Gallatin Valley
Earth Day
Find out about events by reading our newsletter!
Sign up for our newsletter here.
Watch past event recordings here:
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UPCOMING EVENTS
REGISTER for the live stream at HERE.
An Indigenous Perspective on Living with the Land
with Steven Davis, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe & descendant of the Blackfeet Nation
Thursday, March 27th at 6 pm
Bozeman Public Library, Community Room and live streamed
We can’t have an Earth Day theme of “living with the land” without acknowledging the Native land on which we all live. The Gallatin Valley was known as the Valley of the Flowers by the Niitsitapi (Real Original People) who shared this land as a common hunting ground. Join Steven Davis, KiiNock”KooMii (First Thunder), an enrolled member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and descendant of the Blackfeet nation, as he shares his perspective of the Great Plains tribes living in balanced relationships with the peoples, places and processes that have shaped this continent since time immemorial.
About Steven Davis
Steven Davis, KiiNockKooMii (First Thunder) is an enrolled member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and descendant of the Blackfeet Nation. He graduated in 2014 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, a B.S. in Biological Engineering, and an Honors Baccalaureate Degree from Montana State University. He was actively engaged in research and community outreach with the local & tribal communities during his undergraduate studies. Steven is currently pursuing his Masters in Environmental Engineering, enroute to an eventual PhD in Engineering. Steven is a Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership (SIGP) Fellow and LSAMP Bridge to Doctorate recipient whose current research translation efforts are aiming to bridge the gap between traditional, Indigenous ways of knowing and Western empirical sciences.
Presented by Gallatin Valley Earth Day & Yellowstonian
Loving Our Wild Backyard: How Can We Save The Mini-American Serengeti?
Panel discussion lead by Todd Wilkinson, journalist and author
Wednesday, April 9th at 7 pm
Museum of the Rockies
In person & live streamed
What sets Bozeman and southwest Montana apart is its natural sense of place. Beloved expressions are its world-class wildlife, working farms, ranches, and cherished open space. But they are under threat by unchecked sprawl.
Join Bozeman journalist Todd Wilkinson for a lively conversation with experts on what we can so to save the best of the Northern Rockies that remain.
SPECIAL OFFER: Those who pre-register will receive a special link to enjoy a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary
"Subdivide and Conquer: A Modern Western"
About Todd Wilkinson
Bozeman-based Todd Wilkinson has been a journalist for 40 years. With his work appearing in National Geographic, The Guardian and other publications, he also is author of several award-winning books on topics ranging from Ted Turner to Jackson Hole Grizzly 399. He is founder of Yellowstonian (yellowstonian.org), a non-profit conservation journalism site devoted to exploring the wonders and threats to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Todd is author a new 2025 edition to his award-winning book, Ripple Effects: How to Save Yellowstone and America's Most Iconic Wildlife Ecosystem. Most recently, he wrote a foreword to a new unprecedented scientific analysis on the consequences of sprawl on Greater Yellowstone. It can be viewed at yellowstonesprawl.com. At the Bozeman event, you will also hear from scientists who will speak to how growth is threatening our world-renowned wildlife and what citizens can do to save it.
Expert panelists include:
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Chet Work - Executive Director, Gallatin Valley Land Trust
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Cindy Riegel - Recent, former chair of the Teton County, Idaho Commission
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Deb Davidson - Chief Strategy Officer, Center for Large Landscape Conservation
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Eric Ruark - Director of Research and Sustainability, NumbersUSA
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Randy Carpenter - Executive Director, Friends of Park County. Professional planner and consulting planner for the town of Three Forks
Presented by Gallatin Valley Earth Day in partnership with Yellowstonian with support from Numbers USA, the Gallatin Wildlife Association, Gallatin Valley Land Trust, and the Center for Large Landscape Conservation.
REGISTER in advance for this event HERE.
Recordings of 2025 events
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WATCH the recording HERE.
Healing the Earth by Growing Food as Medicine
with Bob Quinn, Montana organic farmer and businessman
Tuesday, March 11th
Museum of the Rockies
(in person and live streamed)
Learn more about the Bob Quinn's book "Grain by Grain"
HERE
Presented in partnership with the Community Food Co-op, the Quinn Institute and Yellowstonian.
WATCH the recording HERE.
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WATCH the recording HERE.
Join wildlife biologist Beth Madden for an overview of the history, geography, and ecology of the prairies; including the adaptations of the unique plants and animals that live there, and the ecosystem services that prairies provide. Beth will also explore the magnitude of prairie loss, current conservation efforts, and how Montana is a stronghold for these initiatives.
About Beth Madden
Beth Madden is a wildlife biologist with more than 30 years of experience, mostly as a federal biologist in Montana and North Dakota with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She has an M.S. in biology from MSU, where her research focused on relationships between prairie birds and fire ecology. Her subsequent work on national wildlife refuges involved managing and monitoring grassland habitats and wildlife. In retirement, she enjoys engaging others in discovering our natural world.
"Dam It: Partnering with Beavers to Heal the Planet"
with Ben Goldfarb
Thursday, January 16th
Emerson Center for the Arts, Bozeman
WATCH the RECORDING here.
Gallatin Valley Earth Day Festival 2024
Gallatin Earth Day Business Stewards
Click HERE for a list of participating businesses
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Who we Are
In 2019, a group of community members volunteered to plan an Earth Day festival, “Community Solutions for a Healthy Planet”. 500 people attended the festival at the Bozeman Public Library, enjoying talks, exhibits, and food as well as music, dance, art, and theater!
Our multi day in person celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day was cancelled in 2020, but we held two virtual events with more than 1000 attending.(Watch a recording on our YouTube channel). In 2021, we had over 2000 people attend our many online & in person events, including our in person festival in front of the Bozeman Public Library and our first annual Earth Day Fun Run at the Gallatin County Regional Park.
In 2022 we celebrated Earth Day with virtual and in person events from February through April. In 2023 and 2024 we held events from January through April. See the YouTube channel for recordings of live streamed events!
Our Fiscal Sponsor:
Great Gallatin United Way (GGUW) serves as the fiscal sponsor for the Earth Day Festival 2020 Committee. All donations made to GGUW on behalf of the Earth Day Festival will be designated solely for Earth Day Festival events and programs.
Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers
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In the News
Check out local coverage of our events:
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Expert: To protect trout from climate change, maintain diverse habitat, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, March 31, 2023.
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Experts weigh costs, benefits of wildlife crossings at Bozeman talk, Bozeman Daily Chronicle ,Feb. 24, 2023.
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'So much opportunity': Author says conservation can start in your yard, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, January 6, 2023.
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Earth Day Festival 2022: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, April 24, 2022.
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Earth Day Festival 2022 preview: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, April 20, 2022.
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Gallatin Valley Earth Day presents talk on climate change in the GYE: Explore Big Sky, March 2022
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Earth Day Fun Run and Earth Day in the Parks 2021: Bozeman Daily Chronicle
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Gallatin Valley Earth Day to celebrate 50 years of Progress: Bozeman Daily Chronicle
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Families Turn Out for Earth Day Festival 2019: Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Resources
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Earth Day Guide 2023: Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Earth Day Guide 2022: Bozeman Daily Chronicle
City of Bozeman 2021 Planting Guide
Creating a Zero Waste Home by Julie Fathy
Gallatin Conservation District Pollinator Guide
Gallatin Valley Earth Day Guide 2021: Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Montana Bee Identification Guide (.pdf) Department of Land Resources & Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Recycling information from Republic Services:
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For a map of Gallatin County’s FREE recycling drop-off locations, click here.
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For information on alternatives to traditional plastic garbage bags, here are some options.
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Alexis Alloway's favorite source for staying up-to-date on the recycling industry is https://resource-recycling.com/ (and you can sign up for plastics-related newsletters and updates).
D"Nature's Best Hope" with Doug Tallamy
Resources
To watch the video recording click HERE
To watch the high resolution recording click HERE
Resources to help you:
Check out Pages 8 & 9 in this Bozeman Daily Chronicle magazine for a great article about Doug Tallamy and native plants HERE
Find native plants for your area with: https://www.nwf.org/nativeplantfinder/
Links to "Nature's Best Hope" partners:
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Sacajawea Audubon Society (video on landscaping for birds)
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MT Native Plant Society
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Gallatin Invasive Species Alliance
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Great Bear Native Plants
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Wild Birds Unlimited
Movies
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Looking to stream movies that GVED has offered for free viewing in the past?
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“KISS THE GROUND", is a powerful documentary exploring soil regeneration and its place as a compelling and effective solution to our planet's climate crisis. Stream it on NETFLIX.
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"THE STORY OF PLASTIC" looks at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people that inhabit it. Watch on the Discovery Channel HERE.
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"2040" is a delightful film, directed by and starring award winning Australian filmmaker Damon Gameau. The film looks at the effects of climate change over the next 20 years and what technologies that exist today can reverse the effects. See streaming options HERE.
Partners
The Gallatin Valley Earth Day Festival is thrilled to partner with many organizations in the Gallatin Valley (and beyond):
Click HERE to see the list of partners.
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