Around the time I got my first Instagram I also went on my first EPI trip. My nerves surrounding EPI’s unplugged policy had less to do with being offline and more to do with being disconnected from my parents. 12 years later I went on my first EPI course as an adult and employee. Although adults don’t have to go unplugged on EPI courses , I decided to go as unplugged as possible. I wanted to challenge myself to feel as connected to the student experience as possible. Here is

Shelbi, a Piikuni leader in the Service Corps, is helping strengthen connections with local tribes and engage Native youth in conservation. After the pandemic, she and other Piikuni members brought cultural knowledge and land-based traditions into the program, inspiring a future where Indigenous-led conservation grows across Montana.

Citizen science is rewriting what we know about Yellowstone’s wildlife. Two groundbreaking studies—powered by data collected by students and volunteers—reveal that bison are ecosystem engineers and that large herbivores defy the old grazer-browser labels. From DNA metabarcoding of scat to tracking bison herds, these discoveries show how community-driven science is transforming conservation and inspiring the next generation of ecologists—thanks in part to the fieldwork of EPI

Discover how citizen science aids bison conservation in Yellowstone. Join EPI's efforts in bison conservation and protect these animals