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Full-Text Articles in Environmental Health and Protection

Intrafield Patterns Of Wildlife Damage To Corn And Soybeans In Northern Indiana, Travis L. Devault, James C. Beasley, Lee A. Humberg, Brian J. Macgowan, Mónica I. Retamosa, Ollin E. Rhodes Jr. Jan 2007

Intrafield Patterns Of Wildlife Damage To Corn And Soybeans In Northern Indiana, Travis L. Devault, James C. Beasley, Lee A. Humberg, Brian J. Macgowan, Mónica I. Retamosa, Ollin E. Rhodes Jr.

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Management programs aimed at reducing wildlife damage to row crops rely on information concerning the spatial nature of wildlife damage at local and landscape scales. In this study we explored spatial patterns of wildlife damage within individual corn and soybean fields by describing relationships between specific locations where wildlife damage was recorded and distances from such locations to various habitat types that presumably influenced animal abundance and movements in our study area. Using stratified random sampling, we conducted depredation surveys of 100 corn fi elds and 60 soybean fields from May through October both in 2003 and 2004 and recorded …


An Extraordinary Patch Of Feral Hog Damage In Florida Before And After Initiating Hog Removal, Richard M. Engeman, John Woolard, Henry T. Smith, Jean Bourassa, Bernice U. Constantin, Daniel Griffin Jan 2007

An Extraordinary Patch Of Feral Hog Damage In Florida Before And After Initiating Hog Removal, Richard M. Engeman, John Woolard, Henry T. Smith, Jean Bourassa, Bernice U. Constantin, Daniel Griffin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) are a particularly destructive exotic species in the United States (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1999), including Florida, which, along with Hawaii, is one of 2 states cited as having the most severe invasive species problems (U.S. Congress 1993) in the country. First introduced to North America by the European colonists (Conover 2007) hogs were one of the first invasive exotic species to take hold in Florida. They can transmit disease to livestock (Hartin et al. 2007) and humans (Conover and Vail 2007). They impose a variety of negative environmental impacts, including habitat degradation and …


Birth Control Is Not For Everyone: A Response, Allen T. Rutberg Jan 2007

Birth Control Is Not For Everyone: A Response, Allen T. Rutberg

Human–Wildlife Interactions

In her Soap Box critique of wildlife contraception (HWC 2007), Elizabeth Bingham makes 2 basic points (if she will forgive my distillation of a complex set of arguments). She argues, first, that wildlife contraception is too expensive and too slow to act to meet the needs of farmers, ranchers, and other business people who suffer losses from wildlife damage. Second, she argues, inflated expectations for the problem-solving capacity of wildlife contraception are driving more attention and research money into wildlife contraception than a more hard-headed evaluation would warrant.


Appreciating Feral Hogs: Extension Education For Diverse Stakeholders In Texas, Dale Rollins, Billy J. Higginbotham, Kenneth A. Cearly, R. Neal Wilkins Jan 2007

Appreciating Feral Hogs: Extension Education For Diverse Stakeholders In Texas, Dale Rollins, Billy J. Higginbotham, Kenneth A. Cearly, R. Neal Wilkins

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Texas harbors the largest population of feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in the United States, with populations estimated at >2 million. Depending on one’s perspective, feral hogs are either a pariah (from the farmer’s standpoint) or a popular sporting animal (from a hunter’s standpoint). As feral hogs increase in range and density, conflicts among stakeholders are sure to increase. Texas Cooperative Extension (TCE) initiated educational programs in 1991 to address concerns regarding the presence and management of feral hogs. Since that time, we have developed various workshops, symposia, and educational materials (e.g., print, videotape, and website) as means of …


Birth Control Is Not For Everyone (Or Everything), Elizabeth Bingham Jan 2007

Birth Control Is Not For Everyone (Or Everything), Elizabeth Bingham

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Conservationists and wildlife managers often look for the silver bullet in dealing with human–wildlife conflicts. While most in this profession would agree there is no silver bullet, a great amount of financial and scientific emphasis has been placed on the technology of contraceptives for wildlife to appease the victims of damage caused by wildlife and the public at large. With increasing frequency, general public opinion of what should be done to solve wildlife damage oft en weighs heavier than the feelings and perspective of the actual victim. Agriculturists oft en find themselves at odds with general public opinion because agriculturists …


In The News, Spring 2007, Michael R. Conover Jan 2007

In The News, Spring 2007, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

High Country News reported that on November 8, 2006, the body of 22-year-old Joel Carnegie was found at Points North Landing in the northern boreal forest of Saskatchewan, Canada. Investigators believe Carnegie was attacked by a group of 2 to 4 wolves when he was walking alone near a mining exploration company camp. The attack is the first documented case of a fatal wolf attack in North America since 1900, but a nonfatal wolf attack occurred a year earlier in the same area. In that incident, wolves attacked and injured a jogger. Wildlife biologists linked the attacks to the presence …


Perceptions Of Wildlife Damage And Species Conservation: Lessons Learned From The Utah Prairie Dog, R. Dwayne Elmore, Terry A. Messmer, Mark W. Brunson Jan 2007

Perceptions Of Wildlife Damage And Species Conservation: Lessons Learned From The Utah Prairie Dog, R. Dwayne Elmore, Terry A. Messmer, Mark W. Brunson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens), a federally listed threatened species, causes damage to agricultural operations, yet little incentive exists for private landowners to conserve them. Therefore, we surveyed Utah residents to identify stakeholder attitudes regarding prairie dog management. We assessed how perceptions of wildlife damage affect respondent attitudes regarding conservation among agricultural producers, rural residents, and urban residents. Higher levels of perceived wildlife damage were reported for agriculture respondents …


In Memory, Spring 2007, Human-Wildlife Conflicts Jan 2007

In Memory, Spring 2007, Human-Wildlife Conflicts

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Kenny Acord lost his year-long battle with cancer on June 30, 2006. He was 25. Kenny was the son of Bobby Acord, the former deputy administrator of USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services. Kenny earned an M.S. degree in anthropology/archeology at Northern Arizona University in 2005. He was employed by the National Park Service as an archeologist at Navajo National Monument. He is survived by his true love and partner DeeAnn Tracy, his parents Bobby and Anna Acord, and his sister Leigh Anna Willard.


20,25-Diazacholesterol As An Oral Contraceptive For Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Population Management, Paul Nash, Carol A. Furcolow, Kimberly S. Bynum, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller, John J. Johnston Jan 2007

20,25-Diazacholesterol As An Oral Contraceptive For Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Population Management, Paul Nash, Carol A. Furcolow, Kimberly S. Bynum, Christi A. Yoder, Lowell A. Miller, John J. Johnston

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies can become overcrowded, and the colonies, landscape, and people affected by them may benefit from controlled populations. Contraception is a method that may be useful, particularly where lethal control is inappropriate or illegal. We investigated if oral administration of 20,25-diazacholesterol (DiazaCon®), an inhibitor of cholesterol and reproductive steroid hormone production, could reduce reproductive success of treated black-tailed prairie dogs in a fi eld trial. Ten treatments of approximately 45-mg DiazaCon per black-tailed prairie dog yielded a 47% reduction of young:adult ratios compared to control sites. Over a 3-month period, desmosterol, a cholesterol …


Distribution And Disease Prevalence Of Feral Hogs In Missouri, R. Edwin Hartin, Mark R. Ryan, Tyler A. Campbell Jan 2007

Distribution And Disease Prevalence Of Feral Hogs In Missouri, R. Edwin Hartin, Mark R. Ryan, Tyler A. Campbell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No attempts have been made to document the distribution of feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in Missouri. Also, antibody prevalence for pseudorabies virus and swine brucellosis have not been reported from Missouri. Our objectives were to characterize the current distribution of feral hogs in Missouri and to determine prevalence and distribution of feral hogs with antibodies against selected important diseases. We collected feral hog sighting data both from the public and Missouri Wildlife Services and Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife biologists. We determined prevalence of antibodies against pseudorabies virus, swine brucellosis, tularemia, and classical swine fever. From 2000 to …


Book Review: The Beast In The Garden: A Modern Parable Of Man And Nature, Nicole Mccoy Jan 2007

Book Review: The Beast In The Garden: A Modern Parable Of Man And Nature, Nicole Mccoy

Human–Wildlife Interactions

When I first read The Beast in the Garden shortly aft er the release of the hardback edition in 2004, I was reminded of the exchange quoted above in the movie, “The Matrix.” Neo (Mr. Anderson) survived. Scott Lancaster, a teenage athlete running in the hills outside of his Colorado high school, died. He probably never heard the mountain lion that stalked and killed him, but after reading David Baron’s book, I believe we should have. Had our ears been attuned to the proper frequency, the mountain lion’s approach would have been as loud as the subway train that spelled …


Land-Use Pattern, Urbanization, And Deer–Vehicle Collisions In Alabama, Anwar Hussain, James B. Armstrong, David B. Brown, John Hogland Jan 2007

Land-Use Pattern, Urbanization, And Deer–Vehicle Collisions In Alabama, Anwar Hussain, James B. Armstrong, David B. Brown, John Hogland

Human–Wildlife Interactions

With the rise in deer–vehicle collisions across the United States, the associated costs also have risen. Increasingly, however, researchers are learning that these collisions are not a random phenomena but follow a systematic pattern. Building on this insight, we explored the role of county characteristics in influencing the pattern and incidence of white-tailed deer- (Odocoileus virginianus) related auto collisions. Using county level data from 1994 to 2003 in Alabama, we tested several data models with the above mentioned factors …


Gray Wolf Biology Questions And Answers Nov 2006

Gray Wolf Biology Questions And Answers

Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery: Annual Reports

1) Why was the gray wolf listed as endangered?
2) What types of habitat do wolves use?
3) Do wolves need wilderness areas to survive? Can they survive near urban areas?
4) How far do wolves travel?
5) What do wolves eat?
6) If wolf numbers get too high will deer and elk be eliminated?
7) How do wolves in an area affect deer hunting?
8) Do wolves really take the old, young, sick, starving, or injured animals?
9) Do wolves kill more than they can eat?
10) Does the presence of wolves affect the numbers of animals other than …


Refuge Update – November/December 2006, Volume 3, Number 6 Nov 2006

Refuge Update – November/December 2006, Volume 3, Number 6

RefugeUpdate (USFWS-NWRS)

Table of Contents:

Least Bell’s Vireos Are Back, page 3 San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge hosted totally unexpected residents last year.

Managing Ocean Wildlife, page 5 A new agreement should help in managing marine resources.

Focus on . . . Endangered Species, pages 10-21 Whether it’s the fastest land mammal or the tiniest mussel, refuges work on behalf of endangered species.

Peeping at Peeps, page 24 Shorebirds can be tough to identify. Classroom and fields trips helped.


Growing Quality Stewardship For Natural Resources In Tennessee, Aubrey L. Deck, Craig Harper Oct 2006

Growing Quality Stewardship For Natural Resources In Tennessee, Aubrey L. Deck, Craig Harper

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

A primary goal of Extension Wildlife in Tennessee is to steer youth in a direction that will increase their chance of successful recruitment into society and make a positive difference in the way the public views and manages our natural resources. Tennessee’s 4-H Wildlife Project is in its 35th year of growing quality stewardship by 1) teaching the basic principles of wildlife ecology and management, 2) helping students understand the importance of wildlife in our environment, and 3) promoting citizenship/leadership. These efforts may lead to informed participation in natural resource conservation and land-use decision making.

The University of Tennessee has …


Bringing Extension Into The Classroom, Christopher Deperno, Christopher E. Moorman Oct 2006

Bringing Extension Into The Classroom, Christopher Deperno, Christopher E. Moorman

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

The dissemination of research-based information has been a hallmark of North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) land grant mission for more than 100 years. Through county Cooperative Extension Centers, NCSU maintains a strong relationship with the citizens of North Carolina. However, many students do not understand the importance of the mission of a land grant university, and most do not know that North Carolina State University has an extension program. Furthermore, students do not understand the extension mission, administrative structure, or approach to educate the public. There are many ways to bring extension into the undergraduate classroom and to encourage graduate …


Extension’S Role In Endangered Species Management, R. Dwayne Elmore Oct 2006

Extension’S Role In Endangered Species Management, R. Dwayne Elmore

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Cooperative Extension is an ideal facilitator for volatile wildlife issues such as endangered species management on private lands. Often, lack of trust in government agencies or fear of Endangered Species Act regulations hinders conservation efforts on these private lands. Extension personnel have close ties to local affected communities and thus can be instrumental in educating landowners regarding options that may be available to them in regards to sensitive, candidate, threatened, or endangered species. While in the past these species have been regarded as liabilities to landowners, in many cases they can actually be assets. However, state and federal agencies are …


Bass Management Symposia: Managing Ponds And Lakes For Better Fishing, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, Peter Wood Oct 2006

Bass Management Symposia: Managing Ponds And Lakes For Better Fishing, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, Peter Wood

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Texas contains more than one million privately owned ponds and reservoirs comprising some one-half million surface acres. Interest in managing these ponds for recreational fishing, especially for largemouth bass is high. In order to respond to this educational need, a series of symposia designed to provide information on intensive largemouth bass management was conducted. Symposia were conducted in Athens (2001), San Marcos (2003), and Conroe (2005). The fee-based programs ($50 pre-registration, $75 at the door) attracted 601 participants from Texas and several other states. Each participant received a copy of the symposia proceedings. Exhibitors providing private water management products and …


With One Stroke Of The Pen: How Can Wildlife Extension Specialists Involve Developers And Policy-Makers In Wildlife Conservation?, Mark Hostetler Oct 2006

With One Stroke Of The Pen: How Can Wildlife Extension Specialists Involve Developers And Policy-Makers In Wildlife Conservation?, Mark Hostetler

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Residential developments have a huge impact on natural resources and wildlife, and sustainable or “green” communities are beginning to be built throughout the United States with goals to conserve wildlife habitat, to create healthy lifestyles, and to promote a sense of community. Buzzwords can be heard in the media and in town meetings: sustainability, smart growth, new urbanism, low impact development, and conservation subdivisions. Ultimately, with one stroke of a pen, developers and policymakers can determine how a community will look and feel for many years to come. Plus, citizens make day-to-day decisions that determine whether a community operates as …


Extension Wildlife Programs: Thoughts And Ideas, Jeffrey J. Jackson Oct 2006

Extension Wildlife Programs: Thoughts And Ideas, Jeffrey J. Jackson

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

The following commentary is a summary of some personal thoughts, reflections, and opinions on extension wildlife programming based on my experience at the University of Georgia as Extension Wildlife Specialist during the years between 1976 and 2001. I hope it will be of some value to new specialists. Because I was the only Extension Wildlife Specialist, I was in a unique position to develop an overview of the entire wildlife management field. Along the way, I had the opportunity to be full time within Extension, have a split appointment, and be assigned to an academic department.


Protecting And Enhancing River And Stream Continuity, Scott Jackson Oct 2006

Protecting And Enhancing River And Stream Continuity, Scott Jackson

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

As long linear ecosystems, rivers and streams are particularly vulnerable to fragmentation. There is growing concern about the role of road crossings – and especially culverts – in altering habitats and disrupting river and stream continuity. The River and Stream Continuity Project began in the year 2000 with a startup grant from the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative. The University of Massachusetts took the lead in convening a group of people from a variety of agencies and organizations who were concerned about the impact of road-stream crossings on fish and other aquatic organism passage. Since its beginning, the River and Stream Continuity …


The “We Know, We Believe, And We Feel” Approach To Implementing Projects Under The Farm Bill To Benefit Sage-Grouse, Terry A. Messmer Oct 2006

The “We Know, We Believe, And We Feel” Approach To Implementing Projects Under The Farm Bill To Benefit Sage-Grouse, Terry A. Messmer

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Sage-grouse occupy less than 8% of their historic range. To address these declines, the western states and provinces have implemented sage-grouse management plans. These plans identified the need for local working groups (LWGs) to develop and implement conservation plans to address high priority issues. To facilitate LWGs in Utah, the Division of Wildlife Resources entered into a cooperative agreement with Utah State University Extension in 2001 to develop a Utah Community-Based Conservation (CBCP) program. Because sage-grouse occupy diverse landscapes each exhibiting different land ownership patterns, each of the sage-grouse management areas are somewhat unique. Thus, we believe the success of …


Breaking Through The Food Plot Mentality, Christopher E. Moorman, Craig A. Harper, Christopher Deperno Oct 2006

Breaking Through The Food Plot Mentality, Christopher E. Moorman, Craig A. Harper, Christopher Deperno

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Landowners and other wildlife enthusiasts often desire instant gratification when attempting to attract wildlife to their properties. Advertisements distributed by television programs, outdoor publications, and conservation organizations have played a large part in creating the desire for a quick and easy fix. Landowners are erroneously led to believe food plots or plantings of nonnative shrubs and trees will raise the carrying capacity for target wildlife species, even though the typical privately-held property contains overstocked, high-graded timber, intensively maintained croplands, mowed roadsides and drainage ditches, fire-suppressed woodlands, and pastures vegetated with non-native grasses that provide no cover and poor-quality forage. In …


Best Management Practices For Aquatic Vegetation Management In Lakes, Joseph E. Morris, Richard D. Clayton Oct 2006

Best Management Practices For Aquatic Vegetation Management In Lakes, Joseph E. Morris, Richard D. Clayton

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Aquatic plants are an important component of well functioning lake ecosystems. Plant abundance is influenced by sediments, nutrients and water clarity. Given the dominance of agriculture in Iowa, nutrients and soil lost from “leaky” watersheds combine to create ideal habitat for growth of aquatic plants in lakes and ponds and hasten eutrophication. Under these conditions, plant growth can become a nuisance and reduce recreation, especially shoreline angling and boating. These nuisance growths present special problems to lake managers and those interested in lake-based recreation. Given the complexity of the aquatic vegetation often found in lakes, there is no one long-term …


Integrating Northern Bobwhite And Grassland Bird Habitat Enhancement Practices On University Of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Stations: An Educational Model That Puts Knowledge Into Action Through Use Of Demonstrations, Tim Reinbott, Robert A. Pierce Ii, Bill White, Brad Jacobs, Nadia Navarrete-Tindall Oct 2006

Integrating Northern Bobwhite And Grassland Bird Habitat Enhancement Practices On University Of Missouri Agriculture Experiment Stations: An Educational Model That Puts Knowledge Into Action Through Use Of Demonstrations, Tim Reinbott, Robert A. Pierce Ii, Bill White, Brad Jacobs, Nadia Navarrete-Tindall

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Over the past 50 years, advances in agricultural production negatively influenced habitats for bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) and grassland bird species. Farming systems, once beneficial for bobwhite, greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), and many other wildlife species, provided a diversity of early successional habitats. With increases in farm size, intensive cultivation, chemical weed and insect pest control and more efficient harvest practices, many producers have been able to stay in business, but quality habitats for many species have been reduced.


Usda-Extension Wildlife And Fisheries Educational Programs 1978-2000, James E. Miller Oct 2006

Usda-Extension Wildlife And Fisheries Educational Programs 1978-2000, James E. Miller

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

This paper provides a brief overview of the history of USDA-Extension wildlife and fisheries programs at the national level, with emphasis on the years 1978-2000. Portions of the earlier history of Extension wildlife and fisheries programs at the national level can be found in previous proceedings of these National conferences and in other publications (see Miller 1981). This review of programs conducted or influenced by the National Program Leader (NPL) during the period is a brief snapshot in time regarding the presence of an experienced and motivated professional serving in the NPL wildlife and fisheries position.


First-Stop Planning And Communication For Landhelp, Delwin E. Benson Oct 2006

First-Stop Planning And Communication For Landhelp, Delwin E. Benson

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

I developed an Internet-based, planning and communication system for professional and private users to make plans for their lands, which is branded as LandHelp (www.LandHelp.info). The project was funded by grants from the Renewable Resources Extension Act, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wildlife Habitat Management Institute, Colorado State Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA SARE) from the Western Region, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agro-forestry program with the NRCS. Currently, LandHelp contains links to 31 broad categories of information that then link to 2,613 more resources. Major topics include, but …


One Way To Handle A Split Appointment, Peter T. Bromley Oct 2006

One Way To Handle A Split Appointment, Peter T. Bromley

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Wildlife and fisheries extension specialists typically hold split appointments. Identification of significant natural resource problems or opportunities and integration of research and teaching methods with extension programming can produce results that simultaneously satisfy extension program expectations as well as meet desired evidence for university-level scholarship. The wildlife-agriculture applied research and extension program, with emphasis on restoration of northern bobwhite quail populations on intensely farmed lands, illustrates the benefits of an integrated approach.


Extension: A Modern Day Pony Express?, David Drake, Ben West Oct 2006

Extension: A Modern Day Pony Express?, David Drake, Ben West

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the Cooperative Extension Service for the purpose of “diffusing among the people of the United States useful and practical information on subjects relating to agriculture, home economics, and rural energy”. Since then, much has changed. Just over 92 million individuals lived in the United States in 1910, with 31% of the population employed as farmers. As of 2005, America’s population had increased to nearly 297 million people, with only 3% of the population earning a living on the farm. More telling, about 80% of America’s population now lives in a suburban/urban environment. Currently, the …


Qualifying Native Warm-Season Grasses And Early Succession Habitat, Craig A. Harper, Christopher E. Moorman Oct 2006

Qualifying Native Warm-Season Grasses And Early Succession Habitat, Craig A. Harper, Christopher E. Moorman

Triennial National Wildlife and Fisheries Extension Specialists Conference: 11th (2006)

Tall fescue and other non-native perennial cool-season grasses (such as orchardgrass, timothy, bromegrasses, and bluegrass) provide poor wildlife habitat. Native warm-season grasses (nwsg), especially big and little bluestem, indiangrass, and switchgrass, have been promoted to replace non-native cool-season grasses and enhance quality early succession habitat. Initially, problems associated with establishing nwsg and landowner misperceptions slowed the progress of early succession habitat enhancement on private lands. More recently, improvements in planting equipment, herbicides, and seed quality have increased establishment success. Wildlife response to native grass plantings generally has been positive, especially when an abundance of wildlife-friendly forbs and scattered shrubs occur …