Don G. Despain

Don Gardner Despain (December 21, 1940 – May 23, 2022) was an American botanist, plant ecologist and fire behavior specialist, who specialized in the flora of Yellowstone National Park, and how wildfires affected natural ecology.[1] He spent over 20 years carefully investigating the effects of the Yellowstone fires of 1988 and how trees such as aspens were affected.He attended Lovell High School and then studied at the University of Wyoming, receiving a B.S.[2] In the mid 1980s, he was the President of the Wyoming Native Plant Society, and Vice-president for the Biological Section at the Montana Academy of Science.[4][5] He also worked as an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, testing the utility of remote sensing systems for vegetation and fuels appraisal.
LovellWyomingBillings, MontanaUniversity of WyomingArizona State UniversityUniversity of AlbertaBotanyYellowstone National ParkbotanistecologistYellowstone fires of 1988aspensLovell, WyomingLovell High SchoolUniversity of ArizonaEdmontonDevon IslandSigma XibiologistNational Park ServiceU.S. Geological SurveyBozeman, MontanaBioScienceScientific AmericanBillings GazetteSalt Lake Tribune