Upper Gallatin Wild and Scenic designation public event
Patagonia’s DamNation to show in Big Sky on July 2
BLUE WATER TASK FORCE
The Blue Water Task Force and the Bozeman-based Northern Rockies Office of American Rivers are partnering to host a public event to discuss the effort by Montanans for Healthy Rivers to designate the Upper Gallatin as a Wild and Scenic River. The event is set for Wednesday, July 2, at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center in Big Sky.
Aaron Pruzan, a representative from Jackson, Wyo., will also attend the meeting to present how the Wild and Scenic designation on the Snake River has positively impacted their community, said BWTF Executive Director Kristin Gardner. Pruzan is owner of Rendezvous River Sports and the Jackson Hole Kayak School, and also sits on the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board.
Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 to “Preserve the outstanding natural, cultural and recreational values of rivers for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” Public participation in developing goals for river protection is key to the designation process.
Following public discussion will be a showing of the film “DamNation,” released this spring at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas. This powerful film journeys across America exploring the sea of change in our national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders, to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers.
The public discussion will start at 5:30 p.m., followed by the film at 7:30. Tickets are available at WMPAC or online at bluewatertaskforce.org/news-events.php.
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2014 Big Sky Fly Fishing Festival
The second annual Big Sky Fly Fishing festival is gearing up, set for the weekend of July 26-27.
The “Hooked on the Gallatin” banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. on night one at the Gallatin Riverhouse Grill, with food, wine, live music and auctions to benefit BWTF project work on the Gallatin outside in a tent along the river.
The following day from noon to 4 p.m. there will be a family-friendly outdoor festival at Town Center Park in Big Sky. Activities will include product demonstrations, casting clinics and competitions, fly tying, kids activities, a scavenger hunt, guided nature trips to the river, and river and trout conservation educational booths.
That evening there will be two showings of the F3T Fly Fishing Film Festival at the Lone Peak Cinema, one at 5 p.m. and one at 8 p.m. Find more information on this year’s film tour at flyfilmtour.com.
