October 17, 2011

A Watershed of a Different Color
And
There's No Place Like Homestays
by Fiona Brown

During our trip to the Blackfoot Valley, the students got an unexpected opportunity to get their feet wet in stream restoration work. Greg and Ryen Neudecker gave us a tour of a project on a privately owned ranch.

In collaboration with a concerned land owner, Trout Unlimited and the Blackfoot Challenge reshaped the stream channel back into its narrower and more sinuous self, reinforced the outer banks with "toe wood", and replanted riparian vegetation.

Though the health of the stream was on the rise, the landowner was unable to draw water from the channel to his irrigation diversion due to some engineering issues. The L&L students donned their waders and sloshed into the stream with shovels. They spent the afternoon unplugging a pipe and reshaping the diversion so water could enter the irrigation ditch. We were successful—the water began to flow just as the landowner was driving out to pick up his mail. He was gracious enough to give us a tour of another stream restoration project on his property where he often stops to feed grasshoppers to the native cutthroat trout.

That afternoon, everyone got a hand in setting up the cozy wall tent where we stayed for the nights we were in the Blackfoot.

The barn was quiet this weekend as students left for their respective homestays. Students and hosts gathered for a potluck on Sunday evening to share their experiences over very tasty food.

Diani milked a goat for the first time with the Auchenbachs.

Riley went on a "magical" paddle with the Stones and saw a beaver dam, a bald eagle, a massive flock of coots, and kokanee salmon.

Charlie says "My homestay gave me an opportunity to see how close-knit the folks who life in the Swan Valley truly are. There's a real love for this place, and people like Mike Stevenson put in the hard work it takes to live here because, knowing how special it is, they wouldn't have it any other way."

Meara also gained some local knowledge—Neil Meyer taught her how to count cows: "You count the legs," he says, "and then divide by four."

Erin with her homestay "mom" Amber