At the Niwot Ridge Long-term Ecological Research Program (NWT LTER), we study species and ecosystems in the high mountains of the Colorado Rockies. As a member of the LTER network, our mission is to provide the scientific community, policy makers, and society with the knowledge necessary to conserve, protect, and manage our mountain ecosystems, their biodiversity, and the services they provide — in Colorado and beyond.
We study the wondrous forest, treeline, tundra, and lakes in the high-elevation mountains of Boulder County. We believe that the more we understand how and why these systems are changing the more we can help conserve and manage alpine habitats into the future.
We are passionate about long-term studies and team science that integrates across disciplines. Our core research sites are within the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forest and City of Boulder Watershed. Discover what we’re learning about the ecosystems at Niwot Ridge and what it means for the future.
Niwot Ridge is 1 of 28 US Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network sites, funded by the National Science Foundation.
Within the Niwot LTER, you’ll find all of the alpine and montane ecosystems available in the southern Rocky Mountains, including alpine tundra, subalpine coniferous forests, cirque glaciers and glacial landforms, lakes and moraines, cirques, talus slopes, patterned ground, and permafrost. We maintain the longest continuous record of atmospheric conditions in the continental US and the highest elevation climate station in the US.
Research at Niwot Ridge began in the 1940s. The Niwot Ridge LTER is one of the six original NSF-funded long-term ecological research sites and the only LTER site in Colorado. We are part of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and based at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
3798
Height of the Arikaree Glacier in meters (12,460 feet!)
40
Percent of the City of Boulder’s water comes from the Green Lakes Valley
1980
Year the Niwot Ridge LTER was established
80
Percent of precipitation at NWT that falls as snow
MONTANE (7,200-8,600 FEET)
Many different animals and plants can thrive because the environment has lots of variety — lodgepole pines on the dry slopes to stands of spruce and fir on wetter slopes, while water-loving hardwood trees hug the riverbanks. This spread of habitats and more moderate climate means the ecosystem hosts songbirds, wildflowers, and plants in abundance.
Photo by William Bowman
ALPINE LAKES (11,500+ FEET)
Due to their low position in the landscape lakes (like Green Lake 4 shown here) are often identified as biogeochemical hotspots. Even though these environments are covered in ice for the majority of the year, they are rich in life and are home to a variety of plants and animals, from algae and crustaceans to insects and fish.
Photo by Kelly Loria
GLACIERS (12,000+ FEET)
Niwot Ridge is home to a variety of cryospheric features. The Arikaree glacier featured here is a 9 hectare glacier that sits at the head of the Green Lakes Valley and is the source of North Boulder Creek.
Photo by Nelson Caine
ALPINE TUNDRA (11,000+ FEET)
The conditions are too harsh for trees, but this habitat is still home to countless species, including perennial grasses, low-lying shrubs, marmots, pikas, and more. Alpine tundra is known for high winds, fiercely cold temperatures, and blinding levels of solar radiation.
Photo by Kelly Loria
SUBALPINE (9,900-11,000 FEET)
Here you will encounter forests of foundational trees like spruces and firs and meadows in full bloom. The abundance of flora and fauna in the subalpine is nothing short of extraordinary, subject to the availability of summer rain, sporadic fire, and a fresh supply of snowmelt.
Photo by Jane Smith
