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2009 News
Stream Ecology Class Field Trip - Idaho State University - Dr. Colden Baxter will bring his stream ecology class to Taylor May 6-10. This workshop is funded through a DeVlieg Visiting Professional Travel Grant. ISU Stream Ecology Center
2009 Bleak Interns - Joel Ruprecht, Ecology & Conservation Biology; Janette Rounds, Ecology & Conservation Biology; Ryan Blackadar, Biology. Also doing an intership is Jacob Johnson, Wildlife Resources. "Hands on field research, ecological monitoring, and wilderness skills" taught by Holly Akenson and Jim Akenson, TWRS Scientists
2009 DeVlieg Undergraduate Research Scholar - Kristen Pilcher
Her research proposal is titled "Influence of flow and temperature regimes in Big Creek, Idaho on the seaward migration of juvenile Chinook salmon, a comparative analysis across 3 years and multiple sites within the Salmon River." Advisor: UI Brian Kenedy, Asst. Professor Fishery Resources.
McCall-Donnelly High School - Debbie Fereday teacher will bring her Environmental Science class to Taylor Wilderness Research Station May 17-18 for 2 days of streams, wildlife, plants, and wilderness field activities coordinated with Holly and Jim Akenson.
Wilderness Ecology Class - Dr. Jim Kingery and Dr. Steve Bunting will teach the class starting May 25-29. See Enrichment Class
Taylor Employees 2009
Tyler Morrison - former Bleak Wilderness Intern, will be returning as Assistant Manager of TWRS. Tyler graduated from UI 2004, B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology/Conservation Biology.
Amie-June Brumble - former Bleak Wilderness Intern, will be returning as Administrative Assistant & Data Manager. Amie-June graduated from UI 2005, B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology/Conservation Biology and a B.S. in Wildlife Resources. In 2007 she completed her M.S. in Forest Resources.
2008 News
Wilderness Workshop - May 13-15 Post Falls, Idaho A selected committee of natural resource managers will meet for the purpose of assessing potential values of research in the central Idaho wilderness. Holly and Jim Akenson will join others from the North Rocky Mountain Region, followed by a visit to the Taylor Wilderness Research Field Station after the meeting.
 9th Mt. Lion Workshop "Cougar Management and Research: Past, Present, and Future Challenges" May 5-8, 2008 - Wildlife managers gathered in Sun Valley, Idaho to celebrate the rich history of cougar research with origins in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The workshop provided a forum for researchers, managers to exchange recent advances in research and management. Keynote speaker, Maurice Hornocker, was honored with a "life-time" achievement award. Jim Akenson moderated the panel discussion and presented awards. Holly Akenson, Mgr. TRWFS, Bruce Ackerman and Toni Ruth presented a paper "The Idaho Backcountry: Is it still a source population for cougars in Idaho?" . See 2008 Photo page.
Happenings at Taylor Wilderness Research Station
Dave Lewis Cabin Renovations - Restoration of the Dave Lewis Cabin at the field station has begun. The work will restore it to a 1920's ambiance of a cabin in the wilderness, while upgrading for improved student housing. Construction funding was furnished by the generous donation by Bill Wallace and Mary Acker. Construction is being performed by JB Construction of Grangeville, Idaho with carpenters: John Burkenbine, Richard Burkenbine and Keith Copperholl. See 2008 Photo page.
Stream Gauges - Ben Crosby, ISU Geomorphology Asst. Professor and Neil Olson, graduate student, installed an electronic stream gauge on Big Creek at TWRS in April. The gauge will be connected to the NOAA Fisheries communications equipment and will provide "realtime" data on stream flows. See Neil Olson research page.
Temperature Monitors - Katy Kavanagh, UI Forestry Professor, installed temperature buttons at and around TWRS to monitor the canyon airshed and effects of cold air drainage on elevational temperatures.
IDFG Fish Screw Trap - Idaho Fish and Game Fisheries Biologists Kim Apperson, Mike Ackerman, and crew Laurie Janssen, Shelly, Brad Rogers, and Ken Cole installed the fish screw trap in Feburary. A member of the screw trap crew has operated the trap daily since then, until high water in May, when the trap was removed from Big Creek until river flows recede. See Screw Trap description.
Undergraduate Education
Bleak Wilderness Interns - July 28 to August 1
"Passport in Time" The Bleak Wilderness Interns will have the opportunity to participate in a "Passport in Time" activity with the Payette National Forest Heritage Program in late July 2008. Passport in Time projects involve the public in cultural resource management, field archaeology, archaeological site testing, historic property evaluations, and education. The interns will assist with subsurface evaluations at two American Indian archeological sites near Bear Trap Saddle, where the group will do baseline post-hole digging, operate shaker screens, and label and catalog artifacts. Interns will also participate in discussions about the archaeology and historical events in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
2008 Bleak Wilderness Interns
"Hands on field research, ecological monitoring, and wilderness skills"
by Holly Akenson and Jim Akenson, TWRS Scientists
 
Calla Hagle - Sophomore, Wildlife Resources/Journalism, Major, UI, CNR
Kristen Pilcher - Sophomore, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Major, UI, CNR
Delmar Day - Junior, Wildlife Resources, Major, UI, CNR
2008 DeVlieg Undergraduate Research Scholars
Eric Clippinger - "Exploring Climate Effects on Coniferous Seedling Regeneration in Burned Areas in Central Idaho". UI Faculty Advisor: Prof. Dr. Katy Kavanagh
Amber Lankford - "An examination of Lewis's woodpecker reproduction in the Frank Church Wilderness". UI Faculty Advisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Kerri Vierling, Fish & Wildlife Resources
Eric Carlson - "Establishing a Suspended Sediment Flux Model for the Lower Big Creek Drainage: What role do fires play?". Idaho State University Faculty Advisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Ben Crosby, Dept. of Geosciences
2008 Berkland Undergraduate Research Scholar
Tatiana Gettelman - "Nest site selection of Lewis's woodpeckers in burned cottonwood riparian areas of the Frank Church Wilderness". UI Faculty Advisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Kerri Vierling, Fish & Wildlife Resources
Graduate Research
Click on each name to see researcher's webpage.
Javan Bauder - "Movement and habitat selection of prairie rattlesnakes in the Big Creek drainage of the Frank Church Wilderness". Idaho State University. Masters Thesis. 2007-2008. Professor: Dr. Chuck Peterson, ISU, College of Arts and Science.
Neil Olson - "Effects of Topography on the Hydrology of a Snow Dominated Basin: How might Big Creek respond to projected changes in climate?" Idaho State University. Masters Thesis. 2008-2009. Professor: Dr. Ben Crosby, ISU, College of Arts and Science.
Ellen Hamann - "Life history variability in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River system: Migratory decisions in a distrubed wilderness environment". UI Masters Thesis 2007-2008. Professor: Dr. Brian Kennedy, UI, College of Natural Resources. Integrative Fish Ecology and Ecosystem Studies
Ben Hoppus - "Monitoring whitebark pine, blister rust and fuels in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area". Professor: Dr. Lauren Fins, UI Forest Resources, Project Leader
Visiting Professional Program
Click here to see descriptions of all Visiting Professional Workshops
Brian Kennedy - March 11-16
Advanced Ecology of Fish and their Habitats Field Trip, UI Asst. Prof. Fish & Wildlife. .
Katy Kavanagh - June 19-24
Developing Atmospheric and Vegetation Models to access Global Climate Change Workshop.
Mazeika Sullivan - July
Effects of landscape changes on American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) ecology workshop.
McCall Outdoor Science School - August 20-26
MOSS Field Instructor Training Expedition.
Taylor Employees 2008
Tyler Morrison - former Bleak Wilderness Intern, has been appointed Assistant Manager of TWRS. Tyler graduated from UI 2004, B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology/Conservation Biology.
Amie-June Brumble - former Bleak Wilderness Intern, has been appointed Administrative Support Assistant. Amie-June graduated from UI 2005, B.S. in Natural Resource Ecology/Conservation Biology and a B.S. in Wildlife Resources. In 2007 she completed her M.S. in Forest Resources.
Friends of Taylor in the News
Scott Fereday - 2007 Bleak Wilderness Intern and recent graduate of UI College of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources combines his passion for wildlife with his passion for flying. Scott will be learning to fly helicopters by attending an aviation academy in Caldwell, Idaho fall of 2008. After training he hopes to use his flying skills to perform wildlife survey flights for state game agencies. Read McCall High Country News 4/08.
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