by Denny Olson Studies about nature’s effects on stress and health are a growth industry worldwide. In England, an 18-year study showed that those who lived closest to green space reported less mental distress (after adjusting for variables, like income, education and employment). In the Netherlands, scientists found lower incidence of 15 diseases – including…
Read Moreby Denny Olson I love the woods, the changing rivers, the vistas from above tree-line, and of course, the birds that are always there — everywhere. I can’t begin to count the ways that the outdoors has contributed to my general well-being. But my work as a conservation educator isn’t always driven by all those…
Read Moreby Denny Olson Owen Sowerwine Our Local Outdoor Classroom A couple of days ago, I led a small group of three on a field trip to Owen Sowerwine, that roughly 442-acre parcel of State School Trust land located along the Stillwater and Flathead Rivers just east of Willow Glen near Kalispell. The trip emphasized the…
Read Moreby Denny Olson We are now in the middle of the Jewel Basin Hawk Watch season, and things have begun to heat up — but the numbers of migrant raptors are slightly lower than recent years. Like true geeks, a number of us have been pulling up multiple weather forecasting websites every day, looking for…
Read Moreby Denny Olson Once again, the summer sneaked away with busy-ness, and it is Jewel Basin Hawk Watch (JBHW) time. A number of us addicts will soon be sitting on what seems like the top of the world, straining eyes to the north, watching for approaching dots in the sky, and testing ourselves with the…
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Hawks, Owls, Eagles and Falcons — up close and personal — and FREE! From 9 AM until 1 PM on Saturday, September 17th Flathead Audubon and Lone Pine State Park, will have our biggest event, with activities for everyone, exhibits, booths great programs, and prizes!. Kate Davis, Director of Raptors of the Rockies, a 34-year…
Read Moreby Denny Olson Sometimes those of us in Audubon might get a bit complacent about why we are here. Birding is fun, our programs are entertaining and very informative and our social get-togethers for events or a field trip give us a sense of comradery. But because we live in a place where natural beauty…
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by Denny Olson After 14 presentations (and the planning and research for each) in late February and March, (including the FAS monthly program on Bird Intelligence) and 20 hours of volunteer work in OSNA, I looked at the April schedule. I only had the FAS Board and public meetings, my STEAM Alliance Board meeting, 3…
Read Moreby Denny Olson Flathead Audubon and its Education Committee, partner Flathead Land Trust and consultant Region One Fish, Wildlife and Parks, are embarking on a plan to use 7th and 8th-grade education about birds as a portal to a broader concept of “place-based” education. Montana School Standards, are by definition, generic. They have application across…
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Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) announced that they will be partnering with the Montana Native Plant Society-Flathead Chapter and Flathead Audubon Society to bring you several programs about the native plants and birds that thrive on the lovely east shore landscape. Thursday, May 5th, 6-7 PM Creating Birdsong in Our World, One Garden at A Time…
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