2026 Flathead Wild & Scenic River Volunteer Interest Meeting
Date & Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Glacier Outdoor Center – Ridgetop Retreat (Ground Level)
12400 U.S. 2, West Glacier, MT 59936, United States
Join Flathead Rivers Alliance for our 2026 Volunteer Interest Meeting and learn how you can make a meaningful difference in protecting and enhancing the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River. This event is your first step to becoming a volunteer and connecting with our partner agencies.
Meet key partners from:
Glacier National Park
Flathead National Forest
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
What to Expect
Overview of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River – Learn about its history, designation, and ongoing stewardship.
Agency Partner Projects – Hear about special projects and programs currently underway across the river system.
Volunteer Program Introduction – Flathead Rivers Alliance will provide details on our core programs:
River Ambassador Program (River Access)
River Recreation Monitoring / Citizen Scientist Program (Floating)
Water Quality Monitoring Program
Training Overview – Receive initial training on Authority of the Resource and Be a Good Host principles.
You’ll be treated to dinner, please RSVP by tapping button or tapping link (https://forms.gle/nDomoJbP2L32xX1YA) to help us with estimated head count:
Volunteer Programs
River Ambassador Program
Are you passionate about the river system that inspired a national protected Wild & Scenic River system? Join our River Ambassador Program and serve as a friendly, knowledgeable liaison at popular river access sites along the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River.
Volunteers will help:
Celebrate the Outstandingly Remarkable Values of the river system
Provide safety, ethics, and river etiquette guidance
Share information about rules and regulations
Reference maps and suggest float routes
Collect river access site user information
Offer loaner life jackets/PFDs through our partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Whether you can commit to a few days or more regularly throughout the summer, we’ll help you find a schedule and training track that fits your availability. Minimum commitment of (4) 2-hour River Access Shifts.
River Recreation Monitoring / Citizen Scientist Program
Combine your love of floating the river with active stewardship. Volunteers are trained to collect river recreation, wildlife, and invasive species data using the Survey123 mobile app. This information strengthens datasets used by our agency partners and supports science-based river management.
This program is ideal for volunteers who:
Have their own river-running equipment (for at least two people) or can be paired with an experienced paddler
Enjoy outdoor recreation while collecting data
Want to directly support river monitoring and conservation efforts
Water Quality Monitoring Program
Volunteers help monitor water quality on the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River from May through October.
Monitoring helps:
Track long-term river health trends
Understand impacts from recreation, population growth, and climate change
Guide education and outreach on nonpoint source pollution
Identify where and how monitoring efforts should expand
Volunteers receive training in sampling techniques, data collection, and field safety. Data collected supports our agency partners in managing the river for current and future generations.
2026 Volunteer Training Series
Runoff Rivers Rundown Speaker Series
All volunteer programs require additional training. As part of our 2026 training program, volunteers will participate in the Runoff Rivers Rundown Speaker Series depending on your volunteer track of choosing, offered throughout the Flathead Valley on:
April 21: North Fork History with Jedd Sankar-Gorton @ Jersey Boys Pizzeria, Whitefish
April 28: Flathead Wild & Scenic River Wildlife -Mountain Goats Location TBA
May 14: Fisheries with Montana FWP Location TBA
May 21: Rescue, River Safety, Etiquette with North Valley Search & Rescue @ Backlsope Brewing
This spring series includes presentations from agency and resource specialists on topics such as fisheries, North Fork history, wildlife (including mountain goats), river safety, rescue, and etiquette.
The speaker series is:
Required for volunteers based on program track
Open to the public
Designed to provide in-depth knowledge to support stewardship
Unable to attend in person? All presentations will be recorded and available online through the volunteer portal.
Additional classroom and field trainings will be available depending which volunteer program track you choose.
Why Volunteer?
The Three Forks of the Flathead River inspired the creation of the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and remains one of the nation’s most significant river systems. As a volunteer, you help protect access, improve visitor experiences, support science-based stewardship, and ensure this remarkable river system remains outstanding for generations to come.
Take the first step toward becoming a Flathead Rivers Alliance volunteer. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today!
For questions, contact:
Geoffrey Gill, Volunteer Coordinator
program@flatheadrivers.org
