Join Dr. Edward Gage, Research Scientist at Colorado State University, on Wednesday, September 25, at 7 p.m. at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park as he shares progress on analyses of ten years of monitoring data from the Elk and Vegetation Management Plan.
Declines in the condition of aspen and willow-dominated riparian communities in Rocky Mountain National Park are well-documented, precipitated largely by excessive elk herbivory and a loss of beaver. In 2008, the park began implementing an Elk and Vegetation Management Plan to guide management, reduce impacts of elk on vegetation, and restore the natural range of variability in elk populations and affected ecological communities. Periodic monitoring of vegetation structure and condition is an integral part of this plan.
In this Science Behind the Scenery presentation, Dr. Gage will summarize the aspen, upland and willow vegetation data collected to date and explain changes that have been observed over time. Dr. Gage specializes in wetland and riparian ecology, remote sensing, GIS, and plant ecology. He cut his academic teeth on questions of beaver and willows in Rocky Mountain National Park 20 years ago and has maintained a keen interest and deep love for the park ever since.
This presentation is part of the Science Behind the Scenery speaker series, brought to you by the Continental Divide Research Learning Center at Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. Join us to learn more about park research, and what it tells us about the park and its resources. This program is free and open to the public.
Jeff
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