Coming Up

Campfire Talks at Holland Lake Day Use Area

Swan Valley Connections will host a series of Campfire Talks during the month of July at Holland Lake Day Use Area in Condon. This is an opportunity for community members to come together, connect with each other, and with nature.

FRI, Jul 20th at 8 PM

Wildlife Awareness
Learn about recreating with bears, lions, wolves, moose and other wildlife and birds - what to do in an encounter, and how to tread lightly in their habitat. Presentation by USFS Swan Lake Ranger District.

FRI, Jul 27th at 8 pm

Cultural Heritage
Learn about how Native Americans used trees in western Montana, and how you can identify these special cultural sites. Take part in activities involving the primitive tools that represent the local cultural heritage. Presentation by Ryan Powell, USFS Flathead National Forest Heritage Program Manager, and Laura Cannon, SVC Archaeological Consultant.

Presentations are free and everyone is welcome. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket and flashlight. Contact 754-3137 or info@svconnections.org for more information.

An engaged group attended the Aquatic Invasive Species presentation.

COMMUNITY POTLUCK DINNER

WED, Aug 1st, 6 pm
At SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY HALL

Presentation on Protecting Your Home From Wildland Fire

Swan Valley Connections' August Community Potluck Dinner will be held on Wed, Aug 1st, at 6 pm at the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon.

A presentation on Protecting Your Home From Wildland Fire will feature Allen Branine, Fire Management Officer and Ali Ulwelling, Area Service Forester and Fire Prevention Specialist of MT DNRC - Swan Unit. Learn about the new Montana Situation Analysis Home Evaluation Program.

Swan Valley Connections monthly potlucks are held on the first Wednesday of every month. This is a time for all community members to come together, share food, and learn from one another!

Doors open at 5:30, Potluck dinner at 6:00, Presentation at 6:30, Get to know your neighbors at 7:00! Free. Everyone is welcome.

Contact Rebecca at 406.754.3137 or rebecca@svconnections.org for more information, or if you would like to be a presenter at future potlucks.

THE ERA of MEGAFIRES

Sat, Aug 4th, 7 pm
At Swan Valley Community Hall

Swan Valley Connections, Swan Valley Emergency Services, Montana DNRC – Swan Unit, North 40 Productions, and the US Forest Service are pleased to bring the "Era of Megafires" to the Swan Valley Community Hall in Condon on Saturday, August 4th at 7:00 pm. Cookies and beverages will be provided. Free. Everyone is welcome.

The Era of Megafires is a 60-minute presentation featuring Dr. Paul Hessburg, a research landscape ecologist with Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station. In this multi-media presentation, Hessburg explains that over the past decade, the number of large, severe wildfires has been on the rise. These megafires are wildfires that burn more than 100,000 acres; they can destroy or severely damage human communities, wildlife habitat, and natural resources. This special presentation conveys the conditions that lead to megafires and how they might be managed or mitigated.

“A future without wildfire isn’t an option,” Hessburg says. “So, what kind of future do we want for our forests? The goal of this project is to share a vocabulary and increase the understanding and ability of ordinary citizens so that they can enter into local discussions and planning for a more certain future for public forest lands."

Since June, 2016, the presentation has reached 86 cities and towns and more than 25,000 citizens. There is also an “Era of Megafires” presentation on www.ted.com with over 850,000 views:
https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_hessburg_why_wildfires_have_gotten_worse_and_how_we_can_stop_them.

For more information and updates, visit the Era of Megafires website: https://www.eraofmegafires.com.