Steward
The Yellowstone
FALL/WINTER 2014
PHOTO: MATT LUDIN/YPF
Canon U.S.A. Keeps Its Eyes On Yellowstone
®
NEW PERSPECTIVES ON A NATIONAL TREASURE
Sitting on the mezzanine of the Old Faithful Inn, it is tempting to
think of Yellowstone as a place where nothing much changes. Other
visitors sat in the same spot 100 years ago, playing board games like
we do, and gazed at the enormous stone fireplace.
Yet Yellowstone is also one of the most dynamic
places on earth. Geothermal features shift
locations, geysers and hot springs pop up
where previously there were none. Wildfires
periodically restart natural cycles in dramatic
fashion. Wildlife numbers ebb and flow, along
with the varied plant species they feed on.
“Canon’s partnership with Yellowstone is a symbol of our dedication
and commitment to wildlife conservation initiatives and environmental
education,” said Kotaro Fukushima, Senior Director and General
Manager, Corporate Communications Division, Canon U.S.A.
EVERYTHING WE ARE
LEARNING ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE IN
THE PARK HAS BEEN
FUNDED BY CANON
The Eyes on Yellowstone program is designed
to bring together conservation, endangered
species protection, and cutting-edge science
and technology to help manage Yellowstone’s
ecosystem. Technological advancements
made possible through this program have
also allowed Yellowstone to communicate
with interested parties worldwide through
compelling photography, video, real-time
information feeds, and live-streaming events.
– ANN RODMAN,
It is a challenge to keep track of these
YELLOWSTONE
NATIONAL PARK
dynamics, analyze them in a way that will help
steer smart policy-making, and share them with
“Canon technology, including cameras, camcorders and binoculars,
the rest of the world. Until Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital
are used for educational research and educational purposes
imaging solutions, entered the picture.
throughout the Park,” said Fukushima. “Through the use of our
Canon U.S.A.’s game-changing education and research program,
technology, we are able to help educate millions of people about
“Eyes on Yellowstone” is in its 10th year, with the company
what Yellowstone has to offer and help increase public awareness
donating more than $6 million in funding and equipment to date to
about the importance of environmental conservation.”
support this first-class effort.
continued on page 3
THE
YELLOWSTONE
PARK
FOUNDATION
222 East Main Street
Ste. 301
Bozeman, Montana
59715
Telephone:
406.586.6303
Email: [email protected]
www.ypf.org
Kay Yeager
Chairman
Karen Bates Kress
President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Butt
Michael Coles
John Costello
Annie Graham
Carolyn Heppel
Edna Johnson
Charles B. Kaufmann III
Janet Kelly
Daniel Manning
Robert Mathias
Deborah McCauley
Tom Murphy
Larry Patrick
Lee Selby
Richard Severance
Wayne Siemens
John Walda
The Yellowstone Park
Foundation works in
cooperation with the
National Park Service to
fund projects and programs
that protect, preserve, and
enhance the natural and
cultural resources and
the visitor experience of
Yellowstone National Park.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
“...to conserve the scenery and the
natural and historic objects and
the wild life therein and to provide
for the enjoyment of the same in
such manner and by such means as
will leave them unimpaired for the
enjoyment of future generations.”
– FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ORGANIC ACT
The purpose of the Organic Act of 1916, which
created the National Park Service, is set forth on the
Roosevelt Arch at Yellowstone’s north entrance: “For
the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.” It has
become a motto that represents all national parks.
We often interpret the quote to mean that the biggest
benefit Yellowstone and the other 400 units of the
national park system provide is to serve as America’s
finest playgrounds. Yet the “benefit” part of the
statement is multi-dimensional. National parks
have become laboratories for scientific research on
ecosystems and the environment, including climate
change and how it may affect life on planet Earth.
For the past two decades, YPF’s partner Canon,
U.S.A, Inc. has made cutting-edge science possible
through their education and research program Eyes
on Yellowstone. As you’ll read in our cover story,
most recently they have helped make the greater
Yellowstone ecosystem a hub for climate changerelated studies.
Also in this issue, read about an enduring
partnership with a special group of volunteers, how
to leave a legacy for Yellowstone, and an exciting,
upcoming photo expedition.
Finally, I hope you enjoy the grand prizewinning photograph from this year’s “Capturing
Wonderland” Photo Contest. I encourage you to
visit our website at www.ypf.org/contest to see
more of the incredible entries we received.
Karen Bates Kress, President
AMERICAN HEROES CONTINUE TO SERVE
WOUNDED WARRIORS TEAM UP WITH ARCH VENTURE PARTNERS IN YELLOWSTONE
VOLUNTEERS AT BECHLER RANGER STATION
Recently, several members of the Wounded Warrior
Project showed they don’t have an ounce of “quit” in
them. Not only have they performed bravely in combat
overseas, they are continuing to serve their country here
at home.
Station. They replaced a decrepit electric fence, built
gates, and constructed a 600 square foot, open-sided
shelter to protect rangers’ horses from the rain. Four
YPF staff members also pitched in one day of work.
For the past five years, Wounded Warriors—military
veterans recovering from injuries received in the line of
duty—have joined a dedicated contingent of volunteers
from venture capital company ARCH Venture Partners
to take on some tough jobs in Yellowstone.
“It goes to show what a dedicated group of individuals
can accomplish when they get together,” said Bechler
ranger Stanley Dominik. “They have had an enormous,
positive impact on Yellowstone ranger and stock
operations over the last several years, and we are very
grateful.”
This year a group of 34 volunteers from across the
country worked for five days at the Bechler Ranger
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT AT
WWW.WOUNDEDWARRIORPROJECT.ORG
CANON ® KEEPS ITS EYES ON YELLOWSTONE: continued from page 1
The program is now beginning its eleventh
phase known as Eyes on Yellowstone XI. This
phase, in particular, has taken scientific research
in the Park to a new level.
Several ecological studies currently being
conducted are on mountain goats and bighorn
sheep. These iconic and charismatic species
are the least studied and understood large
mammals in the greater Yellowstone area. In
collaboration with the University of Montana,
these studies seek to address major conservation
concerns, including impacts of regional
climate change, possible competition between
the two species, and the implications
of interactions
among the wild
mountain goats,
bighorn sheep,
and domestic
livestock.
This scientific data is helping Yellowstone
understand how climate influences plant
growth, and how those patterns might change
in the future. The Park is using a water balance
model to look at these changes to predict which
types of vegetation might be most vulnerable
to change. The study has highlighted how
dramatic and fast the changes might be.
YPF
Upcoming Trips
PLEASE JOIN US!
YELLOWSTONE PHOTO EXPEDITION
with Tom Murphy
Those fascinated by weather patterns in
Yellowstone can keep track of temperatures,
snow accumulation, melt, and runoff captured
in “real time,” courtesy of Canon, by going
to www.climateanalyzer.org. This site
has generated enormous interest because of
the unusually large
snowpack in the
Park this year, and
the huge runoff that
resulted.
JUNE 20-23, 2015
But the real website
star is the highChanging weather
definition, livepatterns also
streaming Old Faithful
continue to be a
webcam. A team of
focus of Yellowstone
volunteers operates
research. A study
the Canon camera
of temperature
OLD FAITHFUL LIVE STREAMING WEBCAM
that monitors geyser
change over the
activity in the Upper Geyser Basin. Using the
last 60 years shows that average temperatures
pan-tilt-zoom function, anyone can experience
in the Park are rising, especially at higher
the thrill of seeing Old Faithful erupt. Visit
elevations.
www.nps.gov/yell and click on “Webcams.”
“Everything we are learning about climate change
“We are happy that this initiative gives
in the Park has been funded by Canon,” said Ann
people near and far the opportunity to see the
Rodman, Branch Chief, Physical Sciences. “For
beauty of Old Faithful,” said Fukushima. “It
instance, a study analyzing snow accumulation
is always exciting to see the geyser erupt in
has demonstrated that the snow pack and the
real time.”
length of the winter season is decreasing, with
snow melt in the spring taking place in a much
It was the first ongoing live-streaming webcam
shorter timeframe than 35 years ago.”
available on any National Park Service website
when it was launched in January 2008. Today,
PHOTO: NPS
it receives more than two million page views
each year, making it one of the most popular
pages on Yellowstone’s website, and on the
entire National Park Service website.
Spend four days in Yellowstone
PHOTO: TOM MURPHY
National Park on an exclusive
photography expedition with renowned
wildlife photographer Tom Murphy
as your guide. As part of a small,
private group, you will have
unparalleled opportunities to
observe wild animals in their
natural habitat while learning
how to compose your shots like a
fine art photographer.
The expedition group is limited
to eight individuals, so reserve your
spot today. The price is a $5,000
per person contribution to the
Yellowstone Park Foundation.
Learn more at www.ypf.org/events,
or contact YPF at 406.586.6303
or [email protected].
From geyser-gazing to wildlife-spotting
and people-watching, if you can’t come see
Yellowstone in person, the next best thing just
might be on your computer screen. You never
know what you might see!
YELLOWSTONE WILDLIFE RESEARCHER
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM MURPHY
SECOND ANNUAL “CAPTURING WONDERLAND” PHOTO CONTEST
The Yellowstone
Park Foundation
staff were
thoroughly
impressed with
the quality and quantity of images
entered into this year’s “Capturing
Wonderland” Photo Contest.
Our judge, renowned wilderness
photographer Tom Murphy, certainly
had his work cut out for him in
choosing the winners among 1,200
entries.
To check out the top-prize
photographs in each category and
view a video of all the finalist
images, visit www.ypf.org/contest.
Beehive Shower in Black and White by Bruce Gourley, Manhattan, MT | 2014 Grand Prize Winning Photograph
LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY – JOIN THE FAITHFUL
Imagine a future without Yellowstone National Park. That is a
possibility that nobody likes to think about. But now imagine that
you can play a role in protecting and preserving Yellowstone for
many, many years to come.
The Yellowstone Park Foundation offers several different ways
for individuals to participate in caring for Yellowstone. Making
a planned gift, such as a provision in your will, is the ultimate
expression of your commitment to this very special place. Some
types of planned gifts even provide income benefits for yourself
and your family, while helping to ensure that Yellowstone endures
forever.
Members of the Old Faithful Society have made arrangements to
leave a lasting legacy for Yellowstone National Park.
Visit www.ypf.org/plannedgift to learn more about how you can
join this very special group, and about the many planned giving
options available to you.
MICHAEL R. AND ANN C. SKELTON
THE SKELTONS RECENTLY MADE A BEQUEST TO THE YELLOWSTONE PARK
FOUNDATION.
“We did a considerable amount of research on the Yellowstone Park Foundation before
deciding to make our planned gift... Every time we are in the Park or interact with the
YPF staff, we come away with the satisfactory feeling that we made the right decision!”
“If in some small way our support of YPF assists in preserving this extraordinary place
known as Yellowstone, and helps ensure that future generations can see the Park as
we’ve seen it over the years, then that would be a life well lived.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL AND ANN SKELTON
facebook.com/YellowstoneParkFoundation
Read more about the Skeltons’ reasons for giving, in their own words, at
www.ypf.org/plannedgift.
twitter.com/YellowstonePF
instagram.com/goyellowstone