Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Cohort: 2011-2012

Ph. D. Student, Department of Forest & Rangeland Stewardship

Research Summary: Willow communities are dying back in Rocky Mountain National Park and possibly throughout the West. With a demise of this critical plant community which many species of wildlife and birds depend on, the entire riverine ecosystem will change. My research investigates why this decline is happening and examines the many interacting factors contributing to the dieback, including elk and moose, beavers, birds, fungal infection and climate change. Results from my research will help park managers determine potential restoration options.