Clearwater Resource Council's Joann Wallenburn giving the introduction to the film "Students in Action with Climate Change" to a full house at the new SLE Outside Co-op, Oct. 29.
The graph shows stream flow data collected in Morrell Creek for 2012-2015. Rieman said he is being contacted by climate scientists for this data because there are so few sites on smaller creeks that have the longevity of monitoring that Morrell Creek has. The black line is 2015, showing a significantly lower flow rate than any other year.
SEELEY LAKE - Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) presented the world premiere of the film "Students in Action with Climate Change," at their Pure Montana Tales event Oct. 29 at the new SLE Outside Co-op.
Nearly 100 attendees watched the 15-minute film by Seeley-Swan High School (SSHS) alumni and CRC intern Shelby Holmes. Attendees also were able to view the trailer for CRC's new film "2016 Keeping Clearwater."
In 2014, CRC received funding from the Roundtable of the Crown of the Continent (RCC) to take the monitoring work going on in the schools in the valley to other schools. They were able to develop curriculum and establish monitoring sites in other areas outside of Seeley Lake for comparison and continued the discussion.
CRC again received funding in 2015 from RCC allowing them to help tell the story of what the students, teachers and the schools have been doing. With the help of Cory Davis from the University of Montana, Science Education Specialist with the Blackfoot Challenge Elaine Caton and world-renowned film producer Jenny Rohrer, Holmes worked as an intern to produce "Students in Action with Climate Change." SSHS senior Angus Batchelder and sophomore Ibby Lorentz were also involved in the production of the film.
The film focused on three projects that the students chose: the SSHS greenhouse; monitoring for bull trout in Morrell Creek; and Ovando School's work on drought response in the Blackfoot watershed. The questions Holmes poses at the beginning of the film were:
• What does the warming trend mean for the future of the Seeley-Swan area?
• Who and what does this affect?
• Is anyone doing anything to help?
Holmes explored the effect of the greenhouse on the quality of food served in the SSHS cafeteria, and the ability of the greenhouse to provide 11 shareholders in the community with fresh greens through the winter.
Lorentz interviewed Bonnie Buckingham of the Missoula Community Food and Agricultural Coalition about the impact of the transportation of food on the climate. Buckingham discussed how choosing local food significantly reduces people's carbon footprint by reducing the number of miles that food travels.
In the second segment, Holmes said that she started monitoring Morrell Creek in junior high. Students get to participate in electro-fishing with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fishery biologists as well as measure the dissolved oxygen and test for various nutrients in the water. Seeley Lake students are some of the only students in the state that get to work in a creek, handle live fish and their data is used by the state agencies when looking at bull trout.
In the final segment, the film explores the impacts of the Blackfoot Challenge Drought Response and shared sacrifice for anglers, river guides and ranchers. Ovando School's 13 students monitor the depth, flow, temperature and turbidity of the Blackfoot River which helps them see the changes in the river.
Holmes said at the close of the film, "Students will be the change. The students will make a difference when they realize it is their responsibility to help. My hope is that this is just the beginning and that more students will get involved, and more schools will get involved and they will learn that they can help."
"The things the kids are learning are real," said Seeley Lake Elementary junior high teacher Patti Bartlett. "We don't make graphs out of a math book anymore. Our kids need to be good stewards of the land and I think that with the help of Bruce [Rieman] and everyone else we are making that happen."
CRC board member Bruce Rieman highlighted that $40,000 was raised for restoration work on Morrell Creek and another $20,000 has funded the monitoring work. Other projects that the students have been working on include the Rapid Forest Assessment that allows scientists to see how the area forests are changing over time and nutrient monitoring in Morrell Creek. Missoula County and the Seeley Lake Sewer Board funded the nutrient monitoring this year because Rieman said it is critical to understand what will happen to that stream if and when the sewer is installed.
"It's real data that is having a real impact trying to understand how our world is changing and we are playing a part in that," said Rieman. "This is not just classroom stuff. It is real stuff."
"This is way cool," said CRC Executive Director Cathy Kahnle. "These students are doing real world science, with sophisticated equipment, and coming up with data that is so important that it is being used by agencies, and requested by scientists from all over. We are incredibly proud of them."
CRC also highlighted a trailer for their new film "2016 Keeping Clearwater" that highlights the work of students and volunteers and their local efforts to maintain water quality. Quotes from the film include, "We need to take care of what we have left," "Science is critical," and "It's not just the volunteers that need to do this [care for the streams]. We all need to."
The goal is to use the film as an educational tool to show to others and encourage communities to do something similar. CRC is still looking to raise $2,500 for the production of the film. To help with funding this project, contact CRC at 677-0069 or 210-8453.
The "Student in Action for Climate Change" and Keeping Clearwater trailer are both available to view on the CRC home page, http://www.crcmt.org
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