Grow Wild

Grow Wild's project area encompasses some of the most ecologically and economically important resources in the state, providing vital habitat and water for plants, wildlife, and the people who live and recreate in the area. Grow Wild works to address and mitigate the impacts of human activity upon natural resources to ensure what we love so much about this place is not destroyed by our pursuit to experience it. Thank you to the 58 sponsors, 146 donors, 122 partners, 8 canine conservation ambassadors, and 161 volunteers who put in 374 hours in 2023 to help Grow Wild protect our natural resources and conserve wildlife habitat. Together, we can conserve the landscapes we all love!education & outreach project: to protect natural resources from invasive species, Grow Wild works collaboratively with partners and organizations on an array of projects, creates and disseminates educational materials, and provides educational opportunities via local kid's camps, farmers market, guided hikes, and classes. In 2023, Grow Wild reached 1,891 kids, 2,947 adults and hosted or participated in 56 classes and events. Since 2008, we've educated 14,418 kids and 5,417 adults via 263 classes and events.

Clean recreation projectrecreation leads to invasive species introduction and spread, threatening local trails and rivers. In response, Grow Wild promotes established clean recreation programs (playcleango and clean.drain.dry.) Via multiple media platforms, trailhead and highway signs, and at events. Since 2015, Grow Wild has installed 7 playcleango trailhead signs, distributed 617 playcleango kits for kids, totaled 7.6 million media impressions with our clean.drain.dry. Campaign, 11.8 million views of our gallatin canyon billboards, and distributed 18,900 promotion items.

Landowner stewardship project: active stewardship by landowners is critical to protect natural resources on both private and public lands. Grow Wild offers free on-site assistance and provides a suite of resources to landowners so they can address invasive species using best management practices and adaptive strategies. In 2023, we conducted 53 property inspections that represent 332 acres. Since 2008, Grow Wild has inspected 1,002 properties, impacting 12,392 acres and finding only 2 noxious weed free properties. Hoa (habitat owners association) project: in response to the increasing threats to wildlife habitat, Grow Wild initiated our hoa program to manage invasive plants in open space for the benefit of wildlife. Partnering with homeowner associations and the gallatin county weed district, Grow Wild aims to enhance wildlife habitat in open space by leading an invasive species management effort for a three-year period. The goal is to assist with education and technical assistance to kick start habitat improvement. In 2023, Grow Wild continued to assist porcupine park, a 460-acre subdivision with 160 acres of total open space. Preserved in perpetuity, these open spaces are traditional migration paths for the porcupine park elk herd and are critical calving sites in the spring. Landowners see elk, deer, black and grizzly bears, moose, and other wildlife year-round throughout the development. On july 18, four landowners joined four Grow Wild board members and two weed district staff to treat approximately 51 acres of prime year-round elk habitat. The treatment value of this effort totaled $5,085. Since 2014, Grow Wild has assisted 5 hoas, guiding 69 landowners who contributed 179 hours in treating 315 acres of critical wildlife habitat. This effort represents a value of $95,525 in wildlife habitat improvements.

Wildlife habitat conservation projects: wildlife in our area face habitat loss and degradation due to invasive species introduction and spread. Grow Wild works to mitigate the threat via noxious weed management on bighorn sheep winter range, in the gallatin canyon, and with our community weed pulls.bighorn sheep winter range project: in 2010, we identified the winter range of the spanish peaks bighorn sheep herd as critical wildlife habitat compromised by invasive species. Montana fish, wildlife and parks lists bighorn sheep as a "species of conservation concern," meaning those species for which population viability is threatened as evidenced by a significant downward trend in population or habitat capacity. The combination of compromised habitat and a species at risk prompted Grow Wild to take action to improve the winter range of our local and beloved herd of bighorn sheep. In the past 12 years we've been climbing that hill to battle noxious weeds and experimenting with native plant restoration. Since 2011, Grow Wild has invested $14,644 in noxious weed treatment on bighorn sheep winter range, and our 8 partners have matched that with $156,507. In 2022, we initiated an herbicide trail to test a promising new herbicide shown to successfully suppress cheatgrass germination for five years, giving native plants the room to establish and thrive. We partnered with dr. jane mangold, Montana state university professor and extension invasive plant specialist, monica pokorny, plant materials specialist usda-nrcs, mike jones, senior assistant coordinator, gallatin county weed district & Grow Wild board member, danielle jones, assistant coordinator, gallatin county weed district & Grow Wild board member and larry holzworth, retired soil conservationist, plant materials center manager and plant materials specialist usda-nrcs & Grow Wild board member. Monitoring test plots began in 2023 and will continue for the next two years. If successful, plans will be developed to expand and improve more of the bighorn sheep's winter range.conserve our canyon project: conserve our canyon cooperative project aims to facilitate effective management of noxious weeds in the gallatin canyon to protect its natural resources to the benefit of all who enjoy and rely upon them. Grow Wild secures and provides funding to custer gallatin national forest to hire the Montana conservation corps wildlands restoration team, who are trained in noxious weed management. We identify areas of concern and work closely with our partners to treat heavily used public lands, such as trailheads, fishing access sites, campgrounds, national forest system roads, and river restoration sites. In 2023, we visited 8 sites, covered 102 acres, and treated 37 acres. Grow Wild raised and contributed $3,750 to the project, which was matched by $7,168. Since 2019, we've visited 74 sites, covered 1,458 acres, treated 410 acres, and matched our contribution of $19,950 with $78,744. Community weed pulls: in 2023, Grow Wild hosted our 2 annual weed pulls. 28 volunteers collected 580 pounds of noxious weeds at the gallatin river weed pull. 38 adults and 20 kids helped pull 1,380 pounds of noxious weeds at the big sky community park weed pull. To date, Grow Wild has hosted 47 weed pulls, and 22,809 pounds of noxious weeds have been removed from public lands over 16 years with the help of 1,450 volunteers (representing 3,014 volunteer hours). Through these efforts, Grow Wild inspired the community to appreciate and conserve native habitats.

Crail gardens project: in 2019, Grow Wild built a demonstration garden at crail ranch using native plants that are wildlife friendly, water wise, and preserving of the historic landscape. In 2023, 33 volunteers put in 93 hours at crail gardens. Improvements to the garden included: weeded & maintained the garden, planted 105 more wildflowers & 6 new species, and built garden #5 filled drought-tolerant plants. We hosted 20 events with 493 people in attendance, including 3 open houses and a cornhole tournament fundraiser. The highlight of the year was our first annual big sky wildflower festival, a 5-day summer festival that offered workshops in wildflower expertise, including sustainable landscaping, pollinators, scavenger hunts, wildlife habitat improvement, photography, flowering arranging, and guided hikes. The community joined us at our annual bag the peak cornhole tournament fundraiser in early august, and we closed the summer with our annual summer wine down event. Since 2019, we've planted 1,141 wildflowers (49 native species), with 159 volunteers putting in 584 hours to help us Grow Wild!