Citizen Science

Need another reason to go into the A-B Wilderness? How about helping collect data in the backcountry using GIS equipment? Volunteer for one of our “Citizen-Science” trips we have planned for this summer. You will join a small team, headed by a trained Wilderness Leader from the University of Montana’s Wilderness Institute. Together you will backpack into a remote area for five days and collect data on the level of user-impacts and the quality of the Wilderness experience at many of our backcountry sites in the A-B Wilderness.

Citizen-Science is a term that describes utilizing untrained, citizen-volunteers with a passion for their wild lands to assist trained scientists in collecting data on a whole host of scientific subjects. To date, we have used volunteers on projects reintroducing native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, studying the fragile glaciers in the high Beartooths, better understanding the extent of disease on threatened whitebark pines, and helping the Forest Service gather data about where in the A-B Wilderness the greatest user impacts are found.

2024 Solitude Monitoring Data Collection Opportunities

Boulder Divide Solitude Monitoring – click to read more & sign up
DATES: Friday, July 26 to Sunday July 28, 2024
Close To: 28 miles South of Livingston
Hiking Intensity: Difficult
Work Intensity: Least Strenuous
Spots Available: 2/4

Although the National Wilderness Preservation System may be the current “gold standard” for land protection, designating any area as Wilderness does not end the need to maintain and take care of it. Functioning ecosystem services require constant, and intentional, stewardship inside and outside the Wilderness boundary. One of the standards important to the Wilderness experience is “opportunities for solitude.” Join our Executive Director and Absaroka-Beartooth expert Joe Josephson on our most spectacular Citizen Science project to date. ABWF will train you in all the necessary citizen science protocols and data collection. This 22+ mile journey, following historic (and forgotten) trails, will take you to beautiful alpine lakes below impressive granite spires, tagging summits over 10,000 feet and past unique geologic wonders.

Our Executive Director, Joe Josephson – on top of the Bear’s Tooth.

Lake Plateau Solitude Monitoring click to read more & sign up
DATES: Friday, Aug 16 to Sunday, Aug 18, 2024
Close To: 46 miles South of Big Timber
Hiking Intensity: Difficult
Work Intensity: Least Strenuous
Spots Available: 4/4

Although the National Wilderness Preservation System may be the current “gold standard” for land protection, designating any area as Wilderness does not end the need to maintain and take care of it. Functioning ecosystem services require constant, and intentional, stewardship inside and outside the Wilderness boundary. One of the standards important to the Wilderness experience is “opportunities for solitude.” This year, ABWF is piloting a new program to collect data on “solitude” which will help the USFS in their annual assessment and stewardship performance of the A-B Wilderness. ABWF will train you in all the necessary citizen science protocols and data collection as we make an off trail “out and back” across the legendary Lake Plateau littered with alpine lakes. Unfortunately, the number of trout you will catch in these world class fisheries is not part of the data collection.



Stay Tuned for upcoming Trailhead Inventory opportunities.