UCFWG Summer Field Research Planning Meeting
March 31, 2020 Online Zoom Meeting
Hosts:
University of Montana: Maury Valett, Division of Biological Sciences
Geum Environmental Consulting: Tom Parker, Principal Ecologist.
Meeting Objectives
The purpose of this meeting is to allow representatives from each organization share upcoming activities related to the Strategic Plan.
UCFWG March 2020 Workshop
March 18, 2020 University of Montana, Missoula, MT
Due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), this meeting was moved to a video conference workshop hosted by Tom Parker at Geum Environmental Engineering.
Hosts:
University of Montana: Maury Valett, Division of Biological Sciences Montana Water Consortium, Montana Institute on Ecosystems
Geum, Inc.: Tom Parker, Marisa Sowles
Meeting Objectives
Review new UCFWG.org web site and associated resources to support information sharing
- Review mental models/ working hypotheses that underlie our shared understanding of the Strategic Plan elements
- Identify purpose, roles and leadership of sub-groups
- Identify specific actions being implemented by each core UCFWG member organization in 2020
- Identify next UCFWG meeting date, location and focus
Maury Valett (UM) provided a reminder that the Strategic Plan is a living document and that modifications can and should occur as the group learns more about the Clark Fork and participates in the process of identifying goals for the Clark Fork and how we can collaboratively move towards those goals.
Doug Martin (NRDP) discussed the long-term timeframe and value of the work proposed by the Upper Clark Fork Working Group. This collaborative effort can set the groundwork for the next generation.
UCFWG October 2019 Workshop
October 18, 2019 Delta Hotel, Helena, MT
Hosts:
University of Montana: Maury Valett, Division of Biological Sciences Montana Water Consortium, Montana Institute on Ecosystems
Montana DOJ, Natural Resource Damage Program: Brian Bartkowiak
Geum, Inc.: Tom Parker, Marisa Sowles
Workshop intent and participating personnel
The Upper Clark Fork Working Group (UCFWG) is a collaborative with the mission to ‘…facilitate, produce, analyze, and share science-based knowledge among key participants involved in the remediation, restoration, research, and monitoring of the Upper Clark Fork River and its tributaries’ (UCFRWG Strategic Plan 2019).
The UCFWG is currently composed of eleven participants representing eight institutions including educational, regulatory, private business, and non-governmental organizations. The UCFWG October 2019 Workshop in Helena introduced the UCFWG to a larger audience of participating individuals and programs with 30 individuals attending the meeting. A roster of associated personnel (attending or affiliated) is provided in Appendix A of the Workshop Minutes PDF.
As part of the Oct. 2019 Workshop attendees used a large map to organize the meeting specially. On the provided map attendees posted notes which showed existing data, gaps in data, on going places being monitored, data gaps currently being researched, and action items for future research. The research group at Geum Environmental Consulting digitized the notes into GIS layers for feedback from the community.