Page 59 - Flathead Beacon // 6.4.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM
OUTDOORS
JUNE 4, 2014 | 59

of grace in nature, but, as Whitney Tilt has found, an appreciation of nature, the app will encourage
the paradox holds up.
the digital generation to go outdoors.
A wildlower expert and conservationist, Tilt, “Having spent 30 years in conservation I’ve
who earned a masters in environmental science seen a trend in videophilia keeping kids indoors.
from Yale, had published a book about wildlower There are too many children stuck to a screen,”
identiication in Yellowstone National Park when he said. “So if we can take things like apps and
a fellow researcher approached him about a more make scientiic literature and plant identiica-
tech-savvy version of the ield guide.
tion more interesting and kind of help bridge that

“He said, ‘So, when are you going to develop gap, we can engage them and teach them to care
an app for this?’ and I said, ‘for one thing, I don’t about it.”
carry a phone when I hike in the outback, and for The Glacier app ofers more than 300 wild-
another thing, I don’t know how they work,’” Tilt lowers, trees, shrubs and grasses commonly en-
said.
countered in the park and surrounding region.
The more they talked about it, the more Tilt The app functions without data once installed
became intrigued and, after meeting software and is available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone,

developer Katie Gibson, the conversation even- Android tablet or Kindle Fire platforms for $7.99
tually led to the development of a series of digi- to $9.99.
tal ield guides that are downloadable to smart- Five percent of the proceeds from each sale
phones and tablets.
go to a nonproit group. For the Yellowstone app,
Tilt and Gibson collaborated to start a busi- the Yellowstone Park Foundation is the receiving
ness called High Country Apps, which has partner. For Glacier, proceeds go to the Glacier
launched a Flora of the Yellowstone app and an- Park Conservancy.
other called Glacier Wildlowers, which they de- Designed for experts and beginners alike,

veloped in association with Shannon Kimball, a Glacier Wildlowers presents plants in a clear,
botanist and author from Kalispell.
informative format featuring photos and botani-
They’ve also developed apps for Colorado and cal illustrations, description and ield marks, and
the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, as well as the tidbits on the plant’s ecology and cultural use.
state parks of Washington, Idaho and Oregon.
An innovative, easy-to-use search function
Tilt said the phone and tablet platforms can allows the user to select lower color, leaf type,
ofer many possibilities that a book cannot. Not and other characteristics to quickly identify un-

only can information be added or edited quickly, known plants. Using the search function, select
but it may also be adapted to use for citizen sci- what you know about the plant, and all species
ence projects or to capture tech-savvy children’s matching your description will be displayed.
interest in nature. They’re already considering [email protected]
adding a feature for users to compose a life list of
plants they’ve seen.
Tilt hopes that by marrying technology with
Screenshot of the Glacier Flora app. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

79
$
Green Fee

Monday - Wednesday

Includes cart and range balls

Must present one coupon per foursome. Good thru June 30th.

Check Out Our Large Selection of Perennials!

Buy 3 - 4” Perennials at $4.99,
Free*
Receive 4th One

Pro Shop: 406.889.6501 *Expires 6/14/14. Must present coupon

1885 Sophie Lake Rd.
Eureka, Montana

Wilderness Grill

Open daily from 7am - 8pm • Reservations recommended by calling (406) 889-6510
All guests must adhere to the Wilderness Club dress code at all times
Mon-Sat 9 to 6:00 | Sun 10 to 4 | 756-7568 | www.plant-land.com
1008 US Hwy 2 East, Kalispell ~ at the bottom of Underpass Hill