Telluride Institute

What was new for the 2011 field season:

Due to extremely heavy spring snowfall in the San Juans in 2011, session 1 was primarily held in alternate locations lower than Bridal Veil Basin. Study plots within BV Basin were still under snow during June and July. Field sites were chosen in Telluride Town Park (birding), Ophir Pass (snow studies), Sunshine Campground (birding), Priest Lake and Matterhorn Campground (birding and vegetation), and Ilium Valley (art in nature).

BVLC students were hosted at Deep Creek Mine for an evening of art discussion and fire display, by Dan Collins and Laurie Lundquist.

2011 incorporated participants from Naturita High School and Telluride Mountain School for the first time, as well as Telluride High School and Norwood High School.

We had a record of 14 BVLC applicants, and accepted 7; as opposed to the usual class size of 5, transportation was generously provided by Dave's Jeep Tours for this larger group.

Vegetation monitoring plots were established and preliminary plant counts were taken by students and mentors at 12,000 feet in the alpine zone of Upper Bridal Veil Basin in 2009 and 2011.

The Meter-square method of vegetation counts has officially been abandoned, and the more efficient and representative method of diagonal transects with percent coverage has been adopted for all vegetation plots.

Telluride Institute : The Think-And-Do-Tank of the Rocky Mountain West

New Developments in 2011