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| Rocky Mountain Paleontological Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rocky Mountain Paleontological Society |
| Formation | 1940s |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado |
| Region served | Rocky Mountains, United States |
| Focus | Paleontology, Fossil preservation, Fieldwork |
Rocky Mountain Paleontological Society is a volunteer nonprofit organization based in the Rocky Mountains region that promotes the study, preservation, and public appreciation of fossils and paleontological science. Founded by amateur and professional enthusiasts, the Society collaborates with museums, universities, and government agencies to support fieldwork, curation, and education across Colorado and neighboring states. Its activities link local fossil discoveries to broader paleobiological research and heritage initiatives.
The Society traces roots to post-World War II naturalist movements connected to institutions such as University of Colorado Boulder, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History and regional clubs active in the mid-20th century. Early members included collectors and academics associated with University of Wyoming, Colorado School of Mines, National Park Service, and state geological surveys who responded to fossil finds from formations like the Morrison Formation, Denver Formation, and Pierre Shale. Over decades the Society intersected with landmark discoveries that engaged researchers from Field Museum of Natural History, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, University of Kansas, and Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. Its history reflects collaborations with figures and programs linked to Roy Chapman Andrews, John Ostrom, Othniel Charles Marsh, Edward Drinker Cope, and institutions connected to the development of vertebrate paleontology in North America.
The Society's mission emphasizes fossil stewardship, scientific collaboration, and public engagement with partners such as National Science Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and regional museums. Activities include organized field expeditions, specimen preparation, database curation, and support for research projects undertaken at universities like University of Colorado Boulder, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Brigham Young University, and Montana State University. The Society often coordinates with conservation organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and heritage programs affiliated with National Historic Preservation Act related entities to ensure legal and ethical collecting.
Collections supported or curated by the Society have been accessioned into repositories including Denver Museum of Nature & Science, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, University of Wyoming Geological Museum, and collaborative exhibits with Field Museum of Natural History. Research priorities span vertebrate paleontology, invertebrate paleontology, and paleoecology, with fieldwork concentrated in units like the Morrison Formation, Fort Union Formation, Lance Formation, and Eocene Green River Formation. Projects often link to taxonomic and stratigraphic studies associated with researchers from Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History, Royal Tyrrell Museum, and academic programs at Harvard University and Princeton University. The Society has facilitated the description of new taxa by coordinating specimen discovery, preparation, and loan agreements with institutions such as Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, Natural History Museum, London, and Canadian Museum of Nature.
Educational programs include public lectures, field trips, workshops on fossil preparation, and youth camps conducted in partnership with Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Boulder Public Library, Colorado Geological Survey, and regional school districts. The Society collaborates with higher education outreach initiatives from University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, University of Denver, and national programs sponsored by National Science Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities. Outreach engages audiences through cooperative events with Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, regional cultural institutions, and community organizations that include Boy Scouts of America merit badge programs and university extension services.
The Society publishes newsletters, field guides, and bulletins distributed to members and institutional partners, often coordinating publication efforts with university presses and museum publishing arms such as University Press of Colorado and Chicago University Press. Regular events include annual symposia, field symposiums held at sites like Dinosaur National Monument, Garden Park Fossil Area, and lecture series featuring researchers from American Museum of Natural History, Royal Tyrrell Museum, Field Museum of Natural History, and academic departments at University of Kansas and University of Chicago. Special events have highlighted anniversaries and exhibits connected to well-known discoveries like specimens related to Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Triceratops, and Tyrannosaurus rex.
Membership comprises amateur enthusiasts, professional paleontologists, preparators, students, and educators affiliated with organizations such as Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Paleontological Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and regional museum staffs. Governance follows a volunteer board model similar to nonprofit structures used by institutions like Denver Museum of Nature & Science and university-affiliated societies, with committees for fieldwork, collections, education, and outreach coordinating activities with legal frameworks under Fossil Vertebrate Protection Act-style statutes and land-use regulations from Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. The Society maintains reciprocal relationships with museums, universities, and conservation agencies to ensure best practices in collecting, curation, and scientific dissemination.
Category:Paleontology organizations