San Francisco State Wildlands Studies

THE YELLOWSTONE

ENDANGERED SPECIES

PROJECT

August 2 - August 17, 2002 (3 units)

meeting place: Bozeman, Montana

Join us this summer for a firsthand field observation and evaluation of the ecological relationships and habitat needs for gray wolf/grizzly bear, threatened species in the wildlands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem; and an onsite examination of controversial bison, mountain goat and thermophilic community management alternatives in the nation's first National Park.

Working in the largest intact ecosystem in the temperate zones of the earth, team members will gain a firsthand understanding of ecological parameters and wildlife management in a highly complex and biologically diverse ecological system. Our explorations will take place in wildland habitats critical to the future of Yellowstone's renowned wildlife populations. Team activities will focus on the ecology of our study species, wildlife sign identification, and management alternatives that would insure wildlife survival in Yellowstone.

THE PROJECT
The wild mountains and valleys of the Yellowstone Ecosystem provide crucial habitat for key wildlife populations: grizzlies, the very symbol of wilderness, yet here a threatened species; gray wolves, recently re-introduced in the face of controversy; migrating bison herds; and mountain goats, the sure footed travelers of Yellowstone's alpine crests. Today, complex environmental concerns and mounting impacts threaten these species and present frequent conflicts, difficult management options and few easy decisions. This summer, we will have a unique opportunity for an in-depth examination of these issues as we: take part in hands-on wildlife field studies; exchange ideas with wildlife experts; consider management options for Yellowstone's threatened species; and discover how professionals struggle to conserve wildlife and keep mountain habitats wild.

PROJECT LEADERS
NATHAN VARLEY and LINDA THURSTON, W.S. Wildlife Specialists, study wolves and other wildlife species in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. They co-directed the W.S. 2000 Yellowstone Endangered Species Project.

ACADEMIC CREDIT
Biology 315, Field Studies in Biology, 3 semester units.

PROJECT FEE
$465 plus $60 application fee. Project fee due by May 25, enrollment on a space-available basis after May 25 until the project is full.

Application Information

Wildlands Home | Project Index | Application Information

Wildlands Studies, a unit of San Francisco State University's College of Extended Learning, invites you to join our field teams in a search for answers to important environmental problems affecting endangered wildlife and threatened wildland ecosystems. Now entering its 21st year, Wildlands Studies offers onsite field research projects throughout the US and around the world. This year you can choose among 27 wildlife, wildland, and wildwater projects in Montana, Alaska, Hawai'i, California, Washington, Wyoming, New York, Canada, Belize, Thailand, Nepal, Costa Rica, Kenya and New Zealand.

We encourage you to find out more about Wildlands Studies and our programs.

Wildlands Studies projects are exciting and challenging opportunities for which you do not need previous fieldwork experience. In back-country settings, you acquire and directly apply field study skills while examining firsthand important issues in wildlife preservation, resource management, conservation ecology, and cultural sustainability.

Likely as not, your fellow team members will come from diverse US and Canadian locations, and bring with them a variety of college and career interests, a mix that provides ample substance for trailside conversations, and new networks of friendship. W.S. is looking forward to our next field season. Hope you can join us!

ACADEMIC CREDIT: Team members desiring academic credit earn 3-12 upper-division semester units per project. Units earned are transferable to both semester and quarter system colleges throughout North America (1 semester unit = 1.5 quarter system units).

TO APPLY: Each of our W.S. 2001-2002 projects is described on the Wildlands Study site. Please use our index to guide you as you browse through the descriptions to see which projects best fit your interests. Descriptions are linked from the Calendar, map and alphabetical project list below. To apply, please review the instructions on our Application Information page, print our Preliminary Application Form and return it to us. Upon receipt, a project enrollment packet will be mailed to you along with detailed project descriptions.