Crisis in the Alpine: Finding the Right Questions for Conservation Action
Plus, meet our Executive Director and learn about our summer conservation projects
If you’ve ever seen a pink-splashed bird in high mountain habitat, count yourself lucky! You may have seen one of three species of rosy-finch.
“They’re incredible,” says Conservation Ecologist Janice Gardner. “Some of the most extreme slopes in the western United States serve as their summer habitats." But living in such high, rugged mountains also means two things: climate change is a marked threat and the birds are nearly impossible to study.
Ecologist Janice Gardner searches remote mountain terrain for rosy-finches. Photo ©Sarah Woodbury
“The lack of baseline information on rosy-finches,” says Gardner, “makes it really difficult for scientists to wrap our heads around what to do. In our roles as wildlife biologists, we can’t make it snow, we can’t make it colder in the alpine, and we don’t know much about these birds. So what can we do?”
Read our recent blog post to learn more about behind-the-scenes conservation decision making processes and the importance of the right question.
It's Not Too Late to Join Our Current Projects
Utah Pollinator Pursuit
Adopt a butterfly site for the season or record bumblebees and monarchs whenever you see them.
Boreal Toad & Habitat Project
Join our team or set out for beautiful sites independently to search for boreal toads and other amphibians.
Wildlife Image Analysis
We still need volunteers to analyze images from last year and support wildlife conservation. Join remotely.
Get to Know Our Executive Director
If you’ve volunteered with us, you’ve probably seen Executive Director Josh Wood’s passion for conservation in the hours he spends hammering stakes for stream restoration or felt it in his excitement hiking to remote mountain sites to place wildlife cameras.
Josh joins our partners at Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to build stream restoration structures that mimic beaver dams. Photo ©Janice Gardner
Read our interview with Josh to learn how he got into conservation, what books he's reading, and get to know him a little better.
July Volunteer of the Month: Tallie Casucci
Our Volunteer of the Month Tallie Casucci was one of the original participants in the first season of Wasatch Wildlife Watch, and she has established cameras at the same sites every season since.
Project lead Austin Green says, “Tallie never misses a deadline and is one of the first to check in every week. She is one of the most reliable members of the Wasatch Wildlife Watch team. Furthermore, Tallie establishes a site with difficult terrain, and her camera positioning is truly top-notch. We are very lucky to have Tallie on the team!”
Thank you to Tallie and all our amazing volunteers for what you do!
Thank You for Joining Us at the Pollinator Pride Party!
Thank you so much to all who joined us at our Pollinator Pride Party with Tracy Aviary's Jordan River Nature Center.
We shared food, drinks, and great company as we spotted some milkweed, plenty of birds, and even a bumble bee!
If you have any stories from the event, feel free to share them with us or tag us on social media. Until next time!
Thank you for your passion for wildlife and lands in the West!
Support the future of conservation by donating today.
Visit the project page on our website or connect with us on social media (see links below) to learn more about our conservation work, and please contact us with any questions or suggestions.