The Mormon Row Cultural Landscape
August 17, 201010-71
Grand Teton National Park will host a series of lectures titled, Our Changing Park, beginning Thursday, August 19. The lecture series will offer a glimpse into some of the current issues facing the park. Lectures will be presented by specialists in a variety of subject areas; these experts will share their observations, their collected data, and their perspectives on challenging issues. The speakers will also lead discussions about the various changes affecting the park’s natural and cultural resources. All talks will take place at 7 p.m. in the Director’s Room at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose.
The lecture subjects cover a wide range of topics, such as: what is challenging the survival of whitebark pine in the Great Yellowstone Ecosystem; how is climate change affecting Wyoming and the Intermountain West; how will rising environmental temperatures in alpine and mountain ecosystems affect the America pika; and what are the challenges for preservation of historic park properties.
The scheduled lectures are:
August 19
Whitebark Pine: The Story of a Giant Prey, a Tiny Predator, and a Strangling Fungus
Join Grand Teton National Park Ecologist Nancy Bockino as she discusses the ecology of whitebark pine, a keystone species of high mountain ecosystems in western North America. Learn about the threats to its survival and the outlook for its future.
September 2
Climate Change: Observed Trends and Future Impacts on North American Climate and Weather
National Weather Service Meteorologist Arthur Meunier will talk about observed climate trends and discuss the likelihood of climate change impacts on the weather and climate of Wyoming and the Intermountain West. A discussion of climate change mitigation strategies, costs, and effectiveness will follow.
September 9
Beyond Buildings: Preserving a Sense of Place at Historic Sites in Grand Teton National Park
Join Kathryn Longfield, Grand Teton’s cultural resource specialist, in a discussion of current issues facing historic properties and the methods to preserve human history, cultural landscapes, and the historic sense of place that reflect social history and its patterns of development.
September 23
Perils Facing the American Pika
Join Grand Teton National Park Biologist Sue Wolff as she discusses the American pika, a talus-dwelling relative of the rabbit family, and possibly one of the first mammals in North America to be affected by climate change. Discover how pikas are influenced by rising temperatures and learn about their current population.
For more information about the lecture series, call the Colter Bay Visitor Center at 307.739.3594, or the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at 307.739.3399.
American pika, a member of the rabbit family
