A Trifecta of Success! The Lower Gallatin Watershed Cleanup + Celebration + Annual Meeting
Over the second weekend of September, the Gallatin Watershed Council teamed up with the Gallatin River Task Force to clean up the entire Gallatin Watershed from the headwaters of the Gallatin River through the Gallatin Canyon and across the Gallatin Valley!
On Saturday, September 10th, 150 GWC volunteers tackled 14 sites throughout the Lower Gallatin Watershed, removing just over a ton of garbage. Over the weekend, 122 Task Force volunteers cleaned 18 sites in the Upper Gallatin and picked up 1,786 pounds of trash. It’s incredible what people and organizations can do when they work together!
After the cleanup, GWC hosted a celebration and their annual meeting at Story Mill Park with food, beer, and prizes. It was a perfect golden fall evening with live music from local artist Maggie Hickman, BBQ from Primal Meat, cold beverages supplied by Lockhorn Cider, Bozeman Brewing Company, and Montucky. GWC board members baked some of their favorite recipes– thank you to Tom Michalek for the desserts and John Nehring for his North Dakota baked beans! Services provided by Happy Trash Can allowed for plates, utensils, and food scraps to be composted.
Cleanup prizes got the crowd excited! Sponsors and partners provided a little bit of everything, including an Orvis fly rod donated by Protect Our Rivers, a pair of Oboz hiking boots, a glassblowing session from glassybaby, and 35 pounds of local beef from Susan Duncan, a partner at the Association of Gallatin Agricultural Irrigators.
The annual meeting’s theme was “collaboration.” Partners from NRCS, DEQ, and the City of Bozeman’s Forestry Division spoke on behalf of the collaborative projects between GWC and their organizations. There were poster board presentations that expanded upon ongoing work and additional partnerships.
Overall, it was a magical night for GWC staff to see the community come together. Thank you to all volunteers and to sponsors: Primal Meat & Fish Market, First Security Bank, Protect Our Rivers, Northwestern Energy, Republic Services, American Rivers, Happy Trash Can, Bozeman Brewing Company, Lockhorn Hard Cider, Oboz Footwear, REI, and glassybaby.
