The Dynamic History of the Yellowstone Ecosystem

Physical Requirements

This trip is physically demanding. It involves:

• Hiking on uneven and rocky ground and unestablished trails
• Sitting on the ground
• Walking and standing outdoors, exposed to the elements (sun, wind, rain)
• Extended periods of standing (up to 2 hours)
• Picnic lunch (chairs, no tables)
• Driving in a personal vehicle to the program destination

This is a remote location with limited emergency response services and no nearby medical facilities.

Description

Registration opens on May 14, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. and closes May 29, 2024.

The nearly pristine landscapes of Yellowstone-ranging from dense pine forests to alpine tundra, hydrothermal basins to sagebrush grassland-are home to a diverse array of plants and animals. When and how did these ecosystems take shape? What was the role of geology, climate, fire, and people in their development? For over 40 years, internationally renowned paleoecologist Cathy Whitlock and her students have been seeking answers to these questions to enhance our understanding of the environmental history of Yellowstone. Much of their information comes from the layers of sediment in lakes and wetlands, which preserve fossil pollen, charcoal, and other clues to ecological changes of the last 15,000 years.

Paleoecology-a sub-discipline of paleontology, the study of ancient ecosystems (especially plant communities) over decades to millions of years.

This program is limited to 13 participants.

Meals and Lodging

Your program tuition includes instruction, lodging, three dinners with appetizers, morning coffee and tea, and field trip transportation for two days while based at LBR during your program.

We will stay at the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch (LBR) in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. Originally a stop for the Cooke City to Gardiner stagecoach in 1882, the LBR played a role in bison reintroduction efforts in the early 1900s. More than ninety years later, Yellowstone Forever manages LBR as a field site for courses, school programs, and research.

During your stay, you will be accommodated in small, modest guest cabins, each equipped with three single beds. For your convenience, the ranch features a heated bathhouse with separate men's and women's bathrooms and private showers. Please note that there are no bathrooms in the individual cabins. When not learning in the field, the communal bunkhouse houses two classrooms, our shared kitchen and dining area, and a bathroom. Pets are not allowed on this program.

Participants are responsible for travel to the park, park entrance fee, and all breakfasts, lunches, and snacks. After registration confirmation, additional information about the LBR facility, meal recommendations, kitchen resources and responsibilities (including one post-meal kitchen duty shift), and necessary forms will be provided.

Tuition

Option A: Single cabin $920 per person

Option B: Double occupancy cabin $1,390 for up to two people.

Highlights and Learning Goals

You will spend three nights in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park, accompanied by researchers from Montana State University and the professional staff of Yellowstone Forever. You will learn about:

• The major plant communities of Yellowstone and the role that plants play in the broader Yellowstone ecosystem.
• How fire shaped Yellowstone ecosystems in the past and the future.
• The Yellowstone hotspot and how volcanic and hydrothermal activity impacts ecosystems.
• The last glacial period and how plant communities respond to changing climate in the past and the future.
• Get muddy! Experience research techniques employed by researchers at Montana State University to study the ecosystems of the past.
• Enjoy early morning wildlife watching and night sky gazing in the Lamar Valley.

Sample Schedule

August 26: Introductions, orientation, course overview. 3:00 p.m. arrival time.

August 27: Wildlife and high elevation discoveries on the Beartooth Plateau. Evening sediment study.

August 28: Fire, volcanoes, and Yellowstone's ecosystems. Dunraven Pass, Caldera, Lower Geyser basin. Evening field day summary.

August 29: Bringing it all together, group wrap up and review. 11:00 a.m. departure.

The schedule is subject to change based on weather, field access, and other factors.

Scholarship

Apply for a needs-based scholarship before registering for this program. The application deadline is May 10.

Apply for a needs-based scholarship to take this offering.