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Spring wildlife courses offered in Glacier National Park
May 15, 2012
editor@montanaliving.com
Two wildlife courses are being offered by the Glacier Institute. On Sunday, May 20, 2012 The Glacier Harlequins course and on Saturday, May 26th the Cycling for Slides.
· In Glacier Park, Harlequin ducks are as rare as grizzly bears, as secretive as goshawks, and as specialized as mountain goats. We’ll spend the day looking into the lives of these little-known natives and observing them fee ding and courting during the peak of the breeding season. The course will be led by instructor John Ashley, BA. John Ashley earned his B.A. in Biology with an emphasis in Natural History from the University of Montana. He has worked to conserve harlequin ducks in Montana, Alberta and British Columbia for many years.
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· Avalanche slide paths along the Going-to-the-Sun Road provide key late-Spring ecological niches for early season foragers, grazers and opportunists: deer, elk and grizzly bear. Avalanche occurrence and dynamics are a function of terrain, weather, snowpack and a triggering mechanism. Come join us on this cycling excursion from Avalanche Creek to Logan Creek (8 miles round trip or perhaps the Loop: 15 miles round trip) to stop often to observe and discuss the dynamics of avalanche slide paths and their ecological role in the landscape. Instructor Paul Rappaport earned his MS in Geology from The University of Maine, with a focus on Glacial Geology and Quaternary Studies. Paul has conducted research in Antarctica and Scandinavia, and has traveled slowly through glaciated landscapes in Alaska, The Yukon and New Zealand by bicycle for months on end.
The Glacier Institute serves adults and children as an educational leader in the Crown of the Continent ecosystem with Glacier National Park at its center. Emphasizing outreach and field based learning experiences; the non-profit Institute provides an objective and science-based understanding of the area's ecology and its interaction with people. Marking its 29th year of educational programs, The Glacier Institute is a long-time partner with Glacier National Park, the Flathead National Forest, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Flathead Valley Community College. The Institute offers family programs, youth science adventure camps, Discovery School at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center and adult educational programs.
To register on-line go to www.glacierinstitute.org or to request a course listing call (406) 755-1211. The fees for both of these courses are $65.
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