Yellowstone Association Institute Press Releases

Yellowstone Association Institute Press Releases Index

Buffalo Seminar to Be Held in Yellowstone

January 3, 2006

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK – As you drive into Yellowstone National Park, look for what look like giant moving boulders among the snow—they are buffalo, icon of the American West, which almost disappeared in the 1800s. In the northeast part of the Park, at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch, the cradle of bison reintroduction efforts, you can study bison biology, ecology, and behavior, and learn the story of their management in a field seminar offered by the Yellowstone Association Institute. You’ll also be able observe bison from the road and explore their habitat on snowshoes.

The seminar, taught by Rick Wallen, begins on January 27, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. and ends on January 29, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. Mr. Wallen is a wildlife biologist and the team leader for Yellowstone National Park’s Bison Ecology and Management Program. He is renowned as one of the nation’s leading buffalo management experts.

There will be a classroom component as well as short hikes of two to three miles per day with climbs of up to 500 feet, including some trail-breaking in snow. Snowshoes, which can be rented locally, are required.

The fee for the course is $170 ($160 for Yellowstone Association members). Heated cabins can be rented at the Buffalo Ranch for $25.00 per night.

The Institute is a nonprofit field school operated by the National Park’s official educational partner, the Yellowstone Association. The Institute offers a variety of courses in ecology, wilderness skills, and natural history year-round in Yellowstone National Park.

To enroll in this or another field seminar, or to request a catalog that includes a full description of all summer and fall courses, please contact the Yellowstone Association Institute at PO Box 117, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 307-344-2294. Complete information is also available at www.YellowstoneAssociation.org.