In its 12th year, the State of the Rockies Project continues to be a critical resource for keeping the public informed about the conservation issues that matter most in the Rocky Mountain West. Each summer, the program hires several student interns who compile research for the annual State of the Rockies Report Card. Three of this summer’s interns talked about their motivations, goals, and experiences:

Max Hittesdorf ’16, a sociology major from Fort Collins, Colo., said he became interested in environmental issues through his involvement with several food-related organizations on campus. His research focuses on sustainable and holistic ranching practices in the Rocky Mountain West. “I hope to gain a greater understanding of my area and the issues affecting it. It is really interesting to dive into these issues and build a greater connection to the place I grew up,” he said.

Caroline Martin ’15 is an environmental science major from Charlotte, N.C. She explained that the importance of the State of the Rockies Project is “keeping these issues in mind and publicizing them to a broader audience. Even though people tend to care more here on the Colorado College campus, we still have a lot of work to do.” This summer, Martin is researching “the wolf re-introduction to Yellowstone that occurred in 1995 and the cascading ecological effects of that. I’m also looking into the current status of the wolf in the Rocky Mountain West as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering de-listing the gray wolf from the endangered species list.”

Kevin Moss ’15, an environmental science major and Outdoor Recreation Club trip leader from Washington, D.C., said he’s been interested in conservation issues for a while. “I hope to gain the research experience and confirm this is what I want to do after my time at Colorado College.” This summer, Moss is studying the melting glaciers in Glacier National Park and the human impacts from the water source loss of the glaciers. In comparison to other programs researching conservation issues in the West, State of the Rockies stands out for Moss because “most agencies are just looking at things through one lens; we look through all of them.”