• Home
  • How We Work
  • Where We Work
  • News Room
  • About Us
  • My Nature Page

The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Pine Butte Education Program

Pine Butte Education Program - Montana nature travel and lodging - Montana lodge - Pine Butte Guest

Belleview Schoolhouse
© Eric Bergman

The Nature Conservancy initiated the Pine Butte Education Program in 1990 to provide learning opportunities for regional student groups and other visitors to the Pine Butte Swamp Preserve and surrounding landscape. Emphasizing experiential, field explorations, our program works to cultivate understanding of living systems and ecological principles, while focusing on the rich and diverse wild landscapes and human communities of Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front.

On the eastern edge of the magnificent Crown of the Continent ecosystem, the Rocky Mountain Front remains a stronghold for many wildlife populations and their habitats. This big wild country also offers a compelling and active human history—steeped in Native American, agricultural and conservation traditions. It is within the context of this incredible place that we share natural and cultural history discoveries with students of all ages.

Belleview Schoolhouse
The Belleview Schoolhouse was built in Teton County, Montana in 1906 south of what is now the Pine Butte Swamp Preserve, and it served as a public school for area students until 1953. The one-room building was then largely left to the landscape and elements until acquired, and renovated by the Conservancy in 1990. Since then, the schoolhouse has functioned as an educational outpost, housing natural history displays and resources, welcoming student groups for field trips, and hosting meetings and community celebrations.

Pine Butte Education Program - Montana nature travel and lodging - Montana lodge - Pine Butte Guest

First fossil!
© Eric Bergman

Our Programs
The Pine Butte Education Program facilitates ecological education through a variety of avenues, including:

  • One-day field trips combined with classroom visit(s) for K-12 and post-secondary classes. These outings can be designed to meet particular goals and standards.
  • Pine Butte works collaboratively with other community agencies and organizations to sponsor educational events and programs through the Front Range Conservation Education Group.
  • Grants, foundations and individual support allow school groups to participate at no charge.
  • Pine Butte Guest Ranch hosts week-long, topic specific natural history workshops led with expert instructors and resident naturalists. We also lead daily natural history excursions from the guest ranch throughout the summer season.

If you have questions or comments, or would like more detailed information about our program, please contact David Cronenwett, Pine Butte naturalist and education coordinator, at (406) 466-2158 or dcronenwett@tnc.org.