IN THIS ISSUE:

Ales for Trails
Moonlight Hike
Fourth Graders Begin Program
Rim Country Hosts Former EPA Director
What's Happening on the Land?

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Eastern Office - Programs & Information
Box 41 - Rocky Mountain College
Alden Hall, Room 101A
1511 Poly Drive
Billings, MT 59102-1739
PHONE: (406) 238-7479

Carolyn Sevier: Email
(406) 696-8622

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Ales for Trails
September 24

Rim Country Land Institute will be offering an exclusive door prize at Ales for Trails, a great annual fundraiser for the trails system in Billings. Below is the press release. Hope to see you there!

On September 24th, Ales for Trails will be celebrating their tenth anniversary at DehlerPark, in Billings. From 5 till 10 pm, come join us for a wide selection of hand crafted beers from around the state and, live music featuring the Firehouse Band and the Caledonians. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Ales for Trails is a non-profit that raises funds and awareness for multi-puropose trails in the Billings area.

There's a pair of kestrels that spend a lot of time perching on a tree near the lodge. It's really a perfect tree for such a thing--one dead branch sticking up above otherwise green canopy and positioned on a hillside above the canyon, a great view of a landscape mostly below. The blue colors on the side of the male are striking, and when the weather is cold, as it has been lately, the feathers puff up for extra insulation. A beautiful, almost daily reminder of the importance of having a good place to rest, reflect, and observe.

The next few months at Rim Country will see a lot of changes, and we're excited to be in the planning process for lots of exciting possibilities. Expect to hear about these later in the fall. As for now, we have groups from three different education levels taking advantage of Rim Country program and facilities. Fourth-grade classes are participating in a year-long place-based program, high school students will be designing and conducting projects, and Rocky Mountain College is participating in at least two different research efforts. Our moonlight hike for the month is also coming up this week, and guided hikes are always available. Even during times of transition it seems that we continue to grow.

Important Note: During the month of October and into November, I will be taking time off for maternity leave. During this time, phone calls and e-mails may not be answered immediately, though messages will be checked regularly. If you need to reach someone immediately, call the Lodge at 406-669-8880 or our Western Office (Carol and Larry McEvoy) at 406-933-5700. Thank you for your patience (and continued support!) during this time.

Carolyn Sevier

Autumn Equinox Event

Join Rim Country on the evening of the Autumn Equinox to watch the sunset and moonrise on the grasslands. Enjoy a brief interpretive walk, explore the landscape, and return to the campfire for conversation and hot chocolate.

$10/person, $25/family
Meet at Rocky Mountain College, 6pm for carpool
Reservations required, 238-7479

Fourth Graders Begin Program

Outdoor and Experiential

Five classrooms of 4th graders in Billings will be starting the Rim Country Outdoor Education program at the end of September. This unique program combines place-based, experiential education with the cultural education of the Montana Indian Education for All program. Started during the 2009-2010 school year with two classes from Miles Avenue School, we have expanded this year to include Arrowhead Elementary and have received support from the School District to do so. This also represents an effort, in collaboration with the District and with the Audubon Conservation Education Center, to eventually provide outdoor education opportunities for all 4th graders in the Billings area. Cat Lynch, longtime volunteer and supporter of Rim Country and a fantastic naturalist educator herself, will be stepping in to teach the classes while Carolyn is absent. We look forward to this new year of school programs!

Rim Country Hosts Former EPA Director

Governor Whitman Visits Grasslands

During her trip to Rocky Mountain College as a Woodrow Wilson visiting scholar, Governor Christine Todd Whitman, also former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, took a trip to Cove Canyon Grasslands to observe a Rocky ecology class in action. The students were learning survey methods for grasslands that will serve them in their research efforts later this semester on the long-term cheat grass project at Cove Canyon. During her remarks at a reception later that evening, Governor Whitman several times cited Rim Country and the importance of on-the-ground field work in educating future decision-makers.

"Even if they never become ranchers or ecologists, it is critical for students to have engaged with these issues," said Whitman. She also cited a student who had admitted that he had not expected to learn anything duirng the trip but had actually "learned something" and enjoyed doing so.

Read more about Governor Whitman's visit to Rocky at http://www.rocky.edu/news/news/Whitman.shtml

What's Happening on the Land?

Lots of grasshoppers and, unusually, lots of aquatic bugs as well! To read about events on the grassland, check out the "Notes" on our Facebook page or link to the land blog from the website. Enjoy!