Glacier Institute hosting fourth annual Invasive Species Student Symposium

Press release

The Glacier Institute invites incoming high school juniors and seniors and college freshmen to apply for a no-cost week of college-level learning.

Now in the fourth year, the program is expanding to reach more local students along with students in neighboring states. Attendees will spend the week of June 25-30 studying invasive species — a hot ecological and economic topic in Montana. Students will experience real-life job situations and research methods through workshops with area experts, while staying in the beautiful North Fork Valley. 

  The Glacier Institute, embarking on their fourth decade of providing outdoor education in and around Glacier National Park, will offer this residential experience as one of the summer programs at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center. From Big Creek, students have excellent access to Glacier National Park and the Flathead National Forest. Students will explore the relationships of invasive and non-native plants and fish with our native ecosystems. The symposium will challenge students to creatively address real-world invasive species issues through practical workshops with scientists, practitioners, landowners, and agencies. The week will culminate with a public exposition where teachers, parents, partner organizations and the public are invited to connect with the program and the students at Big Creek. 

The Invasive Species Student Symposium is made possible through the use engagement funding from the Northern Region of the US Forest Service. All workshop meals, lodging, and education are provided at no cost to students. Students may find more information and apply for the workshop online through our website ww.glacierinstitute.org in the “Big Creek Youth Camps” section titled “Invasive Species.” Application deadline is Friday.

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About The Glacier Institute

Solely dedicated to education, the Glacier Institute serves adults and children as an educational leader in the Crown of the Continent ecosystem, emphasizing outreach and field-based learning experiences; the non-profit Institute provides an objective and science-based understanding of the area’s ecosystem and it interactions with people. Marking 34 years of educational programs, the Glacier Institute is a long-time educational partner with Glacier National Park, Flathead National Forest, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and Flathead Valley Community College. The Institute offers family programs, youth science adventure camps, Discovery School at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center and adult educational programs. The Institute has never turned away a child who has requested an educational scholarship and has welcomed over 32,500 Flathead Valley elementary school children to the Discovery School three-day immersion learning program at the Big Creek Outdoor Education Center.

  To register and gain more information on courses, projects and activities of the Glacier Institute people can call 406-755-1211 or visit online at http://www.glacierinstitute.org.