The History of Montana Rivers
It all began with The vision of one man
President and founder of Montana Rivers, Joe Gutkoski
Biography of Joe Gutkoski
Joe Gutkoski was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1927. He grew up with a passion for the outdoors; often found in the wood’s deer hunting, trout fishing and harvesting wild berries, nuts and mushrooms.
After graduation from high school, Joe enlisted in the Navy in WWII where he served on the Destroyer Lansdowne. After the war he graduated from Penn State University with a BS degree in Landscape Architecture. He began work with the U.S. Forest Service in the late 1940s as a fire fighter in Idaho. He transferred to Missoula, MT, where for 13 years he worked as a smoke jumper, squad leader and foreman, fighting fire throughout the West. Joe transferred as a Landscape Architect to the Forest Service Regional Lands Office, doing planning and design work in MT, ID, WA, ND, SD, MN and Alaska. In 1964, he was assigned to the Gallatin National Forest in Bozeman. Joe retired from the USFS in 1982 with 32 years of service.
Once retired, Joe started a licensed practice in land planning and design in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Joe is a life-long environmentalist and defender of public lands. He was President and founding member of Montana Rivers and Yellowstone Buffalo Foundation. He was President, Secretary and Grievance Officer of Local 130 National Federation of Federal Employees Union. Joe has served as President of the Gallatin Wildlife Association, member of Montanans for Gallatin Wilderness, and Vice President of Montana Wildlife Federation where he served on the Board of Directors for many years. Joe was President and Secretary of Madison Gallatin Alliance, a chapter of Montana Wilderness Association. He was also Vice President of the Big Open Project in northeast Montana. He was Vice President and Secretary of Montana/Idaho Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects, and lastly, Chairman of Bozeman’s Schools, Parks and Recreation Planning Committee.
After decades of service to the protection of Montana’s Natural resources, Joe passed away peacefully on August 5, 2021. To read Joe’s Obituary, click on the link below.
A screen shot of the double page spread featuring Joe Gutkoski that Keith McCafferty wrote for Field & Stream magazine in September 2002.
Read articles featuring the conservationist Joe Gutkoski - Last Trek of The Human Wolverine and Stream Access Laws.