Valley City State University Science Department

10/19/2026

Learning from wildlife professionals in the field! Dr. Anderson’s Wildlife Management class recently spent an afternoon with Manager Paul Halko learning how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages Refuge and Wetland Management District properties.
Pictured are students at Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge exploring a grassland restoration area that was treated with prescribed fire this spring. Experiences like these connect classroom lessons with wildlife habitat management!

10/16/2026

Professor Casey Williams brought 14 students to the HiLine Gardens and Orchard. Like a whirlwind, they removed the dead Macintosh apple tree and spread all the mulch on site in about an hour!

Thank you to the VCSU fishery and wildlife students for their help and Valley City Recycling for their second donation of mulch.

10/15/2026

Taking learning into the field! Dr. Anderson’s Wildlife Management class practiced radio telemetry at VCSU’s Medicine Wheel Prairie, developing skills used by wildlife professionals to locate and monitor animals. Hands-on experiences like these help prepare VCSU Fisheries and Wildlife students for their future careers!

10/13/2026

On Sept. 21, students in BIOL 411: Wildlife Management planted trees on the VCSU campus. A total of 12 trees were planted on campus this fall as part of a $25,000 Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation Grant awarded to Bob Anderson, Ph.D., professor for fisheries and wildlife science, through the North Dakota Forest Service.

10/13/2026

The Science Department hosted the ND Envirothon Sheyenne Valley Regional competition last Wednesday. Trista Montgomery, Staci Dreyer-Larson, Ellen Fehr, Hunter Green, and science students all took part in planning and executing a successful day for area high school students to compete in environmental and natural resource topics and issues. Medicine Wheel Park is a favorite location for the region's trail test.

10/12/2026

Trista Montgomery's Range Management class recently attended the ND Chapter of the Society for Range Management in Bismarck. At the meeting they listened to professional talks on issues and research related to woody encroachment, prescribed burning, and grazing system technologies. They also participated in a facilitated discussion titled "The Partnership Roundtable: Turning Knowledge Into Action" which allowed them to have constructive conversations with professionals in their field. The event ended with a field tour of the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan where students were able to see on-the-ground research first-hand and hear about the nuances of research directly from the researchers themselves.

10/01/2026

Trista Montgomery's Park Management class (BIOL 280) took advantage of the crisp fall weather while they hiked to North Dakota's only waterfall with volunteers from the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter of the North Country Trail Association. Along the hike they learned about the National Park Service's North Country Trail unit and what it is like to volunteer with a non-profit organization that supports our public land agencies. As a bonus, they got to experience a spectacular sip of water from a fresh mineral spring.

09/30/2026

Dr. Anderson’s Mammalogy class participated in a trapping lab, learning about trapping techniques and their role in wildlife management.

A big thank-you to USDA APHIS Wildlife Services and North Dakota Game and Fish Department personnel for sharing their expertise and providing this hands-on learning opportunity for our students!

09/30/2026

09/28/2026

Trista Montgomery’s Yellowstone Ecology class held their field experience at the national park last week. Students learned first-hand about trophic cascades and wildlife ecology. They got to see the main attractions such as Old Faithful but also got the chance to experience the natural beauty of America’s first national park.