Berry Center | for Biodiversity Conservation

The Robert and Carol Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center opened in January 2011, giving the University of Wyoming a facility for graduate level research, teaching, and outreach in the areas of plant and animal ecology of our region and its ties to the rest of the world.

The Center houses the Stable Isotope Facility; the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database; the Nucleic Acid Exploration Facility; the Avian Systematist Research Laboratory; and high-density Wet and Dry Collections storage to support these research functions. Additionally the Center, with state-of-the-art teaching laboratories, classrooms, and seminar rooms, will provide space for masters and doctoral level students doing research in these areas and be home to the Educational Outreach Programs serving the State of Wyoming.  The 40,000 square foot facility is not a single purpose building, but will be used by groups coming together for a specified period of years to perform research on topics of natural conservation.

A central two-story lobby and display space highlight collections and current research and provide a gathering space for students and faculty, as well as promoting indoor access from the lower Lewis Street elevation to the upper Campus level.  The green roof showcasing native plants has been incorporated into multiple faculty, student, and outreach projects.

The building, designed by Malone Belton Abel in association with NJRA Architects of Salt Lake City, received LEED Gold certification.  It has been carefully integrated into the northwest corner of the Campus, maintaining all pedestrian circulation and view corridors that are especially important for the future northward expansion of the Campus.