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Montana Aquatic Resources Services (MARS) is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to ensuring that wetlands, streams and riparian areas remain healthy and continue to provide clean water to Montana farms, cities, industry and wildlife into the future.
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Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission Approves Purchase of First Channel Migration Easement in Richland County, Montana
On February 11th the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved final funding for a channel migration easement on the lower Yellowstone River using Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Program funding from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. MARS has been working with the landowner on this easement over the past two years in collaboration with The Montana Land Reliance (MLR) and Fish, Wildlife & Parks. MLR will hold and steward this landmark easement in perpetuity. The 89.5 acre easement along the bank of the mainstem Yellowstone will allow the river to migrate across it's floodplain in part by prohibiting bank armoring or otherwise restricting the flow of the river. Allowing the river to migrate along its natural path will benefit native fish and wildlife habitat including the endangered pallid sturgeon, maintain water storage and discharge, conserve riparian vegetation and facilitate nutrient cycling. This is the first of many channel migration easements MARS plans to purchase from willing landowners along the Yellowstone from Park County to North Dakota. This easement was supported through funding provided by Western Area Power Administration and the Upper Basin Pallid Sturgeon Governing Board and Working Group. The landowners of this unique property are leaders in the effort to conserve the Yellowstone and its floodplain. Read more about the channel migration easement on our website.
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Welcome (back) Christina and Emily!
 Christina Herron-Sweet has been hired as a Program Assistant. Christina worked with MARS in 2015 as an AmeriCorps member with the Big Sky Watershed Corps program. Christina has a Master of Science degree in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences from Montana State University in Bozeman, and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from St. Olaf College in Minnesota. As a program assistant she will work with other staff to plan and coordinate aquatic conservation projects, develop new programs, write grant proposals, and manage MARS’ communications and outreach.
 Emily Jochem joined the MARS team as the new AmeriCorps member with the Big Sky Watershed Corps program. Emily received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon in the spring of 2015. Emily’s role at MARS includes helping to design and implement restoration projects, participating in outreach efforts to create new partnerships, facilitating community involvement and education, and developing new programs.
Read more about MARS staff and Board members on our website.
Green Drinks
In January MARS partnered with The Nature Conservancy to host Bozeman’s monthly Green Drinks. The event was a huge success with over 100 people attending from various non-profits, government agencies, companies, and curious community members wanting to learn more about conservation work occurring around the Gallatin Valley and statewide. Wildwood Brewery out of Stevensville graciously donated beer for the event (they are the only all organic brewery in Montana!) and Crazy Mountain Catering provided delicious wetland themed hors d’oeuvres. The theme of the night was Got Beaver? in honor of our aquatic friends that help keep our streams and wetlands healthy and functional. The next Green Drinks will be at the Refuge Building on March 23.
Board Updates
MARS is participating in Give Big Gallatin Valley on May 3rd, 2016. This is an online community giving event that connects community members with local nonprofits to reinforce the value of local philanthropic giving and community engagement. Learn more about the event at http://givebiggv.org and stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates!
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Fun Fact: Beavers have a nictitating membrane , which is a transparent inner eyelid, that enables them to see underwater- like goggles!
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Tom Hinz, MARS' Director of Program Development, presented our Channel Migration Easement (CME) program at the Yellowstone River Conservation District Council meeting on February 19th in Billings. Tom will also present the CME program at the