Independent Project – Bizarre Vegetation Bands Along the Mowry Formation

In our first week on the Spring Creek preserve I noticed a strange pattern: Along the hillsides near our camp there were a series of horizontal vegetation bands, alternating between relatively sparse and dense vegetation. I immediately began to question why this was happening. My conclusion was that, since the bands occurred along the strike…

Wyoming Spring Creek – Uncovering the History of the World

It is easy to take modern geography for granted. The mountains and rivers we see on a daily basis seem so large and immovable that, on a human time scale, they may as well have always been there. But there is a great wealth of geologic history embedded in every one of those formations, and…

Cultural Experiences in the Laramie Valley

There is a great diversity of culture in the Laramie Valley. Our first major cultural experience was a fourth of July celebration in the town of Rock River. The town is very small, with a population of about 250 people, but it seemed that most of them attended the celebration. It was a simple setup,…

Spring Creek Morning Observation

I sit along a ridge overlooking a valley to the south of our camp. It is early in the morning. The ground immediately surrounding me is the first thing I make note of. I am in a patch of grass, seemingly dense from afar but sparse up close. Around me are thistle and sagebrush, the…

Wyoming Spring Creek – James Houser Introduction

My name is James, and I am an undergrad student at the University of Pittsburgh studying environmental science. My main academic interests are health and safety and science communication. I recently received my certificate for hazardous waste operations and hope to one day work to help mitigate the effects of environmental disasters. Outside of class,…