Owen Sowerwine, a riparian area located on 442-acres of State school trust land, is covered with cottonwood forests, and home to a wide variety of native birds, as well as other native wildlife and native plants.
Owen Sowerwine lies west of the Stillwater River in a braided section of the Flathead River. It consists of a large island, portions of other nearby islands, and mainland areas adjacent to these islands, at the confluence of the Flathead and Stillwater Rivers.
Because it is situated only about ½ mile east of the city limits of Kalispell, it provides an easily accessible, natural tract of land for walking, bird watching, nature photography, and other outdoor activities.
Flathead Audubon and Montana Audubon jointly hold the license for Owen Sowerwine from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Flathead Audubon serves as the local manager of the area.
Management includes maintaining natural wildlife and aquatic life habitat, protecting wildlife and aquatic life from human disturbance as far as is possible in this location, maintaining natural riparian and wetland vegetation, enhancing water quality of Flathead River, and allowing natural flooding in this portion of the braided section of the River. It has been designated a State Important Bird Area by Montana Audubon because it provides model nesting and foraging habitat for riparian dependent birds. Management by Montana Audubon and Flathead Audubon ensures the preservation of the natural values of the area that merit this designation.
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