Document Type
Newsletter
Volume
5
Issue
2
Editor
Paul Rogers
Publisher
Western Aspen Alliance
Publication Date
5-2014
First Page
1
Last Page
5
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Abstract
Restoring Aspen in Rocky Mountain National Park
Therese Johnson
In 2008, when Rocky Mountain National Park’s Elk and Vegetation Management Plan (EVMP) was approved, aspen stands on primary elk range had not recruited new tree-sized stems for at least 35 years as a result of heavy elk browsing. Research showed that the distribution and abundance of aspen in the park declined during the 20th century, and modeling indicated that a continuation of high elk densities could result in the complete loss of aspen clones in high elk use areas. Aspen are rare in the park, but are important because they provide habitat for a disproportionately large number of plant and animal species compared to other habitat types.
Recommended Citation
Western Aspen Alliance, "Tremblings, May 2014" (2014). Tremblings. Paper 20.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/tremblings/20