Long-term ecological change is impossible without the buy-in of local communities and citizens.  Part of our Vital Rivers Initiative seeks to involve community members in different facets of the Superfund cleanup and other smaller restoration enderavors underway on feeder creeks and streams.  One aspect in particular that we see as crucial to the long-term success of our projects and as helpful in the education of citizens is monitoring.  Without detailed monitoring and evalutaion of projects, its impossible to know how our on-the-ground efforts are making a difference.  How many cows are prevented from crossing small creeks and crushing fragile vegetation because of our improved fencing?  What types of brushes and shrubs are making a comeback in areas where toxic soils have been carted away?  Which species of birds are visiting the Clark Fork in their migratory routes to Alaska in the summer or South America in the winter, and where are they putting their nesting sites?

Our public outreach component seeks to involve students, teachers, and interested citizens in the monitoring of our restoration projects.  In 2009-2010, high school and middle school age students have already made trips to our working ranch to help with fencing projects.  In the fall of 2010, we'll be bringing in students and groups to help us evaluate the impacts of our projects throughout the upper river.  We'll be counting birds, identifying bugs, and assessing streamflow in an effort to both teach community members about the benefits of stream restoration, and also to help us improve our projects and efforts in coming years.

One of our main goals throughout the basin is to foster stewardship of the Clark Fork River and engage community members in caring for the streams near their home.  Through Vital Rivers, we're aiming to provide hands-on learning experiences throughout the watershed, hoping to teach these future leaders how to maintain a clean and healthy environment for decades to come.