Fostering land stewardship and conservation in the American West
through teaching, research, outreach and leadership.
program impacts 2018
The Ucross High Plains Stewardship Initiative (UHPSI) is focused on land stewardship and conservation in the American West. At its core, UHPSI seeks to engage in teaching, research and outreach on land stewardship, primarily through mentoring students on applied research and management projects with partners. UHPSI is housed at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in New Haven, CT.
OUR TEAM
Indy Burke, PhD
Michelle Downey, MS
Current Students
Latest news
Accelerating Community-Driven Impact, Part 2 — Shea Flanagan
Before my LegacyWorks Group internship in the Tetons this summer comes to a close, I’d like to highlight a couple additional major projects with which I’ve been involved beyond what I outlined in my first blog post. One great aspect of my experience has been learning new approaches to achieving conservation success, such as the Read more about Accelerating Community-Driven Impact, Part 2 — Shea Flanagan[…]
Investigating the Socioecological Importance of Pinyon Forests for Paiute Communities in the Great Basin
Paul’s project investigates socioecological change affecting Paiute communities in California and Nevada. It examines the cultural importance of pinyon forests on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and focuses on the development of new approaches to forest management that promote Paiute traditional foods and silvicultural practices. The Great Basin is experiencing increasing frequency of Read more about Investigating the Socioecological Importance of Pinyon Forests for Paiute Communities in the Great Basin[…]
Accelerating Community-Driven Impact, Part 1 — Shea Flanagan
Howdy! I’ve headed west to work as the Summer Associate for LegacyWorks Group in Jackson, Wyoming. LegacyWorks accelerates community-driven impact to realize transformative change. Here in the Teton Region, we focus our efforts on large-scale conservation initiatives that could not be tackled by a single organization alone. The organization also focuses on regional initiatives in Read more about Accelerating Community-Driven Impact, Part 1 — Shea Flanagan[…]
Exploring the Ecological Impacts of Wildfire in Coniferous Forests in Sierra Nevada
Zhi’s ecological research in the central Sierra Nevadas explores the role of wildfire in forest ecosystems. Large, severe fires have been increasing in recent decades and present major economic and ecological challenges in the western United States. Through collaborating with US Forest Service researchers and the University of California-Davis, Zhi leads a team of four Read more about Exploring the Ecological Impacts of Wildfire in Coniferous Forests in Sierra Nevada[…]
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Survey of Canyon Creek
Joshua’s research surveyed benthic macroinvertebrate communities of Canyon Creek at The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Tensleep Preserve in order to (1) assess the current communities of this river section, (2) analyze the impacts of two subterranean limestone sink systems and a human diversion on these communities, and (3) provide data and voucher specimens for future studies. Read more about Benthic Macroinvertebrate Survey of Canyon Creek[…]
The Impact of Surface Water on Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) Movement Patterns
Though the relationship between resource selection and animal distribution has been thoroughly investigated, few studies link animal movement patterns to resource utilization. By examining animal movement proximate to resource utilization, Danielle hopes to understand the degree of prioritization given to obtaining a resource and contribute to this growing field of study. Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis Read more about The Impact of Surface Water on Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) Movement Patterns[…]
Spatiotemporal Patterns in the Observed Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease Across North America
Meghan is conducting independent research that aims to explore spatiotemporal patterns in the historic and ongoing spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) across North America. CWD is an always-fatal neurodegenerative affliction of captive and free-ranging members of the deer family — i.e., mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, and moose — that has increased in both Read more about Spatiotemporal Patterns in the Observed Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease Across North America[…]
Exploring the Interface of Religious Life and Environmental Politics in Montana
Leif is researching independently in northwest Montana where faith-based environmental organizing sets the stage. Three emerging organizations seek to empower religious congregations to take up environmental advocacy — Montana Faith & Environment Coalition, Faith and Climate Action Montana, and Montana Interfaith Power & Light. Through interviews with advocates and faith leaders, Leif is beginning to Read more about Exploring the Interface of Religious Life and Environmental Politics in Montana[…]
Governance and Storytelling Along the Colorado River
Lucas is working for The Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program (CRP). His focus for the CRP is two-fold: first, Lucas is researching environmental governance and finance models to facilitate the creation of a water fund for the Colorado River delta. This work entails outreach to stakeholders and coordination with existing environmental funds to glean best Read more about Governance and Storytelling Along the Colorado River[…]
Increasing the Pace and Scale of Conservation in the Tetons through Collaboration
Shea is working with LegacyWorks Group in Jackson, Wyoming to accelerate community-driven impact to advance large-scale conservation efforts in the Teton region. She is assisting the team in executing projects that advance four major goals: 1) increase the ability of local conservation partners to work collaboratively on community- and regional-scale projects, 2) enhance water availability Read more about Increasing the Pace and Scale of Conservation in the Tetons through Collaboration[…]
High Stakes and High Emotions: The Significance of Herrera v. Wyoming —Meghanlata Gupta
In his powerful Indian law manifesto In the Courts of the Conqueror: The 10 Worst Indian Law Cases Ever Decided, accomplished lawyer and author Walter Echo-Hawk writes: “American law has often worked against Native Americans, legitimizing the appropriation of their property and the decline of their political, human, and cultural rights as indigenous peoples” (15). Read more about High Stakes and High Emotions: The Significance of Herrera v. Wyoming —Meghanlata Gupta[…]
Pulse of the River —Reid Lewis
The Southwest is a dry place. This statement should not surprise anyone; when you think of Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico, you think of Prickly Pear and Saguaro, desert sunsets and dusty streets. What may not so quickly come to mind are the rapidly growing cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, and Las Vegas. Read more about Pulse of the River —Reid Lewis[…]
Engaging the Jackson Hole Latinx and Youth Communities in Bridger-Teton National Forest Review Processes —Eve Barnett, Haley Leslie-Bole, and Jesse Bryant
BACKGROUND Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) in western Wyoming is the third-largest forest in the continental United States. It is a key piece of the biodiverse Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, home to everything from charismatic megafauna like wolves and grizzly bears to birds and trout. It is also a place that has been shaped inexorably by human Read more about Engaging the Jackson Hole Latinx and Youth Communities in Bridger-Teton National Forest Review Processes —Eve Barnett, Haley Leslie-Bole, and Jesse Bryant[…]
Urbanization & Human-Wildlife Conflict in the West —Amy Zuckerwise
Black bear at a bird feeder Carnivores have become social media sensations when they enter into urban areas. Hundreds of videos of bears breaking into houses and raiding the refrigerators or mountain lions lying under an unsuspecting resident’s back porch can be found with one quick online search. After a predator shows up in a Read more about Urbanization & Human-Wildlife Conflict in the West —Amy Zuckerwise[…]
Grasslands Can Help Fight Climate Change —Jeffrey Conti
A significant amount of carbon is locked up underneath the ancient grasslands of North America. Grasses naturally absorb carbon during their lifecycle, and over time can sequester that carbon into the underlying soils. Grasslands carbon is considered safely locked away and out of the picture when it comes to rapidly accelerating global greenhouse gas emissions Read more about Grasslands Can Help Fight Climate Change —Jeffrey Conti[…]