Chris Merritt and the University of Montana received a Heritage Stewardship Enhancement grant from Region 1 (Northern Rockies) of the United States Forest Service to undertake a survey and revisit project in regards to the Chinese heritage of Montana and Idaho. The HSE program within Region 1 is the only such granting avenue in the United States, and has been fruitful in forwarding the USFS goal of site stewardship and partnerships. During the summer of 2008, Chris Merritt and Brent Rowley, another UM graduate student, traveled to five National Forests in Montana in an attempt to find any pieces of the region's Chinese heritage. In particular this partnership includes the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Gallatin, Helena, Lewis & Clark, Lolo, and Clearwater National Forests.

Hand-stacked rock placer tailings, Ophir Cr.

1930s Mining equipment, Ophir Cr.

Bedrock Flume, Ophir Cr.

Hand-stacked rock-lined ditch, Ophir Cr.