Events under 'Ninemile Wildlife Workgroup Events'

This is a free program to inform landowners and renters about wildfire mitigation actions. Topics covered: What utilities are doing to reduce wildfire risk, preparing for Public Safety Power Shutoffs, evacuation preparedness, preparing properties for wildfires, potential grant opportunities for landowners to reduce wildfire risk, organizing community chipping events, etc. Drop in to the open house and make plans for a fire safe summer.

Organizations include: NorthWestern Energy, MEC, Missoula County Wildfire Program, Frenchtown Rural Fire, Nine Mile Ranger District/Lolo NF, Dept. of Natural Resources & Conservation.

At the Nine Mile Community Center, 

• Nine Mile Community Center
• 25620 Ninemile Road
  Huson, MT 59846 

NWW Board meets at least quarterly. All are welcome to join - please contact us for the location (it changes with the weather).

April 21 7 pm, Ninemile Community Center 25620 Nine Mile Road, Huson, MT 59846 Free!

This Ninemile Wildlife Workgroup presentation will have Marirose Kuhlman, habitat coordinator for the Missoula County Department of Ecology and Extension, share her extensive knowledge of pollinators and their habitat needs. The program will focus on how we can better provide for and protect these essential foundations of our ecosystem.

Electric Fence Workshop: Saturday, April 25th, 1 p.m.

This is a hands on program (Just kidding!) Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Specialist, Jamie Jonkel, will share along with Dane Williams with Wildlife Services, and Russ Talmo with the Defenders of Wildlife Electric Fence Incentive Program. Both Dane and Russ run different electric fence incentive assistance programs here in Western Montana. Come learn about best management practices to reduce conflicts between people, bears, and other critters, including how to pay for the fences.

NWW Board meets at least quarterly. All are welcome to join - please contact us for the location (it changes with the weather).

Please join our Annual NWW Bird Walk

Meet at 8 AM at the Ninemile Ranger Station (no charge)

Our birdwalk will be led by board members and birders Jeannie Siegler and Pat Sweeney. Meet at the Ninemile Ranger Station for a half day of bird watching in the Ninemile and Sixmile Valleys. We normally find close to 50 species of birds on this trip as we have access to some excellent habitat. Want to learn more about our area and what birds you may find here? Then plan on joining us for this safari of mostly driving to good spots and listening and observing. There’s a minimum of walking so all abilities can enjoy this outing. No previous birding experience is needed and everyone is welcome. Dress appropriately for the weather and bring some snacks and water. If you have them, bring binoculars and a bird book, but they aren’t necessary and we’ll have some spare binoculars if you need them.

Ninemile Community Center 25620 Nine Mile Road, Huson, MT 59846 Free! 

7 p.m. Tuesday, May 19th, will feature Charlie Janson, an internationally renowned wildlife photographer from the Sixmile and a board member of the Ninemile Wildlife Workgroup. Charlie will talk about the art of telling nature stories through photography, illustrated with images from the Rocky Mountains.

Raptors of the Rockies & Volunteer’s Appreciation Lunch: Sunday, June 7th—12-Noon lunch starts, and the Raptors Program with Kate Davis starts at 2 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to join this family friendly lunch and live animal presentation. Raptors of the Rockies Director, Kate Davis, will return with an informative and entertaining program with Little Billie the Northern Saw-whet Owl and three other raptors. Their facilities are on the banks of the Bitterroot in Florence. Years ago, Kate remembers someone at their 1000th program shouting, “See you at number 2000!” That seemed inconceivable, at the time, but they are getting close. In their 39th year of education, Kate and “Teaching Team” travel the west for schools and the public with over 150,000 participants plus PowerPoints across the country. She encourages everyone to venture outdoors and enjoy “nature therapy.” And as in every single trip, we’ll all hoot up an owl as a finale.

Adopt-a-Highway

The Ninemile Wildlife Workgroup has been cleaning a two mile section of old Highway 10 for the past 16 years. As road sections go, this one is pretty sweet, much of it in riparian habitat with little traffic and not too much trash (especially if you don’t count beverage containers). Every year brings a bonus surprise of new wildlife observations, a lost tool or treasure, or even lost cash.

If you’d like to get in on the fun, meet at Dale and Kandy Chik’s home, 29221 Old Highway 10 (frontage road about 1 mile west of Ninemile Creek) . Bring some gloves and get in your steps while joining your neighbors in a public service event. Maybe you’ll find that treasure and you will be finished before lunch.

NWW Board meets at least quarterly. All are welcome to join - please contact us for the location (it changes with the weather).

Harvest Your Fruit Trees & Help Save Local Bears! Free!

Annual Apple Cider Festival

Your Nine Mile Community Center will be the site of our family friendly Apple Cider Festival. Bring your harvested apples or any stone-free fruit to the Community Center and with a little work enjoy fresh homemade cider! It is a really fun work party for all ages. Everybody is invited to roll up their sleeves to help process the community’s apple harvest. Washing, chopping, pressing, and serving the cider takes many hands. The goal is to keep the fruit away from prowling bears. This helps keep the wildlife from getting into trouble, and in the process we get to enjoy your company and some fresh cider too.

If you don't have fruit trees, no problem. Just bring your store-bought apples to add to the harvest fruit for free cider pressing. Bring your own quart size cider containers to pack your apple goodness home. If you bring some fruit, you can take home a quart size container of cider. Even without a fruit contribution a taste of the fresh apple cider is free for all. Beautiful cobalt blue glass 9 Mile Growlers and other unique NMCC merchandise will be available for purchase at the event. See you at the community center, rain or shine!

NWW Board meets at least quarterly. All are welcome to join - please contact us for the location (it changes with the weather).