Partnerships
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest depends on partners and volunteers to assist in connecting the public to their national forest. In FY23, the HLF reported nearly 33,000 volunteer hours, which equates to over $1 million in additional capacity. These volunteers helped staff the front-desk at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, engaged in citizen science and stewardship projects, and provided hundreds of conservation education, community outreach, and interpretive programs across the entire HLF. Our volunteers and partners are invaluable in helping us achieve our goals of connecting people to their public lands.
Lewis and Clark Foundation
The Lewis and Clark Foundation (LCF) is a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to inspire financial support of the LCIC and preserve our heritage by leveraging community resources to fund improvements and support innovative programs at the Center.
Montana Discovery Foundation
The Montana Discovery Foundation (MDF) is a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to connect community and nature through education. It supports the HLF through volunteer recruitment, capacity building, and financial support of Forest goals through education, outreach and interpretive programs.
Forest Collaboratives
Collaboratives bring together diverse interest groups and land management agencies to build a community-driven, landscape-level approach to local stewardship and conservation. The HLF actively participates in several of these collaborative groups across the landscapes we manage. The public is encouraged to learn about and participate in these efforts.
Elkhorn Working Group
The purpose of the Elkhorn Mountains Working Group (EWG) is to advise the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, & Parks, the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the development of collaborative recommendations related to wildlife/livestock management strategies in the Elkhorns.
Big Elk Divide Restoration Committee (BEDRC)
The Big Elk Divide Restoration Committee is a group of voluntary participants working in a collaborative, multi-party effort throughout the Big Belt, Elkhorn and Divide landscapes.
Blackfoot Challenge
The Blackfoot Challenge mission is to coordinate efforts to conserve and enhance the natural resources and rural way of life in the Blackfoot watershed for present and future generations.
Crown Managers Partnership
The Crown Managers Partnership (CMP) is a voluntary partnership amongst federal, state, provincial, Tribal, and First Nation agency managers and universities in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia. We recognize that no single agency has the mandate or resources to wholly address common ecological challenges throughout the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. We therefore work together across borders to tackle shared ecological challenges and concerns.
Supporting partners and volunteer groups
Many non-profits and volunteer-led groups work to ensure positive experiences for all those who rely on National Forest System lands. The HLF could not achieve our mission without the generous support we receive from our volunteers and partners. Here are just a few organizations that go above and beyond every year. If you are interested in volunteering on the forest or meeting people with similar interests, we encourage you to reach out to and get involved!