Winter Ecology Class on Feb. 8

Libby Hostel Base Camp in Libby, Mont., will be sponsoring a unique Winter Ecology Outdoor Education Program on Saturday, Feb. 8 beginning at 9 a.m. Mountain Time.

The class will meet at the Venture Inn at 1015 W. Ninth St. — U.S. Highway 2 in Libby, and begin with a short lecture on winter adaptations and survival techniques of mammals, birds and coniferous trees and shrubs. The group will also discuss the art of tracking, scatology and sign interpretation, with some focus on Canadian lynx, white-tailed ptarmigan, Rocky Mountain elk, long-tailed weasel, boreal owls, and wolverine. The class will then head to the field to examine several sites and habitats.

Please come prepared for the day with proper layers, water, lunch, winter boots, snowshoes (may not need for all sites), ski or hiking poles, hats, gloves, binoculars, cameras and a sense of humor.

The class will visit private land locations, roadside stop-and-hops, birding viewpoints and riverside habitats, and will undertake a few short hikes of less than 1.5 miles round trip. The class will wrap up around 3 p.m. Mountain Time.

Accommodations may be found online at libbyhostelbasecampairbnb.com, VentureInnLibby.com (406-293-7711) or www.montanacountryinn.com (406-293-2092). Mention that you are taking this class and you will get a discount on your room.

The instructor has college education in both forestry and wildlife management, and over four decades of experience including wildlife research projects studying Canadian lynx, wolverine, fisher, pine marten, boreal owls, and northern goshawks, among others.

There is a $50 per person fee for this class, payable to Libby Hostel Base Camp. Email Brian at: b_baxter53@yahoo.com or call him at: 406-291-2154.

Space is limited.