Plant, Animal and Ecosystem Data Resources
Organizations and Misc. Websites
Rocky Mountain Herbarium:
The
Rocky Mountain Herbarium houses hundreds of thousands of plant specimens
collected in the Rocky Mountain region. The online specimen database allows
users to search by plant name to find species range or exact location, or
search by location to generate a list of plant species.
NatureServe:
NatureServe
is a national online database website that houses information about
plants, mammals, birds, amphibians, and more in North America and South
America. You can search for the common name of a species you'd like to
know more about, and find lots of information about that species'
habitat, distribution, population trends and more.
Wyoming Natural Diversity Database:
The zoologists and botanists at the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD) collect data on the distribution
and ecology of rare plants, rare animals, and important plant
communities in Wyoming. WYNDD provides datasets for species or ecosystems upon request.
Biodiversity Institute:
The Berry Center offers numerous programs for K-12 classes, including biodiversity workshops, field trips and science pen pals, as well as focused work days in science labs located in the Berry Center. The Visit and Interact page offers a listing of each of the programs, and if you would like to work on something not listed, don't hesitate to contact the Biodiversity Institute - all programs and workshops are tailorable to the age group and topic!
Casper Mountain Science School:
Casper Mountain
Science School (CMSS) creates opportunities for students to experience
science through studying Wyoming's ecology in the outdoors. Through this
program, students come to understand the many relationships between
themselves and our geology, biology, climate, and history that create
Wyoming's landscape. CMSS is a four-day session for K-12 students to
attend, and professional and college-level students to serve as
instructors. Students examine animals, plants, and water as they relate
to larger ecological questions.
Science Posse:
The
Science Posse is a group of UW graduate students with strengths and
expertise in varying science-related subjects. The Posse travels around
Wyoming visiting students in classrooms and helping teachers implement
experiments and concepts. The Science Posse's administrative offices
are located in 5006 Agriculture-C at the University of Wyoming, Laramie.
Wyoming Association of Environmental Educators:
The
Wyoming Associate of Environmental Educators (WAEE) is an organization
dedicated to promoting environmental education in the state of Wyoming
and regionally. The organization is entirely
volunteer-run. WAEE members are K-12 teachers, college professors,
agency personnel, youth group leaders, staff of environmental
non-profits, community educators and others interested in conservation
or environmental education.
Draper Museum of Natural History:
The
Draper Museum of Natural History is located in the Buffalo Bill
Heritage Center in Cody, Wyoming. It houses a physical collection of
scientific specimens in the Aves and Mammalia families, a digital
collection of photos, videos, and audio recordings of wildlife in the
region. It hosts talks, field trips and other activities to connect people with their local environments.
Insect Museum and Gallery:
The
Entomology Museum and Gallery contains the approximately 250,000
specimens of insects from all over the world, and many from Wyoming. A
few of the key locations these specimens are from include the Pawnee
National Grasslands Collection, Hanna Strip-Mine Collection, the 1989-1990 Yellowstone
Post-Fire Collection, and the world's largest research
collection of Costa Rican parasitoid wasps of the family Braconidae.
The Gallery is located in room 4018 of the Agriculture Building at the
University of Wyoming.
Geological Museum:
The University of Wyoming's Geological Museum houses the numerous dinosaur, stone and mineral specimens found in Wyoming and beyond. Come see a full-sized Allosaurus and Apatosaurus, and learn about the amazing creatures that roamed these plains hundreds of thousands of years ago. The Geological Museum is located on the UW campus in Laramie, right by the Berry Center.
Rocky Mountain Herbarium:
The
Rocky Mountain Herbarium houses hundreds of thousands of plant specimens
collected in the Rocky Mountain region. The online specimen database allows
users to search by plant name to find species range or exact location, or
search by location to generate a list of plant species.
UW Vertebrate Collection:
The Vertebrate Collection houses approximately 10,000 specimens of birds, mammals, fish and amphibians, mostly collected from Wyoming. The Vertebrate Collection is like a library of animals, with information about when and where specimens were collected and other information like weight, length, and more. The Vertebrate Collection is located in
Berry Center 119 and 133 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Werner Wildlife Museum:
Werner Wildlife Museum serves as
a multi-level and interdisciplinary resource to provide quality
educational experiences and promote a culture of awareness and
appreciation for the natural world. The focus of the Werner Wildlife
Museum is wildlife native to Wyoming, but the museum also houses animals
from around the world. This museum is located near the Casper College campus.
Williams Conservatory:
Located
in the Aven Nelson building on campus, the Conservatory houses hundreds
of plant species, ranging from banana trees to cacti, orchids
to pitcher plants. The Conservatory is free of charge and open to the
public. Located in the Aven Nelson (botany) Building at the University
of Wyoming in Laramie.
Stable Isotopes Facility:
The Stable Isotopes Facility is a hands-on teaching facility for University of Wyoming students,
post-docs and faculty to investigate isotopic properties of biological
materials. These properties can indicate the presence and magnitude of
ecological processes, record biological responses to Earth's changing
environmental conditions, and trace the origin and movement of key
elements and substances. SIF is located in Berry Center 214 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Macromolecular Analysis Core:
The Macromolecular Analysis Core (MAC) houses, maintains, and operates scientific equipment for UW
research involved in the characterization of biomolecules. For example,
nucleic acid content, protein expression and localization, and enzymatic
activity can be measured within cells, and proteins, sugars and other
metabolites can be separated, characterized and identified. Any and all
of these measurements are useful for investigating how organisms
function and react to their environments. MAC is located in Berry Center 320 and 322 at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Biodiversity Gardening:
Biodiversity Gardening is a website focused around fostering and conserving the presence of insects and plants native to any given area. Visit their website to watch videos, view pictures and learn more about biodiversity conservation!
Wyoming Native Plant Society:
The
Wyoming Native Plant Society (WNPS) goals are to encourage the
appreciation and conservation of the native flora and plant communities
of Wyoming through education, research, and communication. WNPS holds
regular events, including annual conferences and plant tours and field
trips across Wyoming, and also produces regular newsletters, available
on their website. The Plant Society consists of volunteers from across
Wyoming, so holds no physical office.
The Wildlife Society - Wyoming Chapter:The
Wyoming Chapter of the Wildlife Society provides an organizational
entity for wildlife management professional to exchange ideas, promote
interdisciplinary communication and training, and encourage awareness
and improvement of wildlife management in Wyoming.