Old Growth Celebration

The Old Growth Celebration is a multi-faceted artistic, scientific, and educational program series designed to give Missoula County citizens of all ages the opportunity to engage with the concept of old growth forests. These profound ecosystems hold incredible examples of diversity, community, and sustainability all of which provide intrinsic examples for our own communities. With the Missoula Public Library and spectrUM Discovery Area as partners, we have organized a month long series of events intended to inform and excite the curious minds of Missoula with art works, public lectures, relevant reading lists, and scientific displays. Our goal is to inspire our communities to see old growth forests as teachers and role models worth protecting.

Old Growth Celebration Reception with Featured Artist Eric Jensen

Apr 7, 5-7pm in Cooper Room

Join us for this first Friday reception to kick off our month long series exploring and celebrating old growth forests! Featured artist Eric Jensen’s artwork will be on display all month. Light refreshments and beverages provided by the Friends of Missoula Public Library.

spectrUM Discovery Bench Activities

All month at the Discovery Bench

Kids can come to spectrUM during the month of April to enjoy forest ecosystem experiences at the Discovery Bench! Each week, our Discovery Bench activity themes – which take place between 2-6pm Tuesday through Saturday – will tie in with the Old Growth Celebration happening throughout the library. Additionally, explore the plants and animals that live on an old growth forest floor through our microscope, with real specimens from the forests around Missoula.

Old Growth Forests: The Libraries of Tree and Ecosystem Knowledge

Apr 10, 6-7:30pm in Cooper Room

Old growth forests are more than places with big trees. Each is a unique and irreplaceable ecosystem based on continuity over long periods of time. They are also reservoirs of the genetic knowledge and diversity crucial for resilience and persistence of forest ecosystems over time. In this talk, Dr. Six will give an introduction to what makes old growth forests so special using local examples including whitebark pine.

An Evening with Author Rick Bass

Apr 17, 6-7:30pm in Cooper Room

Join local author Rick Bass for a discussion of his work involving the Yaak Valley, the U.S. Forest Service’s Black Ram Project, and old and mature forests in general.

Nature’s Temples: Old-Growth Forests with Dr. Joan Maloof

Apr 24, 6-7:30pm in Cooper Room

Join author and founder of the Old-Growth Forest Network, Joan Maloof, for this presentation on her work and her recently revised and expanded book Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests. The Old-Growth Forest Network connects people with nature by creating a national network of protected, publicly accessible forests. Dr. Maloof wrote this book in response to the idea that “forests need to be managed to be healthy.” Dr. Maloof’s research shows unmanaged forests have the largest and oldest trees as well as more mushrooms, wildflowers, salamanders and moss species. Let’s get together to talk about ancient forests and what can be done to save them.