ECOS Guide to the Ecology of the Northern Rockies

As part of the ECOS program at the University of Montana, this website is being developed to provide a comprehensive guide to the plants and animals of the Northern Rockies of western Montana with a particular focus on schoolyards and surrounding local natural areas in Ravalli and Missoula Counties. We integrate information from existing field guides, published literature, web resources and local observations. The guide is permanent, free, readily available, easy-to-use by novices as well as specialists and is frequently updated. This guide is available online and in hardcopy. Our intent is to make information about plants and animals of this region more readily available for non-specialists with many photo illustrations, and easy-to-use illustrated keys for identification. The guide is also designed to support various classes and courses at the University as well as in K-12 schools.

Fellows in the ECOS program have developed most of the information in this guide, and this project would not be possible without their help. We are always looking for more people with special interests or expertise on the natural history of western Montana. If you are interested in helping out please let us know!

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A view of Missoula, MT from Mount Sentinel