Who we are

Photo Credit

Jenny Helm

We are a team of scientists, professionals, field technicians, and laboratory personnel stationed in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, and Montana.

We conduct research across the intermountain west of the United States and beyond. Many of our scientists run their own lab groups, where they mentor postdoctoral scientists and research assistants.  

As a group, we are passionate about providing conservation solutions for the persistence of America’s wildlife through creative and cutting-edge science. We conduct research that is critical to answering questions and addressing challenges faced by land managers.

Our research topics

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Jenny Helm

Fire, insects, restoration, and vegetation management:

We study the ecological tradeoffs of different vegetation management options to address wildfires and insect outbreaks, including the effects of management actions on wildlife populations, communities, and habitats.

Invasive species:

We study the underlying causes and consequences of invasive species in order to develop tools to better manage and mitigate these threats to native biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human populations.

Photo Credit

Jenny Helm

Conservation genomics:

We use genetic tools to conduct cost-effective wildlife population monitoring, assess threats to population persistence, understand population connectivity, compare contemporary and historical conditions, and measure how populations respond to natural and anthropogenic changes.

Species and habitats of concern:

We conduct research that provides provide land managers with high-quality information about at-risk species and habitats to inform effective management strategies.

Photo Credit

Dan Vanderpool

Inventory, monitoring, and decision-support tools:

We design and conduct cost-effective, defensible monitoring efforts that provide National Forests with important information about wildlife species to inform management decisions.

Human-wildlife interactions:

We study the effects of human recreation, energy development, and urbanization on wildlife and their habitats.

Wildlife disease:

We study the effects of disease on wildlife, fish, and their habitats, while recognizing that wildlife, human, and ecosystem health are inherently linked.