August 4, 2025 • 18 mins
Montana’s outdoor recreation supports billions in spending while protecting landscapes, wildlife, and local traditions. Amber Steed, Region 1 Supervisor for Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), brings deep knowledge to managing these resources and highlights new public access projects, including Somers Beach State Park and expanded fishing areas near Flathead Lake.
Key efforts like the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement will protect over 80,000 acres through partnerships with timber companies, ensuring public access while maintaining sustainable forestry and preventing development.
With rising bear encounters, FWP focuses on prevention through education, bear-proof containers, and a new conflict dashboard. Amber urges public involvement in conservation efforts and reminds us that protecting Montana’s outdoors takes all of us.
Link: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Follow the Discover Kalispell Chamber on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @kalispellchamber, and on twitter @KalispellChambr.
© Kalispell Chamber of Commerce. All Rights Reserved. 406.758.2800 | info@kalispellchamber.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello again everybody .
Drew Zagorski here and welcometo Venture Boldly, the podcast
of the Discover KalispellChamber, your go-to source for
all you need to know aboutwhat's happening in the business
and local communities righthere in Kalispell, in the
Flathead Valley.
Today we're joined by AmberSteed, region 1 Supervisor for
Montana Fish, wildlife and Parks.
Montana Fish, wildlife andParks From public access
(00:23):
improvements to bear safety,education, fish, wildlife and
parks plays a vital role acrossour state.
Outdoor recreation in Montanafuels billions in spending and
supports tens of thousands ofjobs across the state.
It also protects our landscapes, wildlife and cherished ways of
life like fishing, hiking andcamping.
Amber brings years ofexperience as a fisheries
(00:46):
biologist and a passion forpublic engagement.
We'll talk about new projects,conservation priorities and how
the community can get involved.
So let's dive into what ittakes to responsibly steward
Montana's outdoor resources nowand for the future.
But first give us a minute soyou can learn about our sponsors
and then I'll be back withAmber Steed, regional Supervisor
(01:08):
of Montana Fish, wildlife andParks, if you want connection
with other businesses to be atthe heart of the Kalispell and
Flathead business community tosupport action for creating a
vibrant, thriving, growingclimate, not just for your
business, but for our entirebusiness community.
You want to be part of theKalispell Chamber as a catalyst
(01:30):
for business growth, a convenerof business leaders and
influencers and a champion forKalispell and the entire
Flathead community.
Becoming part of the KalispellChamber is an investment in the
future of your business and ourcommunity the future of your
business and our community.
To learn more about becoming apartner of the Chamber, call
406-758-5054.
Again, the number's406-758-5054.
(01:52):
Or go to calispellchambercom.
Have you checked outworkforceflatheadcom?
Workforce Flathead is acollaboration between local
education, business andgovernment partners to connect
students, businesses andemployers with each other.
Workforceflatheadcom isacustom-built online home for all
things workforce in theFlathead Valley.
You'll find business andeducation resources, jobs and
(02:15):
job fair information, links toapprenticeships and a whole lot
more.
There's even a library oflocally produced career videos,
perfect for students and jobseekers to introduce them to
career paths in NorthwestMontana.
To learn more, visitworkforceflatheadcom today.
So, amber Steed, regionalSupervisor of Montana Fish,
(02:37):
wildlife and Parks, thank youfor joining us today.
Really appreciate you takingtime out of your busy schedule
to come and share some detailsabout what it is you do, why you
do it and who you do it for.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I appreciate the opportunity.
You know it's always great tohave this platform to reach out
to the public.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I want to start with some good news.
Fish, wildlife and Parks hasbeen expanding and upgrading
public access sites all acrossthe region.
What are some of those recentimprovements and how are they
making a difference for localsand visitors?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
So we've really focused on Flyhead Lake recently
, for example, because there islimited access around Flyhead
Lake, so much of it is privateand it's such an incredible
resource in our valley.
So some of the improvements andexpanded opportunities that
we've created include SummersBeach State Park, which is 106
(03:30):
acres.
It's located right in Summersand has this beautiful beach
that people can enjoy, and nowwe're incorporating some hiking
trails throughout it.
There's a boat launch, sothat's a really neat resource.
That's that's fairly new.
We also have later this yearmost likely opening fishing
(03:52):
access near Dayton that one'scalled Conclau, and so there's
going to be a whole new turnlane constructed to make that a
safe entry and exit point.
So that's coming.
Put that on your radar.
Something else that people mayhave been paying attention to is
the Sportsman's Bridge onHighway 82 is going to be
(04:15):
widened and reconstructed, andpart of that has included moving
the existing Sportsman's Bridgefishing access site from the
east side of the river to thewest side, and so we finally are
about ready to open that newfishing access site and that's a
17-acre site.
It's all constructed.
I'd say by next week we'relikely to have that open to the
(04:38):
public, if not sooner.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Nice.
Now, some of these projects aretied to a much broader
conservation effort.
So can you walk us through thebigger picture?
And especially I'm kind ofcurious about Phase 2, which is
also known as the Montana GreatOutdoors Conservation Easement,
and why protecting this openspace matters not just for
wildlife but for timber andrecreation and other working
(05:02):
lands?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
timber and recreation and other working lands, sure,
so in the big picture, here atFWP, we have a variety of tools
to help people recreate outdoorsand connect with these amazing
resources that we have inNorthwest Montana, and so one of
those tools is conservationeasements, and these are
mutually beneficial programs.
So in this case we have a largecorporate timber landowner,
(05:28):
green Diamond, and we have anopportunity to leverage
different sources of funding tocreate public access that the
public has enjoyed forgenerations on these lands that
they own.
And so we're talking about, inthis case, over 52,000 acres of
land in just this phase two, andwhen we say phase two, that's
(05:52):
the second phase.
There was a first phase that'salready been approved and that
was around 35,000 acres, and soin total we're talking, you know
, 80, over 80,000 acres, and theidea is we maintain public
access for hunting and fishingand recreation on these lands
instead of privatizingdevelopment in other ways that
(06:15):
would lock that up.
And these easements also allowGreen Diamond to continue to
keep these working lands.
So these are working timberlands.
They'll continue to produceharvest, but this allows them
the time to let those timberstands mature so that they're
more harvestable, morefinancially sustainable and yet
maintain that public accessthroughout.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
In the headlines.
We see all this news about bearconflicts lately, especially
with grizzlies, and what I'mkind of curious about is what's
behind that increase.
Where is it happening?
Is it closer to some of themore rural outlying areas like
Columbia Falls and Whitefish, oris this kind of starting to
(06:57):
encroach on Kalispell proper?
Is this kind of starting toencroach on Kalispell proper,
and has the fish, wildlife andparks shifted?
Any strategies or policies inresponse to this?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
So the reason behind what you might see as more bear
conflicts in the news is we havemore bears, more people on the
landscape.
If you you know everyone, Ithink has noticed, in the past
five plus years we've seen quitea growth in the Valley right
and visitation and and residentsand as a result, um, there just
(07:29):
ends up being more interactionswith our wildlife, including
bears and so.
But bears have been aroundsince before people, so we've
always known this is a placewhere bears and wildlife exist
and this is part of what makesit special.
And at FWP we want to keeppeople safe and bears wild,
(08:03):
attracting bears to your homesor to where you're recreating,
so securing food attractants andminimizing what brings them in.
So that can include bear proofcontainers, and that's something
that, for example, cityWhitefish and Columbia Falls
have really done a great job inpromoting and enabling residents
to take part in programs likethat to help prevent those
conflicts and actually EvergreenDisposal, just to give them a
shout out, they have provided aprogram where residents can swap
(08:27):
out their existing trashcontainers for bear proof
containers for a relativelysmall fee.
So there are opportunities outthere for people to help prevent
those interactions, but we alsohave to help keep people aware
of what's going on on thelandscape in real time.
We've just released a humanbear conflict dashboard on our
(08:48):
website.
So if you go to fwpmtgov youcan search human bear conflict
dashboard and that'll direct youto that dashboard so you can
see by broad location, kind ofthe type of conflict and how
many over time.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
So I've got a question kind of along these
lines.
You know, there's so muchinformation in the world today,
so easy to get information,people Googling and, you know,
going to AI bots to ask aboutadvice on bears, going to AI
bots to ask about advice onbears Is there anything at the
top of your mind that floatsaround out there?
That is actually bad advice,but it gets presented as a
(09:28):
viable way to avoid an incidentwith a bear or attracting one.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I can't think offhand of bad advice, but maybe some
misconceptions.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So one thing we try to continually share with the
public is how to preventinteractions with bears and then
, if you find yourself in aconflict, how to stay safe as
best as possible, and one ofthose, the best tool, remains
bear spray and having that withyou and knowing how to use it
(10:06):
effectively and beingcomfortable with that.
And so that can involve practice.
We have some really talentedbear specialists that spend a
lot of time going out into thecommunity and trying to do some
outreach, as well as ourcommunication and education
program manager.
They're very proactive intrying to explain and provide
(10:27):
chances for people, for example,at workshops, to use we call it
the inert bear spray, so it's acan that doesn't have actual
bear spray in it, but it's sortof like to me I've used these.
It feels like a mini fireextinguisher.
So if you can imagine, you knowusing something like that to
practice, so you're comfortablewhen you, if you find yourself
in that situation and travelingin groups making lots of noise,
(10:51):
the things that you maybe haveheard before, but but really do
kind of get at that preventionside of things, that's, it's
like medicine and a lot ofthings in life, right, the more
you can prevent conflict, thebetter off you are.
But if you find yourself in thatsituation, here's how to
protect yourself.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
So, amber, a lot of your work.
I'm thinking about AISinspections and for those who
aren't aware of what that is,it's aquatic invasive species.
There's mandatory inspectionstations here.
Managing wildlife encounters,like we were just talking about
bears, promoting responsiblerecreation.
We rely on the public to do alot on their part.
(11:31):
What's the best way?
Individuals and families canhelp support that mission in
their day-to-day activities?
Speaker 2 (11:36):
That's a great question.
So one tag phrase we use isrecreate responsibly, and so
that can mean a variety ofdifferent things, because we all
have many ways we like torecreate, engage with the
outdoors, so from boating tohunting, to fishing or just
hiking and bird watching, and so, for example, you brought up
(11:58):
ais or aquatic invasive species.
So when you go out boating andyou're traveling around to
different places with yourwatercraft, including paddle
boards and kayaks, please stopat our A in Kalispell, that if
it doesn't work out for you tovisit one of those stations
(12:21):
time-wise or whatnot, we'rehappy to do inspections as well,
and that's really preventingthese nuisance species from
entering water bodies that cando a lot of damage to the
resources that are there, forexample, zebra and quagga
mussels that can wreak havoc onwater pipes and docks and boats,
(12:42):
trailers and things that wemaybe don't always think about,
but once they're there, it'svery difficult, if not
impossible, to get rid of them.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
As we've come to the home stretch here for people who
care about access to publicland and water.
How can they get involved?
What are some of the easy waysto plug into FWP's public
process and provide input andideas for upcoming projects?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
So great question, because we're always trying to
increase the amount of publicengagement we get, and our
website is a really great placeto start to find out what's
going on, find the latest newsreleases and also sign up for
email notifications of publicprocess opportunities, but also
(13:29):
just news releases of what'sgoing on.
And we've kind of recently comeout with a new newsletter
format that is organized by sortof recreation type or interest,
so we have kind of a fishingnewsletter and a hunting one,
one that's more conservationoriented and another that's
outdoor recreation focused, soyou can pick and choose what
(13:51):
interests you most and then, ifyou can, show up to meetings
that we have for the public.
Often we try to arrange theseat times when people aren't
working after hours, but thereare a lot of online comment
opportunities.
We have many different publicprocesses we go through to make
sure that we're responsive towhat the public wants, and so
(14:12):
that's a great place to start.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Uh, just another quick question popped into my
head is somebody who works inthe job that you do, you?
You have access to, and seeeverything that fish, wildlife
and parks has to offer you.
Personally, what's yourfavorite part of what you do?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
It's gotta be working with the people that I work
with.
It's got to be working with thepeople that I work with.
I, I, up until recently.
I was a fisheries biologist forquite a few years and, uh, out
in the streams and rivers quitea bit, and I would work with the
public and my local coworkersuh, a fair bit.
But in this job, this is a allabout the people and I really
(14:55):
love it, and particularly ourstaff.
We have such an incrediblestaff in this region and they're
so competent and caring andpassionate about what they do
and the resources they can serveand the people they serve that,
um, it's a real pleasure and,uh, every day I enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Okay, and what's your favorite space to go to in all
of this tens of thousands ofacreage?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
space to go to in all of this tens of thousands of
acreage.
Oh man, that's a tough question.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
I know it's probably like asking you if you have five
kids, which one is yourfavorite?
I mean, as the youngest, I knowwhat my mom would say Of course
, of course.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Yeah, I mean, I guess one of the first things that
comes to mind is getting onwater, even though it's a bit of
a seasonal thing, but it'ssomething I was able to connect
with so much over most of mycareer that probably getting out
onto the Flathead River isprobably one of the most special
things for me.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And when you're on the river, are you just kayaking
or are you fishing, or what?
Speaker 2 (15:58):
A lot of times I'll be paddle boarding around with
friends I'd say that's most ofthe time, yeah or sometimes out
in a boat, but mostly paddleboarding probably.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, okay, and, as we wrap up, anything else you
want to share with people aboutthese resources and the
organization that helps to keepthem healthy and safe for
everyone and the organizationthat helps to keep them healthy
and safe for everyone.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Sure, so we live in an amazing place, right?
This is an incredible diversityof natural resources, and
that's what brings so manypeople here, I think and that
doesn't happen by accident We'vebeen able to proactively work
with our community and leverageresources to try to keep our
resources that we share aspristine and vibrant for us to
(16:48):
enjoy now and into the future,and so it really takes some
proactive work and collaborationto make that happen, and I
encourage anyone listening toget involved in public process
to help be a part of that.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Well, amber, thank you again for coming and sitting
down with us to share someinformation about all the great
work you guys do, and ifanybody's out there looking at a
beautiful mountain or on a lakeat sunset or something, think
about Amber and her team andeverything that they do to make
that possible for you.
So thank you, amber.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Well, I appreciate the opportunity and really
people have themselves to thankfor that.
So if they want to keep thosebeautiful resources around,
that's part of it.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
We're all stewards.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
We're all stewards, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Right.
Thanks to all our listeners aswell for listening to this
episode of Venture Bowling, thepodcast of the Discover
Kalispell Chamber.
We'd love to hear your thoughtsand feedback on today's topic
and about the podcast in general.
You can listen atkalispellchambercom forward
slash podcast or wherever youlisten to podcasts, and you can
reach us via the contact page atkalispellchambercom, on
(17:54):
Facebook and Instagram atKalispell Chamber, or by
clicking the send us feedbacklink at the top of the episode
description in your favoritepodcast app.
I'm your host, drew Zagorski.
She's Amber Steed, regionalSupervisor of Montana Fish,
wildlife and Parks.
Venture boldly friends.
Appearance on the VentureBoldly Podcast does not
(18:16):
constitute an endorsement ofgoods or services.
The Venture Boldly Podcast is aproduction of the Discover
Kalispell Chamber and isproduced by the Chamber in
partnership with Left BrainRight Brain Marketing.
You can find the DiscoverKalispell Chamber at
kalispellchambercom and LeftBrain Right Brain Marketing at
lbrbmcom dot com.
Hello again everybody .
Drew Zagorski here and welcometo Venture Boldly, the podcast
of the Discover KalispellChamber, your go-to source for
all you need to know aboutwhat's happening in the business
and local communities righthere in Kalispell, in the
Flathead Valley.
Today we're joined by AmberSteed, region 1 Supervisor for
Montana Fish, wildlife and Parks.
Montana Fish, wildlife andParks From public access
(00:23):
improvements to bear safety,education, fish, wildlife and
parks plays a vital role acrossour state.
Outdoor recreation in Montanafuels billions in spending and
supports tens of thousands ofjobs across the state.
It also protects our landscapes, wildlife and cherished ways of
life like fishing, hiking andcamping.
Amber brings years ofexperience as a fisheries
(00:46):
biologist and a passion forpublic engagement.
We'll talk about new projects,conservation priorities and how
the community can get involved.
So let's dive into what ittakes to responsibly steward
Montana's outdoor resources nowand for the future.
But first give us a minute soyou can learn about our sponsors
and then I'll be back withAmber Steed, regional Supervisor
(01:08):
of Montana Fish, wildlife andParks, if you want connection
with other businesses to be atthe heart of the Kalispell and
Flathead business community tosupport action for creating a
vibrant, thriving, growingclimate, not just for your
business, but for our entirebusiness community.
You want to be part of theKalispell Chamber as a catalyst
(01:30):
for business growth, a convenerof business leaders and
influencers and a champion forKalispell and the entire
Flathead community.
Becoming part of the KalispellChamber is an investment in the
future of your business and ourcommunity the future of your
business and our community.
To learn more about becoming apartner of the Chamber, call
406-758-5054.
Again, the number's406-758-5054.
(01:52):
Or go to calispellchambercom.
Have you checked outworkforceflatheadcom?
Workforce Flathead is acollaboration between local
education, business andgovernment partners to connect
students, businesses andemployers with each other.
Workforceflatheadcom isacustom-built online home for all
things workforce in theFlathead Valley.
You'll find business andeducation resources, jobs and
(02:15):
job fair information, links toapprenticeships and a whole lot
more.
There's even a library oflocally produced career videos,
perfect for students and jobseekers to introduce them to
career paths in NorthwestMontana.
To learn more, visitworkforceflatheadcom today.
So, amber Steed, regionalSupervisor of Montana Fish,
(02:37):
wildlife and Parks, thank youfor joining us today.
Really appreciate you takingtime out of your busy schedule
to come and share some detailsabout what it is you do, why you
do it and who you do it for.
So thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I appreciate the opportunity.
You know it's always great tohave this platform to reach out
to the public.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I want to start with some good news.
Fish, wildlife and Parks hasbeen expanding and upgrading
public access sites all acrossthe region.
What are some of those recentimprovements and how are they
making a difference for localsand visitors?
Speaker 2 (03:08):
So we've really focused on Flyhead Lake recently
, for example, because there islimited access around Flyhead
Lake, so much of it is privateand it's such an incredible
resource in our valley.
So some of the improvements andexpanded opportunities that
we've created include SummersBeach State Park, which is 106
(03:30):
acres.
It's located right in Summersand has this beautiful beach
that people can enjoy, and nowwe're incorporating some hiking
trails throughout it.
There's a boat launch, sothat's a really neat resource.
That's that's fairly new.
We also have later this yearmost likely opening fishing
(03:52):
access near Dayton that one'scalled Conclau, and so there's
going to be a whole new turnlane constructed to make that a
safe entry and exit point.
So that's coming.
Put that on your radar.
Something else that people mayhave been paying attention to is
the Sportsman's Bridge onHighway 82 is going to be
(04:15):
widened and reconstructed, andpart of that has included moving
the existing Sportsman's Bridgefishing access site from the
east side of the river to thewest side, and so we finally are
about ready to open that newfishing access site and that's a
17-acre site.
It's all constructed.
I'd say by next week we'relikely to have that open to the
(04:38):
public, if not sooner.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Nice.
Now, some of these projects aretied to a much broader
conservation effort.
So can you walk us through thebigger picture?
And especially I'm kind ofcurious about Phase 2, which is
also known as the Montana GreatOutdoors Conservation Easement,
and why protecting this openspace matters not just for
wildlife but for timber andrecreation and other working
(05:02):
lands?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
timber and recreation and other working lands, sure,
so in the big picture, here atFWP, we have a variety of tools
to help people recreate outdoorsand connect with these amazing
resources that we have inNorthwest Montana, and so one of
those tools is conservationeasements, and these are
mutually beneficial programs.
So in this case we have a largecorporate timber landowner,
(05:28):
green Diamond, and we have anopportunity to leverage
different sources of funding tocreate public access that the
public has enjoyed forgenerations on these lands that
they own.
And so we're talking about, inthis case, over 52,000 acres of
land in just this phase two, andwhen we say phase two, that's
(05:52):
the second phase.
There was a first phase that'salready been approved and that
was around 35,000 acres, and soin total we're talking, you know
, 80, over 80,000 acres, and theidea is we maintain public
access for hunting and fishingand recreation on these lands
instead of privatizingdevelopment in other ways that
(06:15):
would lock that up.
And these easements also allowGreen Diamond to continue to
keep these working lands.
So these are working timberlands.
They'll continue to produceharvest, but this allows them
the time to let those timberstands mature so that they're
more harvestable, morefinancially sustainable and yet
maintain that public accessthroughout.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
In the headlines.
We see all this news about bearconflicts lately, especially
with grizzlies, and what I'mkind of curious about is what's
behind that increase.
Where is it happening?
Is it closer to some of themore rural outlying areas like
Columbia Falls and Whitefish, oris this kind of starting to
(06:57):
encroach on Kalispell proper?
Is this kind of starting toencroach on Kalispell proper,
and has the fish, wildlife andparks shifted?
Any strategies or policies inresponse to this?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
So the reason behind what you might see as more bear
conflicts in the news is we havemore bears, more people on the
landscape.
If you you know everyone, Ithink has noticed, in the past
five plus years we've seen quitea growth in the Valley right
and visitation and and residentsand as a result, um, there just
(07:29):
ends up being more interactionswith our wildlife, including
bears and so.
But bears have been aroundsince before people, so we've
always known this is a placewhere bears and wildlife exist
and this is part of what makesit special.
And at FWP we want to keeppeople safe and bears wild,
(08:03):
attracting bears to your homesor to where you're recreating,
so securing food attractants andminimizing what brings them in.
So that can include bear proofcontainers, and that's something
that, for example, cityWhitefish and Columbia Falls
have really done a great job inpromoting and enabling residents
to take part in programs likethat to help prevent those
conflicts and actually EvergreenDisposal, just to give them a
shout out, they have provided aprogram where residents can swap
(08:27):
out their existing trashcontainers for bear proof
containers for a relativelysmall fee.
So there are opportunities outthere for people to help prevent
those interactions, but we alsohave to help keep people aware
of what's going on on thelandscape in real time.
We've just released a humanbear conflict dashboard on our
(08:48):
website.
So if you go to fwpmtgov youcan search human bear conflict
dashboard and that'll direct youto that dashboard so you can
see by broad location, kind ofthe type of conflict and how
many over time.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
So I've got a question kind of along these
lines.
You know, there's so muchinformation in the world today,
so easy to get information,people Googling and, you know,
going to AI bots to ask aboutadvice on bears, going to AI
bots to ask about advice onbears Is there anything at the
top of your mind that floatsaround out there?
That is actually bad advice,but it gets presented as a
(09:28):
viable way to avoid an incidentwith a bear or attracting one.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I can't think offhand of bad advice, but maybe some
misconceptions.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So one thing we try to continually share with the
public is how to preventinteractions with bears and then
, if you find yourself in aconflict, how to stay safe as
best as possible, and one ofthose, the best tool, remains
bear spray and having that withyou and knowing how to use it
(10:06):
effectively and beingcomfortable with that.
And so that can involve practice.
We have some really talentedbear specialists that spend a
lot of time going out into thecommunity and trying to do some
outreach, as well as ourcommunication and education
program manager.
They're very proactive intrying to explain and provide
(10:27):
chances for people, for example,at workshops, to use we call it
the inert bear spray, so it's acan that doesn't have actual
bear spray in it, but it's sortof like to me I've used these.
It feels like a mini fireextinguisher.
So if you can imagine, you knowusing something like that to
practice, so you're comfortablewhen you, if you find yourself
in that situation and travelingin groups making lots of noise,
(10:51):
the things that you maybe haveheard before, but but really do
kind of get at that preventionside of things, that's, it's
like medicine and a lot ofthings in life, right, the more
you can prevent conflict, thebetter off you are.
But if you find yourself in thatsituation, here's how to
protect yourself.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
So, amber, a lot of your work.
I'm thinking about AISinspections and for those who
aren't aware of what that is,it's aquatic invasive species.
There's mandatory inspectionstations here.
Managing wildlife encounters,like we were just talking about
bears, promoting responsiblerecreation.
We rely on the public to do alot on their part.
(11:31):
What's the best way?
Individuals and families canhelp support that mission in
their day-to-day activities?
Speaker 2 (11:36):
That's a great question.
So one tag phrase we use isrecreate responsibly, and so
that can mean a variety ofdifferent things, because we all
have many ways we like torecreate, engage with the
outdoors, so from boating tohunting, to fishing or just
hiking and bird watching, and so, for example, you brought up
(11:58):
ais or aquatic invasive species.
So when you go out boating andyou're traveling around to
different places with yourwatercraft, including paddle
boards and kayaks, please stopat our A in Kalispell, that if
it doesn't work out for you tovisit one of those stations
(12:21):
time-wise or whatnot, we'rehappy to do inspections as well,
and that's really preventingthese nuisance species from
entering water bodies that cando a lot of damage to the
resources that are there, forexample, zebra and quagga
mussels that can wreak havoc onwater pipes and docks and boats,
(12:42):
trailers and things that wemaybe don't always think about,
but once they're there, it'svery difficult, if not
impossible, to get rid of them.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
As we've come to the home stretch here for people who
care about access to publicland and water.
How can they get involved?
What are some of the easy waysto plug into FWP's public
process and provide input andideas for upcoming projects?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
So great question, because we're always trying to
increase the amount of publicengagement we get, and our
website is a really great placeto start to find out what's
going on, find the latest newsreleases and also sign up for
email notifications of publicprocess opportunities, but also
(13:29):
just news releases of what'sgoing on.
And we've kind of recently comeout with a new newsletter
format that is organized by sortof recreation type or interest,
so we have kind of a fishingnewsletter and a hunting one,
one that's more conservationoriented and another that's
outdoor recreation focused, soyou can pick and choose what
(13:51):
interests you most and then, ifyou can, show up to meetings
that we have for the public.
Often we try to arrange theseat times when people aren't
working after hours, but thereare a lot of online comment
opportunities.
We have many different publicprocesses we go through to make
sure that we're responsive towhat the public wants, and so
(14:12):
that's a great place to start.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Uh, just another quick question popped into my
head is somebody who works inthe job that you do, you?
You have access to, and seeeverything that fish, wildlife
and parks has to offer you.
Personally, what's yourfavorite part of what you do?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
It's gotta be working with the people that I work
with.
It's got to be working with thepeople that I work with.
I, I, up until recently.
I was a fisheries biologist forquite a few years and, uh, out
in the streams and rivers quitea bit, and I would work with the
public and my local coworkersuh, a fair bit.
But in this job, this is a allabout the people and I really
(14:55):
love it, and particularly ourstaff.
We have such an incrediblestaff in this region and they're
so competent and caring andpassionate about what they do
and the resources they can serveand the people they serve that,
um, it's a real pleasure and,uh, every day I enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Okay, and what's your favorite space to go to in all
of this tens of thousands ofacreage?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
space to go to in all of this tens of thousands of
acreage.
Oh man, that's a tough question.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
I know it's probably like asking you if you have five
kids, which one is yourfavorite?
I mean, as the youngest, I knowwhat my mom would say Of course
, of course.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Yeah, I mean, I guess one of the first things that
comes to mind is getting onwater, even though it's a bit of
a seasonal thing, but it'ssomething I was able to connect
with so much over most of mycareer that probably getting out
onto the Flathead River isprobably one of the most special
things for me.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And when you're on the river, are you just kayaking
or are you fishing, or what?
Speaker 2 (15:58):
A lot of times I'll be paddle boarding around with
friends I'd say that's most ofthe time, yeah or sometimes out
in a boat, but mostly paddleboarding probably.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, okay, and, as we wrap up, anything else you
want to share with people aboutthese resources and the
organization that helps to keepthem healthy and safe for
everyone and the organizationthat helps to keep them healthy
and safe for everyone.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Sure, so we live in an amazing place, right?
This is an incredible diversityof natural resources, and
that's what brings so manypeople here, I think and that
doesn't happen by accident We'vebeen able to proactively work
with our community and leverageresources to try to keep our
resources that we share aspristine and vibrant for us to
(16:48):
enjoy now and into the future,and so it really takes some
proactive work and collaborationto make that happen, and I
encourage anyone listening toget involved in public process
to help be a part of that.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Well, amber, thank you again for coming and sitting
down with us to share someinformation about all the great
work you guys do, and ifanybody's out there looking at a
beautiful mountain or on a lakeat sunset or something, think
about Amber and her team andeverything that they do to make
that possible for you.
So thank you, amber.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Well, I appreciate the opportunity and really
people have themselves to thankfor that.
So if they want to keep thosebeautiful resources around,
that's part of it.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
We're all stewards.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
We're all stewards, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Right.
Thanks to all our listeners aswell for listening to this
episode of Venture Bowling, thepodcast of the Discover
Kalispell Chamber.
We'd love to hear your thoughtsand feedback on today's topic
and about the podcast in general.
You can listen atkalispellchambercom forward
slash podcast or wherever youlisten to podcasts, and you can
reach us via the contact page atkalispellchambercom, on
(17:54):
Facebook and Instagram atKalispell Chamber, or by
clicking the send us feedbacklink at the top of the episode
description in your favoritepodcast app.
I'm your host, drew Zagorski.
She's Amber Steed, regionalSupervisor of Montana Fish,
wildlife and Parks.
Venture boldly friends.
Appearance on the VentureBoldly Podcast does not
(18:16):
constitute an endorsement ofgoods or services.
The Venture Boldly Podcast is aproduction of the Discover
Kalispell Chamber and isproduced by the Chamber in
partnership with Left BrainRight Brain Marketing.
You can find the DiscoverKalispell Chamber at
kalispellchambercom and LeftBrain Right Brain Marketing at
lbrbmcom dot com.
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