Montana Tech graduate student takes top award at 2025 American Society of Reclamation Sciences competition
Dan Kelly works on Sugarloaf Peak.
Dan Kelly, (B.S. Biological Sciences, 2023), a graduate student in Montana Technological University’s M.S. in Ecological Restoration program, earned 1st place in the Student Oral Presentation competition at the 2025 American Society of Reclamation Sciences (ASRS) Annual Meeting, held in Butte in June.
Dan Kelly works on Sugarloaf Peak.
Kelly’s faculty advisor is Dr. Robert Pal, and his research is focused on restoring disturbed ecosystems. For the competition, Kelly presented on his primary project site where he, with the help of the Youth Employment Program (YEP) out of Dillon, MT, installed 295 of the 412 so-called “modified brush layers” (MBLs), southeast of Sugarloaf Peak. These MBLs were tailored to prevent hillside erosion, catalyze soil recovery, and revegetate barren areas left barren by anthropogenic influence during decades of mining, logging, and smelting operations.
Youth Employment Program (YEP) Crew Members from Dillon, MT
“I sincerely appreciate the support and assistance of all those directly involved in this graduate study,” Kelly said. “Attending the American Society of Reclamation Sciences (ASRS) conference was a fantastic experience, and I look forward to participating in future events. Presenting my research, ‘Repurposing Woody Debris via Fuel Reduction Practices to Enhance Hillside Stability and Soil Seedbank Recovery,’ was a rewarding opportunity and I was thrilled by the strong interest shown in this low-tech restoration approach. I’m excited about the potential to publish this work in one of the ASRS journals. I’m truly grateful to ASRS and Dr. Pal for the opportunity to present and proudly represent the Montana Tech Restoration and Biology Departments."
Youth Employment Program (YEP) crew members from Dillon, MT installing MBLs, SE of Sugarloaf Peak.
The mission of the American Society of Reclamation Sciences (ASRS) is to support a diverse global community—including scientists, industry professionals, educators, technicians, planners, and regulators—who are engaged in mineral extraction and the reclamation of disturbed ecosystems.
ASRS advances both basic and applied reclamation science through research, knowledge sharing, and professional development. This is accomplished through its annual conferences, workshops, publications, newsletters, and its journals Reclamation Matters and Reclamation Sciences, as well as the ASRS website.