Mountain Studies Institute's 2020 Annual report

MOUNTAIN STUDIES INSTITUTE
ANNUAL REPORT
2020
MOUNTAIN STUDIES INSTITUTE


About
MSI
Mountain Studies Institute (MSI) is an independent, 501(c)3
nonprofit center of knowledge established in 2002 in Silverton,
CO. MSI fosters collaborations among researchers, educators,
policy makers, and the public with an interest in the San Juan
Mountains and mountain systems worldwide. These partnerships
expand our understanding of mountain communities and environments
and the issues that affect them. Globally, mountains
are facing natural and human disturbances such as land use alteration,
deteriorating air and water quality, and climate change.
Unfortunately, there is a significant lack of quantifiable information
surrounding these impacts. The San Juan Mountains
region, with its outstanding physical and biological diversity, is
no exception. Existing scientific data and the tools for citizens to
access critical information are inadequate to effectively inform
community and environmental decision making. MSI works
with regional stakeholders to identify information needs, while
directing and facilitating interdisciplinary research and academic
study, planning, applied science projects, citizen science activity,
training, and outreach to fill information gaps. We then leverage
this experience into robust education, stewardship, and service
learning activity, including for youth and marginalized communities,
to increase environmental literacy and action.
Board of Directors
DR. ROB MILOFSKY
Board President; Fort Lewis College emeritus, Professor of Chemistry, Durango CO
CHRIS RAPP
Board Vice President; W.W. Norton & Company, media editor; MS, telecommunications, Durango, CO
ANITA RANCATTI
Board Secretary; Xerox Senior Finance & Operations Executive (retired), Durango, CO
BEVERLY RICH
Board Treasurer; San Juan County Assessor (retired), Silverton, CO
DR. SAM FOSTER
Chair, Internal Committee; U.S.F.S. Rocky Mountain Research Station Director (retired), PhD, forest ecology,
Durango, CO
MARK STILES
Chair, External Committee; San Juan National Forest/Bureau of Land Management, Supervisor (retired),
Durango, CO
DR. SUSAN BOLTON
University of Washington, College of Forest Resources (retired), PhD, ecology, registered civil engineer,
Durango, CO
DR. CHRISTIE CHATTERLY
Fort Lewis College, Assistant Professor of Engineering; PhD, civil/environmental engineering, Durango, CO
DAVID MCKEEVER
Durango Region 9R School District, Integration Liaison/Science Specialist (retired), Durango, CO
SUE MORRIS
Community Development Consultant (retired), Silverton, CO
Table of Contents
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND BOARD
PRESIDENT 3
OUR PURPOSE AND PLACE 4-5
MSI IMPACT 6-7
FOREST HEALTH 8-9
WATER AND HYDROLOGY 10-11
COMMUNITY SCIENCE AND EDUCATION 12-13
COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS 14-15
ROBERT BLAIR MOUNTAIN VISIONARY AWARD 16
FINANCIAL SUMMARY 17
DONOR AND FUNDER APPRECIATION 18-19
COLLABORATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS 20-21
MSI PEOPLE 22
OUR YEAR OF COVID-19 22
SUPPORT THE WORK YOU CARE ABOUT 23
DR. TIM HAARMANN
Banded Peak Ranches, Ranch Manager; PhD, ecological restoration, Chromo, CO

Letter from the
Executive Director
and Board President
Dear Friends,
The shocks of the last year have demonstrated just how interconnected,
interdependent, and complex our world has become—and yet we have learned
just how vulnerable we and our global systems are. As an organization that is
founded on science and a love of mountains, 2020 reconfirmed our resolve that
innovative, science-based actions are essential to our future.
The pandemic has underscored many important truths: That our health and
the health of our environment are vital. That science is vital for understanding a
complex world. That all life is precious, and the health of our communities and
environment is essential. And that our adaptability and resilience will lead us to
persevere and thrive together.
We are proud to say that we observed all these traits at the Mountain Studies
Institute this past year: our adaptability, readiness, and how resilient we can be
when we stand together.
When we review our achievements, as listed in this report, we consider ourselves
fortunate to be part of a robust organization that is built on a solid foundation,
served by incredibly talented and dedicated staff and volunteers, guided by a
renewed commitment through our updated strategic plan, and committed to an
enduring mission.
In this year of challenges, MSI rose to face the pandemic to pivot our programs
to continue to safely offer education and stewardship programs for youth, young
adults, and communities. Our efforts never ceased but found new ways to deliver
high quality results and impacts through virtual programming, self-guided
education guides, and safe stewardship activities. Last year will be defined by
both its struggles and for the extraordinary innovation and impact that resulted
from these efforts.
With your help, partnership, and encouragement, MSI will continue to engage
our communities and develop the next generation of leaders and science
collaborations that sustain the social, cultural, natural, and economic resources of
the San Juan Mountains and mountain systems worldwide.
We invite you to join and support us in this great endeavor. Our future will be
sustained by the fact that together, we are stronger.
With gratitude,
Marcie Demmy Bidwell
Executive Director
Rob Milofsky, President,
Board of Directors
DR. GIGI RICHARD
Fort Lewis College, Associate Professor of Geosciences; Four Corners Water Center, Director; PhD, civil
2
engineering, Durango, CO
3



Our Purpose and Place
MSI was first conceptualized in the late 1990s as a “living classroom without walls” in the San Juan
Mountains to build capacity in isolated local communities to thrive while stewarding their natural, cultural,
and mountain heritage. MSI has offices in Silverton and Durango, with research and programmatic impact
spanning the San Juan Mountains range, from Telluride to Pagosa Springs via Dolores, Mancos, and
Durango, and from Silverton downstream through the Animas valley to New Mexico.
OUR MISSION
To empower communities, managers, and scientists to innovate solutions through
advancing mountain research, promoting education, and improving best practices.
OUR VISION
We cultivate collaborations that enable resilient mountain communities to
articulate issues, develop partnerships, and ignite initiatives that sustain the
social, cultural, natural, and economic resources of the San Juan Mountains and
mountain systems worldwide.
San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains and Southwest Colorado are the ancestral lands of the Nuchu (Ute), Apache, Pueblos, Hopi, Zuni, and Diné
peoples. These people have lived and continue to live on these sacred lands as a vibrant and strong peoples.
4
5



MSI Impact
On average
485 volunteers
donate over 1,000 service hours annually
10+ spearheaded
formal collaboratives
to develop science-based priorities for
strengthening forest and watershed
resilience
Implemented 60
solutions-based
projects in 9 counties in Colorado and
4 counties in New Mexico
Facilitated 52
Planted 500 sedges
in San Juan wetlands
events, workshops, and conferences
to engage the public and decision
makers in our mission
Collected 315 water
samples and 40+ benthic
macroinvertebrate samples
to better understand the health of
our water and aquatic life
4,441 acres
of fuels reduction in forests on
public and private land
Impacted 8 watersheds
throughout the San Juan Mountains range
Mentored 730 youth
in service learning, stewardship, and
mountain science enrichment activities
6 7

Forest Health
Forest Health
Forest Health
MSI works closely with communities to
identify questions and concerns about the
forested landscape and connected watersheds,
and to address those questions
through scientific research that enhances
understanding. MSI has been instrumental
in supporting collaborative dialogue and
growing stakeholder engagement in forest
management. The efforts of these collaboratives
have opened the door to more opportunities
for incorporating science into
decision making and informing work on
the ground. Together, we have secured the
Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative for SW Colorado, the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration
Program (CFLRP), and the SW Colorado CFLRP, which are poised to bring in $70 million in support
of forest work over the next ten years. This is an exciting opportunity to integrate stakeholder input, innovative
planning, and science-based recommendations toward building resilience to threats from wildfire and
climate change. Working at the landscape scale, MSI’s coordinated planning and action will enhance the
resilience of our communities into the next decade of shared stewardship in our region.
2020 Accomplishments
• Led establishment of the Southwest Wildfire Impact Fund, a new conservation finance mechanism that
provides vision and means to restore the forests based on a natural landscape approach through shared
financing for prioritized restoration treatments.
• Through the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership (SJHFHP), hosted researchers to discuss
historical fire regimes, provided analysis of monitoring results, and offered partners case study examples of
applied adaptive management processes.
• Established monitoring plots to understand how shrubs in the forest understory respond to forest management
approaches designed to increase forest resilience to climate change as part of the nationwide
Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change project.
• Established long-term monitoring plots at the Lone Pine timber sale to understand how commercial timber
harvest can be used to increase forest resilience to ongoing beetle outbreaks, drought, and wildfire.
• Partnered with the Audubon Society to associate forest treatments with bird populations.
• Provided forums for community concerns to reach federal, state, and local representatives, including
through participation in state-initiated advisory councils for both Colorado and New Mexico.
“Having a strong collaborative partnership in our region has
assisted us in targeting high priority areas to implement
cross-boundary projects and provide a unified message on the
importance of forest management to the community.”
Jerry Archuleta, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Pagosa Springs, CO
• Worked with partners to secure $70 million for forest restoration around our communities through Rocky
Mountain Restoration Initiative and two Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program grants.
8 9

Forest Health
Water and Hydrology
Water and
Hydrology
Communities in SW Colorado depend on
waters originated in the San Juan Mountains
for drinking water sources, irrigation for
crops and livestock, recreation opportunities,
ecological significance, and spiritual
connection. MSI furthers scientific understanding
of the status, threats to, and
solutions for water quality and aquatic life in
the San Juans and disseminates up-to-date
critical findings to community members,
land managers, and decision makers. We accomplish
this through collaborative engagement, research, monitoring, and data collection followed by innovative
and clear communication to share the results. MSI’s leadership in watershed collaboratives, such
as the Upper San Juan Watershed Enhancement Partnership and Animas River Community Forum, serves
to engage the public and stakeholders directly into watershed assessment, analysis and interpretation of
findings, and prioritization of cooperative projects to benefit the diverse users and needs of the watershed.
MSI’s Water & Hydrology team also collects data and operates weather stations and draining mine instrumentation
in the Bonita Peak Mining District, providing critical information to decision makers on the status
of water quality and quantity.
2020 Accomplishments
• Distributed an illustrated “one-page” update to our partners and the public that conveys the post-fire recovery
of aquatic life and water quality in Hermosa Creek and the Animas River following the 2018 416 Fire.
• Completed an assessment of benthic macroinvertebrate annual variability in the Animas River and tributaries
to help ensure effective evaluation of remediation efforts in the Bonita Peak Mining District.
“Mountain Studies Institute plays an important role in providing
science-based information that helps San Juan Mountain
communities and water managers make informed decisions.
And MSI has been important driver in facilitating
communication between the diverse members of our region.”
Charles Smith, Lake Durango Water Manager and
Southwestern Water Conservation District Board Member
• Provided water quality expertise and data analysis to a coalition of organizations advocating for expanded
protection of surface waters in the San Juan and Gunnison basins through Outstanding Waters designation.
• Facilitated the San Juan Watershed Enhancement Partnership to foster community-driven processes that
support water-related values and issues identified by local stakeholders, evaluate water needs and knowledge
gaps, and identify opportunities to meet those needs in the San Juan River Basin.
• Summarized the health of aquatic insect communities and trends from 2018-2020 on tribal waters for the
Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
• Maintained and monitored 2 climate stations, including on the Telluride Valley Floor, and 33 groundwater
wells in the wetlands surrounding the Telluride river restoration program.
10 11

Community Science and Education
Community Science and Education
Community
Science and
Education
MSI focuses on biodiversity, environmental
education, and citizen science, supporting
all MSI programs in transferring science into
stewardship, service learning, and curriculum
for learning enrichment. We embrace a
holistic approach for transformative action
through increasing awareness, connecting
people with our unique mountain resources,
building knowledge and skills, and increasing
capacity to take action. We engage volunteers
in hands-on restoration, stewardship, and citizen science that strengthen the natural resiliency and
functioning of our iconic San Juan Mountains landscapes while increasing community members’ environmental
literacy. We focus on youth and marginalized communities to ensure equitable access to resources,
information, and experiences. In 2020, despite the pandemic, much of our stewardship, restoration, and
citizen science work moved forward shifting to new forms. While we had to postpone some in-person activities,
we also found space to innovate new engagement strategies—such as take-home outdoor activities
and videos which we intend to continue.
2020 Accomplishments
• San Juan National Forest (SJNF) is home to rare iron fens that have been granted Protected Area status.
MSI worked with SJNF, partners, and volunteers to monitor and restore Ophir and Molas fens, including
planting 500 sedges and grass seedlings.
• MSI continued to lead efforts to remove invasive species like Russian Olive along our watersheds, including
on Southern Ute Tribal lands. We also mapped invasive weeds and biodiversity trends on the Telluride
Valley Floor.
• Citizen science forms a cornerstone of MSI’s commitment to providing science people can use. We
monitored Bighorn Sheep and American pika, and actively stewarded the Animas River portion of the
statewide River Watch program.
• To accommodate social distancing, MSI facilitated self-led field trips for students and their families. We
created “Native Seed Ball” kits, an instructional video and a scavenger hunt for families to contribute proactively
to restoration despite postponed field trips.
• We educated K-5 students on the importance of biodiversity and native plants, paving the way for planting
“climate resilient” tree species at Durango schools in 2020-21.
• MSI partnered with Lyra Colorado and Fort Lewis College to form the new Environmental Science & Climate
Initiative, a year-long program with high school students. We led field experiences in water and forest
health, helped students practice environmental leadership through scenario-planning games, and conducted
labs via online platforms.
“We loved the seed ball program! From start to finish: making
the seed balls at our kitchen table, packing for our hike, learning
about forests and fire, and throwing the balls into the woods, this
program provided us a fun way to engage our whole family in a
service project.”
Stacy Beaugh, MSI Volunteer
12 13

Community Science and Education
Community Solutions
Community
Solutions
The challenges of our time—environmental
degradation, climate change, drought, social
disruption—call us to find new solutions,
methods of collaboration, and creativity to
strengthen resiliency of our communities
and the environment. MSI uses innovative
approaches to connect people to address
ecological and community concerns in the
San Juan Mountains. We facilitate partnerships,
conferences, workshops, and boot
camps in collaboration with other nonprofits,
local governments, stakeholders, agencies, tribes, and the public to advance science, innovate and
apply best management practices, and strengthen local communities and partnerships. At the core of our
outreach strategies lies the desire to go beyond scientific inquiry to the real application of knowledge that
makes a difference to the quality of life and environment in southwest Colorado. These programs benefit
individuals by enriching their learning and the community by creating a more informed and engaged
populous.
2020 Accomplishments
• Animas River Community Forum: MSI continued to inform stakeholders of activity taking place downstream
of the 416 Fire. We held virtual stakeholder engagement sessions and generated a project list to
improve watershed restoration in areas impacted by the 416 Fire.
• Mancos River Resilience Project: MSI, along with a multi-stakeholder group that includes the Colorado
Natural Heritage Program and Mancos Watershed Group, developed a watershed-wide strategy for improving
resilience to drought for agriculture, range lands, riparian habitat, and forests.
“First, I wanted to thank you for putting on a wonderful
Mining Solutions boot camp…This was the best and ideal
place for us to understand the industry, market, pain points
and opportunities on how we best fit and can serve the
industry. It expedited our new venture by many months,
if not years.”
Kern White, Entrepreneur
• 10th Annual San Juan Mining & Reclamation Conference: The theme for the 2020 conference was Adaptive
Capacity and had over 120 participants. The keynote speaker, Chris Caskey, underscored the theme
through the story of his business, Delta Brick & Climate, which converts reservoir sediment into bricks, fired
by kilns fueled by methane from abandoned mines.
• Mining Solutions Bootcamp: In partnership with Telluride Venture Accelerators and Newmont Corporation,
we held the first annual Bootcamp focused on coaching and supporting innovative start-ups from
concept to design to business development and regulatory navigation. Nearly 50 participants participated
in the virtual platform that allowed for greater participation from businesses, investors, and mentors further
afield.
• Silverton Science Innovation Center: The success of the Bootcamp and Mining conferences validated our
vision to establish a hub of innovation, research, and collaboration focused on (1) advancing critical clean
water technology and solutions for legacy mine remediation and active mining improvements and (2)
providing critical infrastructure for business development and entrepreneur support to diversify the local
economy and create jobs. In 2020, we received a grant to develop the business plan and financial models
for the center.
14 15

Robert Blair Mountain Visionary Award: Barb Horn
Robert Blair Mountain Visionary Award: Barb Horn
2020 Financial Summary
Barb Horn
MSI is committed to being a trusted partner and steward of funds from its wide variety of funding
sources. We are proud of our consistently clean audits and transparency we demonstrate to our
Board, staff, funders, and collaborators. While 2020 was fraught with many unknowns, we are
grateful for our strong financial standing and outlook for 2021.
Assets, Liabilities and Equity 2020
Program Service 36%
Other 10%
Current Assets 773,786
Fixed Assets 42,100
Robert Blair
Mountain Visionary
Award: Barb Horn
“When I reflect over this past year as to who stands
out as a visionary and leader, the wisdom and
direction that Barb Horn has brought to our state
through River Watch and other watershed initiatives
is unparalleled,” says Marcie Bidwell,
MSI’s executive director.
River Watch data has informed our communities in the
wake of acid mine drainage, wildfires like the Missionary
Ridge and 416 fires, and perhaps most importantly
by contributing baseline data, allowing us to be ready
and equipped when the unexpected happens. Because
of Barb’s important work, we enjoy healthier rivers.
Other Assets 120,327
Total Assets 936,213
Liabilities 437,252
Equity 498,961
Total Liabilities & Equity 936,213
Revenue
$2,020,169
Grants and Donations 54%
Throughout the state, and especially in southwest
Each year, MSI gives out the Robert Blair
Mountain Visionary Award in recognition of
outstanding contributions to environmental
conservation in the San Juan Mountains. For
2020, the award went to Barb Horn for her
longstanding dedication to protecting the
watersheds of the San Juan Mountains and Colorado at
large and inspirational leadership in watershed
conservation.
A longtime local of southwest Colorado, Barb Horn is a
scientist, teacher, visionary, healer, and humorist. She
has engaged thousands to learn about and monitor
Colorado waterways through her career at Colorado
Parks and Wildlife. Barb started Colorado River Watch
in 1989, against all odds and despite people telling her
it would not work. Over thirty years later, River Watch
is one of the longest running, most successful citizen
science programs. It engages 140 groups each year monitoring
600 stations covering 400 rivers.
Colorado, Barb has been a leader in water-oriented
education, challenging the status quo, and a mentor
to numerous young scientists, including several staff at
MSI. Barb has spent the last three decades empowering
Colorado mountain communities struggling with water
quality issues by putting science into the hands of our
current and future watershed champions. Locally, her
leadership has led to the success of complex cross-jurisdictional
projects such as the recent publication of ‘Our
Animas,’ an Animas River educational piece designed to
inform the general public about local watershed conditions.
In the words of Barb herself, “It’s amazing what
people can do if you believe in them. Give them the seed
and watch them grow.”
Dr. Robert Blair was a founder of MSI. Rob was known
for his limitless energy, infectious enthusiasm for new
ideas, and drive to make dreams into reality. This award
honors Blair’s insurmountable vision and dedication
to establishing a “classroom without walls” that has
become MSI.
Admin 16%
Expenses
$1,833,600
Fundraising 2%
Program 82%
16 17

Donor and Funder Appreciation
Donor and Funder
Appreciation
MSI has boundless gratitude for our donors, funders, and numerous partners. 2020 was a year of sheer uncertainty—for
everybody, and every organization and business. Yet our donors stepped up and continued
to invest in our mission. MSI’s work is made possible by the generous support of individual, foundation,
and corporate donors; grants from foundations, special districts, and local, state, and federal government
agencies; and contracts for discrete services that align with our mission. We thank all of you here.
We couldn’t do this work without your support.
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Judy Abercrombie
Kathleen Adams
Cristen Alexandria
Terra Anderson
Anonymous*
Annette-John Angst
Philip Ayers
Ali Baird and Nate Morris
Sally and Vic Bellerue
William Benac
Marcie and Ryan Bidwell
Susan Bolton
Cheryle Brandsma
John and Dorothy Bregar
Robert Bricca
Regan Briggs
Steve and Jane Brinley
Hugh and Catherine Brown
Ron and Linda Bunk
Charles and Mary Sue Burnham
Candice Carson and George Banker
Karla Clark
Jim Colby
Chase Connors
Jeffrey Connors
Kevin and Kathleen Conroy
Sharon Cooley and Agri Verrija
Bethiah Crane
Anthony Culpepper
Bobbie Culpepper
John Culver and Kristine Johnson
Monica Danger
Megan Davey
Robert and Jenny Delves
Barbie Demmy-Scheidler
Gary and Jan Derck
Kestrel Detweiler
Kestrel Detweiler
Brian Devine and Melissa May
Sarah Douglas
Lucy Draper
Jeanie Emigh and Ken Hunter
Caroline Eastburn and Douglas Ewen
Colleen Fearney
Scott Fetchenhier
Jacob Fillion
Tiare Flora
Matthew Ford
George Sam Foster and Dot Wehrly
Brian and Betsy Fowler
Rose Chilcoat and Mark Franklin
Seth and Jody Furtney
Lesley Gannon and Bob Meiering
Katherine Green
Kim and Dave Guinn
Marian Hamlen
Steve Hartvigsen
Holly Hatch
Dana Hayward
Gregg Hayward
Heidi Holland
Amy Horton
Elisabeth Howe
Tanya Ishikawa
Jerry Jacka
Eric and Betty Janes
Madeleine Fulford Janowiak and Matt Janowiak
Robin Johnson
Becky and Paul Joyce
Sarah and Michael Kelly
Nik Kendziorski
Aaron Kimple and Kathy Langmuir
Frank Klein
Barbara & Thomas Klema
Steve Krest
Timothy and Susan Kroes
Amanda Kuenzi and Jeff Seebach
Sheila Lee
Laura Lewis Marchino
Keith Lucas
Jeffrey Lukas
William Luthy
John Mace
Lois MacKenzie
Kirby and Karen MacLaurin
Sadie Magnifico
Gary Masner
Mike Matheson
Jeremy May
Joan May
Don and Lynn May
Carol and David McKeever
Barbara McLachlan
Eva Milofsky
Rob and Amy Milofsky
Carolyn Moller and David Smith
Stephen Monroe and Shelley Silbert
Jim and Vicki Morris
Susan and Terry Morris
Michael Mowery
Kirstin Neff
Clark Lagow and Sandra Newman
Tom Norton
Lynn Padgett
Myriam and Tony Palmer
Dan and Laurie Parkinson
Jill Patton
Sheila Payne
Al Pfister
Marty and Lisa Pool
Rob and Kaelynn Powell
Anita and Chuck Rancatti
Chris Rapp and Kendra Keene
Michael Remke
Beverly Rich
Boyd and Kim Richardson
Harold Riegle and Lissa Raye
Edmund and Trish Roberts
Gordon Rodda and Renee Rondeau
Marie Roessler
Peg Rogers
Carol Russell
Marcia Sabeti
Stephen Saltsman and Robin
Fritch
Jeff Sambur
Danielle Sandstedt and
Jeremy Garncarz
Terri Schulz
Kicki Searfus
Laurel Sebastian
Janice C Sheftel
Priscilla Sherman
Gary Skiba
Buck Skillen and Trish Pegram
Charlie Smith and Amy
Grogan
Will Smock-Egan
Lew Sovocool and Amy Foss
Paul and Jigger Staby
Ken Kurz and Debra
Stein-Kurz
Mark and Bernie Stiles
Em Swin
Bradley Tafoya
Cynthia Titus and Rey Post
Amy Tormey
Bill and Lisa Trimarco
Matthew and Kelly Tuten
Ryan Unterreiner
Nicolaas Van Vonno
Chuck Wages
Mitch Walker
Jill Ward
Travis and LaDonna Ward
Katie West
Julie Westendorff
Richard White and
Faye Schrater
Nancy Wickham
Mark Williamson
Pam and Thurman Wilson
John Wolgamott
Jacqueline Zirkelbach
FOUNDATIONS, TRUSTS, AND
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
1st Southwest Bank
Alpine Cascade Ranch
Baird Foundation
Banded Peak Ranches
Bartig Family Fund
Boone Family Foundation
Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
Colorado Gives Community First Foundation
Colorado Mining Association
Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado
Conservation Legacy
Coutts and Clark Western Foundation
Gates Family Foundation
Great Old Broads for Wilderness
Harris Family Fund
Johnson Family Foundation
Lyra Colorado
National Environmental Education Foundation
National Forest Foundation
The Nature Conservancy in Colorado
Pew Charitable Trusts
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society
San Juan’s Citizen Alliance
Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited, Five Rivers Chapter
Walton Family Foundation
William and Dorothea Titus Foundation, Inc.
Wright Ingraham Institute
U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
BUSINESS/CORPORATE DONORS
Animas Ditch Company
CDM Smith
Heritage Environmental Services
Hermosa Ditch Company
Ironwood Consulting
Newmont Corporation
Ouray Silver Mines
Pine Needle Mountaineering / Patagonia
Purgatory Resort
SGM
Sinberg Capital Lending
Strategic by Nature
Western Wildscapes
SCHOOLS, LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, OR TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SPECIAL DISTRICTS,
AGENCY SUPPORT SERVICES
Archuleta County
Big Picture High School, Durango
Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education
Colorado Department of Natural Resources
Colorado Department of Local Government
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Colorado Division of Mining, Reclamation and Safety
Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Colorado Watershed Assembly
City of Durango
Durango Mountain Land
Environmental Research
Juniper School, Durango
Mancos Conservation District
Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District
Region 9 Economic Development
Rocky Mountain Research Station, U.S. Forest Service
San Juan National Forest, U.S. Forest Service
Southern Ute Indian Tribe
Southwest Water Conservation District
Southwest Basin Roundtable
San Juan Water Conservancy District
TechLaw
Town of Pagosa Springs
Town of Telluride
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
*MSI gratefully receives donations from many supporters who wish to remain anonymous. We also receive donations from individuals through Facebook donations, Network
for Good, and Charity Navigator, as well as through point of sale receipts from AmazonSmile. Immense gratitude to all our anonymous supporters!
18 19

Donor and Funder Appreciation
Donor and Funder Appreciation
Collaborative
Partnerships
MSI has spearheaded, leads, or supports a
number of collaboratives and partnerships to
ensure broad stakeholder and community
engagement in the planning, management
and decision making that support innovative,
science-based on-the-ground projects that
directly impact our forests, watersheds, and
climate.
2-3-2 Cohesive Strategy Partnership (since 2016)
The 2-3-2 encompasses 2 states (Colorado and New Mexico), 3 rivers
(San Juan, Chama, and Rio Grande), and 2 watersheds (San Juan and
Rio Grande) and aims to protect and preserve the forest health, water
quality, wildlife habitat and communities through a coordinated, landscape-scale effort to deliver
integrated results that cannot be accomplished when working separately.
Animas River Community Forum (since 2015)
Rising to action following the Gold King Mine spill, ARCF supports resilience
of the Animas River and its communities through communication,
coordination, and collaborative action to foster public confidence,
enhance planning, and improve public safety and health for the future. ARCF has continued to
collaborate and disseminate information through Our Animas Story Map, implement the 416 Fire
Response and Recovery Plan, and address other matters related to river health.
Dolores Watershed Resilient Forest Collaborative (since 2017)
DWRF is an inclusive watershed group that shares knowledge and
resources to enhance ecological and community resilience to wildfire
and other disturbances in Dolores and Montezuma Counties, focusing on the upper Dolores River
watershed.
Four Rivers Resilient Forest Collaborative (since 2020)
Four Rivers provides a forum for information exchange and dialogue to promote resilient watersheds
and forests throughout the Animas, La Plata, Los Pinos and Piedra watersheds.
Mancos Watershed Group (since 2014)
MWG seeks to understand the current status of the Mancos River and identify opportunities for
restoration and building resilience in the watershed. In 2020, the group completed the Drought
Resilience for the Mancos Watershed Report, which culminated in a drought resilience decision-making
framework.
San Juan Climate Initiative (since 2006)
SJCI members develop tools and resources to evaluate and examine possible future changes that
might take place in the SW Colorado landscape and to understand the impact of those changes
on natural processes, local economies, and social and environmental factors.
San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership (since 2009)
SJHFHP provides a forum to share stakeholder perspectives and develop science-based
collaborative priorities for the management and monitoring of forests in the Pagosa
Ranger District.
Southwest Wildfire Impact Fund (since 2019)
SWIF’s working group is designing an innovative approach to long-term conservation funding
to restore forests and reduce the potential devastating impacts of wildfire on communities and
community resources near Durango and La Plata County. Its goal is to secure long-term conservation
funding for a coordinated approach to forest restoration and water supply protection that
works across all lands, private or publicly owned.
Upper San Juan Watershed Enhancement Partnership (since 2018)
WEP is developing a Stream Management Plan for the upper San Juan watershed
near Pagosa Springs. It convenes a stakeholder group to guide and inform its
watershed assessment, then works to interpret the findings and identify coordinated
opportunities to benefit agricultural, environmental, municipal, and recreation water
users through an integrated plan.
20 21

Donor and Funder Appreciation
Donor and Funder Appreciation
MSI People
MARCIE DEMMY BIDWELL
Executive Director
MICHELLE FURI
Deputy Director
JEFF CONNORS
Finance Director
SHARON COOLEY
Development & Engagement Director
AARON KIMPLE
Forest Health Program Director
AMANDA KUENZI
Community Science & Education Program Director
SCOTT ROBERTS
Water & Hydrology Program Director
TIFFANY BRODERSEN
Grants Manager
ANTHONY CULPEPPER
Assistant Director, Forest Health
MANDY ESKELSON
Water Program Research Associate
ARTEMIS EYSTER
Americorps Bridging Mountains Education Coordinator
HALEY FARWELL
Water Program Research Associate
DANA GUINN
Forest Health Partnership Coordinator
JEREMY MAY
Education Coordinator
KELLY NORTHCUTT
Communications & Event Coordinator
DR. MICHAEL REMKE
Forest Health Research Associate
NATE ROCK
Water Program Field Manager/Research Assistant
EMILY SWINDELL
Forest Health Program Associate
Special thanks to Carolyn Moller, Page Buono, and Leah Gillespie who
contributed invaluable expertise throughout the year.
Support the Work
You Care About
Big issues require big solutions. Drought and wildfires cause lasting effects on our
ever-changing landscape. MSI’s team of scientists and educators is at the frontline of our forests
and watersheds, monitoring these changes and partnering with policy-makers to keep your
family, property, and community healthy and safe. We are also carrying our knowledge forward
to the next generation of mountain scientists and stewards through environmental educational
enrichment programs and summer camps.
We cannot do it alone and we are grateful for your help and support. It takes our entire staff
and breadth of programs, as well as our partners, collaborators, volunteers, and your support to
get this critical work done.
By giving to MSI, you will help us keep our forests, watersheds, and communities healthy and
safe for future generations. We hope you will consider elevating your impact by becoming a
Base Supporter, Mountain Mover or member of our Summit Circle. Your donation is instrumental
in continuing this imperative work.
By sponsoring MSI programs, your business or organization will provide for critical forest,
water, citizen science, and educational programming that raises the bar on community
awareness of environmental concerns and solutions in the San Juan Mountains. We will
recognize your sponsorship in materials, social media, and, where possible, on signage or
exhibit posters.
A Year of
Covid 19
As all organizations, MSI entered 2020 thinking it would be a very different year. As the coronavirus began its journey
around the world, MSI was ramping up for a busy spring of research, stewardship, and science-based educational and
service learning activity. By the end of March, all staff were working from home and MSI began to pivot to new realities.
In-person meetings, programs, and conferences, including our annual Youth Summit and San Juan Mining & Reclamation
Conference, were postponed or migrated to Zoom or hybrid models depending on shifting guidance. While we
looked forward to the day when we could get back to “normal,” we quickly learned that not everything should stay
the same. MSI was able to turn some COVID pivots into potential game-changing
openings for new modes of stewardship and service learning, which we will
continue long after the pandemic has passed along.
By volunteering for MSI programs, you will help us monitor river and streams quality, plant
trees in the forest or sedges in the wetlands, remove harmful invasive weeds, plants, and trees,
make and toss native seed balls in our burn scars, and simply share your experiences and
help educate others on the importance of taking care of our beautiful yet fragile mountain
ecosystem.
Join us in any or all of these actions. Together we can move mountains!
The year 2020 was certainly a whirl for all of us. We learned new things about
ourselves. Our staff stepped up and filled critical gaps while figuring out how
to continue our vital programming in the face of sheer uncertainty. Our donors
and funders demonstrated empathy and concern for our mission exactly when
we needed it most. Our partners locked arms and collaborated intensively on
solutions and paths forward. The coronavirus has not dissipated as we had all
hoped. But we are stronger in 2021 than we have ever been before and aim to
build back better—and together with our San Juan communities for a resilient
and sustainable future.
22 23

Silverton Headquarters
116 E. 12th Street
P.O. Box 426
Silverton, Colorado 81433
Durango Office
Mayer Building, Suites 7-8
679 East 2nd Avenue
Durango, Colorado 81301
970-387-5161 | info@mountainstudies.org | mountainstudies.org