County inks partnership agreements for river ambassador program

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) Missoula County on Tuesday signed an agreement with several entities, including the city, to support the Missoula Valley Recreation Ambassador Project as the summer season draws near.

The county also inked an agreement with the Clark Fork Coalition to supervise and manage the river ambassador program, which is entering its fifth season.

The partners in the recreation program, including Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, ASUM Transportation and the Missoula Valley Conservation District, among others, have each signed a three-year agreement, giving the program time to mature.

“ASUM Transportation signing onto this agreement is new,” said Randy Arnold, director of the county's Lands, Culture and Recreation Department. “They're bringing on their river shuttle and their expertise in managing the shuttle, as well as the Conservation District, which we hope infuses a more natural resource-related dialogue, outreach and education.”

The health of the Missoula Valley rivers has improved over the years, the county said. But as the population grows and more people turn to the Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers for summer recreation, the need to manage the resource also grows.

The impacts to the river due to increased recreational use includes a range of management issues ranging from poor behavior to river ethics and a disregard for private property. The agreement between the various parties aim to address the individual challenges.

Under the agreement, the city will commit $15,000 to the program, the county $20,000 and FWP $10,000. The Conservation District will also contribute $5,000 while the Clark Fork Coalition provides in-kind support and ASUM operates the summer river shuttle.

“It's fantastic we got ASUM and the Conservation District signed on to bring their expertise and areas of concern,” said Commissioner Josh Slotnick. “Every year this gets stronger, the program gets bigger and more established.”

Tuesday's action also saw the county sign a one-year agreement with the Clark Fork Coalition to oversee the river ambassador program. Under the agreement, the organization will hire and supervise the ambassadors and manage the program.

“The Clark Fork Coalition does the actual hiring and oversight of the river ambassadors,” said Arnold. “Their nonprofit status allows them to be more nimble and bring that staff on.”

Brian Chaffin, the new executive director of the Clark Fork Coalition, said they've already hired three ambassadors and a coordinator, along with a program manager. The ambassadors will work the river in pairs of two this summer.

“In future years we're hoping to grow this river ambassador program, so we have some continuity in that coordinator from year to year,” said Chapman. “It brings administrative support to the program.”

As the program evolves, the manager could also help the growing trail ambassador program, the county said.