Friends of Breaks set workshops on Missouri River

From Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument

The Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument has organized several adult education workshops and a three-day float trip for adults on the monument this summer.

People who want to participate can sign up at the Friends’ website at https://missouribreaks.org under the “Get Involved” dropdown menu. People do not need to be a member of the Friends of the Missouri Breaks Monument to participate. However, members will receive a 15 percent discount on the price.

June 22, Montana State University associate extension specialist Noelle Orloff will lead a workshop on botany at the James Kipp Recreation Area. Participants will identify native plants and flowers, and learn about the impact of invasive species in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. The cost is $65 per person.

June 29, Jamie Dwyer, a biologist and principal at Biomimicry 3.8, will hold a workshop at Stafford Ferry on the art of nature journaling. The cost is $60 per person.

The adult education program’s July offering is a three-day ecology float from Coal Banks Landing to Judith Landing July 26-28, led by MSU ecology professor Gina Himes Boor. Two FMB staff members will also participate in the float and will lead hikes through Neat Coulee at Eagle Creek and to the top of the iconic Hole in the Wall. Participation costs $400 per person. FMB will provide canoes, PFDs, paddles, and food for light breakfasts and dinners.

Two more workshops are scheduled for August. An overnight astronomy and star-gazing workshop will take place Aug. 3-4 at Judith Landing. The Central Montana Astronomy Society will make a presentation and help participants spot various stars and celestial bodies with telescopes. The cost is $40 per person.

The final workshop will take place at Stafford Ferry Aug. 10. This workshop, led by graduate student Tom Franzem, will focus on familiarizing participants with entomology — the study of insects — and how to search for, identify and capture insects in the field. The cost is $40.

Tickets to the workshops are on sale at http://www.missouribreaks.org/shop. Space is limited. The deadline to sign up is two days before each event. To learn more, visit the website or email FMB Program Coordinator Taylor Mudford at [email protected].