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Family Forestry Expo Celebrates 25 Years

By Beacon Staff

The family Forestry Expo, a tradition of the Flathead Valley for the past 25 years, will be held May 5-10 at the Trumbull Creek Educational Forest, between Columbia Falls and Whitefish. Nearly 1,200 students will visit the event that is free and open to the public, according to organizers.

The family-oriented event features a short forest walk that offers educational stations and demonstrations along the way. Each station provides information and hands-on activities that allow participants to learn about the many uses of our forests, private and public. A grandstand show featuring logging equipment demonstrations and the Forest Service Spotted Bear Ranger District mule pack string will be presented at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Various exhibits featuring local organizations, businesses and agencies that deal with natural resources will be on display. Between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., a free logging camp lunch will be provided, compliments of Family Forestry Expo.

The students will visit stations that provide educational presentations about fisheries, aquatic/riparian systems, archaeology, wildlife, fire, backcountry ethics, plant identification, forest management and more. The program is curriculum based and the field stations compliment classroom study. In addition, the students get to tour a local sawmill.

The Family Forestry Expo is held every spring. A large volunteer group of dedicated individuals, organizations, agencies and businesses work together to donate their time and resources to provide an enjoyable and educational event that provides unbiased information about forests and the multiple opportunities it provides in our everyday lives.