Overview

Landscape & Livelihood is a 6 week, summer field program that immerses students in the working landscapes of Western Montana. These glacier-carved mountains and valleys are home to a diverse suite of wildlife, the headwaters of North America, expansive forests and farm lands, and dispersed rural communities. We invite students to study the complexities of natural resource management through experience. The semester is divided into three classes: Forests and Communities, Food, Culture and Conservation, and Watershed Dynamics and Management Issues, totaling 9 upper division, University of Montana college credits. Students will explore the relationships between rural livelihoods and natural resource conservation and learn strategies that transform challenges into opportunities for sustainability. We believe that a deep understanding of ecological processes combined with empathy for human communities leads to innovative and thoughtful stewardship. Landscape & Livelihood develops practical and analytical conservation skills that can be applied anywhere.

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2023 PROGRAM DATES
JULY 17 – AUGUST 26, 2023

About Swan Valley Connections

Swan Valley Connections is a collaborative conservation and education nonprofit. We collect and share scientific information; coordinate technical and financial assistance to implement conservation projects; and assist landowners with living better on the land through consulting and cost-share assistance for: forest health, fire resiliency, water quality improvement, weed management, and wildlife coexistence. We also provide learning opportunities for people of all ages through our experiential education programs. Our goal is to connect people to one another and to this extraordinary landscape.