Community Connections

Each person featured in the film has a connection to the river. Find out more about each person below.
Maury Vallett
Maury Vallett is a professor of System Ecology at the University of Montana. His research focuses on the aquatic landscapes of rivers and the interplay between tributaries, aquifers, floodplains, and wetlands.
Elena Evans
Elena Evans is a hydrogeologist and manages the Missoula Water Quality District, among other roles at the Missoula City-County Health Department. She’s also a vocal presence on the Frenchtown Community Advisory Group, a volunteer group of residents and scientists who advise the EPA as part of the Superfund cleanup process. 
Casey Hackathorn
​Casey Hackathorn is a project manager for Trout Unlimited, a grassroots organization focused on conserving and restoring coldwater fisheries and watersheds. Prior to this, Casey worked for Missoula Valley Outfitters guiding fly fishing trips all throughout watersheds in Western Montana.
Lars Rasmussen
Lars Rasmussen is local resident and is closely connected to the Clark Fork Watershed from fishing its tributaries and kayaking the mainstem. He is studying Ecosystem Science and Restoration at UM and spends his summers guiding on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
Jennifer Harrington
Jennifer Harrington is the Native American Natural Resources Program Manager for the University of Montana.  Jennifer  is Cree and Metis, and a member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa tribe of North Dakota. She works with tribes on environmental issues and improving government issues between tribes and the federal government.
Josh Slotnick
Josh Slotnick currently serves as a Missoula County Commissioner. He co-founded the Garden City Harvest and PEAS program at the University of Montana and has ran the Clark Fork Organics farm with his wife Kim Murchison since the 90s.
Scott Hackett
Scott Hackett operates his family ranch in the Bitterroot Valley. He is known for feeding his cattle with a team of horses rather than a tractor and experimenting with novel land management methods.
This project was made possible by the Franke Global Leadership Initiative. Learn more here.

We would like to acknowledge that we reside and our film takes place in the aboriginal territories of the Salish and Kalispel people. Our work is done in honor of the path they have always shown us for taking care of this land for generations to come.