Shenandoah National Park, which protects more than 200,000 acres in the mountains of Virginia, is famous for its recreation opportunities, scenic vistas, and wildlife viewing. The park is also home to one of the longest continuous monitoring studies in the National Park System, a research initiative interrupted by the government shutdown. No sampling has been…

Ashley Whipple is on hands and knees, peering into crevices in a rock cairn at the top of Rocky Mountains National Park. Looking for bright white stains on the stone – which indicate the presence of pika animals and their urine – she climbs up and down, looking. What is she searching for? Scat. Read…