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Guayabera
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Creative Writing
In Guayabera, I plan to evoke emotions of grief and sadness, encouraging the readers to dive into their own personal experiences when interacting with this story. Such as the feeling of not knowing where to go anymore after your world has been damaged or even destroyed. My inspiration came from the series Kissed by an Angel written by Elizabeth Chandler; when I read Chandler’s work it resonated with me for reasons that I could not could not understand. I was too young to fully comprehend and identify the true emotions and the movement of the story. Now with more experience I can understand why it continues to be an aspirational text for my work.
In Guayabera, Amelia is learning how to live her life after the loss of her boyfriend
Blackfeet: Campus Voices, Future Echoes
Get PDFAs a Blackfeet senior student in the University of Montana/Missoula, I am research assistant to Mizuki Miyashita who is a linguistic professor who prioritizes the importance of the Blackfeet language revitalization at the university. Our work is surrounded on vowel changes and dialects because most of the language we use in our work is Blackfoot, which is the sister tribe in Canada, to show our work to people like myself that want to learn if not more about the Blackfeet language. My main interest in the abstract is to focus on what other native or non-native students would like to know more about or the reason to keep the Blackfeet language alive for future generations to come. With most native languages in Montana, every tribe prioritizes the importance of their language because it’s what gives us identity, culture and a sense of belonging for Native American heritage. On the university campus, there are a lot of native students and non-native students willing to learn the language like the Blackfeet or Amspaki Pikanii. The language itself is very hard to learn due to the authenticity and pronunciation of the words that are spoken by first language speakers, such as the older generations of the tribe. Yet what has helped with speaking the language are the recordings that had been approved by the Blackfeet elders. This is where my research helps with students that have taken interest in the language and they can help pass on the Blackfeet language to future generations
Foraging Opportunists: Encouraging Reconnection with the Land
No full textThere is a large cultural disconnect between humans and natural areas, and the utilization of natural resources is rarely reciprocal. In addition, opportunistic (commonly called invasive) plants can outcompete native species if they are not managed, though this management typically involves heavy chemical use. There is also a deficit in resources surrounding other management strategies such as foraging for non-native species. To address these issues, our group has explored the potential uses of opportunistic plants. Initially introduced to novel areas both intentionally and unintentionally, these plants can serve as food, medicine, and art materials. We aim to reduce chemical use while maintaining opportunist management and fostering human-land connections by foraging opportunistic plants. We will create a pamphlet detailing opportunistic plants, their uses, and guidelines for harvesting them. To promote this knowledge, we will host tabling events sharing products made from opportunists, teaching the public about ways to use these plants. Our project aims to create a framework for students who are interested in foraging and advanced foragers that expands knowledge on these species, enabling global communities to apply these principles in their practices. Through this project, we seek to provide resources for foraging opportunists, make foraging more accessible, and inspire greater human-land connectedness. Success will be evaluated by gauging interest from students and active native plant foragers
Campus Connect
No full textThis paper examines how university campus design can be strategically utilized to support student mental health, drawing on global examples to inspire improvements in the University of Montana’s (UM) campus planning. The University of Montana, like most college campuses worldwide, is currently facing pressing mental health challenges among the student body. College can be a highly stressful experience, where students encounter unique pressures that, without adequate support, can lead to mental health crises. Many universities across the globe have recognized the role of campus design in promoting mental well-being, and they have adopted innovative, student-centered design strategies to foster positive mental health outcomes that could be implemented at our local University. We plan to apply these strategies by increasing the collaboration between those in charge of design and the student body by communicating with the student body on how design and planning work at the university, and by giving recommendations to the university for better engagement of the student body as they move forward with their upcoming publicly advertised project
Christian Mission to an Indigenous Tribe during American Westward Expansion
No full textFrom it’s conception the Christian Church from its was given was the task to preach the message of salvation to all people. Henry H. Spalding (1803 – 1874) was a Presbyterian missionary to the Nez Perce nation from 1836 – 1847 during American Westward Expansion which witnessed the active encroachment of several indigenous tribes and their lands from the United States and its people. Henry Spalding and his wife, Eliza Spalding, left the United States for a season to live among the Nez Perce in attempt to preach the gospel of Jesus. In twenty pages this research will consider the goals and methods of the Spalding mission and will consider how the Nez Perce perceived Spalding, his methodology, and the message he preached. Primary source documents as well as guidance from secondary source authors will be utilized in coming to the conclusions about Spalding’s work and its results. Spalding claimed to have a heart for reaching those without the gospel, but the conduct of his ministry among the Nez Perce was terrible, witnessing abuses of power. The conclusion of this research criticizes Spalding’s ministry for the atrocities it committed and how the ministry harmed the Nez Perce nation. The Spalding mission had the wrong goals. Yet this paper also defends the virtue of mission work and offers a different methodology that does not entail the trappings of the cultural assimilation that Spalding’s mission promoted
Balancing Timber Harvest and Biodiversity: Wildlife Impacts of Selective Logging in the Chiquibul
No full textSelective logging is often promoted as a sustainable forestry practice that maintains biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet its ecological consequences remain under examined, particularly in tropical forests. This study investigates how selective logging affects wildlife communities in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize. Using remote camera trap data from 22 sites (9 unlogged forest sites and 13 logged (stump) sites) we assessed species richness, trophic structure, and environmental predictors of wildlife abundance. While overall wildlife captures and species richness did not differ significantly between forest and stump habitats, principal component analysis revealed strong community-level separation, with stump habitats supporting distinct species assemblages. A Poisson generalized linear model showed significantly higher overall wildlife abundance in stump sites (χ² = 71.3, p \u3c 2.2e−16), driven by species such as Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), great curassow (Crax rubra), and collared peccary (Pecari tajacu). Conversely, species like the blue ground dove and black hawk were more commonly observed in unlogged forest areas. Environmental variables, particularly elevation, slope, percent vertical obstruction, and number of trails, were significant predictors of species presence, suggesting microhabitat filtering post-logging. These findings demonstrate that even without altering total richness, selective logging can reshape wildlife communities and influence species distributions, with key implications for conservation and forest management strategies in tropical ecosystems
Exploring the Reproductive Phenology of Feral Horses in North America
No full textFeral horses (Equus ferus caballus) are a prolific species in western North America. Due to their history of domestication, it is believed they have an extended foaling period compared to native ungulates, such as elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), yet there are few (or no) studies examining this assumption. I am examining this assumption by comparing the observed foaling seasons of different regional herds throughout North America to identify if foaling seasons are uniform across latitudes. My dataset consists of various research studies and unpublished observations of different feral horse herds throughout North America. The result is a graph comparing the foaling seasons of the different horse herds. Depending on the difference of foaling seasons, I will be able to generate hypotheses regarding the phenology of the herds and their relation to latitude. This will help inform future studies and add to our understanding of feral horses in North America
Exploring Environmental Drivers of Antarctic Krill Reproductive Output
No full textAntarctic krill, Euphausia superba (referred to as krill hereafter), are vital to the Antarctic pelagic ecosystem. They serve as primary consumers of phytoplankton, a key food source for apex predators such as blue whales, and play a significant role in carbon sequestration in the Southern Ocean. Additionally, krill are economically important, as they are the target of the largest fishery in the Southern Ocean. However, the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), one of the fastest warming regions in the world, is experiencing substantial changes in its pelagic ecosystem. The impact of this warming on krill population dynamics and reproductive success remains unclear. To address this, we analyzed historical krill population data from the AP (January 1999–2011, Palmer Antarctica Long Term Ecological Research) to examine interannual variability in the timing and duration of the spawning season and to identify environmental drivers. We also developed a pregnancy index to quickly assess the sexual development stage of female krill in the field. Our findings showed that both the timing of spawning initiation and the spawning season duration varied annually. Linear mixed-effects models indicated that neither could be directly explained by environmental conditions at the time of sampling. It is likely that oceanographic and climatological conditions in the months preceding the spawning season may significantly influence the reproductive output of mature female krill. These factors will be incorporated into future models, with results shared with the SCAR Krill Expert Group to enhance krill fishery management
Montana Alternative Music Archive
No full textMy project, titled “Montana Alternative Music Archive,” is an attempt to gather the history of Montana’s underground alternative music scene throughout the entire state and across as many decades as possible, so as to address the lack of historical documentation on this artistic movement. My guiding reason for this project is due to a personal interest in the subject that has been difficult to develop due to lack of available material, as well as to honor the innovative spirit of generations of punk rockers who remained committed to their inspirations despite living in a regional culture that doesn’t necessarily prioritize art.
To carry out this project, I\u27m compiling an archive of zines, concert posters, videos, photographs, social media posts and other relevant ephemera to create a useable database of historical information that can be used by scholars to understand the music of this era.
This project is significant in that it addresses a gap in both Montana’s state history and the history of American art at large. Especially as Montana continues to grow and change, particularly in its cultures, this collection will provide background knowledge on the artists that have inspired generations of Montanans, as well as generations to come
Telling Grief Stories to Inspire Community Healing
No full textI am a student of restoration ecology grieving the death of my father and I want to share the stories of my experience. I’ve spent the past three years and seven months grieving his death. Through poetry and storytelling, I will express how I’ve begun to process and heal. Dad’s death changed my life and how I move through this world. The immense impact of grief has motivated me to share my story and include my community in my journey. By following my inclinations to take walks in nature like Dad and I once did, intentionally spending time with him, feeling my emotions, and writing about these intertwined experiences, I began to process and heal on my own. In the past couple years, my journey has morphed as I’ve started to bring grief with me into the professional and academic spaces I occupy. When I attended the National Wilderness Workshop, I took the terrifying first step in sharing my grief story in a professional setting. Through this experience and many others, I have learned that being open and honest about about my grief experience fosters community. My vulnerability in sharing has led me to: realize that professional settings can be safe spaces for grief, and that sharing my grief experience build connections and relationships, and creates further space to process and heal. I think that talking about grief can inspire the creation of safe spaces where more people can grieve. By collectively cultivating this space, communities can expand their capacities to hold grief together.
Topic Warning: Parent Deat