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Educational Policies Committee Agenda January 4, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee (Chad Simon)
• Program Proposals
• Academic Standards Subcommittee (Renee Galliher)
• General Education Subcommittee (Matt Sanders)

2024 Report To The Governor And Legislature On Utah's Land Water & Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water & Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2024 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah’s shared resources. It highlights a collection of data that is available to provide context to these issues and identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 52 researchers and with the support of 47 advisory board members, this report includes 6 chapters (Land, Water, Air, Forests and Rangelands, Bear Lake, and Metrics) that address the focus areas of the report.

Toolkit To Address Free-Ranging Domestic Cats On Agency Lands Managed For Native Wildlife And Ecosystem Health, Sara H. Schweitzer, Colin M. Gillin

Human–Wildlife Interactions Monographs

Native flora and fauna of North America face numerous threats, and impacts from invasive species are some of the most challenging. Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) are extremely harmful to wildlife and the environment. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) developed a toolkit to provide guidance to fish and wildlife agencies as they address free-ranging domestic cats on agency lands managed for native wildlife and ecosystem health. Topics in this document include wildlife conservation, infectious diseases, legal issues, education and outreach, human dimensions, partnerships, management strategies, and model regulatory and legal language. This toolkit is not …

33. Chatgpt Assistance In Creating Chemistry Practice Problems: Pitfalls, Positives, And Possibilities, Michael A. Christiansen

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

ChatGPT, a relatively new Large Language Model (LLM) artificial intelligence (Al) chatbot, has gained significant attention as the most downloaded software app, accruing over 100 million users within two months of its release. This software can generate quick, articulate responses to virtually any textual query. Many educators are concerned about its potential for enabling student cheating. However, it currently suffers significant limitations in solving chemistry problems-documented through peer-reviewed articles and from the author's experience suggesting that chemistry students will perform far better, on average, by studying than by relying on ChatGPT. This is particularly true of math-centric problems, which the …

Aspen Forest Condition Assessment And Restoration Guidance, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

This preliminary report is the first installment of an ongoing aspen assessment at Bryce Canyon National Park (BCNP). Over a 1.5-year period beginning in 2021, I assembled available BCNP and conducted a preliminary field survey to gain a better understanding of the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) resource within the Park. Findings suggest a long history of vegetation mapping with mixed results in terms of highlighting aspen presence a notable species of overall low coverage as well as aspen importance, at BCNP. In brief, though this species has limited presence, it is of high biodiversity conservation value. According to …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover, editorial staff, and journal information.

Quantifying Wild Pig Disturbance In Pastures And Wetlands Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Derived Imagery, Wesley M. Anderson, Bethany Wight, Raoul K. Boughton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for agricultural and environmental research has increased markedly in recent years, and a key application has been to conduct damage assessments. Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause both agricultural and environmental damage, and past studies have utilized UAVs to quantify this damage. Each methodology has advantages, but they also have drawbacks such as high rates of damage omission or reliance upon a near-infrared camera, which may be prohibitively expensive for some land managers and scientists. Our objective was to develop a methodology that could be easily implemented to conduct wild pig …

Coexistence Conservation: Time To Change The Paradigm, Jorge Tobajas

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This letter to the editor recommends that coexistence conservation should be recognized as a new discipline within conservation biology with vast potential for the future of biodiversity conservation. The term “coexistence conservation” must be broadened to accommodate different techniques and their development, regardless of the context of invasive species.

Impacts Of Wildlife–Vehicle Collisions Create Cascade Effects, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 18, Issue 2.

Spatial Predictors Of Human–Black Bear Interactions In Nova Scotia, Canada, Jason I. Airst, Tricia B. Fleming

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The increased global frequency of human–wildlife conflict with large, wild carnivores and omnivores negatively impacts human, wildlife, and ecosystem health. The goal of this study was to determine what landscape characteristics best predicted where human–black bear (Ursus americanus) interactions occurred in Nova Scotia, Canada, to support management efforts. We compared the location of 3,278 human–bear conflict reports and 867 non-conflict reports collected between 2017 and 2021 to 12,000 randomly generated locations. Data were analyzed using logistic additive mixed models. We found that interactions (conflict and non-conflict reports) occurred near roads and farther from forests and surface water features. …

New Associate Editors, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

New associate editors include Neil Jordan and Allen Rutberg.

Waterbird-Perceived Damage, Control Measures, And Economic Implications For Rice Production In The Brazilian Cerrado, Demetrio Luis Guadagnin, Alexandre Afonso Meyer, João Augusto Rossi Borges, Fernanda Maia Justo

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Waterbirds have the potential to inflict economic damage to crops. However, is rice (Oryza sativa) production in the Brazilian Cerrado significantly affected by waterbirds? This study aimed to assess the extent of waterbird damage on irrigated rice production in Central Brazil. We conducted surveys of waterbird populations in rice agroecosystem habitats throughout the cultivation cycle and analyzed the expenses associated with waterbird-induced yield losses and the control measures employed by farmers. The 2 most prevalent waterbird species observed were Dendrocygna viduatta and D. autumnalis, comprising 68.6% of all recorded waterbirds. These species were more frequently encountered and …

Is Mitigation Translocation An Effective Method For Reducing Laysan Albatross–Military Aircraft Collisions?, Brian E. Washburn, Katherine D. Rubiano, William P. Bukoski

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife–aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious risk to civil and military aircraft. Each year, Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) attempt to establish a breeding colony on the airfield at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) located on the island of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, USA, resulting in a hazard to safe military aircraft operations at this facility. A long-term management program, with an emphasis on mitigation translocation (e.g., live-capture and translocation away from the area) of problematic individuals, has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services. However, the efficacy of mitigation translocation as a nonlethal …

Efficacy Of A Laser As A Starling Deterrent And Its Effect On Lactating Dairy Cow Behavior, Callan A. Lichtenwalter, Marcos Marcondes, Kyle R. Taylor, Craig Mcconnel, Amber Adams Progar

Human–Wildlife Interactions

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) cause damage (including structural damage) on dairies, eat cattle feed, and can potentially spread disease through their fecal matter. Deterring starlings from dairies without affecting cow (Bos taurus) welfare is vital, and lasers have been effective starling deterrence tools in urban roosts and in some crops. To evaluate if the use of lasers on dairies would affect starling use of freestall barns as night roosts, or lactating cow behavior, 1 laser was installed in each of the 2 freestall barns at the Knott Dairy Center at Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA. …

Snake Translocation Policies And Practices Within The United States, Robin E. Bedard, Megan Rottenborn, Emily Taylor

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife conflict with nuisance snakes (Serpentes) is rapidly increasing with human population growth and development rates. Translocation of nuisance snakes has become a widespread practice, aided by social media pages connecting people to volunteer and for-profit snake translocators. However, translocators often struggle to find information and resources from wildlife agencies about the policies required, and some may unintentionally use translocation procedures that disregard the health and survival of the snakes. The goals of this study were to (1) obtain data on policies, permitting, and training required for translocating nuisance snakes in each U.S. state that has snakes and (2) compare …

An Effective Method For Long-Term Control Of American Bullfrogs Syntopic With Special-Status Native Amphibians In California, Usa, Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) are invasive in western North America and are well established in California, USA, where they are widespread. This invasive species has been implicated in the decrease of native amphibian populations and is believed to have contributed to the decline of threatened and endangered amphibians regionally. We utilized air rifles, tin alloy pellets, and 2 shooters to systematically control L. catesbeianus in both lentic and lotic habitat types within 2 counties in California. We visited sites monthly (April through November) for approximately 8 and 14 years to lethally target and remove L. catesbeianus …

Grass Rejection By Capybaras Can Be Used As A Possible Strategy To Mitigate Road Accidents, André Luiz Gama Nogueira, Sérgio Luiz Gama Nogueira-Filho, Selene Siqueira Da Cunha Nogueira, Denis Sato, Natasha Camilo Maximiano Da Silva, Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira, Michael Mendl, Adroaldo José Zanella

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feeding management can be a good strategy for avoiding wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs), which are a worldwide concern. In this study, we aimed to identify grass species that capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) reject as feeding material. These species could be planted to make roadsides less attractive to capybaras and, consequently, decrease WVCs involving this species. We planted 3 grass species (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, B. hybrid Mavuno, and Zoysia japonica) in 4 blocks, applying a randomized-complete blocks design. The first 2 species we assumed would be rejected, since some animals do not consume them due to their high …

Clarifying Drivers Of Deer Population Preference For Hunters And Nonhunters, William F. Siemer, T. Bruce Lauber, Richard C. Stedman, Jeremy Hurst

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Some state wildlife agencies (SWAs) consider survey data representing stakeholders’ deer (Cervidae) population preferences when setting local deer management objectives. It is important for wildlife managers to understand how and why deer population preferences differ between 2 key stakeholder groups: hunters and nonhunters. Between February 2018 and March 2020, we collected data from property owners throughout the state of New York, USA (n = 7,357 usable cases), that allowed us to compare factors that influence deer population preference. We used structural equation modeling to test assumptions about the relationships between deer-related interests and concerns, deer density, attitudes toward deer, …

Colorful Lizards And The Conflict Of Collection, Colin M. Goodman, Natalie M. Claunch, Zachary T. Steele, Diane J. E. Sturgeon, Christina M. Romagosa

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Invasive species threaten biodiversity, and their management is economically burdensome. Research on the indirect effects of introduced species are often focused on indirect ecological effects, with little focus on the more difficult to capture but critically important societal impacts. Often understated are the social costs of invasive species such as conflicts between invasive species managers and public stakeholders. Chameleons (Chamaeleonidae) are popular in the pet trade and have been introduced throughout Florida, USA, and their presence often attracts private collectors. After locating a population of panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) within a suburban neighborhood in central Florida, we administered …

Grazing Management For Livestock, Free-Roaming Horses And Burros, And Resilience, Sherman R. Swanson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Grazing management avoids overgrazing by allocating forage for livestock on the basis of animal unit months and managing wild and free-roaming horses (Equus caballus) and burros (E. asinus) to achieve and maintain an appropriate management level (AML) for each herd. Riparian green forage and water attracts cattle (Bos taurus) and equids when upland forage is brown. Key species that focus management for resilience to weather variation, fire, and floods are preferred forage plants for cattle and horses. They include riparian stabilizers such as densely rooted sedges and deep-rooted perennial grasses in sagebrush (Artemisia …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover caption, editorial staff, and journal information.

Flashtags: Evaluating A Novel Deterrent To Reduce Livestock Depredation, C. Aaron Bott, Stewart W. Breck, Tom W. Murphy, Brad A. Freking, Carlos A. López González, David Prause, Corey Peavey, Albert Sommers, Coke Landers, Julie K. Young

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Social tolerance of carnivores can be improved by preventing conflicts through nonlethal predator deterrents (e.g., livestock protection dogs [Canis lupus familiaris] and human presence) that have been used for centuries. However, many livestock producers feel the existing preventative methods are inadequate for extensive production systems where livestock can be spread widely and have less human supervision. To address this issue, we developed and tested a new nonlethal tool called FlashTags to reduce livestock predation. FlashTags are ear tags worn by livestock that flash a random-light pattern at night when motion-triggered. In the first year, we tested the devices …

Survival Of Translocated Coyotes In The Chicago Metropolitan Area, Usa, Charlotte R. Milling, Chris Anchor, Stanley D. Gehrt

Human–Wildlife Interactions

For nuisance animals, the general public perceives translocation to be a humane alternative to lethal control measures, but survival of translocated wildlife is often quite low due in part to increased movement post-release. Thus, for common species whose relocation generally serves a social rather than conservation purpose, translocation might not be correctly characterized when presented as nonlethal. We quantified release site fidelity and survival of coyotes (Canis latrans) fitted with very high frequency radio-collars and translocated within the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Illinois, USA, from 2000 to 2006. We also compared survival for 14 weeks post-collaring for our translocated …

Multi-Year Effectiveness Of Pzp-22 In Free-Roaming Suburban White-Tailed Deer, Allen T. Rutberg, Kali M. Pereira, Kayla A. Grams, John W. Turner Jr.

Human–Wildlife Interactions

To address the challenge that is posed to the use of fertility control to mitigate human–deer (Cervidae) conflicts by the need to regularly re-inoculate free-roaming animals, we captured, ear-tagged, and hand-injected 68 individual adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with the PZP-22 immunocontraceptive vaccine from February through April, 2014 to 2017, in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, USA. Approximately 2.5 years after initial treatments, we booster-darted 29 of the previously treated females with either PZP-22 or native PZP (ZonaStat-D). We observed fawn production between 2014 and 2021. The combination of initial PZP-22 hand-treatments followed by single dart-delivered PZP …

The Ban On Trophy Hunting In Botswana: Local Communities’ Perceptions, Lelokwane Lockie Mokgalo, Peet Van Der Merwe

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Economic pressures on rural livelihoods in Botswana are ever-increasing, especially for peripheral areas where resources harnessed for tourism purposes are prevalent. One of the avenues to achieve this balancing act is the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) program of Botswana, which devolved management of resources to local communities to incentivise conservation through hunting tourism. However, due to questions over hunting sustainability as a conservation tool by conservation non-governmental organizations and animal rights groups, trophy hunting was banned in Botswana in 2014. The resultant impacts were felt not only by the hunting industry but also by communities through the loss of …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover caption, editorial staff, and journal information.

The Challenge Of Hpai And The Role Of Human–Wildlife Interactions Research, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 18, Issue 3.

Impact Of Road Infrastructures On The Abundance Of Common Chameleon Populations, Pablo García-Quevedo, Francisco Díaz-Ruiz, Antonio Román Muñoz, Jesús Duarte, Adrián Martín-Taboada, José-María García-Carrasco, Miguel Ángel Farfán

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) is a threatened species in Spain. The loss and transformation of their traditional habitats are among the main causes of its decline. Linear infrastructures, such as roads and highways, cause direct habitat loss, roadkill, and fragmentation of populations by acting as an artificial barrier. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of 2 high-speed road infrastructures in southern Spain on local populations of common chameleons. A total of 34 grids of 1x1 km were sampled, differentiating between grids without road presence (n = 17) and grids with road presence (n …

Public Benefits And Private Costs: Implications For Moose Management In The Adirondacks, Heidi E. Kretser, Nancy A. Connelly, T. Bruce Lauber, Richard C. Stedman, Jeremy Hurst, David W. Kramer, James H. Stickles

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Private lands beyond protected area boundaries have long been recognized as important to sustaining wildlife as a public resource. However, private landowners may perceive disproportionate negative impacts from wildlife sustained by these lands, and these perceptions may impede effective management. We explore perceived issues related to managing moose (Alces alces), a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in New York State (NYS), USA, as a public benefit while simultaneously addressing private landowners’ concerns. We examined the public benefits of moose and attitudes toward potential management actions using surveys of NYS residents and Northern New York (NNY) residential landowners. We …

Monograph Available: Toolkit To Address Free-Ranging Domestic Cats On Agency Lands Managed For Native Wildlife And Ecosystem Health

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is an announcement about the published monograph titled "Toolkit to Address Free-ranging Domestic Cats on Agency Lands Managed for Native Wildlife and Ecosystem Health." This publication, part of the HWI Monograph Series, is online and open access.