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Current Projects

Help fund critical projects and programs that preserve and protect Glacier.

Wilderness, Wildlife, and Wonder

By acting now, we can help ensure Glacier’s wilderness remains wild, wildlife is protected, and wonder will inspire future Glacier lovers.

Superintendent Dave Roemer

Glacier Superintendent

David M. Roemer

“These projects tell the story of a dynamic partnership between the Conservancy and Glacier National Park that is making a real difference in our shared mission to protect this majestic landscape and vibrant ecosystem so that our kids and grandkids can experience it the same way we have.”

Wilderness

Investments in wilderness preservation resulting in improvements that benefit wildlife populations, natural and cultural resources, and the overall ecosystem.

Orange and yellow flower growing on rocky mountain ridge.

Preservation of Native Plant Ecosystems

Funding Needed: $71,850
This project will monitor alpine and wetland rare plants, alpine vegetation communities, whitebark pine, and grassland species found within the park.

These studies will inform future conservation efforts to address climate change by revealing any trends in the populations of Glacier’s native plant species.

A gray and black bird sitting on top of a tree with a pine cone in its mouth.

Whitebark Pine and Clark’s Nutcrackers

Funding Needed: $106,550
Without whitebark pine, the Clark’s nutcracker will not have enough food to support breeding efforts. Without Clark’s nutcracker, the whitebark pine has no way to disperse its seeds. The loss of whitebark pine to exotic blister rust threatens to push this relationship past the tipping point where both species would collapse.

By replanting specific whitebark pine trees that have been identified as naturally and genetically resistant to blister rust, Glacier’s Native Plant Restoration staff can restore healthy, functioning whitebark pine ecosystems.

A person hiking on a trail with a screen attached to their backpack.

Restoring Wilderness Character

Funding Needed: $106,100
A 2021 mapping project revealed areas where the undeveloped quality of Glacier’s wilderness character had been degraded by the installation and continued existence of non-recreational structures.

Glacier’s Wilderness Field Coordinator will collaborate with interns and volunteers, as well as both archeology and archives staff, to review, plan, and implement the removal and rehabilitation of threats to Glacier’s wilderness character.

A park ranger holding an ipad.

Preserving Glacier’s Wilderness

Funding Needed: $168,000
Glacier’s wilderness has seen a dramatic increase in visitation that requires staff to preserve, protect, and educate on these resources.

This project will promote personal and professional growth for the wilderness unit’s seasonal workforce in areas of leadership, field experience, and career development, therefore incentivizing rangers to return to Glacier each summer and retain institutional knowledge.

A ranger putting a can in a recycling bin.

Improving Recycling and Sustainability

Funding Needed: $58,000
This project will support a Sustainability Educator from the Montana Conservation Corps Big Sky Watershed Conservation Internship program who will work to identify areas of improvement in park operations, contribute to comprehensive public outreach programs, and seek partnership opportunities to further park sustainability efforts. In addition, funding will assist development of Glacier’s Climate Action Plan.

 

A trout underwater with colored rocks in the background.

Conserving Native Fish Habitat

Funding Needed: $60,000
Dovetailing with bison reintroduction, a collaborative effort to restore aboriginal Westslope Cutthroat Trout (WCT) populations east of the Continental Divide is underway.

This project will further determine the distribution and abundance of remaining genetically pure WCT populations on the landscape and identify areas for potential restoration and conservation actions. In addition, baseline data will be collected to inform biologists how bison reintroduction affects stream health.

The roof of a cabin covered in several feet of snow.

Rebuild Granite Park Backcountry Cabin

Funding Needed: $70,000
This project will rebuild and expand the footprint of the Granite Park backcountry cabin that was destroyed by snow creep in 2018.

The cabin is used by trail crews, backcountry rangers, wildlife researchers, and maintenance crews. The absence of the cabin has greatly impacted operations in the area.

 

A person hosing off a kayak.

Preventing Catastrophic Mussel Infestation

Funding Needed: $80,000
It’s hard to overestimate what is at stake in preventing the introduction of invasive mussels into the park’s pristine waters and more broadly, to the ecosystem of the Columbia River Basin.

This project supports a robust public-private partnership that leverages state, federal, and private funds to keep the Columbia River Basin free of destructive invasive species.

Wildlife

Investments that preserve biodiversity, promote the abundance of wildlife and successfully defend against potential threats.

A grizzly bear looking into the distance.

Improving Bear Management Capacity

Funding Needed: $75,000
Preserving and protecting Glacier’s bears while hosting millions of visitors annually has long been a challenge.

The Division of Science and Resources Management needs assistance building capacity in personnel, training, supplies, and equipment. This project seeks funding to help fill these capacity gaps and maintain a world-class bear management program.

A person holding a bird to band it.

MAPS: Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship

Funding Needed: $13,000
In total, 77 different bird species have been detected at the MAPS station since its beginning in 2020.

The MAPS station in Glacier was initiated in 2020 and continues thanks to donor support. During the breeding season, a team of biologists, interns, and volunteers collect essential data about birds over a period of ten days. The data goes into the USGS banded bird database so biologists can find where a bird was banded and vice versa. 

A herd of iinnii running towards mountains.

Iinnii Initiative: Range Rider Program Support

Funding Needed: $20,000
This project supports the Blackfeet Nation’s Chief Mountain Range Rider Guardian Program which supports the continuing reintroduction of native bison on the landscape.

Funding for this project supports tribal efforts in leveraging other partners for the development of a long-term sustainable funding strategy, and also meeting the goals of the initial range rider program.

Three elk and a bison grazing on grass with mountains and a sunrise in the background.

Protecting Glacier from Emerging Wildlife Diseases

Funding Needed: $95,320
This project allows Glacier to increase monitoring for chronic wasting disease and other highly infectious wildlife diseases in and adjacent to the park in cooperation with the State of Montana and the Blackfeet Nation while developing disease response plans to guide management actions in a systematic, planned approach.

A pika sitting on a rock in Glacier National Park.

Pikas and Climate Change

Funding Needed: $122,620
In addition to re-surveying 300 pika habitat patches, this project will help conduct cutting-edge genetic analyses.

Through these analyses, the park can better understand how pikas are responding to climate change and create a blueprint that highlights pika connectivity ‘hotspots’ for targeted conservation and management.

Three people on a boat measuring fish.

Preserving Glacier’s Native Trout

Funding Needed: $24,000
In partnership with Blackfeet Fish & Game, Glacier National Park is working to protect native Westslope Cutthroat Trout (WCT) in Midvale Creek spanning the park and Blackfeet boundary.

Throughout this multi-year project, fisheries experts will use cutting edge genetic tools to selectively remove invasive fish and restore healthy WCT populations.

A hand holding a little brown bat with it's mouth open.

Bracing for White-nose Syndrome

Funding Needed: $30,000
Due to the rapid spread of White-nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats across Montana, it is anticipated that Glacier will see WNS within the park soon.

This project will increase monitoring and testing, implement disease response plans working in collaboration with federal, state, and tribal partners, assess changes in bat species and abundance, and increase public awareness of WNS and bats.

Bear crossing a road with cars in background.

Conserving Waterbirds Using Cutting-Edge Science

Funding Needed: $73,000
Glacier lacks baseline data on most birds considered species of concern.

This project uses camera traps, environmental DNA (e-DNA), and ground surveys to gather critical data on Harlequin Ducks, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers, and Great Blue Herons.

Wonder

Investments in curriculum-based education, interpretation, environmental science education, and community engagement that foster future park stewards.

Two smiling junior rangers holding up their badges.

Summer Youth Engagement

Funding Needed: $52,250
Each year, Glacier distributes over 20,000 Junior Ranger Activity Books and 15,000 badges to participating youth during the summer.

The Junior Ranger Program is the most popular youth engagement program in the National Park Service and is an important way to connect, inspire, and engage our future park stewards.

With donor support, the Glacier Conservancy will fund the thousands of Junior Ranger booklets and badges distributed. It’s one of the many ways your support helps children have a meaningful experience in Glacier National Park.

A child holding up a fox fur.

Community and Youth Outreach

Funding Needed: $44,028
This project will build park capacity for community and youth engagement, reaching underserved populations.

Funding will allow outreach to diverse audiences through educational programming and work projects, as well as give the volunteer office capacity to support programs such as the Native America Speaks Residency program, Artist-in-Residence Program and continued efforts to share programming and volunteer efforts between Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks.

A ranger standing in front of a group of children with their hands raised.

Ranger-Led Education Programming

Funding Needed: $248,730
In one year Glacier can see up to 10,000 students.

This grant ensures that school groups enter the park for free and the park is able to provide ranger-led field trips, classroom visits, and distance learning programs. Funding will provide staffing, equipment, and supplies to ensure that school groups enter the park for free for educational, engaging, and fun field trips.

Grassy hillside with flowers in front of mountains.

Cooperative Greenhouse at Blackfeet Community College

Funding Needed: $100,000
In an ongoing commitment to foster cooperative relationships with the Blackfeet Nation, this project provides opportunities for the park to directly assist and provide guidance based on its native plant propagation protocols.

Glacier’s Native Plant Restoration program will assist staff and students, all of whom are members of the tribal community, with the building of the greenhouse structure and seed collection procedures. The goal of this project is to propagate and grow native plants that are of cultural significance and species that are specifically beneficial for restoration efforts.

A group of people wearing waders with their arms raised.

Piikuni Lands Service Corps Partnership

Funding Needed: $55,244
The Piikuni Lands Service Corps engages Blackfeet youth and young adults in paid summer programs where participants deepen their relationship to ancestral lands while developing essential job skills.

This program is a culturally engaged model guided by the Blackfeet community with intentionality around creating a structure that speaks directly to Blackfeet youth.

A person in an off-road wheelchair on a boardwalk.

Trail of the Cedars Accessibility Improvements

Funding Needed: $22,000
This project will expand the accessibility of one of the most popular hikes in Glacier, the Trail of the Cedars.

Funding will allow for the reestablishment of a fully accessible spur trail from the easternmost handicapped parking area at the Avalanche Campground to the Trail of the Cedars Loop. The entire spur trail will be resurfaced by removing deteriorating asphalt and replacing it with StaLok, a natural decomposed granite and crushed stone paving material that is fully accessible.

A ranger giving a high-five to a student getting on a bus.

Travel Grants for Field Trips

Funding Needed: $17,600
This project removes barriers and provides more access to field trips in the park through transportation grants to schools wishing to participate in ranger-led, curriculum-based programs or for service-learning projects.

A ranger showing a map to a visitor.

Visitor Communication Support

Funding Needed: $130,000
This project supports communication efforts focused on development, implementation, and outreach regarding visitor trip planning.

A ranger holding a grizzly bear skull.

Glacier Institute Course Scholarship for NPS Staff

Funding Needed: $4,000
This grant provides funding to allow park employees to receive valuable professional development and gain a greater understanding of the park.

Learn about Glacier Institute

Two camp participants looking for bugs on the ground.

STEAM Camp for Middle School Girls

Funding Needed: $13,800
This camp provides life-long skills in leadership, critical thinking, and problem solving for 12-15 year old girls.

Participants work on a variety of scientific topics including archaeology and scientific investigation.

Learn about STEAM Camp

Two researchers analyzing a bear sculpture.

Connecting to Park History

Funding Needed: $46,811
By adding capacity to the park’s archives team, this project helps to connect the public with unique park resources preserved in the museum and archives, both in person and virtually.

People in a greenhouse learning about a plant.

Native Plant Preservation Through Youth Engagement

Funding Needed: $89,375
This grant engages youth to get them involved in conservation with a specific focus on native plants.

These internships provide a hands-on opportunity while educating students on the importance of conservation of native species.

Three exhibit signs at Logan Pass with a mountain in the background.

Native Languages on Signs and Interpretive Displays

Funding Needed: $50,000

In 2023, Glacier National Park, Department of the Interior, Blackfeet Nation, and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation began an initiative to preserve and acknowledge indigenous associations within the landscape.

This project continues efforts to restore authentic language on park signage and other media to enrich the visitor experience and encourage exploration, leading to more discovery and deeper appreciation for a sense of place.

A ranger standing in front of a melting glacier.

Enhancing Climate Change Interpretation

Funding Needed: $58,000

The purpose of this project is to provide opportunities for visitors to learn about climate change, its impacts, and the innovative solutions being developed by both the park and the local community.

Funding will provide two interpretive park ranger staff dedicated to researching, developing, and presenting park-specific climate change ranger programs, drop-in programs, and roving opportunities aimed at the public in a variety of venues, locations, and formats.

Two students putting the trim on a door for employee housing.

School-to-Park Program Support

Funding Needed: $3,000
Through a partnership with the Columbia Falls High School, students learn building trades skills while constructing cabins for park employee housing.

This project will fund tool belts for kids participating in the program to use and take with them once they graduate.

Three workers on the ground building a turnpike.

Glacier Conservation Corps

Funding Needed: $114,542
The Glacier Conservation Corps brings youth to the park to be land stewards and contribute hours of service to assist with critical park projects including invasive weed control, trail maintenance, and citizen science data collection.

Park rangers from Waterton Lakes and Glacier National Park standing next to a border obelisk.

Interpreting Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

Funding Needed: $23,700
This project will showcase the 1932 establishment of the first International Peace Park.

Collaborative interpretive programming at Goat Haunt, other areas of Glacier National Park, and Waterton Lakes National Park, provides a terrific opportunity to illustrate the many ways that the National Park Service and Parks Canada work together to protect and preserve the Crown of the Continent ecosystem beyond borders.

Park rangers from Waterton Lakes and Glacier National Park standing next to a border obelisk.

Headwaters Season Five

Funding Needed: $95,245
Headwaters, Glacier National Park’s own binge-worthy podcast, prepares visitors for a safe and enriching trip to Glacier while also interpreting the science and history of the park in new ways and with diverse voices.

Listen to Headwaters

A dancer before a crowd.

Native America Speaks and Tribal Community Engagement

Funding Needed: $137,240
This program focuses on strengthening and sustaining relationships with local tribal communities, Glacier’s first peoples and original stewards.

Funding supports the award winning Native America Speaks program and other important aspects of the tribal engagement initiative.

Grassy hillside with flowers in front of mountains.

Wheeler Property Preservation

Funding Needed: $122,000
This project will provide capstone funding for a multi-year, $750,000 project to restore the historic cabin.

The cabin will operate as the Waterton Glacier International Peace Center at Wheeler Cabin. The restored site will provide interpretation for park visitors about the rich history of the Wheeler story, will serve as a day-use center for leaders, academics, non-profits and other groups to gather to discuss important issues of the day, and provide a meaningful space for the park to host workshops promoting conservation through the use of the environmental peacebuilding framework.

A ranger on YouTube.

Promoting Science Education for Park Visitors

Funding Needed: $88,000
This project will provide funding for a fourth season of the award-winning Glacier Science Video Series as well as development of an array of web-based products to promote science literacy and public understanding of park research.

A ranger talking to a group of visitors on the trail.

Developing Visitor Use Management Strategies

Funding Needed: $141,770
Understanding how to preserve park resources and enhance visitor experiences through visitor use management is a central focus at Glacier.

This project will provide staff capacity, address data gaps, and support planning efforts.

Trail crew workers moving materials to build an accessible trail.

Swiftcurrent Accessible Trail

Funding Needed: $107,000
This grant supports ongoing work to create a fully accessible loop around Swiftcurrent Lake and provide accessibility to the boat dock at Lake Josephine.

In 2024, this work will focus on the section of trail north of the boat dock working towards Grinnell Picnic Area.

Learn about accessibility in Glacier

Citizen scientists looking through a scope and entering data on a phone.

Citizen Science: Engaging Diverse Visitors in Data Collection

Funding Needed: $170,000
The citizen science program will build on past successes to reach out to new and diverse groups to expand opportunities for citizen science engagement and refine tools for utilizing technology to increase the efficiency and accuracy of data collection.

A crowd holding colored flashlight in the dark with mountains in the background.

Half the Park Happens After Dark

Funding Needed: $102,880
Support for this project helps the park maintain a long-term commitment to preserving dark skies by funding on-site astronomy volunteers and interns, astronomy education programs, astronomy events, and the operation of Glacier’s Dusty Star Observatory.

2024 Project Funding Needs Guide

2024 Project Map

Map of Glacier with 2024 projects.
Wonder
    1. Summer Youth Engagement
    2. Community and Youth Outreach
    3. Ranger-Led Education Programming
    4. Cooperative Greenhouse at Blackfeet Community College
    5. Native Plant Preservation Through Youth Engagement
    6. Native America Speaks and Tribal Community Engagement
    7. Piikuni Lands Service Corps Partnership
    8. Native Languages on Signs and Interpretive Displays
    9. Wheeler Property Preservation
    10. Trail of the Cedars Accessibility Improvements
    11. Enhancing Climate Change Interpretation
    12. Promoting Science Education for Park Visitors
    13. Travel Grants for Field Trips
    14. School-to-Park Program Support
    15. Developing Visitor Use Management Strategies
    16. Visitor Communication Support
    17. Glacier Conservation Corps
    18. Swiftcurrent Accessible Trail
    19. Glacier Institute Course Scholarships for NPS Staff
    20. Interpreting Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
    21. Citizen Science: Engaging Diverse Visitors in Data Collection
    22. STEAM Camp for Middle School Girls
    23. Headwaters Season Five
    24. Half the Park Happens After Dark
    25. Connecting to Park History
Wildlife
  1. Improving Bear Management Capacity
  2. MAPS: Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship
  3. Iinnii Initiative: Range Rider Program Support
  4. Protecting Glacier from Emerging Wildlife Diseases
  5. Preserving Glacier’s Native Trout
  6. Conserving Waterbirds Using Cutting-Edge Science
  7. Pikas and Climate Change
  8. Bracing for White-nose Syndrome                
Wilderness
  1. Preservation of Native Plant Ecosystems
  2. Restoring Keystone Species: Whitebark Pine & Clark’s Nutcrackers
  3. Restoring Wilderness Character
  4. Preserving Glacier’s Wilderness
  5. Conserving Native Fish Habitat
  6. Preventing Catastrophic Mussel Infestation
  7. Improving Recycling and Sustainability
  8. Rebuild Granite Park Backcountry Cabin

PROJECT UPDATES

Protecting Native Fish in Glacier

Protecting Native Fish in Glacier

Glacier National Park is well known for its stunning vistas, iconic megafauna, and pristine waters – but beneath the surface lies a hidden world locked in a perilous balance. Glacier is home to dwindling populations of westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout, which face the ever-looming threat of extirpation (local extinction) due, in large part, to competition with invasive species.

Unraveling the Mystery of Golden Eagle Nests

Unraveling the Mystery of Golden Eagle Nests

A juvenile eagle spreads its wings. Photo by BJ Worth - WingsInNature.org In Glacier National Park, where the air is crisp and the mountains are steep, a remarkable bird can be found soaring on thermals across the expanse of blue sky. The golden eagle is a giant of...

Sperry chalet during sunset with a mountain goat nearby.

Sperry Chalet Complete

When the Sperry Chalet dormitory building was lost to the Sprague Fire in August 2017, the Glacier National Park Conservancy established the Sperry Action Fund to help restore the historic structure. Thanks to Sperry lovers around the world, the chalet reopened in the summer of 2020.

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