On Friday April 30th from 12 – 1 PM the City of Bozeman Parks & Recreation Department - Forestry Division will host a tree planting event in Bozeman to celebrate Arbor Day. The celebration will kick off with planting street trees along S 20th Street between Babcock and Dickerson and marks the start of the City’s planting season.

This year’s event centers around planting street trees in an area of Bozeman that is noticeably devoid of trees along the roadway. Volunteers will plant, stake, mulch, and install watering bags to establish the new trees.
 
The Forestry Division is partnering with the Gallatin Watershed Council (GWC) for this project. In preparation for the event, GWC staff surveyed local residents to gauge interest in tree planting and helped to recruit volunteers.
 
Forestry Division Manager Alex Nordquest says, “Both of our organizations recognize the benefits urban trees provide to local water quality. New trees also provide clean air and wildlife habitat.”
 
Nordquest adds, “Our goal in Forestry is to maintain and grow a diverse urban forest here in Bozeman. The opportunity to plant trees where none were before is not only good for our tree health, it also enhances this area for all who live and walk nearby.”
 
This Arbor Day celebrates the 27th year that Bozeman has been recognized as a Tree City USA. Last year, more than 2,500 cities achieved the title of Tree City USA with a combined population of 150 million.

Montana State University Extension has recently revised one of its MontGuide fact sheets relating to how a life estate can be a useful estate planning tool.

According to Joel Schumacher, MSU Extension economics associate specialist, a life estate exists during the life of a specific person, also known as a life tenant. The life tenant keeps the use and the possession of the property held in the life estate for the duration of their life, but another party actually owns the property. That owner is known as the remainderman.

“Although the remainderman is the owner of the property, the remainderman cannot have possession until the life tenant dies,” said MontGuide co-author Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist. “The life tenant has exclusive possession rights to the property, including the right to exclude others from using it.”

Types of families that could benefit from the use of a life estate include:

• Farm and ranch families for ensuring real property passes to specific children, but only after the death of the surviving parent.
• Remarried couples with children from a prior marriage to provide a home for the surviving spouse during their lifetime, while ensuring the home passes to specific children when the second spouse dies.
• Couples who want certain real properties to eventually pass to a charity or nonprofit, but only after the passing of the surviving spouse.
• Parents and their adult children who want to protect a home’s value from costs of a nursing home, assisted living or home care.

For example, a couple signed a quitclaim deed transferring their home to their adult children for $1, an amount less than the market value of the home. The quitclaim deed included a provision saying the parents “retain the right to use and occupy the property during their lifetimes.” This wording sets up a joint life estate for them and makes their children the remaindermen.

Because the children did not pay the market value for the home, the parents have made a gift of the difference between the market value and $1. The transfer of the property by the parents to the children is a gift under Medicaid eligibility rules. If the gift occurs within the five years prior to the parent applying for Medicaid benefits, the parent will be ineligible for Medicaid benefits for a certain number of months or years based on the value of the gifts. Goetting and Schumacher said this is because of the federal five-year look back rule on gifts.

“Before granting or keeping a life estate interest either through your estate plan or by a separate agreement, discuss the legal consequences with an attorney,” Goetting said. “Consider assets, family situation and personal preferences carefully to ensure a life estate fits with your overall estate plan.”

More information about life estates can be found at https://store.msuextension.org/Products/Life-Estate-A-Useful-Estate-Planning-Tool__MT200510HR.aspx. Paper copies are also available at local county and reservation Extension offices.

Staff at Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park are pleased to reopen the cave once again on a first-come, first-served basis for the 2021 season.  

Two distinct tour options will be offered from May 28 to Sept. 30, 2021. Visitors are encouraged to call a week before their visit as tour options, times and availability may change throughout the season. No reservations will be taken for cave tours this season. Park staff are always committed to providing a quality experience for visitors. 

Classic tour 
The classic tour will feature a 2-mile journey through the majority of the developed cave tour route, including the second-largest and longest rooms in the cave. This tour lasts for two hours and includes more than 600 stairs, stooping and tight squeezes. It is not recommended for small children or visitors with mobility limitations or claustrophobia.  

Bats occupy some rooms that are part of the classic tour. Bats can be susceptible to pathogens carried by people. To reduce risks to sensitive bat populations at the park, visitors will be required to wear facemasks in rooms that contain bats. 

The classic tour is generally not held at specific times, but it is offered based on visitor demand and staff availability. 

Tickets for the classic tour are $15 for visitors ages 15 and older, $10 for children ages 5 to 14, and $5 for anyone ages 4 and younger.  

Paradise tour 
The second option is the paradise tour. It includes a view of the largest and most decorative room in the cave — the Paradise Room. This 1-mile tour lasts for 90 minutes. It includes 15 stairs between two rooms, but the path is mostly level and partly wheelchair accessible. Because the paradise tour provides better accessibility and easier passage, this tour is highly recommended for anyone with small children, claustrophobia concerns or mobility challenges.  

Starting May 28, the paradise tour will be offered every hour on the half hour, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. These times are subject to change, so contact the park prior to your visit.  

Tickets for the paradise tour are $10 for seniors ages 62 and older, $15 for visitors ages 15 to 61, $10 for children ages 5 to 14, and free for anyone under age 4. 

Planning your visit 
Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park features one of the most decorative limestone caverns in the Northwest, filled with spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, columns and helictites. The park also offers camping, trails to hike or bike, a state-of-the-art visitor center, interpretive displays, a gift shop, food and beverage concessions, an amphitheater, and interpretive events during the summer months. The ticket office opens daily at 9 a.m., and the last tour departs at 4:30 p.m.  

An $8 entrance fee is required for visitors who are not residents of Montana. Residents of the state normally pay the fee with vehicle registration.  

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is roughly 7 miles southeast of Cardwell along Montana Highway 2.  

As always, visitors are asked to not wear any clothing, shoes or accessories, including glasses and cameras, that have been to another cave or mine in the past two years. This is to protect bat populations at the Caverns. White-nose syndrome, a fungus that kills entire bat colonies, can be transmitted easily and does not come out of clothing or other materials with normal washing methods. While it does not affect humans, it could have significant impacts to the cave ecosystem.  

To inquire about tour availability or other questions, please call the park at 406-287-3541. For more information about the park, visit fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/lewis-and-clark-caverns.  

A beautiful city in southern Montana, in the Rocky Mountains, is known as the most “livable place” as the people can enjoy fly fishing, hiking, climbing, skiing, mountain biking, hunting, exploring the impressive wildlife and city arts and cultural communities, festivals, markets, and other interactions. Bozeman is developing due to two reasons - tourism and the high-tech industry. Another reason to visit Bozeman is Montana State University. But what exactly attracts travelers from different parts of the USA and the world? In this article, you will find out which attractions you must visit, so check out 7 things for college students to do in Bozeman.

1) Explore the most famous hiking trails. Bozeman, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, became the perfect place for hiking. There are a lot of trails but the most astonishing ones are Sourdough Canyon, Chestnut Mountain, Bear Canyon, Truman Gulch, Sypes Canyon, Hell Roaring Creek, Cherry River Pond, Gallagator Trail and Peets Hill, and Storm Castle. It is also hard to miss the hiking trails that lead to “M” that was built by students of Montana State University in 1915 on the way to Bridger Canyon.

2) Make a stop at the Museum of the Rockies. One of the famous research and natural history museums welcomes visitors with worldwide, regional, historical exhibits, educational lectures, programs and events, camps, but the highlight among artifacts is the collection of dinosaur fossils including the Siebel Dinosaur Complex including the fully arranged Montana's T. rex skeleton that is the main attraction within the college students and inspires students to learn more about the paleontology.

3) Visit the Bozeman Public Library to get prepared for your essay. The modern building is known for its tremendous sculptures, and "green" stunning architecture that includes the use of natural light, reduced waste in construction, and the use of local building materials. The library opens the door for everyone as it is not only the place where you can find the needed book but also a space that boosts creativity and desire to study. If you still feel a lack of inspiration for writing, the college essay maker is a perfect solution for you, as it is an effortless way to get your essay done before the deadline and improve the academic performance. The Bozeman Public Library is a great place for students to find the resources to promote personal growth, develop learning and research skills and use information effectively in terms of the education process.

4) Take a hike to Lava Lake. One of the most popular trail destinations is located in the Gallatin Canyon between Bozeman and Big Sky and leads to the awe-inspiring surroundings. The scenic lake provides the opportunity to fish for foot-long wild rainbow trout. Lava Lake trailhead opens a marvelous sight and is a perfect place for students to refresh their minds and get distracted from the college workload.

5) Stroll along Main Street. In the Downtown of Bozeman, you will find shops, cafes, boutiques, restaurants that symbolize the life culture of the city. Main street is filled with a college atmosphere and is a must to visit for students who would like to try tasty food, find vintage stores with clothing, books, or records.

6) Visit The American Computer & Robotics Museum. The huge range of exhibits demonstrates the evolution of technology, its path over the eras of applied sciences. This museum is a perfect place to find out more about the history of computers, artificial intelligence, and robotics. The Brains & Thinking Machines, the original Apple 1 computer signed by Steve Wozniak, and the first electronic handheld calculator prototype are permanently introduced in the museum.

7) Go to see the Montana Grizzly Encounter. A safe home for bears who do not survive in the wild has become an admired place for people of different ages, especially school and college students. The animals adopted by Montana Grizzly Encounter have educational aims as they strive to provide education to Montana residents about wildlife and cohabitation with animals. This place is a saving for the rescued grizzly bears that explains and proves their role in wildlife systems.

The high quality of life in Bozeman is accompanied by the developed economy which is considered to be one of the strongest in the State of Montana. The unique opportunities, a nationally recognized educational system, culture, and all of the aforesaid activities only prove that Bozeman is a tidbit for both citizens and travelers.

Author’s Bio: Robert Everett is a freelance content writer and traveler. He visited over 60 countries and learned 4 foreign languages. His hobbies are hiking, biking and skiing. In the free time, Robert takes part in different volunteer activities and participates in exchange programs.

Montana State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Development has awarded grants to nine projects that help advance the college’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

“We are elated to be able to offer these grants this year,” said Kayte Kaminski, assistant dean in the College of Education, Health and Human Development. “As diversity and inclusion efforts are part of our broader MSU strategic plan, we thought of this as an opportunity to further our contributions to not only the broader MSU strategic plan but to also move forward our college’s own Diversity and Inclusion Plan.”

This is the first round of funding of this sort from the college, with award amounts ranging from $2,360 to $5,000. The college hopes that the nine projects will result in future programming, professional development and other opportunities impacting a wide range of people, Kaminski said.

“We hope that these nine grants, and the people involved with them, can provide education for others also engaging with this work,” she said.

The grants will be used for a range of efforts, including funding workshops focused on diversity, equity and inclusion issues; revamping courses to include more diverse perspectives; and evaluating programs and developing a guidebook of exemplary practices to improve outreach efforts.

The grant awardees are listed by project title and principal investigator:

• “Advising Commons Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop Retreat,” Sara Heller.

• “Cultivating Change for Montana’s Health Care Community,” Coleen Kaiser.

• “Increasing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in HDFS 101 Lifespan Human Development,” Wendy Morrison.

• “Preservice Teachers’ Sense of Creative Self Efficacy and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking,” Kris Olsen.

• “Social Justice Throughout the Curriculum,” Kari Orendorff.

• “Library Media Certificate Curriculum Revision: EDCI 546,” Deborah Rinio.

• “Infusing Equity in the Montana Farm to School Summit,” Aubree Roth.

• “An Analysis of Exemplary Practices for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in MSU Youth STEM Outreach,” Suzi Taylor.

• “Using a Critical Science Approach to Create Inclusive Family and Consumer Sciences Educational Environments,” Nicole Wanago.

As one goal of its strategic plan, “Choosing Promise,” which was adopted in 2019, MSU seeks to broaden access for underrepresented populations and increase academic success for all students. In the fall of 2016, MSU also began a diversity planning process which resulted in a comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Framework.

Soon after, the College of Education, Health and Human Development developed its own plan, which is aligned with the expectations and themes of MSU’s Diversity and Inclusion Framework. The College of Education, Health and Human Development’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan began in 2017 and runs through 2022. More information is available at montana.edu/ehhd/diversity_and_inclusion_plan.html.

Beginning May 15 and running through June 30, nonresident hunters can register their name to the Alternate’s List on MyFWP. Every year, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks gets several unused nonresident combination licenses (big game, general elk and general deer combination licenses) returned by customers. FWP resells these returned licenses through the Alternate’s List. 

The Alternate’s List is an option for nonresident hunters to express their interest in purchasing one of these returned licenses by registering their name to this listing.  A hunter can register to purchase their choice of only one nonresident combination license per year (big game, general elk, or general deer combination licenses). Once the list is randomized in mid-July, and a license becomes available, the hunter in the uppermost randomized position on the list will be contacted by email to finalize the purchase of the license, and so on until the returned NR combo licenses are eventually exhausted.

Payment for the license fee is not required to sign up for the Alternate’s List. If your randomized position falls at the top of the listing, you will be contacted by email with instructions on how to complete the purchase of the license. Being on this list or obtaining a license from this list has no effect on your existing preference points.

 MyFWP also allows you to check where your position lands on this Alternate’s List after the randomization process occurs in mid-July.  Please be sure to check back after then.

The odds of getting a license from these lists vary greatly from year to year. Refunds and issuance may occur at any time after mid-July, but availability of these licenses increase between early fall and the opening of general hunting season in late October. 

For more information, visit http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licensedraw/alternatesList.html

***At this time the Bozeman Police investigation has definitively established this incident was not a random act and there is no general public safety concern. We are still actively investigating the incident, no arrests have been made.***

Shortly after midnight on 4/19/2021, Bozeman Police responded to the 1200 block of W Babcock for an adult male who had been shot. The victim reported he went outside to smoke when a dark sedan pulled up next to him and someone shot him. The victim was transported to Bozeman Health with non-life threatening injuries. Thanks to Bozeman Fire and AMR for their quick response to the scene.

At this time, we are continuing to investigate the event, no arrests have been made and we are asking for your assistance. Anyone with any information is encouraged to call us. Information leading to an arrest in this case may be eligible for a Crime Stoppers reward.

We do not think this was a random act and don’t believe there is a safety concern to the general public.

Points of Contact:

Detective Tom Lloyd
406-582-2959
tlloyd@bozeman.net

Captain Cory Klumb
406-582-2021
cklumb@bozeman.net

Crime Stoppers
406-586-1131

WEST YELLOWSTONE – A grizzly bear was shot and killed Friday while Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff investigated the scene of a bear attack that happened Thursday near West Yellowstone. 

Thursday’s attack involved a 40-year-old West Yellowstone man, who was mauled just south of the Baker’s Hole campground, about three miles north of West Yellowstone. He was transported to Idaho Falls for treatment of severe injuries. He remained in serious condition Friday. 

FWP staff have not yet been able to talk with the man, who was alone during the bear encounter. The man had bear spray with him, but it’s unclear whether he was able to deploy it during the attack.  

The U.S. Forest Service issued an emergency public-safety closure in the area Thursday afternoon. The closure remains in effect.  

A group of seven investigators, including FWP game wardens and bear specialists, as well as Forest Service personnel, revisited the site Friday to assess ongoing public safety risks and continue the investigation. 

They yelled and made continuous noise as they walked toward the site to haze away any bears in the area. Before they reached the site, a bear began charging the group. Despite multiple attempts by all seven people to haze away the bear, it continued its charge. Due to this immediate safety risk, the bear was shot and died about 20 yards from the group. The bear was an older-age male grizzly. 

Investigators later found a moose carcass cached within 50 yards of Thursday’s attack. This indicates the bear was defending a food source during the attack. 
Recreationists, residents and people who work outdoors can be prepared for a surprise bear encounter. Activities that are deliberately quiet or fast moving, such as hunting, mountain biking or trail running, put people at greater risk for surprising a bear. When you’re outside, keep these precautions in mind: 

• Be aware of your surroundings and look for bear sign. 
• Read signs at trailheads and stay on trails. Be especially careful around creeks and in areas with dense brush. 
• Carry bear spray. Know how to use it and be prepared to deploy it immediately.  
• Travel in groups whenever possible and make casual noise, which can help alert bears to your presence.  
• Stay away from animal carcasses, which often attract bears. 
• Follow food storage orders from the applicable land management agency. 
• If you encounter a bear, never approach it. Back away slowly and leave the area. 

Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Management authority for grizzlies rests with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working closely in Montana with FWP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, the Forest Service and Tribal lands. This collaboration happens through the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. 

For more information on bear safety, visit igbconline.org/bear-safety. 

The pandemic has reinforced what our community has always known to be true— trails are critically important infrastructure for an #outdoorhealthylife. Not only is walking outside on trails beneficial for physical health, including decreasing risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as strengthening bones and muscles, it has benefits for mental and emotional health as well. GVLT and Bozeman Health will begin construction this spring on a new Wellness Trail that will connect and improve access to existing trails within the Highland Glen Nature Preserve (a Bozeman Health property), nearby residential and commercial neighborhoods and the Gallatin Mental Health Center.

This new half-mile trail will provide a safe and critical connection to the existing 4.5 miles of trails within Highland Glen Nature Preserve for the more than 2,000 individuals who use the Gallatin Mental Health Center annually, as well nearby affordable housing neighborhoods and businesses off Haggerty Lane. The new connector will allow participants from the Mental Health Center to access the trails directly from the health center campus rather than having to walk along Haggerty Lane and Ellis Street—a much longer, more trafficked, and less peaceful route. GVLT worked with a number of private landowners, in addition to the health system and the City of Bozeman, to clarify and establish trail easements along the trail corridor. The Wellness Trail reflects GVLT and Bozeman Health’s dedication to equity and providing access to the outdoors for underserved and low-income individuals and families.

As we all know, a walk outside is nature’s best medicine. Bozeman Health is inspired by a desire to take outdoor active and healthy lifestyles and combine them with traditional services including behavioral health to increase health and wellness in the region in a way that is accessible to all community members. In this spirit, Bozeman Health’s #OutdoorHealthyLife campaign encourages people throughout Southwest Montana to take advantage of the benefits that spending time outside provides.

For years, GVLT has partnered with Bozeman Health and the Gallatin Mental Health Center on the Trails Prescription Program (TrailsRx), encouraging medical providers to write ‘prescriptions’ for trail walks to their patients who need increased physical activity, social connection, and fresh air. The TrailsRx materials are available to the community and medical providers free of charge and are printed in both English and Spanish.

Bozeman Health’s support and financial contributions to both organizations were key to the launch of this project. The health system generously partnered with GVLT and the City of Bozeman Parks & Recreation Department in 2013 to allow for public access on their 450-acre property. With the help of volunteers, GVLT designed and constructed the 4.5 miles of trails that exist today and connect with the larger Main Street to the Mountains trail system. The Bridger Ski Foundation grooms the trails in the Highland Glen Nature Preserve in the winter. The trails provide a welcome natural respite from the bustling Bozeman core. While the single-track trails are great for bike rides, trail runs, and quiet walks, the community is encouraged to respect the existing agricultural use on the property and extensive wildlife by leashing their dogs, cleaning up dog waste, and being courteous to other users.

The Wellness Trail will cost approximately $47,000 to create. Funding for this project was provided by GVLT, Bozeman Health, City of Bozeman, Gianforte Family Foundation, Sanderson Stewart, Gallatin Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, AMB West Philanthropies, Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply, and the One Valley Community Foundation.