -forward to working with landowners as they envision the future of their land, protected and connected in perpetuity. You can reach Peter at peter@gvlt.org or 406-587-8404 extension 7.
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TRAILS
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GVLT's New Trail Boss, Josh Olsen
Every year GVLT hires a seasonal staffer to help coordinate volunteers, trail maintenance projects, and assist our trails staff with new trail developments. This year, we are excited to welcome Josh Olsen to our team. Josh brings years of experience in leading crews, wilderness education, and trail maintenance. He'll be leading volunteers, coordinating our Adopt-A-Trail program, and inventorying our trail system for maintenance issues.  Being a native Montanan Josh has a profound connection to the land and he is very excited to be working with the GVLT in the effort to conserve the Gallatin Valley's beautiful ecosystem. He attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota and received a BA is Art and African History. While traveling in Tanzania, he taught 5th grade and climbed every mountain he could find. His experience in East Africa sparked an interest in teaching. After a few years of what he calls CADD (Career Attention Deficit Disorder) where he worked as a climbing guide, ski patroller and wilderness instructor for an at risk youth program, he went back to school to get a Masters of Education from the University of Montana. His graduate studies focused on place-based or outdoor education and service learning. For the past five years he has been teaching wilderness medicine for Aerie Backcountry Medicine. Josh believes that "GVLT is the perfect blend of conservation through service to foster open spaces, wildlife habitat and connect the community to recreation." Look for him on the trails with his dog Numa. INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING? As our trails emerge from the icy grip of winter, we need everyone's help in assessing any hazards, safety issues, or maintenance needs that may be revealed with the spring thaw. Look out for missing or broken boards on bridges, erosion channels in the trail, down trees or low branches, missing or damaged signs, graffiti, broken benches, weed infestations, mud holes, and trash. GVLT will work with the City Parks Department, volunteer groups, and our Adopt-A-Trail program to get the trails back in shape for a summer of fun recreational activities. If you observe any maintenance issues or are interested in volunteering to help get the trails in shape, email our Trail Boss, Josh at josh@gvlt.org.
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WAYS TO GIVE
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One way you can continue to support GVLT is by adding a charitable bequest to your will or living trust. This simple, flexible and versatile gift will not alter your current lifestyle, and is fully deductible for estate tax purposes. How can you give through a bequest? The two most common types of bequests are described below. Specific Bequest: A specific bequest is an outright gift of money, stocks or bonds, land, or other assets. The suggested wording for a specific bequest is: I give, devise and bequeath to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, a nonprofit charitable organization with principal offices in Bozeman, Montana, the sum of $ (or description of any real or personal property) for its unrestricted use and purpose. [note: this language needs to be reviewed by an attorney] Residuary Bequest: In a residuary bequest, the donor leaves all or part of the balance of the estate to a beneficiary after debts, taxes, and specific bequests have been satisfied. The suggested wording for a residuary bequest is: I give, devise and bequeath to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, a nonprofit charitable organization with principle offices in Bozeman, Montana, all (or __%) of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, to be used for its unrestricted use and purpose. [note: this language needs to be reviewed by an attorney] If you are considering a bequest to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust it is essential that you seek the advice of a competent attorney before the will or living trust is executed. It is also important that you consult with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. This will ensure that both your estate planning and conservation goals are met. What are the tax consequences of making a bequest? Please consult your attorney or tax advisor before making such a designation in your will. Estate tax laws is change and you should seek advice that is current and considers likely changes over time.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
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Collin's Coalition - Bike Ride
Community Bike Ride up Hyalite Canyon: Help Collin's Coalition and Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) raise funds to complete safe trail connections between existing and proposed trails in the area east of Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. The Community Bike Ride will be held on Sunday, May 15 beginning at 1:00pm and ending by 5:00pm.
Here's how you can support this fun event and the important work it will help accomplish to make our trails safer.
1. Make a Donation
2. Sponsor a Rider
3. Participate in the Community Bike Ride Up Hyalite Canyon
We hope to see you there! Visit www.collinscoalition.org for full details.
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Members of Gallatin Valley Land Trust Receive a $25 Discount for the
HIKE. BIKE. ART. CAMP.
HIKE. BIKE. ART. CAMP.
Be Active...Explore Nature....Create Art!
Sign up Early, click here.
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Gallatin Valley Land Trust
25 North Willson Ave, Ste E - Bozeman, MT 59715
406.587.8404 p.
406.582.1136 f.
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