CAPITOL REEF FIELD STATION: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Blossoming in the beautiful red rock desert of southern Utah, the newly opened Capitol Reef Field Station (CRFS) is a unique partnership between Utah Valley University and Capitol Reef National Park. This field station represents the fruition of many years of hard work by and cooperation between numerous individuals in both organizations. The CRFS mission is to promote interdisciplinary engaged learning, field-based scientific research, and environmental ethics through the exploration, appreciation, and conservation of the Colorado Plateau ecosystem.

As most geologists already well know, Capitol Reef NP is an amazing, inspiring place. The field station lies within Capitol Reef NP, and therefore follows all rules and regulations of the National Park Service. Besides being ideally situated to take advantage of the natural beauty of southern Utah, the CRFS also offers excellent facilities for educators and researchers. Nestled in a truly spectacular setting, the field station is "off the grid" and includes several, environmentally friendly buildings, including classroom space, sleeping quarters for up to 24 overnight guests, and a full, modern kitchen.

The focus of this presentation will be threefold: 1, the cultural and natural history of the site and the development of the CRFS project; 2, the facilities available at CRFS; and 3, the great potential for geology educators and researchers interested in using the CRFS. We encourage our colleagues to contact us regarding the wonderful educational and research opportunities available through the CRFS. Of course, all research activities conducted within Capitol Reef NP must be approved through the normal NPS research application process. For more information, please see our website: http://uvu.edu/crfs; or contact us at: crfs@uvu.edu.