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| Buffalo and the Yellowstone Association bus |
At 6 AM, the mercury read -15 degrees. Tufts of grass poked through the snow coated in hoarfrost. Every surface was covered in hoarfrost: cabin porch rails, tree branches, fence rails, and the windows of the Yellowstone Association bus that was needed to transport excited students through the wintry paradise in the Northern Range of Yellowstone National Park. It’s easy to be awed by the beauty surrounding the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch but our volunteers had many tasks to perform.
That early winter morning, volunteer program assistants scraped (and re-scraped) the bus windows and drove so that an expert seminar leader could instruct students. Volunteers at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch maintain the facilities on campus, including the shower house, shared kitchen and classrooms to ensure a safe and clean environment. Interspersed with all these activities, volunteers were at the ready to provide hot water and coffee to a group opening the small campus store for participants from the Yellowstone National Park Lodges and Yellowstone Association Lodging and Learning programs.
It’s never a dull day at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch!!
The historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch is a facility within Yellowstone National Park and is operated by Yellowstone Association eight months of the year, in partnership with the National Park Service. The ranch began operation in 1907 to preserve the last free roaming bison, which continued through the 1950’s, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1995, when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone, the Rose Creek wolf acclimation pen was located one mile north of the ranch. More information about the wolf reintroduction can be found in the Yellowstone Wolf Project’s 1995-1996 report, which is available at: http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/upload/wolfrep95-96.pdf.
Lamar Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone National Park
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| Volunteer at the YA Information Desk |
The Yellowstone Association (YA) relies on volunteers to make a positive impact on thousands of students that attend educational programs through the YA Institute. The Lamar Buffalo Ranch is not the only area where volunteers are actively engaged: YA has more than 100 volunteers, many of whom spend an average of four months volunteering in the park. Others come for weekends—from as far away as Florida—to support YA’s educational mission. In 2014, volunteers provided more than 19,000 hours of service!
The Yellowstone Association supports Yellowstone National Park by recruiting park hosts at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel each winter. These volunteer park hosts, in partnership with Yellowstone National Park Lodges, provide information about the best places to cross-country ski and view wildlife, and they educate visitors on opportunities in the park and with park partners.
The Yellowstone Association also recruits volunteer caretakers to maintain the Yellowstone Overlook Field Campus. Caretakers keep the campus and its cabins clean and provide a welcoming presence during visitors’ stays. These comfortable cabins are offered to visitors registered for field seminars based out of Gardiner, Montana, and to groups such as schools and friends/families that participate in YA private tours.
Our most visible volunteers are information assistants. From May through September, YA’s friendly information assistants present at our headquarters’ Park Store in Gardiner and at Destination Yellowstone at the Bozeman-Yellowstone Airport. These volunteers are knowledgeable about Yellowstone National Park as well as the gateway communities of Gardiner, West Yellowstone and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Visitors are impressed with the level of detail these volunteers provide when assisting with trip itineraries that include cultural activities, recreational opportunities and wildlife viewing spots.
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| Volunteers help guide visitors and provide a better experience for customers |
Yellowstone Association’s volunteers receive many great benefits for devoting so much time to YA and Yellowstone National Park. They receive a free spot in one of YA’s field seminars, discounts on retail products and are eligible for discounts from other vendors in the park.
Yellowstone Association volunteers name their three top highlights as:
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The opportunity to live and work in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,
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To be integrally involved with education in the park, and
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To share experiences with great people—visitors, YA staff and other volunteers.
The smooth operation of YA would not be possible without the many dedicated volunteers who willingly give their time to support the educational mission of Yellowstone Association and Yellowstone National Park!
For more information about the Yellowstone Association’s Field Seminars, volunteer/employment opportunities and support we provide to Yellowstone National Park please visit us online at www.yellowstoneassociation.org