Purpose of award (summary of the goals and objectives of the project): this project will result in a new administrative history, bringing to light the many agricultural activities done by the united…

The National Park Service awarded a $104,639 cooperative agreement to the Great Basin Institute, a division of the Nevada Conservation Corps, to conduct historical research and update geographic information systems (GIS) data for Yellowstone National Park under the Cultural Resources Management program (CFDA 15.946). Through July 2027, a historian will research agricultural activities in Yellowstone from 1905-1965, conduct oral histories, analyze satellite imagery and photographs, and produce an annotated bibliography and draft administrative history identifying locations of past crop planting and livestock grazing. The historian will also work with GIS professionals to update the park's maps to reflect findings. The award will benefit Yellowstone management and subject matter experts addressing invasive species and climate change.

Purpose of award (summary of the goals and objectives of the project): this project will result in a new administrative history, bringing to light the many agricultural activities done by the united states army, the NPS, and concessioners between 1905-1965. The individual hired under this project will conduct oral histories of former staff members who managed the park's agricultural practices, conduct field work to document on-the-ground evidence of past agricultural impacts on the landscape, and use satellite imagery and period photographs to determine the scope of these practices. One of the main questions that this history hopes to answer is where and what crops were planted, animals were FED, and livestock pastured. Once this information is determined, the park's GIS data will be updated to identify cultivation areas within the park.summary of project specific activities:a historian will conduct research, field surveys, and oral histories to create an annotated bibliography and a draft administrative history that determines where/what crops were planted in yellowstone, and where/what animals were grazed in the park. Performance goals including milestones and expected outcomes:by the end of the appointment, the historian will provide an annotated bibliography and draft administrative history as well as worked with GIS professionals to update the park's maps.beneficiaries:the project will benefit the park's management staff and subject matter experts as they work to manage yellowstone's landscape in the face of invasive species and climate change. The public will be made aware of this relatively unknown aspect of yellowstone's history.