Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

George Crook

Inkpaduta

James Brown

As we reflect on 2024, we offer you a list of 24 interesting and exciting science and nature events from parks of the national park system. From awe-inspiring celestial events to celebrating anniversaries and conservation wins, 2024 was filled with amazing moments.

In 1989, Barbara Sutteer (Booher) became the second Native American woman appointed superintendent by the National Park Service (NPS). Her determination to tell the story of the Native Americans at the Battle of Little Bighorn and to convey the reasons for and significance of the battle rather than celebrating Custer earned her criticism from some but it didn't stop her. She went on to develop plans and practices to improve how the NPS consults with Native American Tribes.

Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.

In 2007, the Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network—a small team of NPS scientists—began monitoring natural resources, called “vital signs,” in Little Bighorn Battlefield and nearby park units. Vital signs indicate park health and serve as red flags if conditions deteriorate, supporting park managers’ efforts to make science-based management decisions. Learn about the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division and its work in Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

Though Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a site devoted to history, preserving its grassland ecology remains integral to the park's mission. A history of lightning ignited wildfires and Native American land-use burning practices preserved the native vegetation. Now the park balances protection of cultural artifacts with a natural fire regime.

This finding aid describes the Robert M. Utley Papers, part of the NPS History Collection.

Judith Córdova experienced discrimination as a child in her Denver-area neighborhood. As an adult, she continued to fight against it in her job as an equal opportunity employment specialist for the National Park Service (NPS). Eventually she rose through the ranks herself, becoming the first Latina superintendent in 1993.

Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021.