YERC's Long History of Research in Yellowstone
The founder of the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, Dr. Robert Crabtree, has been conducting research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem since the late 1980s, focusing YERC’s research program on a wide variety of ecological studies on Yellowstone National Park’s Northern Range. YERC and its predecessor began renting field station facilities in the Cooke City / Silvergate region in 1992, and have had a continuous field station presence there ever since. In that time, YERC has employed over 200 interns, the best of whom have often moved on to become field technicians, YERC staff, and/or to complete further graduate training in the biological sciences.
A Perfectly Located, New Field Station for the Future!
In the fall of 2003, YERC purchased the former campground site in Cooke City, Montana, roughly three miles outside the northeast boundary of Yellowstone National Park, as the location of the permanent YERC Field Station. The site is ideal for research access to the Lamar Valley, Yellowstone’s Northern Range, Yellowstone Lake,
Absaroka Wilderness, and the Beartooth Mountains. Additionally, travelers between Cooke City and YERC’s home office in Bozeman, MT, pass through Mammoth Hot Springs, home to the Yellowstone Center for Resources, the main research arm of Yellowstone National Park.
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YERC Field Station in Cooke City, MT |
2006 -2007 NSF Planning Grant for facilities upgrade!
YERC's new field station, a former campground, came outfitted with ten graveled camper pads, a small A-frame, a small laundry facility, and two travel trailers. YERC has since added two new modular homes to the site. The site can currently house up to 13 people, sufficient to hold YERC's year-round field crew. Collaborating scientists use the trailer pads or one of many motels in the area.
YERC's long term plan for the Field Station includes constructing a "green" building on the site, with design goals potentially including (a) high energy efficiency, (b) the use of locally sourced, sustainable, low toxicity building materials, (c) high speed Internet connection, (d) conference facilities, (e) expanded kitchen and sleeping quarters, (f) a library, and (g) much more. In 2006, we were pleased to learn of NSF support for planning an improved, green field station facility. As part of the NSF grant, we brought together YERC's Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) in June 2006 to begin scoping what might be possible.
In 2007 we have continued to work on the planning for this new structure. YERC's SAC met again in June to follow-up on planning activities conducted during the previous year. In July YERC staff and advisors meet with Montana State University architectural faculty to discuss planning and design activities to be conducted in the fall. Beginning in August, senior level students in MSU Center For Community Design (CCD) began the process of designing the new facility. Over the course of the fall semester YERC and CCD students held numerous meetings to fine tune the needs and want of the new station and the proposed designs. At the close of the year, CCD students presented final design plans to YERC and potential contractors. In the spring of 2008, CCD students will begin the process of moving these plans to reality by finalizing construction designs and techniques. See our NSF Planning page for further information.
We are always looking for innovative ideas and minds, both for facility design and for facility funding. Please contact Vincent Voegeli if you have ideas about how to help!
