Smith River Conservation Montana: Veterans, Agencies, and Ecologists Restoring a Wild Treasure

Our crew building rock steps at Lower Indian Springs

Every year, thousands float the Smith River. Few stop to think who keeps the campsites alive. Footprints cut into banks, boats grind at landings, and slowly the wild edges wear away. From September 26–30, 2025, the Montana Vet Program (MVP) joined Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) and GEUM Environmental Consulting to take action. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) supported with planning and logistics. Together, we set out to stabilize campsites, restore eroded banks, and keep the Smith River wild—for the public, and for veterans who use it as a training ground.

Campsites Under Pressure

The Smith River has 52 campsites spread across its 59-mile corridor. Every single one shows human impact—erosion, trampled vegetation, compacted soil. Some can wait. Others, like Lower Indian Springs, Rock Garden, and Lower Scotty Allen, couldn’t.

Our focus this fall was mainly the inside bends of the river. On the outside bends, faster currents naturally cut and scour banks. On the inside bends, water slows and deposits sediment. These areas should be stable, but because they’re where people land boats and walk the most, they suffer from human-driven erosion. Left unchecked, camps collapse into the river and access disappears.

Before and after on Lower Scotty Allen campsite

What We Accomplished

• Rock and log stairs: At Lower Indian Springs, we used rock delivered earlier in the season to build durable steps. At Rock Garden, we sourced rock on site. At Lower Scotty Allen, we cut and shaped log steps from a tree that had fallen about four years ago. Each set of steps funnels foot traffic onto one controlled path, halting erosion spread.

• Brush barriers: Downed timber and brush fencing were installed to block fragile sections and redirect campers.

• Willow fascine plantings: Over 50 bundles of willow cuttings were hauled in during the project and planted in strategic locations. Willows are unmatched for riverbank restoration: their roots bind soil, they re-sprout after floods, and over time they shade, cool, and strengthen banks.

• Brush layering: Brush and soil were packed together to rebuild eroded ground and keep people from trampling recovering areas.

In total, hundreds of yards of riverbank were stabilized. The crew worked four straight days, 8–10 hours each, moving tons of rock and material into place.

installing willow fascines

Partners in Action

FWP: The Land Managers Chris Freistadt, Colin Maas, and Alex Sholes of FWP provided boats, tools, and logistics—and put in the sweat alongside every crew.

USFS: The Support Network Though not on the river, Bob Gliko of USFS handled planning, materials, and vehicle shuttles, making the operation possible.

GEUM: The Science GEUM Consulting has studied the Smith River drainage for years and designed the restoration proposal. They joined us as boots on the ground to ensure ecological best practices guided every step.

MVP: The Veterans Veteran team leaders included Scott Moss (who initiated the MVP-FWP-USFS partnership in 2019), Cameron Martinez, and Bryon Gustafson. Martinez and Gustafson led on all four Smith River projects this year, ensuring knowledge passes from one mission to the next. For MVP, this river isn’t just conservation—it’s where veterans train.

GEUM staff, FWP, and MVP all working together on the riverbank

The Smith River as a Training Ground

The Smith River is our classroom. Every season, veterans learn practical tools here: fire-building, backcountry medicine, breath-work, yoga, cold-water immersion, fitness, and mindfulness. More importantly, they learn how to carry those tools back into daily life.

Protecting the river protects the mission. If erosion closes campsites, we lose the ground where veterans rebuild resilience. That’s why conservation isn’t just about habitat—it’s about keeping the Smith alive as a proving ground for the next generation of veterans.

Performing our morning routine of yoga, breathing, and meditation (time-lapse)

Results That Last

The natural barriers and restoration techniques we installed will hold for decades. The willow fascines will root and spread. The stairs will confine traffic. The brush layers will rebuild soil and keep banks intact. Campsites that were failing are now stabilized.

This was not a patch job. It was long-term conservation.

Why Smith River Conservation in Montana Matters

Smith River conservation in Montana isn’t optional. Without intervention, campsites crumble, vegetation dies, and public access closes. Federal and state budgets alone can’t keep up. Volunteers make the difference.

Since 2019, MVP has contributed nearly $100,000 in volunteer conservation work to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the U.S. Forest Service. From latrine removal to rock hauling, from campsite maintenance to riverbank bioengineering, veterans have built a record of showing up and finishing the hard work.

This project confirmed it again: when MVP is on a project, things get done.

Beyond the Work

The mission wasn’t all sweat. After full workdays, the crew gathered around fire pits, shared food, and started each morning with strong coffee. We caught fish, watched deer wander through camp, and saw a pair of bald eagles steal a trout from an osprey in mid-flight.

Hard work. Perfect weather. Proven partnerships.

Raft ready for some fishing

Looking Ahead

This project was one step in a long mission. MVP will keep returning to the Smith River until every campsite is stable and resilient. With FWP, USFS, and GEUM, we have the science, the tools, and the willpower to keep this corridor healthy for future generations.

The Smith River is a Montana treasure. Veterans intend to keep it that way.