From climate and wildlife to citizen science and vegetation, Glacier is a thriving laboratory home to over 1200 plant species, 240 bird species and 65 species of native mammals. Its habitat extends well beyond the park’s borders, making the Crown of the Continent one of the most biologically intact ecosystems in North America. The Conservancy funds research on priority issues that help us understand Glacier and inform conservation decisions that protect Glacier’s future.
Survey Glacier’s Lynx Population
Funding Needed: $74,300
Lynx are a secretive forest carnivore that has been little studied in Glacier National Park, even though the Park composes a significant portion of core lynx habitat in the northern Rockies. This landmark project will use 300 remote cameras to document large-scale distribution and abundance patterns of lynx within the Park’s confines.
Glacier’s Birds and Bats
Funding Needed:
Harlequin Duck Migration Study $33,040
Glacier’s Bat Program $24,928
Eagle & Raptor Counts $25,752
Black Swift Monitoring $20,784
2018 is the Year of the Bird, so it is fitting that the Park and the Glacier Conservancy have identified four research projects related to avian species for funding. Together, these four projects represent a strong commitment to state-of-the-art research on species of concern that, in many ways, define Glacier Park.
The Iinnii Initiative: Monitoring Impacts to Elk Herds
Funding Needed: $70,750
As the Blackfeet Tribe and the Park work toward the reintroduction of bison (“iinnii” in Blackfeet) into Glacier, it is important to understand the impact of this historic initiative on resident elk herds. This three-year research project will track individual elk fitted with GPS radio collars to record habitat use and act as a predictor of changes in landscape use when the iinnii are finally reintroduced to the Park.
Mountain Goat Study
Funding Needed: $41,400
Leverage existing NPS funding to add significant actionable value to this groundbreaking three-year study.
Translocation of Alpine Stoneflies
Funding Needed: $22,844
This innovative project will study the feasibility of translocating Alpine Stoneflies to new habitats or to supplement existing populations. Stoneflies rely on glacial streams and snowmelt to survive. Glacier loss has reduced their populations to near-extinction.
Grizzly Bear Diet Study: Cutworm Moths
Funding Needed: $93,500
Small but apparently delicious, Army Cutworm Moths can comprise 50% of a grizzly bear’s annual caloric intake. As consideration for delisting the Grizzly approaches, we need to understand the Grizzlies’ diet in Glacier National Park. This study will be the first ecosystem-wide project to find out why, where, and how.
