Amanda Berens

"Effectiveness of Using Biological Controls to Mitigate the Spread of Dalmatian Toadflax on the Flathead Indian Reservation"

Amanda and is from Polson, MT. She is currently a graduate student working on her Master’s in Professional Wildlife Biology and Conservation Management, and she has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology as well as an A.S. in Forestry: Forest Management. She enjoys being outside and spending time with her two kids and dog!

Her project consists of introducing stem mining weevils (Mecinus janthiniformis) to infestations of dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmaica) on the Flathead Indian Reservation. She will monitor and collect data on the effectiveness of this method as an invasive weed control, in comparison to chemical or manual control. She will use this research to write a final thesis paper for her master’s degree. She is interested in raising bio-controls for use in conservation efforts across Western Montana. 

Austin Hagwood

"Fire Finder: Life as a Lookout in the Northern Rockies" 

Austin is a writer, fly-fishing guide, and former fire lookout based in Missoula, Montana. He received his MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana, and he enjoys fishing, skiing, and travels with his wife in search of lookout towers. 

His project involves a return to the lookout tower he staffed for five fire seasons to complete his manuscript on life as a Forest Service fire lookout. He plans to document his fire reports, interview lookout colleagues in Montana, and visit the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula to gather historical information on the lookout program. Time in the tower will also help him complete place-based scenes for the book, which will detail the lookout experience for a broad audience.

Colin King

"Ice Patch Archaeology in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem"

Colin is a junior at Montana State University, studying anthropology with a focus in archaeology. He is interested in how people have used high mountain environments and the cultural adaptations and ontologies associated with mountain living.

His project focuses on ice patch archaeology in the Beartooth mountains. His team will survey two perennial ice patches that may hold cultural resources at risk due to climate change. They hope to document and curate the cultural heritage of the Beartooth region.

Laura Lundquist

"A Book on the Creation of the Scapegoat" 

After brief stints as a military and then an airline pilot, Laura returned to her home state of Montana to be closer to the land she loves. Wanting to do more to save what wildlife and land remain, she became an environmental reporter to nurture a more informed public. Now she's taking that next journalistic step of writing a book.

The Scapegoat Wilderness was America's first citizen-initiated effort to create a wilderness, led by an enthusiastic common man, Cecil Garland. Behind Garland stood a dedicated and diverse cast of characters who withstood the disappointments and celebrated the victories over their decade-long effort. Laura’s book will tell their story in the hopes that more might feel compelled to follow in their footsteps while there are still wildlands to save.

Jonathan Marquis

"The Glacier Drawing Project"

Jonathan is a multi-media artist and mountaineer, seeking immersive experiences with wildland terrain to consider more-than-human geographies.

Jonathan created the Glacier Drawing Project in 2014 to bear witness and draw every named glacial feature in Montana before a warming climate melts the ice beyond recognition. The drawings explore a personal connection with glaciers through color, mark-making, and careful attentiveness. Each year, he visits new glaciers, revisit others, and often draws from remote mountain summits that grant glimpses into some of Earth's most intact wilderness geographies. Sixty drawings, one from each glacier, will debut at the Missoula Art Museum in the fall of 2024 with accompanying publication, documentary film, and educational programming. For more information visit www.jonathanmarquis.com or on Instagram @jonathanbmarquis.

Willa Zhang

"Westward, Onward: Beyond Conventional Narratives About Wild Places"

Willa is a writer from the suburbs of Los Angeles who lives in Missoula, Montana. Her writing has appeared in The Southern Review, The Rumpus, The Masters Review, and is forthcoming in a special folio on walking from The Hopkins Review. She is currently pursuing an MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana. 

Willa is working on a book of essays exploring what it means to be a young Chinese American woman navigating the wild places and history of Montana and the American West. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants searching to reclaim the idea of home, she will camp, backpack, and research her way through tangled ideas of ownership, belonging, and immigration.