The Wilderness Institute at the University of Montana

The Wilderness Institute at the University of Montana Furthering understanding of wilderness & wild lands stewardship through education, research & service

* Provides integrated, interdisciplinary, and experiential wilderness education.
* Disseminates information related to wilderness research, management, and education.
* Advances scholarship on wildland issues throuth research, workshops, and publications.
* Facilitates service learning and community engagement in wildland decision-making.
* Encourages dialogue regarding wilderness issues and stewardship.

Join us for the Elers Koch Lecture featuring Peter Koch! In this illustrated lecture titled Bookmen on the Montana Front...
09/01/2026

Join us for the Elers Koch Lecture featuring Peter Koch! In this illustrated lecture titled Bookmen on the Montana Frontier, he'll share the story of three generations of his family's life on the Montana frontier and their remarkable book collection, now published as The Koch Collection of Western Exploration and Natural History (Stanford University Libraries, 2026).

The lecture will take place on Tuesday, October 13 at 6:00 PM in the UC Theater. Free and open to the public.

Visit GrizHub for more information: https://buff.ly/d9Q20ww

šŸ‚ It's that time of year again ā€” students in our Wilderness & Civilization program are gearing up for their multiday riv...
08/31/2026

šŸ‚ It's that time of year again ā€” students in our Wilderness & Civilization program are gearing up for their multiday river trip and week-long trek!

In addition to their first week of courses in conservation ecology, environmental art, ecology of literature, and wilderness management, students spent last week diving into river prep: getting hands-on with fluvial geomorphology and river feature ID, and hitting the town stretch right next to campus for intro paddling lessons. šŸ›¶


University of Montana
W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana

An awesome week of learning at the Northern Rockies Wilderness Skills Institute!
05/23/2026

An awesome week of learning at the Northern Rockies Wilderness Skills Institute!

Calling ALL nature lovers!Join us for a FREE evening of outdoor fun, live music, local brews, and all things wild and wo...
05/21/2026

Calling ALL nature lovers!

Join us for a FREE evening of outdoor fun, live music, local brews, and all things wild and wonderful at the Trails, Rivers & Forests Expo ā€” co-hosted by Wild Montana and American Rivers.

šŸ—“ļø Wednesday, June 3rd
šŸ•” 5ā€“9 PM
šŸ“ Trail Head River Sports

Come hang with your favorite local outdoor organizations and businesses doing incredible work to protect and maintain access to Missoulaā€™s trails, rivers, and forests. Weā€™ll be there sharing information about our wilderness education programs for everyone from undergraduate and graduate students to land managers and the public!

šŸŽ¶ Live music with The Pack Strings
šŸŒ® El Cazador food truck
šŸŗ Cold drinks from Big Sky Brewing
šŸŽ Raffle prizes - purchase your tickets online
šŸ‘£ Family-friendly fun

Bring your friends, bring your familyā€”letā€™s celebrate the wild places that make Montana special!

Event URL: https://wildmontana.org/event/trails-rivers-forests-expo-2026/

From hauling 60-pound packs through Montana wilderness to uncovering how climate change is reshaping whitebark pine fore...
05/12/2026

From hauling 60-pound packs through Montana wilderness to uncovering how climate change is reshaping whitebark pine forests, recent Wilderness Institute Ph.D. graduate Josh Beisel is helping inform the future of high-elevation forest conservation in the West.

Read more from UM News: https://www.umt.edu/news/2026/05/051126pine.php

Eva Santos (W&C ā€™25) is graduating with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, along with minors in Wilderness Studies and Bus...
05/08/2026

Eva Santos (W&C ā€™25) is graduating with a B.A. in Environmental Studies, along with minors in Wilderness Studies and Business Administration. šŸŽ“

One of her biggest takeaways from the program was learning how to collaborate within large groupsā€”working toward shared understanding and outcomes that are effective for everyone involved.

A memory that will stay with her: sharing a tent with a classmate she didnā€™t know at first, and leaving the experience with a close friend.


W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
University of Montana

Congratulations to Cora Johnson (W&C ā€™24), graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Sustainability, a GIS cer...
05/07/2026

Congratulations to Cora Johnson (W&C ā€™24), graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Sustainability, a GIS certificate, and a minor in Wilderness Studies. šŸŽ“

One of Coraā€™s favorite parts of the program was connecting with land managers and ranchersā€”learning how conservation goals and motivations can differ, and how essential collaboration and community outreach are to protecting the environment.

Her advice to future students: be ready to see how concepts youā€™ve learned elsewhere are applied in the real worldā€”and to visit those projects firsthand. And donā€™t forget deodorant and a few special snacks to barter with during the trek!



University of Montana W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana

Three outstanding Wilderness and Civilization 2025 alumniā€”Julia Ampe, Isaiah Anderson, and Anne Rehbergā€”presented their ...
05/06/2026

Three outstanding Wilderness and Civilization 2025 alumniā€”Julia Ampe, Isaiah Anderson, and Anne Rehbergā€”presented their research at UMCUR: ā€œImplications of Wilderness Management: Buffalo Creek Case Study.ā€

Their presentation explores Buffalo Creek as a case study for adaptive wilderness management, with insights for fisheries and beyond. Inspired by their Watershed Dynamics course, the project examines the tensionā€”and balanceā€”between native fish conservation and preserving wilderness character.

Pictured (left to right): Ethan Marshall (W&C ā€™24), Miranda Foster (WI graduate student), Julia, Anne, Isaiah, and Cameron Kirwan (W&C ā€™24).



W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
University of Montana

Some of our Wilderness Institute undergraduates shared their research at UMā€™s Conference on Undergraduate Research in Ap...
05/06/2026

Some of our Wilderness Institute undergraduates shared their research at UMā€™s Conference on Undergraduate Research in April.

Cameron Kirwan (W&C ā€™24) presented his narrative book exploring the natural, political, ecological, and human history of the proposed Great Burn Wilderness.

ā€œIt is an extremely unique and special place, and every trip I took left me wanting to know more about it,ā€ Cameron said of his inspiration for the project.

W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
University of Montana

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59812

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