Photo above, left to right at the top: Allison Lofton, veterinary sciences major, geography minor; Charlie Johnson, secondary education major; Bithiah Pulliam, biological sciences major, geography minor; and Aaron Hinz, geography major.
Students in Jim Benes' GEOG 308 "Biogeography" class played the “Grizzly Game” where they mix a variety of spatial dynamics to create a wildlife corridor for grizzly bears between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
Each student has a role as a stakeholder representing groups such as State Government, Wildlife and Parks, Conservationists, Hunters, Indigenous People, and City Councils. They must discuss budgets and vote unanimously on a compromised wildlife corridor.
"As the role of the Montana State Government, it was fun to oversee the concerns of each stakeholder in deciding a grizzly bear pathway," Bithiah Pulliam, biological sciences major and geography minor, said. "Because of the passion of my peers, we had long discussions of this pathway that mimicked what these meetings would look like in a real situation. Playing this involved many course concepts, such as biotic controls and biogeographical patterns.
"I really enjoyed this game, and I encourage future players to fully engage with this valuable experience!"
Benes is a lecturer in the School of Global Integrative Studies, part of the College of Arts and Sciences.
