audubon conservation education center
- Center Overview -- NEWS and the ACEC story
- Center Mission & Goals
- Center Education Programs
- Center Community Partners
- Get Involved with the ACEC
- Contact ACEC
The Audubon Conservation EduCation Center (ACEC)
NEWS from the Audubon Center in Billings:
- September, 2010. The Yellowstone Riverfest is Back! Hosted by Yellowstone River Parks Association (YRPA) and Montana Audubon Conservation Education Center. Join us September 18th for a fun filled day of mountain biking, canoeing and much more! For more information and how to register visit the YRPA website.
- August 2010. We are offering several new programs for the public this fall, learn more HERE >>
- August 2010. We are hiring a part-time Teacher Naturalist to lead afterschool and family programs this fall. Click HERE for more information on how to apply.
- May 2010. Thanks to a special donation, summer camp scholarships for girls and boys (aged 5-13) are available! Click HERE to download an application form.
- May 2010. Are you on Facebook? We have a great opportunity to raise a little much needed dough to support our programs... Head over to the Bozeman-based Enduring Communities website and a donation magically comes our way. Thanks!
- May 2010. We are hiring a Summer Camp Teacher Naturalist. Learn more HERE >>
- April 2010. We have a new Center Director! Welcome Darcie Vallant. More about Darcie on our Staff Info Page.
- As the seasons change, we notice many phenomena in the natural world here at the ACEC. If you are curious about what is happening on the land, visit Heather's BLOG >>
- Programs in 2010 are in full swing and enjoying spring. We have settled into the new Norm Schoenthal Field Lab and are fortunate to have a comfortable base camp for our outdoor explorations. To learn more about our programs, click HERE >>
- July 10, 2009 -- read about us in the Billings Gazette >>
- SUPPORT OUR CENTER -- BUY A WALKWAY BRICK!
A fun and lasting way to support ACEC programs is to buy a Heritage Walkway Brick. Your custom brick can be engraved with the name of your family, a loved one, business, or organization. It will become a permanent part of the Center’s rich heritage, by guiding students and families to the entrance of the new Norm Schoenthal Wet Lab. The lab will be surrounded with landscaped gardens demonstrating native plants, wise water use, and xeriscape techniques. Your purchase of a brick supports youth education programs at the site.
Bricks are $125 each. You can buy a brick (or two) by contacting the Montana Audubon Helena office (406-443-3939) or downloading an order form HERE >>
To learn more about how our facility can be used by your group or organization, contact Heather Ristow, Education Director. (406) 294–5099.
To learn more about our programs, click HERE >>
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The ACEC Story
For several years, under the guidance of dedicated teachers and community volunteers, students from local schools have been diligently transforming a landscape, from gravel pit to wildlife habitat. They have been restoring a tapped out piece of ground as an example to us all. They’ve been planting seeds and seedlings that are taking root in the land and in their minds. Through this process they are changing not only the place but themselves as well. And what is emerging along the Yellowstone River is a permanent place in the community for birds and wildlife and for people to learn and study and grow. What has emerged is the dream of a program for conservation and education serving the south-central Yellowstone region for generations to come.
The Audubon Center (ACEC) lies in the heart of the 72,000 square mile Yellowstone River Basin and within minutes of the urban center of Billings. A partnership between the Yellowstone River Parks Association (YRPA), Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society (YVAS) and Montana Audubon has made the ACEC possible. YRPA has led efforts to restore the site and they have granted Montana Audubon a 99-year lease on the property for educational programs. The partners are cooperating to build a facility and endow programs. Local teachers continue to provide critical assistance with planning, implementation of school programs, and overall project development.
Initially launched in 1998, an all-volunteer effort has planted more than 45,000 trees and shrubs for habitat restoration, engaged dozens of schools and local businesses, and built community support for a year-round center. Today, Montana Audubon and its partners are prepared to build on this foundation and establish the Center as a regional hub for placed-based education, conservation/environmental research and monitoring, citizen science, and Yellowstone River Basin natural history. Local governance from an ACEC Board of Directors, strong community partnerships, and exceptional education programming are the pillars supporting the growth and development of this project.
Target Audience
The ACEC is immediately adjacent to the city of Billings, which is Montana’s largest metropolis. Our school programs serve children in kindergarten through college level classes from schools within Billings and the surrounding area. We provide afterschool programs in partnership with the Friendship House, Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, and local Boy Scout troops. Summer camps are offered in partnership with Billings’ Parks and Recreation Department, and are open to children 7 – 13 years of age. We also provide professional development workshops for teachers, and offer science and land restoration programs for the entire family.
Site Description
The ACEC site is a 27-acre former gravel mine bordered by 6 acres of private land and 115 acres of city-managed park land. Beautifully situated along the Yellowstone River, the ACEC includes three ponds for scientific research and exploration, and connectivity to the growing greenbelt trail system, an island on the river, and City parks. The site anchors the growing Yellowstone Greenway public trail system. This is an ideal location within Montana’s largest urban center providing easy access and a diversity of habitats and wildlife. See directions to site below
Directions
The ACEC is located at 7026 South Billings Boulevard, ¼ mile south of I-90 on the right (west) side of the road. Look for a cream-colored sign, and turn right on the dirt road. There is a parking lot at the Norm’s Island Trailhead. Head up our driveway past a welcome kiosk on the north side of the parking lot (on the right as you drive in). You will be able to see a large building with a green roof. There is handicap accessible parking at our building.
There are restrooms on site, but no drinking water or trash pickup is available.
Transportation
We provide a limited number of transportation scholarships.
Contact ACEC
Office phone: 406-294-5099
Office fax:
406-294-5098
Heather Ristow, ACEC Education Director: hristow@mtaudubon.org
Darcie Vallant, ACEC Center Director
Mailing address:
7026 South Billings Blvd.
Billings, MT 59101