The view south in the Lamar Valley towards Specimen Ridge in 1898 (A. Nelson, University of Wyoming Archives), and in 1970 and 1990 (D. B. Houston, Yellowstone National Park Archives). Researchers Doug Houston and Mary Meagher describe vegetation changes in the valley including the decline of big sagebrush and aspen near the arrow in the 1898 photograph.¹ In the earliest image, showing an elk herd, willow still occurs along the river banks, and young aspen stands are sprouting at the edge of the meadow in the background. Big sage exists across the meadow, but at various height classes due to the regular, patchy burning of grasses and forbs. Frequent fires were possible due to lightly grazed herbaceous fuels prior to 1900, but usually occurred in spring or fall, and didn’t advance far into the hillside forests that were moist at this time of year.

A current repeat photograph is required to evaluate additional ecosystem change since 1990.

Map and Footnotes