Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future

Since 2013, the Bozeman-based conservation organization Adventure Scientists has worked to expose the alarming numbers of microplastics entering our waterways worldwide. Microplastics, or tiny pieces of plastic, pose detrimental effects to environmental and human health when they enter natural systems. In light of the ubiquitous presence of this pollutant uncovered in our global study, and with a desire to engage on this topic in our own back yard, we launched the Gallatin Microplastics Initiative in 2015. To understand the breadth and depth of the problem in the Gallatin watershed, we assembled a team of adventure scientistsÑcapable outdoors women and men committed to conservationÑand trained them as microplastics sample-collectors. These volunteers head to 70 critical points on the Gallatin and its tributaries once each season on foot, bike, boat, skis, and snowshoes to collect water samples. Our partner scientist, Abby Barrows, analyzes these samples for the quantity and type of microplastic particlesÑinformation essential to knowing the severity of the problem, and that may offer insight on how to address it. We are now one and a half years into our study, and preliminary data show 62% of samples collected in our Gallatin Initiative contain microplastic pollution. Successfully engaging our team of reoccurring citizen science volunteers has set this project apart from other monitoring efforts. We measure this success through days volunteered to conservation, conservation changes made, and the likelihood of the volunteer to pursue a career in conservation following their experience with Adventure Scientists. We consider our volunteers a vital component to our overall goal of understanding and addressing the microplastics problem for their role in collecting data, disseminating results through their personal and professional channels, and, through the experience we provide, becoming community leaders in conservation.