Park Fund announces nine project grants

The Glacier National Park Fund recently announced it has awarded nine year-end grants for 2013 projects in Glacier National Park totaling more than $75,000.

The unrestricted funds for the grants come from the sale of Glacier Park specialty license plates and annual fund donors. All told, the Fund raised about $1 million this year.

“We are fortunate to have so many wonderful donors — locally and across the country — who love Glacier National Park and understand the importance of giving back to ensure that others will be able to enjoy the Park well into the future,” executive director Jane Ratzlaff said.

About $100,000 of the money raised this year will go into the Fund’s endowment, which now has about $280,000, Ratzlaff said. The Fund also has about $500,000 available for restricted projects in 2013, projects designated by donors, including repairs to a washout on the Highline Trail and creation of a Glacier Conservation Corps similar to and in partnership with the Montana Conservation Corps.

The nine projects receiving grants include boardwalk and trail at the Red Rocks area; research on harlequin ducks Along the Upper McDonald Creek; Going-to-the-Sun Road Podcasts; Discovery Cabin and the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program; and exhibit to share the significance of Lake McDonald to the Kootenai people; youth/adult Citizen Science stewardship; the Half The Park Happens After Dark astronomy program; a wireless water tank monitoring system; Oberlin Bend Overlook repair work.

Additional 2013 projects that still need funding, according to Ratzlaff, are replacement of the Grinnell historic wall, building a raised walkway at Josephine Lake, more bear-proof food storage lockers, preserving the genetic legacy of the fisher, and researching the breeding biology of the northern hawk owl.

The Glacier National Park Fund is the official nonprofit fundraising partner for Glacier Park. For more information or to donate, call 892-3250 or visit online at www.glacierfund.org.