Sam Archibald is a naturalist, guide, and Lead Field Educator for the Yellowstone Forever Institute. Along the trail toward environmental education, Sam developed outdoor leadership programs as a Peace Corps volunteer, led YCC work crews as a park ranger, and earned his master’s degree in environmental management (Western Colorado University).

He currently teaches field courses on wolf ecology, birds & blooms, Yellowstone Communities and Kinship, and other topics related to Yellowstone geology, ecology, and management. Sam is grateful for every day he gets to spend out in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and looks forward to the continual discoveries offered by this wild and wonderful landscape.

Presentation:

Bison and wolves are two of most ecologically and culturally significant animals in North America. Both are keystone species that shape the landscapes around them, and both have a long history intimately intertwined with humans that continues through the wildlife management challenges we see today. The ongoing research and long history of these species in Yellowstone provides an opportunity to understand bison and wolves in all their complexities.

Join Mandela as she shares her journey along the Orange River, which marks the boundary between South Africa and Namibia. The muddy waters cut through one of the driest deserts in the world, creating an oasis on either side of this life-sustaining river, which nourishes both people and wildlife in this Martian-like landscape.

Prepare for thrilling adventures, from flash floods and mudslides to encounters with dangerous scorpions and black spitting cobras. Experience the rush of abseiling while rafting down cliffs and navigating through huge, muddy whitewater. We will also explore the poignant stories from townships surrounding the era of Apartheid.

We'll also uncover the ongoing battle to protect rhinos, a symbol of resilience and conservation amid challenges. Through stunning visuals and compelling storytelling, this experience will inspire you with the beauty, complexity, and indomitable spirit of South Africa.

Swan Valley Connections' Luke Lamar (he/him) will discuss results from 10 years (2012-2022) of wolverine and Canada lynx monitoring in the Southwest Crown of the Continent. In collaboration with valuable partners, SVC has been monitoring rare carnivores in the Swan Valley since the 1990s, focusing on species like Canada lynx, wolverine, fisher, and marten.

As interest in these carnivores has grown, SVC has continued to collaborate with other entities on the Southwestern Crown Collaborative Carnivore Monitoring Project to collect more detailed data on their distribution, abundance, and genetics. During his presentation, Luke will also share incredible game camera footage from the Southwest Crown of the Continent.

As one of SVC's Managing Directors, Luke oversees the organization's conservation programs. Born and raised in the Swan Valley, Luke has developed deep roots and personal connections with the landscape. He has spent most of his life learning the land, people, and wildlife of the Swan, and studying its interconnected processes and relationships. Luke attended the University of Montana, where he earned a B.S. in wildlife biology.

In addition to serving as a wilderness ranger in the Mission Mountains Wilderness for 12 years, his career within the Swan Valley has entailed a wide spectrum of field biology projects that have focused on wildlife species such as grizzly bears, wolverines, and Canada lynx.