Impacts of Recreation on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

In partnership with the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, UHPSI research assistants investigated trends, conditions, and projections surrounding recreation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) to identify possible recreation ethics for the region. Growing negative impacts of recreation on the ecosystem necessitate a reevaluation of attitudes surrounding recreational access and growth. Through conversations with participants in the GYE recreation community, this project strove to gain a better understanding of the perspectives, normative values, and drivers of recreation. At the closure of this project, the UHPSI team and the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative recommended next steps to building a recreation ethic and will make their findings available to the public in a paper.

Collaborator

Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative | Website

Project Deliverable

Student Researchers

Bryce Powell, Research Assistant and Western Resources Fellow | Bryce is a Master of Environmental Management candidate at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies specializing in Ecosystems and Land Conservation and Management. Originally from Colorado, Bryce owes his identity to years of work and play in the mountains and deserts of the American West. Before relocating to Connecticut, Bryce led a trail crew with the U.S. Forest Service in the High Uintas Wilderness of Utah. He is interested in the management of public lands in the American West, particularly through stakeholder engagement, conflict resolution, and the involvement of indigenous and marginalized perspectives. See what Bryce has been up to. |  Blog

Bea Portela, Research Assistant and Western Resources Fellow |Bea is a rising sophomore in Yale College, planning to major in Environmental Studies (BS) and Political Science (BA). Before coming to Yale, she participated in research on dam removal, science communication, and the coastal ecology of her native southeast Texas. With UHPSI, Bea is studying the impacts and perceptions of recreation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, hoping to analyze the norms that inform community behavior and policy. She is fascinated by public lands, forest management policy, limnology, fishery science, contiguous wilderness protection, and rural development. Beyond academics, you can find Bea hiking, camping, or working on sketch comedy. | Blog

Talia Niederman, Research Assistant | Talia is pursuing a Master of Environmental Management with a focus in Ecosystem Conservation and Land Management. Prior to Yale F&ES, Talia worked for the Center for Biological Diversity and the Catalina Island Marine Institute. She is interested in analyzing anthropogenic influences on wildlife populations and collaborating with local communities to develop effective conservation strategies. Talia has worked as a research assistant with UHPSI for two years while attending Yale. See what Talia has been up to.  | Other Projects | Blog