Spring Newsletter 2016

Rock y Mounta in B io log ica l Labora to r y

Science at the Top

RMBL Board of Trustees

Scott WissingerPresident

Cindy Carlisle Vice President

Kurt GiesselmanSecretary

Gary Weed Treasurer

Diane Campbell Beverly Griffith

John HaleyTem McElroy

Kailen Mooney Jennifer Rudgers

RMBL StaffIan Billick

Executive DirectorAmy Ellwein

Director of Science Communications & Engagement

Mike FabbreFacilities Director

Gesa MichelOperations & Finance Director

Sarah Oktay Director of Institutional

AdvancementJennifer ReithelScience Director

billy barrStaff Accountant

James Brown Dining Hall Co-Manager

Ann Colbert Children’s Program & Outreach

Rick Horn Visitor Center & Gothic Store

Paul Leonard Dining Hall Co-Manager

Jennifer Pierson Adult Programs & Outreach

Samantha Siegfried Operations Coordinator

Shannon Sprott GIS/GPS Coordinator

Cover Photo by Shayn Estes: Hawk moth and larkspur in the

Upper East River Valley.

Dear RMBL Members, Friends, and Community,

RMBL has a once in a lifetime opportunity to help conserve the East River Valley. The Trampe Ranches have offered an option through 2016 on a conservation easement for the entire ranch at a discounted rate. RMBL’s Board has decided that we need to provide meaningful financial support to help ensure completion of this project. Coming on the heels of the Legacy Campaign, this will be a financial stretch. But all of our improvements, from the acquisition of North Pole Basin to an overhaul of our buildings, will create a very strong foundation for decades of research and education to come. And, perhaps the most important step we could take for the future of science in Gothic is ensuring the ecological integrity of the East River Valley. Without a conservation easement, there is a chance Mt. Crested Butte could eventually sprawl to RMBL’s doorstep. The ranch consists of six thousand acres scattered between Gothic and Gunnison, including property directly adjacent to RMBL, as well as the East River meanders that people gaze over as they drive into Gothic. While it might seem unlikely, located outside avalanche pathways, the property has considerable development potential because of its proximity to Mt. Crested Butte. Conservation of the property is important to the ecological integrity of the valley on which our research depends. Development brings invasive plants and other ecological problems that sprawl well beyond property boundaries. Unlike public lands, ranchlands are relatively free from human recreation. Given increasing pressure on public lands, these ranchlands are increasingly important for the health of the valley’s wildlife. RMBL is fortunate that long-time partner, The Trust for Public Land, is leading the project. This is no small task. The size and cost of this project makes this one of the more complex conservation transactions attempted in Colorado. The Trust for Public Land is currently soliciting six figure gifts in support of acquisition of the easement, but they will also take smaller donations to fund the transaction costs. If you are interested in helping, please contact Colorado Director of Philanthropy, Scott Dissel, at scott.dissel@tpl.org or 303-867-2337. There may not be another conservation project anywhere that brings science and land conservation together so well. Because decisions and priorities for all of the world’s ecosystems are based upon the science generated in the valleys around Gothic, this will impact people around the world. Even now, after almost 30 years of traveling between Gothic and Crested Butte, I still lose my breath as I glimpse the meanders rounding Rosy Point. The Trampe Ranch Project will protect this iconic Colorado landscape. It is a real privilege that we have this opportunity to conserve the East River Valley for future generations of students and scientists. I encourage you to join me, RMBL, and The Trust for Public Land in making a difference!

Sincerely,

Ian Billick, Ph.D.RMBL Executive Director

The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s mission is to advance the deep scientific

understanding of nature that promotes informed stewardship

of the Earth.

Phot

o by

Sha

yn E

stes

.

A look into the Upper East River Valley (Gothic and Baldy Mountains from Redrock).

Engaging in RMBLVolunteer in 2016: Learn, Share, Explore, Protect, and Participate!Contributed by Amy Ellwein, Ph.D., Director of Science Communications and Engagement

How do you make a difference in the world? RMBL advances the scientific understanding of nature, through research and education, to promote informed stewardship of the earth. RMBL scientists make a difference through their scientific discoveries, as well as by training the next generation of scientists. Many RMBL donors choose to support RMBL science because of its critical role in decision-making. One fundamental approach to supporting RMBL is by donating your time and skills as a volunteer. When you volunteer, you connect with like-minded people around meaningful work while having fun and learning. At RMBL, you also connect with our community of scientists and have opportunities to learn first-hand about our changing world. For those starting on a professional path, you gain leadership skills and unique professional experience. For others, volunteering is an opportunity to share your skills and passions, while making new friends and investing in life-long learning.

RMBL has volunteer opportunities for everyone. Are you really busy? Volunteer for a few hours - count birds during our Breeding Bird Survey, help control weeds through our Invasive Weed Days, volunteer with our most popular and long standing fundraiser, the 4th of July 1/3 Gothic to Crested Butte Marathon. Do you want a deeper, richer experience? Volunteer with a researcher or research group, educate visitors and protect our environmental and scientific resources as a RMBL Docent, become a Native Bee Collective Researcher and help our scientists collect vital data from your own backyard. Put your specific skills to use in any number of special projects, including work in scientific collections or historical archives, as outlined by RMBL staff or scientists.

Become a RMBL Docent! Share your love and knowledge of our area with visitors while helping protect the environment and RMBL research. Docents will learn about Gothic and RMBL history and learn about RMBL science directly from our scientists. Docents will share this knowledge through our Visitor Center in Gothic and in high traffic research areas, such as the Judd Falls Trail. They will also get special access to restricted RMBL properties, like the North Pole Basin, and other perks including exclusive events with our scientists.

Become a Citizen Scientist by joining the Native Bee Collective! Would you and your family like to participate in scientific research and protect our native bees? RMBL scientists will train you to identify and observe native bees and teach you about the importance of these tiny pollinators

and threats to their survival. You will install bee boxes on your property and watch your new tenants throughout the summer. You will collect data (photos, observations, etc.) to share with our scientists, expanding their datasets and the impact of their work. RMBL volunteers make a crucial difference to the science that helps us understand our world. The science conducted at RMBL helps us make decisions about critical systems that affect us all, such as clean air and water, sustainable agriculture, and human health. Make an oversized impact in your local community and the world as a RMBL volunteer! Please check our website (http://www.rmbl.org/volunteer/) for more information about volunteer opportunities or contact me, Amy Ellwein, at amy@rmbl.org.

Censusing pollination in June.

Bombus and Mertensia.

Phot

o by

Nic

kola

s W

aser

, Ph.

D.

Phot

o by

Jim

my

Lee,

Ph.

D.

A big project funded by the Department of Energy is gaining steam at RMBL led by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), including Dr. Kenneth H. Williams. Dr. Williams is a staff geological scientist in the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division at Berkeley Lab in Berkeley, California and the author or co-author of over 90 peer-reviewed publications. He received a B.A. in Geology, an M.S. in Geophysics, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy & Management from the University of California, Berkeley. Ken has been a pioneer in the field of biogeophysics, with a particular emphasis on the development of electrochemically-based techniques for characterizing subsurface microbial activity. Biogeophysics is a subdiscipline of geophysics concerned with how plants, microbial activity and other organisms alter geologic materials. You may or may not recall that microbes refer collectively to microscopic organisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. However, the term is used commonly to denote bacteria that are harmful or pathogenic. So microbes have gotten a bad rap, but anytime you drink a beer or fight off an infection you are benefitting from microbes. Microbes are involved in many large scale elemental processes, such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles, and are responsible for both the production and consumption of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Microbes often alter electrical potentials when they eat, grow, or react with other substances and this electrical activity can be measured. Ken was especially keen to learn more about soil microbes. There are billions to hundreds of billions of soil microorganisms in a mere handful of garden soil. That single handful will likely contain thousands of different species of bacteria, hundreds of different species of fungi and protozoa, dozens of different species of nematodes plus an assortment of various mites and other microarthropods. Almost all of these soil organisms are not only beneficial, but essential to the life-giving properties of soil. Ken’s research interests include measuring seasonal variations in metals and radionuclides that are mobile in soil and the role of floodplains as storage facilities for critical elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, iron, and manganese. Basically, he is looking at the ways that microbes may hold or release certain elements and how those processes may change in relation to changing precipitation or temperature, specifically in the Colorado River corridor. When Ken isn’t busy inventing new ways of looking at subsurface mineral properties, he serves as a Lead for the Climate and Ecosystem Science Division’s Environmental Remediation and Water Resources Program and serves

Science at the TopGenomes to Watershed:The Research of Dr. Kenneth WilliamsContributed by Sarah Oktay, Ph.D., Director of Institutional Advancement

A portion of the East River Watershed.

as the chief scientist and field site manager for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Rifle, Colorado (USA) field station. Climate change, extreme weather events, land-use alterations, and other perturbations are significantly reshaping interactions among the vegetation, soil, fluvial (river associated), and subsurface compartments of watersheds throughout the world. Watersheds, accumulate and store water resources but the hydrological processes in watersheds also can affect biogeochemical processes that support all terrestrial life. We all intrinsically understand that the changes in concentrations of minerals and elements in the soil and fluctuations in the amount of snowpack can affect everything from microbial activity to lodge pole pines. When Ken thought about the geologically and ecologically diverse nature of the East River valley, he realized it would be an excellent field site to conduct long-term research with the resources of RMBL nearby. He could lead a team to evaluate how changes in soil moisture and other physical factors might affect microbes that could then release or store various elements like carbon and nitrogen. A match made in scientific heaven was born! When speaking to Dr. Ken Williams for this article, it quickly became clear that this project was possible because of the infrastructure available at RMBL. The current physical lab and support is greatly augmented by the years of data collected by RMBL scientists from snowpack to aquatic insects to vegetation changes. The intellectual capital and long term data set is essential when setting up a new long term regional science experiment. Ken’s study is part of the Berkeley Lab’s “Microbes to Biomes” initiative and its new Watershed Function Scientific Focus Area (SFA) 2.0, supported under the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Climate and Environmental Sciences Division. While the SFA will be carried

All

phot

os c

ourt

esy

of th

e La

wre

nce

Berk

eley

Nat

iona

l Lab

orat

ory

© 2

010

The

Rege

nts o

f th

e U

nive

rsity

of

Cal

iforn

ia. P

hoto

by

Roy

Kal

tsch

mid

t.

A look into the collaborative lab space that Ken shares with multiple scientists in the Gothic Research Center at RMBL.

out in headwater catchments of the Upper Colorado River Basin, the approaches developed will be directly transferable to many other watersheds. Mountainous terrains in temperate regions store and release water from snow and this process is very sensitive to weather and climate dynamics. The questions to be answered, and they are myriad, include: What role do microbes play? How does their effect on soil properties, on metals, on streams, change with changing precipitation or temperatures? Are these processes accelerating? Do they have implications for food safety and production? How does this affect erosion? As the soil holds more or less moisture, do the microbial communities change and if they do does that release more metals or radionuclides into the groundwater? It is especially important to try to measure and eventually predict how snowmelt, drought, and other disturbances influence mountainous watershed dynamics that impact downstream water availability and biogeochemical cycling at seasonal to decadal timescales. This project is the largest undertaken at RMBL. The SFA is led by Berkeley Lab, and involves funded participants from other institutions, including UC Berkeley, Colorado School of Mines, Ft. Lewis College, the University of Arizona, the Desert Research Institute, Navarro, Inc., and Subsurface Insights. It also involves collaborations with investigators from approximately 25 additional laboratories, universities, agencies, and stakeholder groups.

Earth Sciences Division and their collaborators from the DOE Joint Genome Institute explore the East River Basin and Rocky Mountain Biology Laboratory as a field site for studies that will characterize hydrology, geology, mineralogy, microbiology and genom-ics of the watershed scale response to climate change.

Why did you decide to spend a summer at RMBL? I first learned about RMBL when I was looking at potential REU opportunities for summer research. I was immediately drawn to the location, having not spent much time in the mountains previously. My advisor and a few other biology professors at Grinnell highly recommended RMBL based on the high quality of research there and the excellent publications that scientists associated with it generate. Although I had other research opportunities for the summer, I chose RMBL because I knew I would become a better scientist, learn a lot from the amazing researchers and people at RMBL, and live at 9,500 ft in the mountains where I could trail run every day.

What sort of research did you do? As a member of “Team Marmot,” I observed marmots every day. This consisted of watching various marmot colonies through a spotting scope and recording the interactions between individuals. Examples of behaviors we were interested in include displacement, aggressive/playful biting and wrestling, alarm calling, etc. I also participated in daily trapping events during which we collected blood, fur and fecal samples, and other measurements. In addition, I investigated whether fur color was related to boldness in marmots by performing flight initiation distance experiments and assigning color scores to individual marmots. I learned that coat color isn’t related to behavior in marmots. To make a long story short, due to the differences in genetic control, color is linked to behavior in many species with discrete color morphs, but not in species with continuous color variation (like marmots).

What was your biggest take away from this work? What inspired you? My biggest take away was the importance of long-term research projects. Recording interactions between marmots for one day might not tell you much, but if you record all interactions for 10 years and combine it with the physical data collected during trapping, then the potential questions you can ask about social behavior, population dynamics, etc. become almost limitless. Dr. Blumstein’s work inspired me to examine how behavior influences various aspects of biology, in particular conservation biology, which I am particularly interested in.

Tell us a little about yourself. I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and particularly enjoy outdoor recreation, including running, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, sailing, etc. I graduated from Grinnell College in 2015 with a degree in biology, and I will pursue a Master’s in Conservation Medicine at Tufts University starting in the fall. In addition, as a result

of my connection with Dr. Blumstein, I recently completed a research internship at Arid Recovery in Southern Australia. I worked on a project that is attempting to determine whether prey naivety can be reduced in threatened species by exposing native mammals to low predation pressure, thereby allowing for the successful reintroduction of endangered species in Australia.

Anything else you want to add? Everyone will have a different research experience at RMBL, but I think one of the most important things you can do is be an active participant in the weekly talks. One of my favorite parts of RMBL was learning about all the other research that was going on. Also, I think planning camping/hiking trips is vital. It’s easy to get caught up in the work and not make time for exploring the surrounding mountains. That would be a shame! My favorite thing I did was run the 4-pass loop in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness. It’s possible to hike it in a couple days if you’re quick!

Training Tomorrow’s ScientistsUndergraduate Student Profile Evan Giffith, Grinnell College

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f E

van

Grif

fith.

Evan Griffith marking marmots.

Supporting Science, Stewardship, and EducationAn Introduction to Sarah Oktay and Len Germinara

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of S

arah

Okt

ay, P

h.D

.

I became the new Director of Institutional Advancement at RMBL full time on March 1, 2016 when my husband Len Germinara and I moved from Nantucket, Massachusetts to Almont, Colorado. For the past twelve years I was the Executive Director of the University of Massachusetts Boston Nantucket Field Station and Len was in charge of our K-8 programs. Len is also a performance poet and a poetry venue host, and he has shepherded kids of all ages through the process of creating poetry, photography, art, and prose publications. At the Field Station, we lived on site overseeing 107 acres and 9 buildings on Nantucket harbor and ran a well-known poetry venue called Spoken Word Nantucket. As wonderful as that was, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, one of the largest, oldest and most respected field stations in the country. It has been a big change for us to go from sea level to Gothic and we couldn’t be more excited or pleased. RMBL’s highly regarded Executive Director, Ian Billick, and I met at an Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) meeting in 2007 at Llano, TX. Ian served as the President of that organization from 2010-2012 and I served as President from 2014-2016. The mission of OBFS is to help support field stations, whether large or small, in achieving their research, outreach, and educational goals. As part of OBFS, both Ian and I worked on organizational development, national visibility, and fundraising. I first came to RMBL this past fall when OBFS held our annual meeting in Gothic. I was immediately impressed by a variety of factors that made the decision to move across the country easier. Even in the throes of juggling a complex meeting with over a hundred attendees, the staff were friendly, obviously loved their jobs and were proud to be associated with RMBL. The beauty of Gothic, its history, community, and the buildings and scientific infrastructure all contributed to the siren call of the mountains. Coming to RMBL in many ways is coming home for me. I was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and my father worked as a chemical engineer. I carried on the family tradition with a bit of a twist by switching from oil fields to the ocean.

Over my adult years while working full-time I received an A.S. degree in Chemistry from Tulsa Junior College and a B.S.in Marine Science and a Ph.D. in Chemical Oceanography from Texas A&M University in Galveston. My research involved investigating the transport of fresh and salt water and sediment by tracking the human influenced compounds (metals, organic compounds, radionuclides) in that water. Public service is very important to me. On Nantucket I was the President of the Civic League, on the Conservation Commission for 9 years, and the co-Captain of the Clean Team in addition to holding five other civic committee positions. I also wrote a weekly science column for a Nantucket paper called Yesterdays’ Island. My expertise on coastal erosion issues on the Nantucket Conservation Commission and science and advocacy work have been featured in Vanity Fair, LA Times, the New York Times, Yankee Magazine, Cape Cod Times, and many other local news organizations. I am currently the Senior Science Advisor with Water Defense, a nonprofit started by actor Mark Ruffalo, to provide water quality testing solutions and advocacy across the country. I am honored to work with a dedicated and committed team of people whose life work is to advance our understanding of the natural environment through scientific inquiry, observation, and education. RMBL has produced decades of groundbreaking research and an ocean of highly trained scientists and students which has inspired loyal community, alumni, and board support. I hope to help RMBL grow into even greater success on the national and international stage while helping support the critical science and training occurring here.

Sarah Oktay at the University of Massachusetts, Boston Nantucket Field Station.

Len Germinara leading the Junior Rangers at the Nantucket Field Station. Len will be launching a RMBL Ranger program this summer in Gothic for students who will be entering grades 6-8 in fall of 2016. Find more information in the Youth Programs pages at www.rmbl.org.

ASSETS Cash and Cash Equivalents $742,100 Cash Held for Others $144,977 Accounts receivable $95,307 Pledges receivable $0 Federal Contracts Receivable $0 Prepaid Expenses $1,781 Investments $1,659,660 Other Assets Property and Equipment: Land $2,395,581 Buildings $7,440,984 Equipment $1,248,201 Accumulated Depreciation ($2,324,959)Construction in Progress: Property and Equipment, net $8,759,807 TOTAL $11,403,631 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities: Accounts payable $106,176 Funds Held For Others $144,977 Deferred Revenue $0 TOTAL LIABILITIES $251,153 EQUITIES: Unrestricted $9,198,553 Temporarily Restricted $777,431 Permanently Restricted $1,176,494 Total Net Assets $11,152,478 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $11,403,631

2015 Financial ReportThis financial report is unaudited. Audited financial reports are posted on www.rmbl.org as they become available.

RMBL General Operating Fund Report

RMBL Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015

Category Revenue ExpensesAdministrative $289,045 $376,601 Development $481,919 $99,842 Informal Science Education $56,597 $115,695 Store $69,355 $73,899 Coursework $38,660 $49,668 Research $0 $115,236 Physical Plant $300,917 $370,877 Food Services $161,599 $148,217 High/Middle School Program $4,761 $3,401

Thank you for your support! RMBL had a good financial year in 2015. Donations to general operations rebounded with the completion of the Legacy Campaign. Furthermore, the Community Center was completed on time and on budget, and the new facility allowed us to increase operational revenue through fall conferences. Increased use of facilities in the summer also generated additional income. Gunnison County amended RMBL’s operating permit to allow us to house 180 people onsite and maintaining higher levels of use of facilities will make RMBL more sustainable. One of the challenges associated with increased use is operating RMBL at the appropriate scale. We are focused on generating additional use that will help us operate RMBL on a cost effective basis. Future challenges include funding approximately $2 million in needed housing upgrades, supporting scientists as federal funding declines, funding student scholarships, and creating a data-rich environment for scientists to accelerate scientific discovery.

Sunset from Treasury Mountain looking at Crystal Peak in North Pole Basin. Ph

oto

by S

hayn

Est

es.

2015 RMBL Supporters

General Operating FundLeadership Circle ($25,000+)Cindy and Gary M. WeedDavid Weekley Family FundCarolyn and David Miller

Columbine Club ($10,000-$24,999)AnonymousHenry and Sandra EstessBalie and Beverly GriffithKathryn and Scott KingJohn and Carson Taylor

Marmot Club ($5,000-$9,999)Ian Billick and Jennie Reithel Doris D. and James M. BroganCindy Carlisle Glenn and Eva DubinAnne and Paul EhrlichMaureen and Keith Gamble Carolyn Gibbs and Rick NelsonKurt and Janet Giesselman

John Goldsmith and Amy Kern Noelle and Richard Hagan Margie and John HaleyDenise and Blake Hawk James and Ynette Hogue Ben and Mary Gwen HulseyDonald and Cathey Humphreys David and Bonnie InouyeKristina Jones and Peter HechtCarol Johnson and Russ MillerMark and Sarah Kaufman Douglas La Follette Linda and Doug McDonaldTem and Maggie McElroyDavid and Patricia MillerDavid OwenJane (in memoriam) and Ken OwenBarbara Peckarsky and Steve HornMary Price and Nick Waser Randy and Barbara RosenblattDiane Ross Stephanie and Thomas Seymour Tony and Randi Stroh

Venise and Larry StuartBarbara and James ThomsonRichard and Rosemarie Whiting Marcella and Brian Wildes Charles Williams and Rosemary SmithScott and Sue Wissinger Paul and Donna Witt

Trout Club ($2,500-$4,999)Ruth H. Brown Foundation Peg and Jim BillickPeter and Cathy DeaJack and Jane McAllister Elizabeth B. and Arthur E. Roswell Foundation, Inc.Stephen and Harmony SpongbergSusan Whitehead

Phot

o by

Sha

yn E

stes

.

Rainbow over Redrock.

Phot

o by

Jim

my

Lee,

Ph.D

.

Pollination research with Corydalis.

2015 RMBL Supporters

Scarlet Gilia ($1,000-$2,499)Barbara Andrews and Dennis TharpKenneth and Katie Armitage Brian BeitnerThe Benevity Community Impact Fund Paulette Bierzychudek Carol Boggs and Ward Watt Alison BrodyDiane Campbell Sue Carrizales and Vaughn Cottman Nicholas and Mary ChirekosPhyllis CowellMary and Bob DodgeKenneth Fabbre Family FoundationBonnie and J. Crockett FarnellMarilyn and Robert GentryScott and Kathy GrahamWalter and Sherron GreenGillian HearstRobert and Cecelia HesslerHouston Jewish Community Foundation Barbara Ivins and John HughesPat and Jane JeneveinGloria and Ren KernNina KingsdaleHarry and Gretchen LelandJohn and Laurie McBrideChuck and Cathy McGinnis Elisabeth Caldwell Meeker Withrow Meeker

Nancy Moran and Howard Ochman Kathy Norris Bert Phillips and Happy FowlerTom and Kathleen Porter Perrin and Peggy Quarles Bill and Anne Ronai Jennifer Rudgers and Ken Whitney Susanne and Walther Schoeller Schwab Charitable Fund Barrett SidesClint and Marilyn Smith Tracy and Steve SmithJudy Spinella and Peter VerukiDirk Van Vuren and Cheryl ScottJim Watson and Harriet HollemanGeorge and Shirley WilliamsBecky and Joe Williams Family Fund Lacy and Edie WilliamsKlaus and Karin Wisiol

White Crowned Sparrow ($500-$999)Jason Berv and Sumaya Abu-Haidar Dan Blumstein and Janice Daniel Frank and Elisabeth BurchLee and Kathy CannonShirley and Stuart CrowDavid and Cherry Hickman Carole Dobbie

James and Virginia DoublesBob and Darlene DouglassCharlene Dougherty Bruce Driver John and Mary EllisSuzanne and Robert FletcherMonica GeberGreater Houston Community Foundation Marcie and Charles HaleyChris HuggardJerry Mitchell Barbara and Bob KauffmanAnne KinderAllison LeidnerMary MalyCliff and Chris MannBarbara and Ken Moffitt Sam Myers and Kelsey Wirth Jeanette Peter Steve Polan and Elizabeth Roistacher John PutnamKatherine and Krehe RitterDavid Rose and Ceil MurrayNathan Sanders and Aimee Classen Shell Oil Company Carol ShiningerJames and Delrena SidesLowry and Leila SmithSherry and David WhitneyAnn and David Zweig

Ice on Emerald Lake in June. Ph

oto

by A

nnik

a Sa

hlin

Nel

son.

2015 RMBL Supporters

Butterfly ($100-$499)Acme Liquor, Inc. Altitude Auto Deborah AltusPhyllis AnderslandPeter AppletonMargaret BaileyJim BarronThomas Bass and Bonnie KruegerDavid and Chris BaxterLou BeckmanDan BenchRalph BensonSuzanne and Fred BerryTeresa BledsoeBenjamin BlonderMary Ellen and Walter BoyntonDeborah and Larry BrannianDick and Donna BrattonClait BraunMary Jane and Peter BridgesJudith Bronstein and Goggy DavidowitzBerry Brosi and Karen Levy Clark Denniston Brown Emily and John Bruno Theresa Bucher Mike and Allison ButcherJohn Cairns David and Tanya CameronCindy Carey

Dudley B. Carlson Rosemary and Torrey Carroll Harvey CastroJames ChambersCharles and Marion ClassenPhilippe Cohen and Cindy Stead Community Foundation of the Gunnison ValleyDon and Amy ConklinIra and Holly Conn Diana CosandWin and Anda CravenCristiana Guesthaus Gretchen Daily and Gideon JaffeLisa and Timothy Daniel Joseph De Compiegne Torin and Veronica Dewey John and M.J. DierGary and Marilyn Dillard Greg and Mary Beth Dimijian Kevin and Sonda Donovan Gwen Dooley Marla and Ken Drucker Kenneth Duncan William Dwyer Dave and Carole Ebner George Enders and Sally Ling Sandy and Allen Enders Daniel EricksonErin and Mike Fabbre

Teddy FeldbergGreg and Tracy FlorantRachael Freeman and Samuel Slosek Hannah Galantino-HomerLawrence Gall and Nancy Barrer Charles and Adrienne GallagherCathy and Bob GeraghtyRichard and Gail Grossman Andrew and Suzanne Hadley Robert and Stephany Haley Steven and Sue Haley Will Hamilton and Jackie Bird Peter HartlineHelen Hasbrouck Mary and Kirk Haskell Hasz FamilyDonald HaverAlan and Gloria HeathCarole HickmanLoren HintzRachel Homer and David MakowskiRobert and Merrill HorswillDee HullTrudy HuntingtonJohn and Jackie InghamKaren and Tom JensenEliza Jewett-HallGary and Elizabeth KeiserMargaret and Peter KennelJon Kingsdale and Rosalie R. Phillips

Phot

o by

Nic

kola

s Was

er, P

h.D

.

Phot

o by

Ann

Col

bert

.

Gothic after a snow storm in May. Kids Nature Camp and Town Hall.

2015 RMBL Supporters

Joan KritzbergJames KruegerDiana Kushner Mary Laird and Greg GlatzmaierRita Lang Ralph Langenheim and Casey M. Diana Beth and Shelly LeidnerDavid and Sandy LeinsdorfBill LiebmanRon and Karen LongRick and Kathy LorentzSvata Louda and Rod Otley Thomas LovejoyLynn Maguire Ellen Mahoney Tyler and Laura MartineauBarbara McGaugheyAngus and Emma McIntoshAvery Miller Arlee Montalvo Jim Moore Seth Novatt and Priscilla Natkins Louise C. NuttleSarah Oktay and Len GerminaraDavid and Marjorie O’ReillyJennifer Maza Otremba

Nick and Candace Palmarozzi John Palmer Emily and Bob Pannier Ginny PassothPat and Sue Knoll Michael and Linda Paulaitis Carol PeacockBill and Cynthia Peatross John and Barbara Pleasants Gary ReinessKen and Lucy ReynoldsRuss and Mary Rhea Gudrun Rice and Charles Kerr Dan Ritchie Dabney Rohrbach Bitty RoyAl and Betty SchneiderRuth SchorschDavid Schrier Billy Schweiger and Megan Bowes Larry Seeman and Teri Schadeck Shell Oil Company Elizabeth ShoreMartin and Ellie SilvermanSara and Joshua SimmersAlexandra SmithThomas and Barbara Snyder David and Caroline Specht

Nia Spongberg and Mollie McDermott Loren and Laura SteffyHeidi Steltzer and David BanksSally and John StevensonGeoff and Jennifer TagerToni TaylorBob ThurmondChris Tonielli-Crayton and Joshua Crayton Helen TraylorNora Underwood and Brian Inouye Dian Vandenmark and Tom HartmanMartha ViolettVogy’s House Moving, LLC Robert WallachMartha WaltonAnne Wara Nell Ward Todd and Kim WellnitzNoah WhitemanJoe WiattBrook and Emily WilkeKenneth Williams and Janelle A. Weaver James and Nurit Wolf Tricia and Mike WortleyKen and Ruth Wright Carrie and Eugene Wu Frank and Marlene Zanetell

Butterfly ($100-$499) continued

Phot

o by

Aly

ssum

Coh

en.

A rainy day of Helianthella demography in Maxfield Meadow.

2015 RMBL Supporters

Mayfly (<$100)Amazon Smile Foundation Gay and Greg Austin Gail Baker Clifford and Susan BeckmanSkip and Ruth BerkshireAllan BerlindJessica Boynton and Chad CarterSarah BoyntonWendy and Tony BrownJohanne BrunetLaura BurklePaul CaraDonna and Amy IlerBill and Lynne CarikerMalle Carrasco-HarrisMichael ClimacoAnn and Travis ColbertDenise Cooper Molly and Paul CrossLynn Cudlip Robert CushmanJeffrey DelaneyGregory and Christine Enders Robert Fine and Marsha GoldsteinChris Floyd and Rachel Schwartz Miguel FranciscoKate GallagherDeborah Glicklich

Susan GoodwinLinda and Gary GrayClea GreenawaltJosh “Bear” GrinathBarry and Rena GrossmanJohn and Nicole GutrichDavid P. HackenyosDenis HallThomas HammondEmily HartmanBetsy Heartfield Ryan Herlands Maureen HinkleAlice and Steve JennisonElise JonesBen Koch and Hannah GriscomAngie and Bob KrayErica KrugerCheryl R. Kuchna Laura and John Barberis, Jr. Janet LennoxBetty LightMelissa MerrickGesa and Glenn MichelThomas Mitchell-OldsMooney-Thomas FamilyKim MorssSue Navy

Katherine NorgardNancy NovitskiStephen OstroskeyJohn and Barbara PleasantsDavid PorterCharles and Gail RanslerEdward RealzolaKatherine SharafGurnek SinghRobin SleithMimi SmithAnne SteinbeckChristopher Still and Maria MurphyThe Boeing Company A. Thomas VawterTodd and Kim WellnitzBrooke Zanetell and Philip Handmaker

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f ID

igBi

o.

Phot

o by

Gab

riella

Par

dee.

A young red fox strolling through Gothic.

IDigBio and the Organization for Biological Field Stations (OBFS) partnered to provide a digitization workshop in conjunction with the OBFS annual meeting that took place at RMBL this past fall.

2015 RMBL Supporters

Directed Gifts

$50,000+Mary Price and Nick Waser

$10,000+Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District

$5,000-$9,999Thomas and Linda Biery Virginia DodsonJames and Ynette Hogue Douglas and Kimberly Johnson Jean Langenheim David and Patricia Miller

$1,000-$4,999Carol Boggs and Ward WattKen and Ginny Brown Clint and Siva Chambers Linda Ellwein and Pam Tibbetts Kristina Jones and Peter Hecht Piper Jaffray Deborah Stacy Matt Thompson John and Susan Tuttle Scottie Willey

Up to $999Joan Ann and Gene Moore Annunciation Parish Michael and Barbara Aufdenspring Keith Armitage and Maria Mincek Kenneth and Katie Armitage Margaret Bailey Dorothy and Bill Baker Andrea and Michael Banks Nature Fund Laura and John Barberis, Jr. Lucy Bednekoff Ian Billick and Jennie ReithelDon and Rose Bley Jessica Breckenridge Annette Brooker-Grogan Ann and Ronald Brown Elizabeth Brown and Matthew Busick Mary Butler Lorene Calder Deborah and Peter Christakos Gary Clark and Linda Waninger Kathleen and Matteo Coco Ron and Vandy Coffey DeFries & Northern Coffman Jack and Caroline Diani Sharon and Harvey Dean

Richard Dougherty Evaluation Systems Group of Pearson David and Maureen Everding Thomas and Donna Farishon Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Mary Franklin Carol Gehring Clea Greenawalt John and Karen Glick George Graham Wilma and Ralph Gore Shirley and Gordon Grassle Linda and Gary Gray Hair of Hope Susy Hammons Shymanski Harding and Co., P.S.C. George and Beth Harrigan Kristin and James Hays Charlyn and James Heinz Mary Hittler Kay and Carl Hoelting Barbara Jewell and Don Green Mary Kay and Jim Muehlbauer Philip and Maria Kirwan Loretta and Joseph Kladiva

Includes: Legacy Campaign, The Ryan Brown Scholarship, The Keith Krakauer Memorial Scholarship Endowment, Johnson Family Memorial Fellowship Endowment, The Jean H. Langenheim Endowed Graduate Fellowship in the Ecology and Evolution of Plants, Tim Wawrzyniec Fellowship, Harriet G. Barclay Scholarship Endowment and other restricted funds.

RMBL strives to ensure the accuracy of our donor recognition lists. We apologize for any errors and ask that you please let us know of any discrepancies as soon as possible. Please email dev@rmbl.org with any changes. Thank you!

Stream measurements.Phot

o by

Jim

my

Lee,

Ph.D

.

2015 RMBL Supporters

Michael Kelting Darlene and Edwin Koehler Christina and Robert Kreuzer Helen Kriegsman Jill Lauman Michael and Patricia Lawson Evelyn and Peter Liffiton Carolyn and Joseph Lopez Henry and Sally Manwell Jennine and Albert Marrone Peter McDonald and Lisa Cyrocki Dawn and Chris Mcnay Midwest Neurological PC Miglin Family Patricia and Shane O’Neill Sandra J. Overman-Haile Morgan and Lisa Pauley Robert Peterson Cynthia and William Pfannenstiel Thomas Potts Scott Powell Diane Quinlin Barbara Peckarsky and Steve HornPeggy and John Pfrank Donna and Michael Regan Kathy and Eric Rosenblad

Margrit Schneeweiss Lisa Schoenherr Jim and Barb Schuette Paul Schuette Michael Setzer Nancy and Janet Smith Deborah Stacy Randi Stewart The Deaconess Care Group Hospitalists James and Barbara Thomson Carey and Richard Timmerman Town of Crested Butte Josh and Sarah Uffman Carmen Torres-Fernandez Marilyn Molly Vehige Scott and Kristin Vogel Trudy Yaklich

In HonorIan Billick, Ph.D.Charlene DoughertyCharles DelaneyClea GreenawaltMargie and John HaleyRick Horn

Daniel G. JohnsonLorraine and Grier RaggioWard Watt, Ph.D.

In MemoryHarriet Barclay, Ph.D.Ron BrownRyan BrownTheodora Colburn, Ph.D.Stanley Dodson, Ph.D.Robert K. Enders, Ph.D.Henry Bancel “Bam” LaFargeDorothy JohnsonJohn C. Johnson, Jr., Ph.D.John C. Johnson, Ph.D.John KrakauerJames LennoxTom and Joan NorrisMichael PeterNavjot Sodhi, Ph.D.Marion Stoerker Tim Wawrzyniec, Ph.D.

Phot

o by

Sha

yn E

stes

.

Wild Iris.

PO Box 519Crested Butte, CO 81224

www.rmbl.org 970-349-7231

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCRESTED BUTTE, CO

81224Permit No. 3

RMBL Summer Events 2016

This biannual newsletter is sent to supporters who have made a donation to RMBL in the last 18 months. If you would prefer to receive this newsletter electronically, please email dev@rmbl.org. Thank you for your support!

Youth Programs Nature & Science CampsJune 15 – August 19

Public Science SeminarsTuesdays, June 14-August 16 / 7:30 p.m. Gothic, FREE

Gothic Breeding Bird SurveyJune 25

RMBL Community Open House CelebrationJune 30 / 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Gothic, FREE

Adult Science ToursThursdays, June 30 through August 25

48th Annual Gothic to Crested Butte 1/3 MarathonJuly 4

Douglass Distinguished Lecture: Gerardo Ceballos July 11 / 7:30 p.m. Crested Butte Heritage Museum, FREE

Invasive Weed Volunteer DaysJuly 20 & August 17

Join us at the Weldon and Rosalie Weekley Visitor Center in Gothic this summer! FREE tours of RMBL at 11 a.m. daily from June through September. Come and find out about our scientists and students, research

and history. The Visitor Center will be staffed June 10 to September 30, 2016.

NEW THIS SUMMER! RMBL is recruiting volunteer docents for our Weldon and Rosalie Weekley Visitor Center and volunteer citizen scientists to join our Native Bee Collective research program. See the Volunteer page at http://www.rmbl.org/volunteer/ for more information.

For more information about events and to register for programs, please see our Programs and Events page at http://www.rmbl.org/programs-for-the-public

Public Policy Forum and RMBL Speaker: Brian McPeek July 27 / 7:30 p.m. Crested Butte Center for the Arts, FREE

RMBL Science FestivalAugust 1-5 / A week-long series of events for your inner scientist.

Youth Programs Family Night in GothicAugust 5

High School Science CourseAugust 1-12

Historic Preservation Dinner in GothicAugust 23

Tour de Forks Dinner with a ScientistAugust 24