Archived Story

Seed, baby seed: Up on the mountain, volunteers fan out to replant burn area
By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian

Fourteen-year-old Harley Richardson joins about 75 other volunteers Saturday to reseed a little more than half of the burned area on Mount Sentinel. The volunteers spread native grasses and wildflower seeds to help keep weeds from moving into the area.
Photo by KURT WILSON/Missoulian
Watch a video of the volunteer effort to seed Missoula's Mount Sentinel.
Mount Sentinel should be stronger come spring.

In rain boots and slickers, some 75 volunteers turned up on a soggy Saturday to seed the mountain with native grasses and flowers. Some offered help to the mountain because it offers them so much recreation.

“It's kind of their own backyard that they're working on,” said Alayna Dupont, a crew leader.

Sentinel burned in the summer, and after a burn is a good time to seed, said Graham Roy, volunteer coordinator. The volunteers planned to toss some 3,000 pounds of seed over 200 acres. Roy, a cook in his day job, said he likes the volunteer work.

“I like to do restoration projects because it's a way for community members to work together for a common goal,” Roy said.

For Richie Farrar, a senior at Big Sky High School, the project is a way to give back to the community. Farrar, president of the Missoula chapter of Future Farmers of America, said the community supports the FFA by buying its animals at the Western Montana Fair.

This year, the FFA wanted to show support for the community in return, and some 10 members from Big Sky and Hellgate high schools showed up for Saturday's event. The club aims to do one volunteer project a month.

“We're just trying to come up with as many ideas as we can,” Farrar said.

On the mountain, workers sliced open big seed bags, filled smaller trash bags, and spread out in a line. They walked across the slopes, tossing handfuls of seed that will sprout within three or four years. Roy said the seed will cover some 60 percent of the burn.

The bags were filled with a variety of native bunchgrasses and flowers, said Marilyn Marler, natural areas specialist with the University of Montana. Bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, rough fescue, bee balm, yarrow and fringed sage all should grow on Sentinel slopes.

Birds and mice will eat some of the seeds but others will drill down into the soil and sprout, said Steve Anderson, with the Missoula Parks and Recreation Department. The city and the University of Montana control different sweeps of the mountain.

“We'll plant some in the spring, too, but this is a way better time to do it,” Anderson said.

Trekking the mountain works up appetites, and UM and Scotty's Table donated food to feed volunteers.

Reporter Keila Szpaller can be reached at 523-5262 or at keila.szpaller@missoulian.com.
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