Specialized Education Programs

Students identify plants and record pH at Chatanooga Iron Fen

Since 2002, about 300 undergraduate and graduate students have benefited from MSI through hosting and facilitation (including instruction) of college and university classes on field trips and camps ranging from one day to several weeks.

Past clients include:

• Northern Arizona University - Mountain & Highland Geography
• University of Colorado - Snow Hydrology
• Minnesota State University - Snow and Ice Studies
• Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville - Alpine Environments
• Prescott College - Mountain Leadership, and Avalanche Forecasting
• Gettysburg College - Rocky Mountain West: Cultural and Physical Geography"
• Goshen College - Southwest History: Methods and Materials
• Grand Valley State University - Natural Resource Management Capstone
• Fort Lewis College - Field Ecology Methods, and Sense of Place: Intersection of Culture and Environment.
• Geology Field Camps from Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines, & Fort Lewis College.

Ecology Field Methods, Fort Lewis College

Students explored wetland plant-environmental relationships by surveying sites at the Chattanooga Fen. FLC Instructor: Dr. Julie Korb; MSI instructors: Drs. Rod Chimner & Koren Nydick.

Sense of Place: Intersection of Culture and Environment, Fort Lewis College

Students became immersed with Silverton culture and environment through an introductory seminar, a talk with the town/county planner, a panel discussion with town residents, a tour of natural and cultural history, and a field study of water quality issues. FLC Instructors: Tina Evans and Kate Niles; MSI Instructors: Dr. Koren Nydick and Dr. Bill Simon.

Beverly Kaiser, the town and County Planner, discusses the challenges of planning in a small mountain community.

Students learn hands-on about water quality issues in the upper Animas River. Low pH and high metals result from natural geology and past mining activities.

Winter Field Studies, Northern Arizona University

Students measured snow-pit profiles to learn first hand about snow pack properties, snow metamorphism, and slope stability. Students also explored winter ecology by identifying wildlife snow tracks and observing the winter environment from while on a snowshoe tour. NAU Instructor: Dr. Lee Dexter; MSI Instructors: Dr. Koren Nydick and Chris Landry (CSAS).

Students measure temperature as part of snow-pit profile.