The Flathead/Kootenai Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association will present a Wilderness Walks Kickoff Party at the Split Rock Café in Kalispell on Friday, May 31, with a social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. and presentations beginning at 7 p.m.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologists Tim Their and Chris Hammond will talk for an hour about native species in the Whitefish Range upstairs in the KM Theater.

Thier specializes in large animals and game species. He started his career working in the North Fork with Chuck Jonkel and the Border Grizzly Project in 1976 and has since worked for several state and federal agencies, primarily on bears in Northwest Montana.

Hammond is a native species, nongame biologist and has been in Region 1 since 2009. He divides his time between conservation of nongame species with an emphasis on common loons, species of concern and species likely to be impacted by climate change, and mitigation for habitats lost from impacts of the Hungry Horse and Libby dams.

Board members and Montana Wilderness Association staff members will be on hand to discuss ideas, current issues and volunteer and outdoor education opportunities. Free 2013 Wilderness Walks books will be available.

For more information, contact Terry Meyers at 406-890-2221 or 406-471-4159 or visit online at wildmontana.org.