Conservation
On Thursday, October 1st, Montana Freshwater Partners will host the third annual Watershed Tour, offering community members an opportunity to explore successful stream restoration projects happening in the Shields Valley. This event follows the 2025 Upper Yellowstone Watershed Tour in Paradise Valley.
The event, themed “Working Lands, Working Waters: Watershed Restoration in the Shields,” will highlight the role that local landowners and grassroots organizations play in restoring and protecting the Shields River Watershed. Additionally, the tour will provide tangible examples of restoration work in action.
Participants will stop at several project sites where restoration work has either been completed or is currently underway. The group will also visit a regenerative farm to observe and discuss sustainable conservation practices. Attendees will hear directly from landowners, restoration professionals, and partners—including Trout Unlimited, MSU Extension, and Highland Harmony Farm—about the goals, methods, and outcomes of these efforts, with a focus on the intersection of working lands and watershed health.
The tour is a way to both showcase and celebrate the work being carried out by landowners and local organizations to restore and protect the Shields River in Park County. The event is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. Whether you're a landowner curious about restoration, a student interested in the work, or a local resident with an interest in conservation, the event promises visual, hands-on learning and meaningful conversation in the Shields Valley.
The Shields River Watershed is currently designated as a Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 319 Program Focus Watershed through 2028, making restoration projects in the Shields eligible for approximately $500,000 of federal funding per year. Two project stops on the tour will showcase work accomplished through DEQ 319 funding.
This event is part of Give Back to the Yellowstone, a stewardship program led by Montana Freshwater Partners to protect and preserve the health and resiliency of the Yellowstone River Watershed in Park County. The program invites the Park County community and visitors alike to take an active role in supporting the long-term vitality of our watersheds.
Registration is required. To RSVP visit freshwaterpartners.org/events and submit a registration form. Limited space is available for up to 40 participants, so register now to reserve your spot. If you have any questions, please contact halle@freshwaterpartners.org.