developing skills in a program and a lab where those skills aren't used

[greencurtain]

I may accept a phd position at a very good program where I could do very cool research.

Trouble is that the program is small, and one area I want to be an expert in - landscape ecology (spatial analysis) is not a strong-suit of the program. Some people do a little spatial analysis, but my potential advisor is not one of them.

I applied there so that I could do so great research and really develop my ecology background, but I am concerned that I will be steered further and further away from landscape ecology and the skills I want to be able to continue to develop (GIS/statistics) and market.

Have other people wanted to develop skills in a phd program that lacked expertise in those skills? What are your general/recommendations about deciding to do this and developing certain skills in such a program?