Joe Ricketts has supported an on-going collaborative research project among University of Colorado Denver, Yellowstone National Park, and Ricketts Conservation Foundation since 2019.  He has also supported the production by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology of two spectacular videos about whitebark pine and Clark's nutcracker.  The latter will be shown in the Yellowstone National Park Visitor Centers and includes scenes of our work in the park. 

Whitebark pine has been proposed for listing as a threatened species under the  Endangered Species Act, Yellowstone National Park has seen a major decline in whitebark pine over the last 20 years, and Clark's nutcrackers, a bird that serves as the major seed disperser for whitebark pine, may experience declines over the coming decades, starting a spiraling decline of bird and pine.

Here are some bullet points concerning the picnic and the pictures.

--Diana F. Tomback representing the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation (WPEF)(www.whitebarkfound.org), and the University of Colorado Denver held a picnic event to thank Mr. Joe Ricketts for his on-going support for the Yellowstone Clark's Nutcracker Research Project (2019-present), a collaboration among Yellowstone National Park, Ricketts Conservation Foundation, and the University of Colorado Denver, and to thank him for funding the splendid outreach videos on whitebark pine and Clark's nutcracker produced by Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. The Clark's nutcracker video is to be shown in park visitor centers. the WPEF has served in an advisory capacity for these productions.

---The catered BBQ picnic was held Tuesday, July 26, in Yellowstone National Park at the Fishing Bridge picnic area by the shore of Yellowstone Lake.  At the lakeshore are several large whitebark pines that the picnic guests visited.  Guests were treated to the presence of a family of Clark's nutcrackers throughout the event.

--Special guests present were Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly and wife Jill Sholly, and also the CEO of American Forests, Jad Daley, who flew in for the event.  American Forests, Washington DC, is a long-time partner of the Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation in whitebark pine advocacy and restoration. The lead videography from Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Eric Sean Liner, who was filming outside the park, also came to the event.

--Nutcracker project students Tara Durboraw and Summer Merrell, University of Colorado Denver, and Katya Brown, Intern from the University of Montana, helped with picnic set-up and logistics.

--Pictured above at the base of a grand whitebark pine, left to right, back row:  Eric Sean Liner (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), Jad Daley  (American Forests), Wes Swaffar (American Forests), Hillary Robison (Yellowstone National Park), Walter Wehtje (Ricketts Conservation Foundation); Middle row, left to right: Libby Pansing (American Forests and CU Denver/Tomback Lab alumna), Jennifer Carpenter (Yellowstone National Park), Ann Carlson (Yellowstone National Park), Joe Ricketts, Diana Tomback (WPEF and CU Denver), Cam Sholly (Yellowstone National Park, Summer Merrell (CU Denver); Bottom row, left to right: Tara Durboraw (CU Denver) and Katya Brown (U of Montana).  Not pictured were guests Jill Sholly (photographer), Doug Smith (Yellowstone National Park), Carol Quinn (Yellowstone National Park), and Annie Graham (Elk Meadows Ranch).

--Wonderful, fun time had by all..