"You Should Do an App"

Gallatin Valley Flora (W. Tilt)

In 2011, I published the Flora of Montana’s Gallatin Range. My initiation as a plant watcher in the Northern Rockies began "moving pipe in the Teton Valley of Idaho in the 1970s. Anyone who has experienced the joys of moving 40-foot-long irrigation pipe twice daily across acres of hay field knows that it provides plenty of time for your mind to wander. Directing my gaze downward from the ramparts of the Grand Tetons, wildflowers scattered across the field gave punctuation to the green expanse of grass. At night I would reach for one or more wildflower guides to identify a new flower or remind myself of a plant's name from past outings. Over the years and rambles across the Greater Yellowstone Region, my interest grew.

Arriving in Bozeman in 2001, my family and I began enjoying the vast network of trails—the results of the hard work of many organizations. Whether walking the dog, hiking, riding or cross-country skiing, these trails are the lifelines of the Gallatin Region, stitching people together with landscapes in a way that brings mental and physical health, an appreciation for nature, and a reminder that we are the land's stewards.

It was my goal to deliver Flora of Montana’s Gallatin Range to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Big Sky Community Corporation, Big Sky Institute, Jack Creek Preserve Foundation and Montana Outdoor Science School at no cost to their already tight budgets. To realize this wonderful idea, I was fortunate to be able turn to a small cadre of funders for help. To my great appreciation, and an indication of their commitment to the Gallatin Region they all call home, they responded graciously and generously.

On the release of Flora of Montana’s Gallatin Region a colleague called to congratulate me on the book’s release. He then asked, “So when are you going to do the app?” Looking like a true luddite, I asked, “What’s an app?”

Having patiently described how mobile device applications would revolutionize field guides, he then introduced me to Katie Gibson, which in turn led to a fun and productive partnership, the creation of High County Apps, and collaborations with plant experts in California, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and elsewhere to create interactive applications to their region’s flora. Our very first app was the “ Flora of Yellowstone.”