Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“These projects provide boundless opportunities to observe patterns of wild nature
without the usual controls that are imposed on a classroom or laboratory exercise,” says Chris
Carpenter, a Wildlands Studies program leader.
BEARLY THERE
When Lewis and Clark explored the West in the early 1800s, an estimated 50,000
grizzly bears roamed the wildlands between the Pacific Ocean and the Great Plains.
Today, now that millions of humans have taken over those same lands, the grizzly
population is down to an estimated 1,200 to 1,400.
In 1975, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the grizzly bear as a
threatened species in the Lower 48, placing the remaining six populations (of the
original 37) under federal protection.
The grizzly is one of several species that Wildlands Studies observes in their an-
nual “Wildlife Survival: The Yellowstone Endangered Species Project,” along with
the gray wolf, the bison, and the mountain goat.
Research teams are small (no more than 15 team members) and tend to fill up quickly.
You'll be out in the field the entire time (no coffee shops or Internet access) and, while there's
plenty of time for relaxation, you'll endure long days, uphill trails, and weather that is some-
times capricious. But look at it this way: It's a great chance to stand up for a noble cause.
No previous fieldwork experience is necessary. Requisite skills are taught on site. Re-
search projects range from two weeks to all summer, and prices range from $700 to $1,700.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
Wildlands
Studies,
3
Mosswood
Circle,
Cazadero,
CA
95421,
707-632-5665,
www.unex.ucsb.edu/wildlands.
