Water: Climate Change Threats and Solutions in the Yellowstone Valley
We all depend on having clean water for our lives.
Professor Kayhan Ostovar leads the largest river cleanup project in the state, which has removed over 350,000 pounds of trash. He also studies the health of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries, and measures the river’s health by observing its turtle population. Turtles serve as powerful bio-sentinels of ecological integrity due to their longevity and sensitivity to environmental changes. He’ll share the results of his research.
Bruce Kania observed the loss of healthy fish populations in nutrient-overloaded ponds and lakes, and invented a way to restore health to these bodies of water. His “floating islands” are made of recycled plastic, and they mimic nature’s processes to clean impaired waterways. Transitioning water back to a more pristine state restores ecological health and reduces the production of methane, making it a promising solution to climate change.