Site Under Construction
Photo Credits
Jeff Gillarde ; David Silva http://davidsilvaphotography.com ; Pronghorn Antelope http://diy.didiroesmana.com/trends/pronghorn ; Big Horn Sheep ,North Dakota Fish & Game ; Black Rock Desert Playa with mud cracks http://www.terragalleria.com/america/nevada/black-rock-desert ; Black Rock Lake (seasonal) http://www.grantkaye.com ; Google Earth
Northwest Great Basin Mobile Field Station
Supporting the Earth & Environmental Sciences
The Northwest Great Basin Mobile Field Station was established within the Black Rock Desert National Conservation Area in 2007. A volunteer effort took on the task of outfitting and managing a field station that provides an invaluable resource to the Earth & Environmental Sciences.
Many people are not familiar with Field Stations. All throughout the country these facilities host university students and researchers who collect important data to manage our natural resources. Additionally Field Stations address the problem of field education being at risk. Educators nationwide are concerned students aren't getting into the field and these facilities provide one solution.
Developing more Field Stations is a financial challenge but the mobile model that has been used is a solution. Much of the equipment is potentially available from the government system, so to duplicate this Field Station model is a matter of consolidation and retrofit of this equipment.
When the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) provided funding for the MFS in 2010, the management then shared the vision that a network of facilities could possibly be created throughout the West. This would have a positive impact on data collection, help resolve the issue of field education being at risk, provide site specific field support and eliminate the burdensome task for researchers and science classes to coordinate field logistics.
Loss of funding in 2013 due to the sequester brought this project to a standstill. Currently an effort is underway to reinstate the Mobile Field Station Program.
For further information about this project and volunteer / advisory opportunities contact:
Jeff Gillarde 805-340-7870 or jgillarde@yahoo.com