Author: Christian Knutson

My summer has been a long summer of new experiences. I started the program with never setting foot within the park that bordered my home. I hardly left the homeland of my people and I knew close to nothing about the National Parks Service. I did not have...

I am currently hiding away in an office while movers are outside. The vegetation crew and everyone else left for the week, but I am still holding it down here. I have been told that this move has been in the works since winter 2015 and today is...

Ethnobotany is defined as “Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous plants”. Most cases when you come across documents containing knowledge about ethnobotany it is written by someone who is now a part of the particular culture that...

I received an invitation to help some rangers with a wilderness hike. The plan was to meet at a campground and take visitors on a longer hike through the Badlands Wilderness Area. Those who are helping are Jessica the wilderness and wildlife expert, Mark the history expert, led...

During my experience this summer I got an invitation to go out with the wildlife crew at Badlands. Immediately I got excited. With pure confidence I thought that I was going to see a black-footed ferret. I should have realized that there was no chance since we scheduled...

One of the many parts of my summer internship is leading a wildflower walk at Badlands National Park. Taking visitors along a popular trail while highlighting wildflowers along the way. It is open to everyone to come and go as they please. I will lead...

Chris Davis is from Scranton, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Arizona State University. He then went to graduate school at Colorado State University and got a masters in Ecology with a focus on exotic plant management. While attending his graduate school he got to work...

Badlands National Park is located in South Dakota. Although South Dakota or Badlands NP may not come to mind immediately when thinking about places to visit within the United States, Badlands NP is truly one of the more special places to visit and explore. Badlands...

I am three weeks into my internship working with the Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network and Badlands National Park. It is mind-blowing how differently I look at plants in this very short time. Plants I have seen and walked by every day for 22...

Hau mitakuyepi. Chante wasteya napechiyuzape. Christian Knutson emaciyapi. Waniyetu ma wikcemna nunpa samn nunpa. Black Hills State University el wablawa na Outdoor Education unspemic’ichiye. Oglala Lakota hemacha. Ogle Luta el wathi. -- Hello! I shake your hand with a good heart. My name is Christian...