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About the Mueggler-Butler Fork RNA


Dr. Dale Bartos and Dr. Walt Mueggler at the dedication of the Walter F. Mueggler-Butler Fork Research Natural Area 
An Aspen Bibliography has been developed by the Utah State University Digital Commons.

The Walter F. Mueggler-Butler Fork Research Natural Area is within the Mount Olympus Wilderness east of Salt Lake City, Utah.  It was named after the aspen ecologist, Dr. Walt Mueggler, who spent much of his career studying the ecology and management of aspen ecosystems in the Intermountain West.  Aspen ecosystems throughout the western United States have been affected by  historic levels of use by livestock - especially soon after pioneers arrived on the scene in the mid 1800's to 1900's.  Heavy grazing levels often resulted in a change in understory species composition.  Aspen ecosystems are commonly diverse in the kinds of species (woody and herbaceous), and in many instances that diversity, as well as the forage production was significantly reduced.

In addition, because aspen regenerates best following fire, fire suppression has had a tremendous impact on these ecosystems.  This suppression reduces the ability of aspen to compete with the conifers that generally replace in the absence of fire - typical forest succession throughout the western United States.

It was because of these historic impacts to aspen ecosystems that there was a tremendous need for areas in near-pristine condition. Dr. Dale Bartos, a recently retired U.S. Forest Service aspen research scientist from the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Logan, Utah brought this need for these natural areas to be protected to the attention of then forest ecologist, Wayne Padgett, on the Wasatch-Cache (now Uinta-Wasatch-Cache) National Forest.  This RNA is the result of that request and that effort.  This research natural area provides both land managers and researchers an insight into the true potential of aspen communities that have been impacted throughout the West by historical livestock grazing and by fire control.

Dr. Mueggler finished his career with the U.S. Forest Service at the Intermountain Research Station in Logan, Utah where he developed the aspen community type classification: Aspen community types of the Intermountain Region. 1988. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-250. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station. 135 p.


Walt Mueggler Family (L-R): Laura, Rosie, Walter, Rosalee, and Michelle Mueggler at the dedication of the Walter F. Mueggler-Butler Fork Research Natural Area in Big Cottonwood Canyon on 3 July 2010

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