U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Lewistown Field Office
Lewistown Field Office
| Contacts: | Craig Flentie 406-538-1943 |
BLM to Host Ear Mountain NPLD Event
The Bureau of Land Management will host a National Public Lands Day event at the Ear Mountain Trailhead, approximately 25 west of Choteau, Montana, on July 31.
This event will consist of two primary segments.
The BLM is seeking volunteers to assist with some general maintenance at the site prior to the dedication. The work project will begin at 9:30 a.m., and it will entail refurbishing some of the facilities, as well as performing trail maintenance at the trailhead. Volunteers helping with the general maintenance should come prepared with gloves and boots; sunscreen is always recommended. Lunch will be provided for the volunteers.
Then at 1:00 p.m. the Ear Mountain event will also provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about the Métis Indians, who settled in the area during the early 1870s after fleeing Canada due to persecution by the government. The Teton and Sun River Canyons, among other places in Montana, provided safe and secluded shelter for the Métis. A Métis interpretive panel will be dedicated and guest speakers and BLM officials will discuss the history of the Métis and Ear Mountain. Refreshments will be provided for those attending the dedication.
National Public Lands Day events are held annually at over 1,800 locations around the country to celebrate the enduring legacy of our public lands.
Please call the BLM’s outdoor recreation planner, Rod Sanders at 538-1905 or Sandra Padilla at 538-1916 by July 29, to let them know of your interest in volunteering or attending the dedication.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Lewistown Field Office 920 NE Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457