Natural Resources Education Continues Despite COVID Complications

Published: 2020
By Dominique Woodham

2020 will be looked back upon as “that year.” Plans were made, then changed. Often. Despite this, MSU Extension Natural Resources programming continued with adaptations and accommodations. Site visits to private properties to assess wildfire risk and concerns continued as requested due to being outside and socially-distanced. A natural resources book club to engage community members in the discussion of natural resources management topics after reading three different books was able to continue virtually through Webex meetings. As restrictions eased in June, the Extension Forest Stewardship Workshop was hosted in Bozeman, MT, in person. There was a limit on participant numbers in a location that could host all participants within social distancing guidelines. A summer school program was served with pollinator and habitat-related activities for kindergarten through fifth grade youth. The lessons and activities were outside, socially-distanced and hands-on. In September, following the Bridger Foothills Fire, Gallatin County MSU Extension hosted MSU Extension Forestry Specialist Peter Kolb, who toured the fire-impacted area and shared detailed information and research to help forest landowners in the canyon to move forward with salvage logging, and reseeding and replanting properties via a presentation on Zoom. Despite the uncertainty in the world, we were able to adapt and continue programming that is relevant to community needs.