We have been busy with visitors, programming, and all sorts of projects here at the Center. As you can see, we have the sod down and watered in the amphitheater, and we're working to attach the bench material, do some paving and fencing, and put finishing touches on the space. You should hear about a grand opening later this summer!
We will be attending the Montana Folk Festival next weekend, July 13th and 14th, if you want to come visit our booth and learn more about the Center and our plans for the future. The theme for this year's festival will focus on the influence of rivers: "Gathering at the Headwaters: The Influence of Rivers and Riparian Lifeways in Montana and the Mountain West." We thought it would be a great time and place to talk about our upcoming riparian exhibit and greet a new group of potential friends and visitors. If you're close to Butte Montana next weekend, stop on by! It's the Northwest's Largest FREE Outdoor Music Festival.

Remember if you have any questions, or just want to know more about any aspect of the Center, you can always give us a call at 406.646.7001, reply to this newsletter, or email

So what will we be busy doing on the 4th? Besides greeting visitors and trying to stay cool, what could possibly make tomorrow any different than most summer days here at the Center? Well, the bears will be enjoying gigantic ice treats like the one shown here. The animal keepers have been slowly creating these humongous popsicles with layers of fruit, ice and other flavors, freezing them after each addition, in preparation for today. The bears may not have known it was a holiday last year when this photo was taken, but they seemed to take interest in the special treats.

The wolves just received a generous donation of extracts and flavorings. They will be sniffing out scents like mango, vanilla, lemon, and other exotic enrichments. Thank you for these exciting gifts!

The aviaries have been well trafficked lately. It's such a peaceful spot back there, and the birds are so much fun to watch and listen to. We invite you to come spend some time with the raptors. There are several outreach programs scheduled for the coming weeks, so if you're in the area but can't make it all the way to the outdoor aviaries here at the Center, maybe a few of the birds will be coming to a program near you! Several of our birds-of-prey were in Ennis and at the Nature Conservancy's Flat Ranch in Idaho this week. Call us for more information about onsite and outreach programs.

Nakiska has been entertaining and educating visitors twice weekly for the last month or so. Her training as a Karelian Bear Dog is the highlight of the Living with Bears program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This special breed is used to help with bear management to scare bears away from human areas. Nakiska is learning how to be an ambassador for the breed. She helps teach visitors how to live safely in bear country.

 

If you're interested in visiting the GWDC with your family or with your students, or if you'd like to sponsor a Teaching Trunk or outreach program, let us know. One of the Center's naturalists can visit your school for special assemblies, programs or activities. As you know, some of our birds-of-prey can travel for such programs as can our large collection of wolf and bear artifacts. We will customize the program or the Teaching Trunk for your group and areas of special interest.