Archeology-focused Yellowstone Science magazine released

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY - A new issue of Yellowstone Science magazine invites readers to celebrate the achievements of recent archeological research in Yellowstone and traces the history of the park’s archeology program. The issue includes articles focusing on obsidian, the Nez Perce Trail, and the historical archeology of Yellowstone. A new feature called “Debunking the Myth” counters common misperceptions about use of the area in the past. Central to the issue is the important work done by Dr. Douglas H. MacDonald. MacDonald’s surveys of the shores of Yellowstone Lake provide invaluable insights into how this huge body of water served as a hub of activity for thousands of years. Dr. Staffan Peterson’s “Archeology and Adaptation to Climate Change in Yellowstone” discusses the challenges faced by modern archeologists in the face of change.

“Ultimately, as much as archeology compels us to rethink how we define this landscape, it certainly makes the story of Yellowstone National Park deeper and richer, helping us understand that this place was important long before early European explorers came here,” guest editor and Chief of Cultural Resources Tobin Roop writes in the introduction.

Historical article topics include the Howard Eaton “Yellowstone Tour,” relief model maker Edwin E. Howell, and the 1889 adventures of botanist Aven Helson. A piece discussing Gibbon River fisheries restoration work, book reviews, and “Recovery of Soda butte Creek, Post-Reclamation” by Dr. Andrew Ray round out the issue.

Yellowstone Science shares information from scientists and researchers with the public to highlight in-depth, science-based knowledge about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The production of Yellowstone Science is made possible in part by a generous grant to Yellowstone Forever by Canon U.S.A.

The new issue, along with an index of past issues, is available online at http://www.nps.gov/yellowstonescience.