Relive Discovery * Preserve the Future
"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River..." -Thomas Jefferson
The Lewis and Clark bicentennial celebrations across the expedition trail are projected to increase Montana tourism in numbers ranging from 6 to 30 million over the next three years.
An issue that both residents and visitors to Montana must be concerned with is preventing the spread of noxious weeds across the state and into other states. 155 contributors including Federal and state agencies, local organizations, the Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission, individuals, and the Montana Innkeepers Association have joined together in an effort to make noxious weed prevention and awareness a topic of interest for visitors to our state.
"I saw flowers in the praries to day." -Lewis
Don Greytak, a Montana artist, has created realistic illustrations of Lewis and Clark's discoveries of native plants at four sites (the first being at Rainbow Falls near Great Falls, MT) to highlight the importance of the native plant species discovered along the expedition route. These gorgeous illustrations are positioned on attractive paper placemats which visitors can take with them as they explore sites along Lewis and Clark's expedition route.
"the prickly pear is now in full blume and forms one of the beauties as well as the greatest pests of the plains."-Lewis
Although the prickly pear, a native plant, seemed to Lewis and Clark's expedition team a pest, it was nothing like the unwanted infestation of noxious weeds pestering Montana's wildlife, recreation areas, ranches, and native plants. Using the placemats as guides, tourists can enjoy the historic sites, and with minor modification of daily behavior, can become good land stewards protecting these sites. Panels alongside Greytak's illustrations include identifications of the native plants that were there when Lewis and Clark arrived at the site. Invasive plant species that visitors will discover today are also identified. Actions that people can take to protect these historic sites will be explained as well.
"the Prairies Contain...a great vairety of Plants & flours not common to the US." - Clark
The placemat project is an exciting and easy way for visitors to become involved in conservation and land stewardship during their travels. The placemats allow visitors to form their own Corps of Discovery by identifying both native and noxious plant species and helping visitors learn about protecting our heritage.
The placemats are available by dining at any member restaurant of the Montana Innkeepers Association or by contacting their local weed district.
If you would like to volunteer to work on the Awareness Campaign for the General Public contact Carla Hoopes at choopes@montana.edu, call 406-994-5683, or write to:
