Why has the total level of research activity declined over time?
In order to understand why there has been a decline in the total amount of research at Mount St. Helens, one has to understand how science is funded. Shortly after the eruption, the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is the chief administrator of federally funded research, instituted a special program to initiate research at the volcano. At the same time the Forest Services Pacific Northwest Research Station provided logistical support to facilitate access for initial biological studies at the volcano. The combination of rapid support by NSF and the Forest Service resulted in a tremendous burst of research activity. Scientists from universities throughout the country came to Mount St. Helens to take advantage of the unique experimental situations created by the eruptions. Studies established during the months that followed the eruptions provided preliminary data that formed the basis for subsequent competitive research grant proposals. This resulted in a secondary flurry of NSF f
