Youth Forest program an educational exploration

Morning mist was still on the ground, and the heat of the day had yet to set in, creating the perfect conditions for the Helena Forest Service’s Youth Forest Monitoring Program’s trek to establish a new monitoring site in the Elkhorns of Jefferson County.

Gathering at the Montgomery Park trailhead – the site of the 1988 Warm Springs fire – the youth were unbothered by the early morning air, already exploring their surroundings. Following a short safety discussion from the program Field Manager Liz Burke, the group set out to find its new monitoring site, noting weeds, slash piles and other objects lining the trail along the way.

Celebrating its 25th year of operation, the Youth Forest Monitoring Program provides students with an opportunity to explore a career in natural resource management.