Research

three scientists work together at a table, two look through microscopes and another leans over the table reviewing papers
With so many natural and cultural resources, it's no wonder that researchers often look to Badlands National Park as a place to learn more.

NPS Photo / Larry McAfee

 

Interested in park research?

There are many research questions posed by cultural and scientific resources at Badlands National Park. If you are interested in conducting research at the park, you must apply for a research permit. For more information on applying for a permit, please visit the National Park Service's Research Permit and Reporting website or contact Badlands National Park directly by phone (605-433-5361) or via email.

To learn more about past research conducted in the park, explore the research portal below.
 

Park Research Portal

  • small white flowers with yellow centers bloom out of green stems
    Plant Community Monitoring

    Learn more about plant community research conducted by the Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network.

  • a wide, cloudy sky stretches over rolling plains, drenched in golden sunlight.
    Park Air Profile

    Badlands National Park has been monitoring visibility since 1999. Read about air quality monitoring research here.

  • a hoary bat with enormous ears opens its mouth and folds its long fingers beside its body
    Bat Acoustic Monitoring

    Researchers monitored bat calls in Badlands National Park from 2014-2017. Read about their findings here.

  • a large jagged butte with various layers reaches into a clear blue sky
    Geologic Resources Inventory

    Learn about the geologic history, setting, features, and processes at Badlands National Park in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas.

  • many fossils of varying sizes sit in styrofoam cases
    Fossil Preparation Lab

    Over 220 specimens from at least 75 different species have been prepared in the Prep Lab. Learn more about lab staff and their work here.

  • an assortment of pieces of a fossil saber-tooth cat-like skull. the pieces are labeled.
    Museum Collections

    Badlands has an extensive set of collections ranging from paleontology to archives.

 

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    Last updated: August 31, 2020

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    Mailing Address:

    25216 Ben Reifel Road
    Interior, SD 57750

    Phone:

    605 433-5361

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