Free and Paid Montana Field Guide Apps Hit 20,000 Downloads Quickly

Nature Tools’ Montana Field Guide app surpassed 20,000 downloads in just over a month.

Radd Icenoggle of Lolo, Montana, developed Nature Tools, a suite of apps designed to make complex natural world information accessible and engaging. This structural effort aims to deepen users’ understanding of species, geology, and climate, fostering stronger connections to the outdoors.

Icenoggle, drawing on his biology and software expertise, worked alone for about nine months, dedicating 60 to 80 hours weekly to create six iPhone apps, two Android apps, and two Adobe Lightroom plug-ins. The apps feature searchable species data, geologic map overlays, and interactive simulations such as the Glacial Lake Missoula floods and predator-prey dynamics. The Montana Field Guide app is free and available on both major platforms. The app aims to make information from government documents, university research, and many other sources more accessible.

Icenoggle plans to expand the suite with additional birding, angling, and geology apps as ideas emerge.

Montana’s abundant natural landscapes and outdoor culture could make tools like Nature Tools particularly relevant here, helping residents and visitors appreciate and protect their environment through deeper knowledge. This approach could align with Montana’s values around conservation and outdoor engagement.

Meet the Montanan making apps to help connect people with the outdoors
By Caroline Weiss, KPAX News