Biological Sciences

Montana Tech Native-Plant Restoration Project

In January of 2013, Governor Schweitzer approved the restoration plan for Butte Area One that was developed by a local citizen council, the Butte Natural Resource Damage Restoration Council. The restoration plan allocated $1,000,000 in natural resource damage settlement funds to Montana Tech over the next eight years to develop sustainable plant communities on the caps of the Butte Hill over the next eight years. Inspiration for the project came out of federal and state regulations to restore disturbed landscapes with native plants.

Mission

The goal of this project is to increase native plant diversity to include 75% forbs, which are wildflowers, to sustainable "native plant dispersal islands" on the Butte Hill.