The John Day Formation of the Pacific Northwest includes volcanic deposits interlayered with terrestrial strata, in which plants and animals from the Tertiary Epoch are preserved. The Condon Museum of the University of Oregon houses more than 32,000 fossil vertebrates from the John Day beds of Oregon, as well as plant and invertebrate fossils that cover a wider spectrum of geologic ages. This collection ranks as an important resource for paleontological research, and Dr. William Orr, Curator of the collection, proposes significant improvements in its condition. The collection will be installed in high density compactorized storage units in newly renovated quarters, and will be inventoried and reorganized in the process. A computer database of the collection's contents will be implemented, thereby providing the research community with better access to these important fossils. Regionally important collections such as the Condon Museum are critical elements of the nation's research infrastructure. They provide easier access by researchers and students within the region, and they support advanced training in systematics, ecology, and evolutionary biology. These and other advantages would be lost if regional collections were to be subsumed into a few national repositories. The proposed collection improvement will enhance important paleontological research and graduate training, and preserve part of our nation's natural heritage.
