New technology is changing Montana.

After living in the same place for a while, things can change. He said Montana is one of the places that has seen major changes over the past 70 years. We have seen our populations grow and our towns, cities, and landscapes change.

Not just Montana, but the entire West has changed.

Some of the changes we've seen have been subtle, while others have been quite dramatic. It's another thing to have new shops open or new schools popping up all over the place. It's another thing to see an entire neighborhood change. There's new technology that allows you to see how much states have changed, not just in Montana but across her 17 states west of the Mississippi River.

landscape explorer

The University of Montana is working on a project called Landscape Explorer with Working Lands For Wildlife, Montana NRCS, and Intermountain West Joint Venture. They have created a website with an interactive map that juxtaposes early satellite images from 70 years ago with more modern images. This illustrates the dramatic changes that have occurred in the western United States over the years.

Check out your neighborhood in Montana

On this website, you can see the big picture of changes in the West, but you can also zoom in to see changes that have occurred in your own neighborhood. Not only is it informative and educational to see the changes in Montana and surrounding states, but it's also an interesting glimpse into how much our world has changed and continues to change.