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• 21. [Article] Danger! Danger! Danger!, or When Animals Might Attack: The Adventure Activist Genre

  An analysis of the current state of the adventure activist genre in film, centering on The Crocodile Hunter and Project Grizzly.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Danger! Danger! Danger!, or When Animals Might Attack: The Adventure Activist Genre Author: Berrettini, Mark L. Year: 2005 An analysis of the current state of the adventure activist genre in film, centering on The Crocodile Hunter and Project Grizzly. Title: Danger! Danger! Danger!, or When Animals Might Attack: The Adventure Activist Genre Author: Berrettini, Mark L. Year: 2005 An analysis of the current state of the adventure activist genre in film, centering on The Crocodile Hunter and Project Grizzly. Close

• 22. [Article] Nest Reuse by Eastern Kingbirds: Adaptive Behavior or Ecological Constraint?

  The reuse of old nests by open-cup nesting passerines is a seemingly rare but potentially adaptive behavior if, as a consequence, females begin to breed earlier, lay larger clutches, or fledge more young. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Nest Reuse by Eastern Kingbirds: Adaptive Behavior or Ecological Constraint? Author: Redmond, Lucas J., Murphy, Michael T., Dolan, Amy C. Year: 2007 The reuse of old nests by open-cup nesting passerines is a seemingly rare but potentially adaptive behavior if, as a consequence, females begin to breed earlier, lay larger clutches, or fledge more young. We report an unusually high rate of nest reuse (~10% of 341 nests) for Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) breeding at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. We found no difference in availability of nesting habitat or food abundance in territories in which nests were and were not reused. We also found no support for the hypotheses that kingbirds benefited from nest reuse by breeding earlier, laying larger clutches, or fledging more young, and, contrary to expectations, females that reused nests laid significantly smaller eggs than females who built their own nests. Nest reuse was independent of age: a roughly equal number of females for which we had multiple years of data both reused nests and built new nests, but at different points in their lives. Competition for nest sites seems high at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge because many open-cup nesting species utilize similar nest sites in the limited zone of riparian vegetation. A shortage of high-quality nest sites, coupled with interspecific competition, may underlie the high frequency of nest reuse in this kingbird population. Title: Nest Reuse by Eastern Kingbirds: Adaptive Behavior or Ecological Constraint? Author: Redmond, Lucas J., Murphy, Michael T., Dolan, Amy C. Year: 2007 The reuse of old nests by open-cup nesting passerines is a seemingly rare but potentially adaptive behavior if, as a consequence, females begin to breed earlier, lay larger clutches, or fledge more young. We report an unusually high rate of nest reuse (~10% of 341 nests) for Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) breeding at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. We found no difference in availability of nesting habitat or food abundance in territories in which nests were and were not reused. We also found no support for the hypotheses that kingbirds benefited from nest reuse by breeding earlier, laying larger clutches, or fledging more young, and, contrary to expectations, females that reused nests laid significantly smaller eggs than females who built their own nests. Nest reuse was independent of age: a roughly equal number of females for which we had multiple years of data both reused nests and built new nests, but at different points in their lives. Competition for nest sites seems high at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge because many open-cup nesting species utilize similar nest sites in the limited zone of riparian vegetation. A shortage of high-quality nest sites, coupled with interspecific competition, may underlie the high frequency of nest reuse in this kingbird population. Close

• 23. [Article] Divergent trends in ecosystem services under different climate-management futures in a fire-prone forest landscape

  While ecosystem services and climate change are often examined independently, quantitative assessments integrating these fields are needed to inform future land management decisions. Using climate-informed ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Divergent trends in ecosystem services under different climate-management futures in a fire-prone forest landscape Author: Halofsky, Joshua S., Halofsky, Jessica E., Hemstrom, Miles A., Morzillo, Anita T., Zhou, Xiaoping, Donato, Daniel C. Year: 2017 While ecosystem services and climate change are often examined independently, quantitative assessments integrating these fields are needed to inform future land management decisions. Using climate-informed state-and-transition simulations, we examined projected trends and trade-offs for a suite of ecosystem services under four climate change scenarios and two management scenarios (active management emphasizing fuel treatments and no management other than fire suppression) in a fire-prone landscape of dry and moist mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon, USA. Focal ecosystem services included fire potential (regulating service), timber volume (provisioning service), and potential wildlife habitat (supporting service). Projections without climate change suggested active management in dry mixed-conifer forests would create more open forest structures, reduce crown fire potential, and maintain timber stocks, while in moist mixed-conifer forests, active management would reduce crown fire potential but at the expense of timber stocks. When climate change was considered, however, trends in most ecosystem services changed substantially, with large increases in wildfire area predominating broad-scale trends in outputs, regardless of management approach (e.g., strong declines in timber stocks and habitat for closed-forest wildlife species). Active management still had an influence under a changing climate, but as a moderator of the strong climate-driven trends rather than being a principal driver of ecosystem service outputs. These results suggest projections of future ecosystem services that do not consider climate change may result in unrealistic expectations of benefits. Title: Divergent trends in ecosystem services under different climate-management futures in a fire-prone forest landscape Author: Halofsky, Joshua S., Halofsky, Jessica E., Hemstrom, Miles A., Morzillo, Anita T., Zhou, Xiaoping, Donato, Daniel C. Year: 2017 While ecosystem services and climate change are often examined independently, quantitative assessments integrating these fields are needed to inform future land management decisions. Using climate-informed state-and-transition simulations, we examined projected trends and trade-offs for a suite of ecosystem services under four climate change scenarios and two management scenarios (active management emphasizing fuel treatments and no management other than fire suppression) in a fire-prone landscape of dry and moist mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon, USA. Focal ecosystem services included fire potential (regulating service), timber volume (provisioning service), and potential wildlife habitat (supporting service). Projections without climate change suggested active management in dry mixed-conifer forests would create more open forest structures, reduce crown fire potential, and maintain timber stocks, while in moist mixed-conifer forests, active management would reduce crown fire potential but at the expense of timber stocks. When climate change was considered, however, trends in most ecosystem services changed substantially, with large increases in wildfire area predominating broad-scale trends in outputs, regardless of management approach (e.g., strong declines in timber stocks and habitat for closed-forest wildlife species). Active management still had an influence under a changing climate, but as a moderator of the strong climate-driven trends rather than being a principal driver of ecosystem service outputs. These results suggest projections of future ecosystem services that do not consider climate change may result in unrealistic expectations of benefits. Close

• 24. [Article] Use of Water Indices Derived from Landsat OLI Imagery and GIS to Estimate the Hydrologic Connectivity of Wetlands in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

  This study compared two remote sensing water indices: the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Modified NDWI (MNDWI). Both indices were calculated using publically-available data from the Landsat ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Use of Water Indices Derived from Landsat OLI Imagery and GIS to Estimate the Hydrologic Connectivity of Wetlands in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Author: Blackmore, Debra Sue Year: 2016 This study compared two remote sensing water indices: the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Modified NDWI (MNDWI). Both indices were calculated using publically-available data from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). The research goal was to determine whether the indices are effective in locating open water and measuring surface soil moisture. To demonstrate the application of water indices, analysis was conducted for freshwater wetlands in the Tualatin River Basin in northwestern Oregon to estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence between these wetlands and nearby water bodies. Remote sensing techniques have been used to study wetlands in recent decades; however, scientific studies have rarely addressed hydrologic connectivity and hydrologic permanence, in spite of the documented importance of these properties. Research steps were designed to be straightforward for easy repeatability: 1) locate sample sites, 2) predict wetness with water indices, 3) estimate wetness with soil samples from the field, 4) validate the index predictions against the soil samples from the field, and 5) in the demonstration step, estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence. Results indicate that both indices predicted the presence of large, open water features with clarity; that dry conditions were predicted by MNDWI with more subtle differentiation; and that NDWI results seem more sensitive to sites with vegetation. Use of this low-cost method to discover patterns of surface moisture in the landscape could directly improve the ability to manage wetland environments. Title: Use of Water Indices Derived from Landsat OLI Imagery and GIS to Estimate the Hydrologic Connectivity of Wetlands in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Author: Blackmore, Debra Sue Year: 2016 This study compared two remote sensing water indices: the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Modified NDWI (MNDWI). Both indices were calculated using publically-available data from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). The research goal was to determine whether the indices are effective in locating open water and measuring surface soil moisture. To demonstrate the application of water indices, analysis was conducted for freshwater wetlands in the Tualatin River Basin in northwestern Oregon to estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence between these wetlands and nearby water bodies. Remote sensing techniques have been used to study wetlands in recent decades; however, scientific studies have rarely addressed hydrologic connectivity and hydrologic permanence, in spite of the documented importance of these properties. Research steps were designed to be straightforward for easy repeatability: 1) locate sample sites, 2) predict wetness with water indices, 3) estimate wetness with soil samples from the field, 4) validate the index predictions against the soil samples from the field, and 5) in the demonstration step, estimate hydrologic connectivity and hydrological permanence. Results indicate that both indices predicted the presence of large, open water features with clarity; that dry conditions were predicted by MNDWI with more subtle differentiation; and that NDWI results seem more sensitive to sites with vegetation. Use of this low-cost method to discover patterns of surface moisture in the landscape could directly improve the ability to manage wetland environments. Close

• 25. [Article] Oregon Spartina Response Plan

  Four introduced, invasive species of Spartina (cordgrass) have been present in estuarine areas of the U.S. west coast for over a century. These Spartina species are ecological engineers- they cause severe ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Oregon Spartina Response Plan Author: Pfauth, Mary, Sytsma, Mark, Isaacson, Dennis Year: 2007 Four introduced, invasive species of Spartina (cordgrass) have been present in estuarine areas of the U.S. west coast for over a century. These Spartina species are ecological engineers- they cause severe alternations in the hydrology and food webs of invaded estuaries that are detrimental to native wildlife and commercial and recreational uses. Oregon has been relatively free of these weeds, with only two known infestations. One infestation was eradicated by Oregon Department of Agriculture and the other is currently under eradication by The Nature Conservancy. Title: Oregon Spartina Response Plan Author: Pfauth, Mary, Sytsma, Mark, Isaacson, Dennis Year: 2007 Four introduced, invasive species of Spartina (cordgrass) have been present in estuarine areas of the U.S. west coast for over a century. These Spartina species are ecological engineers- they cause severe alternations in the hydrology and food webs of invaded estuaries that are detrimental to native wildlife and commercial and recreational uses. Oregon has been relatively free of these weeds, with only two known infestations. One infestation was eradicated by Oregon Department of Agriculture and the other is currently under eradication by The Nature Conservancy. Close

• 26. [Article] A Look Beyond: Wolves, Freedom and the Landscape

  The article focuses on the wolves and the need for conservation plans including a wildlife corridor that runs from the Sierra Madre Occidental in Sonora, Mexico, north along the Rocky Mountains to the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Look Beyond: Wolves, Freedom and the Landscape Author: Johns, David Year: 2006 The article focuses on the wolves and the need for conservation plans including a wildlife corridor that runs from the Sierra Madre Occidental in Sonora, Mexico, north along the Rocky Mountains to the Yellowstone ecosystem and on to the Canadian Yukon. A broad coalition is working to protect and restore the health of the land, water and wolves in this 4,000-mile-long international passage, often referred to as the ?Spine of the Continent.? Title: A Look Beyond: Wolves, Freedom and the Landscape Author: Johns, David Year: 2006 The article focuses on the wolves and the need for conservation plans including a wildlife corridor that runs from the Sierra Madre Occidental in Sonora, Mexico, north along the Rocky Mountains to the Yellowstone ecosystem and on to the Canadian Yukon. A broad coalition is working to protect and restore the health of the land, water and wolves in this 4,000-mile-long international passage, often referred to as the ?Spine of the Continent.? Close

• 27. [Article] Lifeblood of the Earth: Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Hydrological Knowledge and Perceptions of Restoration in Two Southern Nevada Protected Areas

  In the arid landscapes of the southern Great Basin and northern Mojave Desert, issues surrounding water resource management are often politically contentious. Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) have known and managed ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lifeblood of the Earth: Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Hydrological Knowledge and Perceptions of Restoration in Two Southern Nevada Protected Areas Author: Wendel, Kendra Lesley Year: 2014 In the arid landscapes of the southern Great Basin and northern Mojave Desert, issues surrounding water resource management are often politically contentious. Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) have known and managed these resources for thousands of years prior to Euro-American arrival in the region. A variety of factors, including federal policies that resulted in the creation of reservations and forced placement in boarding schools, as well as contemporary resource commodification, have influenced Nuwuvi knowledge and practice. In this thesis, I examined the character of Nuwuvi ethnohydrological knowledge, including management knowledge, of two protected areas: Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA), managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR), managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In addition, I investigated perceptions of water health and restoration among participants from the two managing agencies and six Nuwuvi Nations. I addressed these topics using the theoretical framework of political ecology and a methodology that included semi-structured interviews and demographic questionnaires with 16 Nuwuvi knowledge holders and four federal agency participants. I conducted text analysis of partial interview transcripts using the inductive coding method in order to identify recurring themes and concepts related to hydrology, management, and restoration. My results illustrated that Nuwuvi ethnohydrological knowledge, which developed incrementally over time, conceptualized water as a sentient being that required human interaction to remain healthy. There was also evidence that Nuwuvi knowledge of water was changing as a result of political, economic, and social forces. Furthermore, these findings suggest that Nuwuvi and agency approaches to hydrological management and restoration were built upon differing epistemologies, though there was convergence among specific management and restoration techniques. Based on these results, a report of findings from the Nuwuvi Knowledge-to-Action project, including recommendations for collaborative stewardship approaches, was delivered to participants in August 2013. Title: Lifeblood of the Earth: Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Hydrological Knowledge and Perceptions of Restoration in Two Southern Nevada Protected Areas Author: Wendel, Kendra Lesley Year: 2014 In the arid landscapes of the southern Great Basin and northern Mojave Desert, issues surrounding water resource management are often politically contentious. Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) have known and managed these resources for thousands of years prior to Euro-American arrival in the region. A variety of factors, including federal policies that resulted in the creation of reservations and forced placement in boarding schools, as well as contemporary resource commodification, have influenced Nuwuvi knowledge and practice. In this thesis, I examined the character of Nuwuvi ethnohydrological knowledge, including management knowledge, of two protected areas: Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA), managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR), managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In addition, I investigated perceptions of water health and restoration among participants from the two managing agencies and six Nuwuvi Nations. I addressed these topics using the theoretical framework of political ecology and a methodology that included semi-structured interviews and demographic questionnaires with 16 Nuwuvi knowledge holders and four federal agency participants. I conducted text analysis of partial interview transcripts using the inductive coding method in order to identify recurring themes and concepts related to hydrology, management, and restoration. My results illustrated that Nuwuvi ethnohydrological knowledge, which developed incrementally over time, conceptualized water as a sentient being that required human interaction to remain healthy. There was also evidence that Nuwuvi knowledge of water was changing as a result of political, economic, and social forces. Furthermore, these findings suggest that Nuwuvi and agency approaches to hydrological management and restoration were built upon differing epistemologies, though there was convergence among specific management and restoration techniques. Based on these results, a report of findings from the Nuwuvi Knowledge-to-Action project, including recommendations for collaborative stewardship approaches, was delivered to participants in August 2013. Close

• 28. [Article] Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Ecological Knowledge of Piñon-Juniper Woodlands: Implications for Conservation and Sustainable Resource Use in Two Southern Nevada Protected Areas

  Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) have inhabited the southern Great Basin for thousands of years, and consider Nuvagantu (where snow sits) in the Spring Mountains landscape to be the locus of their creation as ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Ecological Knowledge of Piñon-Juniper Woodlands: Implications for Conservation and Sustainable Resource Use in Two Southern Nevada Protected Areas Author: Lefler, Brian John Year: 2014 Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) have inhabited the southern Great Basin for thousands of years, and consider Nuvagantu (where snow sits) in the Spring Mountains landscape to be the locus of their creation as a people. Their ancestral territory spans parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California. My research identifies and describes the heterogeneous character of Nuwuvi ecological knowledge (NEK) of piñon-juniper woodland ecosystems within two federal protected areas (PAs) in southeastern Nevada, the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA) and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR), as remembered and practiced to varying degrees by 22 select Nuwuvi knowledge holders. I focus my investigation on four primary aspects of NEK. First, drawing from data obtained through ethnoecological research, I discuss how Nuwuvi ecological knowledge evolved through protracted observation and learning from past resource depletions, and adapted to various environmental and socio-economic drivers of change induced since Euro-American incursion. Second, I argue that Nuwuvi management practices operate largely within a framework of non-equilibrium ecology, marked by low to intermediate disturbances and guided by Nuwuvi conceptions of environmental health and balance. These practices favor landscape heterogeneity and patchiness, and engender ecosystem renewal, expanded ecotones, and increased biodiversity. I then consider the third and fourth aspects of NEK as two case studies that consider NEK at the individual, species, population, habitat, and landscape scales. These case studies operationalize NEK as a relevant body of knowledge and techniques conducive to collaborative resource stewardship initiatives with federal land management agency partners. In the first case study I suggest that the Great Basin piñon pines are Nuwuvi cultural keystone species (CKS), evaluating their central importance to Nuwuvi according to several criteria including number of uses, role in ritual and story, and uniqueness relative to other species. In the second case study I contend that local social institutions regulated Nuwuvi resource use in the past and in some cases continued to do so at the time of study. These local social institutions included a system of resource extraction and habitat entrance taboos that may have mitigated impacts and supported sustainable resource use and conservation. The implications of this research are that Nuwuvi ecological knowledge, disturbance-based adaptive management practices, and resource and habitat taboos are relevant to contemporary land management concerns in piñon-juniper woodlands, offering complementary approaches to adaptive management as practiced in the SMNRA and the DNWR despite divergent epistemological foundations. My research contributed to the Nuwuvi Knowledge-to-Action Project, an applied government-to-government consultation, collaborative resource stewardship, and cultural revitalization project facilitated by The Mountain Institute among seven Nuwuvi Nations, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Title: Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Ecological Knowledge of Piñon-Juniper Woodlands: Implications for Conservation and Sustainable Resource Use in Two Southern Nevada Protected Areas Author: Lefler, Brian John Year: 2014 Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) have inhabited the southern Great Basin for thousands of years, and consider Nuvagantu (where snow sits) in the Spring Mountains landscape to be the locus of their creation as a people. Their ancestral territory spans parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California. My research identifies and describes the heterogeneous character of Nuwuvi ecological knowledge (NEK) of piñon-juniper woodland ecosystems within two federal protected areas (PAs) in southeastern Nevada, the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA) and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR), as remembered and practiced to varying degrees by 22 select Nuwuvi knowledge holders. I focus my investigation on four primary aspects of NEK. First, drawing from data obtained through ethnoecological research, I discuss how Nuwuvi ecological knowledge evolved through protracted observation and learning from past resource depletions, and adapted to various environmental and socio-economic drivers of change induced since Euro-American incursion. Second, I argue that Nuwuvi management practices operate largely within a framework of non-equilibrium ecology, marked by low to intermediate disturbances and guided by Nuwuvi conceptions of environmental health and balance. These practices favor landscape heterogeneity and patchiness, and engender ecosystem renewal, expanded ecotones, and increased biodiversity. I then consider the third and fourth aspects of NEK as two case studies that consider NEK at the individual, species, population, habitat, and landscape scales. These case studies operationalize NEK as a relevant body of knowledge and techniques conducive to collaborative resource stewardship initiatives with federal land management agency partners. In the first case study I suggest that the Great Basin piñon pines are Nuwuvi cultural keystone species (CKS), evaluating their central importance to Nuwuvi according to several criteria including number of uses, role in ritual and story, and uniqueness relative to other species. In the second case study I contend that local social institutions regulated Nuwuvi resource use in the past and in some cases continued to do so at the time of study. These local social institutions included a system of resource extraction and habitat entrance taboos that may have mitigated impacts and supported sustainable resource use and conservation. The implications of this research are that Nuwuvi ecological knowledge, disturbance-based adaptive management practices, and resource and habitat taboos are relevant to contemporary land management concerns in piñon-juniper woodlands, offering complementary approaches to adaptive management as practiced in the SMNRA and the DNWR despite divergent epistemological foundations. My research contributed to the Nuwuvi Knowledge-to-Action Project, an applied government-to-government consultation, collaborative resource stewardship, and cultural revitalization project facilitated by The Mountain Institute among seven Nuwuvi Nations, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Close

• 29. [Article] Feral Swine Action Plan for Oregon

  Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Feral Swine Action Plan for Oregon Author: Sytsma, Mark, Rouhe, Arick Christopher Year: 2007 Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world via human introduction. Currently, feral swine populations are established on every continent except Antarctica. Unlike other large mammal invaders, swine have a high reproductive capacity and are omnivorous, which allows for a quick assimilation into most habitats. Once a breeding population is established in an area, the population can quickly increase and negatively impact the ecosystem. A successful invasion of feral swine is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reverse. A feral swine pest risk assessment for Oregon, released in 2004, designated feral swine as a very high-risk species due to high potential for establishment, environmental and economic impacts, and disease transmission to wildlife, livestock and humans. Economic impacts on ecosystems and disease transmission to wildlife are difficult to assess, but restoration of ecosystems and losses to agriculture and livestock have been estimated to exceed US$800 million in the United States each year. Environmental impacts include facilitation of noxious weed invasions, shifts in dominant plant species, reduction of forest regeneration, and soil erosion. Facilitation of noxious weeds and erosion due to feral swine rooting are documented in Oregon. Feral swine in Oregon have not been implicated in disease transmission to humans, but the recent E. coli outbreak from spinach grown on a California farm that caused three deaths has been genetically traced to feral swine excrement deposited in spinach fields. The feral swine population in Oregon is currently small and dispersed. Few disturbances have been documented but state and federal biologists report regular occurrence of disturbances due to feral swine. Actions to prevent the effects of an invasion fall into three categories: management, control or eradication. Of the three categories, only eradication efforts have successfully slowed or reversed the effects of swine invasions. Case studies from California, Australia, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands and the Channel Islands off the coast of California show that management and control efforts, while effective in the short term, have not successfully kept small feral swine populations from increasing to levels that are unmanageable and uncontrollable. A four-year feral swine eradication plan is proposed. The Plan includes recommended legislative changes to facilitate eradication, outreach and education, population assessment, rapid response, and eradication elements. A 0.5 FTE position is required at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement the plan. Eradication of feral swine in Oregon is estimated to require a four-year, $1.29 million effort. Follow-up control of new releases and escapes will require a maintenance effort estimated at less than $50,000 per year (excluding contingency funds for emergency response). These costs are small relative to the value of the $3.6 billion Oregon agriculture and livestock industries and the investment Oregon has made in riparian restoration efforts. Sustained control of feral swine in Oregon will require a longterm commitment that will include annual domestic swine marking, education, and monitoring. Title: Feral Swine Action Plan for Oregon Author: Sytsma, Mark, Rouhe, Arick Christopher Year: 2007 Feral swine are defined as free roaming animals of the genus Sus that are not being held under domestic management or confinement. Swine have spread from Europe and Russia to habitats around the world via human introduction. Currently, feral swine populations are established on every continent except Antarctica. Unlike other large mammal invaders, swine have a high reproductive capacity and are omnivorous, which allows for a quick assimilation into most habitats. Once a breeding population is established in an area, the population can quickly increase and negatively impact the ecosystem. A successful invasion of feral swine is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reverse. A feral swine pest risk assessment for Oregon, released in 2004, designated feral swine as a very high-risk species due to high potential for establishment, environmental and economic impacts, and disease transmission to wildlife, livestock and humans. Economic impacts on ecosystems and disease transmission to wildlife are difficult to assess, but restoration of ecosystems and losses to agriculture and livestock have been estimated to exceed US$800 million in the United States each year. Environmental impacts include facilitation of noxious weed invasions, shifts in dominant plant species, reduction of forest regeneration, and soil erosion. Facilitation of noxious weeds and erosion due to feral swine rooting are documented in Oregon. Feral swine in Oregon have not been implicated in disease transmission to humans, but the recent E. coli outbreak from spinach grown on a California farm that caused three deaths has been genetically traced to feral swine excrement deposited in spinach fields. The feral swine population in Oregon is currently small and dispersed. Few disturbances have been documented but state and federal biologists report regular occurrence of disturbances due to feral swine. Actions to prevent the effects of an invasion fall into three categories: management, control or eradication. Of the three categories, only eradication efforts have successfully slowed or reversed the effects of swine invasions. Case studies from California, Australia, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands and the Channel Islands off the coast of California show that management and control efforts, while effective in the short term, have not successfully kept small feral swine populations from increasing to levels that are unmanageable and uncontrollable. A four-year feral swine eradication plan is proposed. The Plan includes recommended legislative changes to facilitate eradication, outreach and education, population assessment, rapid response, and eradication elements. A 0.5 FTE position is required at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement the plan. Eradication of feral swine in Oregon is estimated to require a four-year, $1.29 million effort. Follow-up control of new releases and escapes will require a maintenance effort estimated at less than $50,000 per year (excluding contingency funds for emergency response). These costs are small relative to the value of the $3.6 billion Oregon agriculture and livestock industries and the investment Oregon has made in riparian restoration efforts. Sustained control of feral swine in Oregon will require a longterm commitment that will include annual domestic swine marking, education, and monitoring. Close

• 30. [Article] Report on Wintering Western Snowy Plovers at Coos Bay North Spit and Impacts to Plovers from The North Jetty Repair Project, Winter 2009

  The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) breeds along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, and Washington and at alkaline lakes in the interior of the western United ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Report on Wintering Western Snowy Plovers at Coos Bay North Spit and Impacts to Plovers from The North Jetty Repair Project, Winter 2009 Author: Lauten, David J., Castelein, Kathleen J., Gaines, Eleanor P. Year: 2009 The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) breeds along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, and Washington and at alkaline lakes in the interior of the western United States (Page et al. 1991). Loss of habitat, predation pressures, and disturbance have caused the decline of the coastal population of Snowy Plovers and led to the listing of the Pacific Coast Population of Western Snowy Plovers as Threatened on March 5, 1993 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993). Oregon Western Snowy Plovers are known to winter along the coast of Oregon as well as migrate to other wintering locations, mainly in California (Lauten et al. 2001, ORNHIC unpublished data). Previous winter surveys along the Oregon coast (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, unpublished data, ORNHIC unpublished data) have documented the locations of wintering Snowy Plovers. Coos Bay North Spit (CBNS) is one location where plovers are known to winter. During the winter of 2008-2009, Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) contracted Kerr Contractors, Inc. to complete repairs on the North Jetty of the Coos River. ACOE consulted with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regarding impacts to sensitive species including Western Snowy Plover. ACOE contracted Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center (ORNHIC) to complete two Snowy Plover surveys prior to jetty repair work, two plover surveys per week during repair work, and two plover surveys post repair work to document any potential impacts to wintering plovers. In winter, plovers tend to spend much of their time roosting along the high tide wrack line, but also spend time foraging, often on the wet sand near the surf (ORHIC, unpublished data). At CBNS, winter Snowy Plover survey data has shown that plovers will roost and feed on the beach north of the North Jetty, but also spend time roosting on the South Spoil and Habitat Restoration Areas (HRAs) east of the foredune. Large 20-ton dump trucks and other large equipment were used to haul material to the North Jetty. Vehicles used the foredune road that bisects the HRAs. Our objectives were to survey and monitor Snowy Plovers on the beach, HRAs, and South Spoil, to document the number of plovers using the area and any impacts or disturbance to the plovers during the North Jetty repair project. Title: Report on Wintering Western Snowy Plovers at Coos Bay North Spit and Impacts to Plovers from The North Jetty Repair Project, Winter 2009 Author: Lauten, David J., Castelein, Kathleen J., Gaines, Eleanor P. Year: 2009 The Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) breeds along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, and Washington and at alkaline lakes in the interior of the western United States (Page et al. 1991). Loss of habitat, predation pressures, and disturbance have caused the decline of the coastal population of Snowy Plovers and led to the listing of the Pacific Coast Population of Western Snowy Plovers as Threatened on March 5, 1993 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993). Oregon Western Snowy Plovers are known to winter along the coast of Oregon as well as migrate to other wintering locations, mainly in California (Lauten et al. 2001, ORNHIC unpublished data). Previous winter surveys along the Oregon coast (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, unpublished data, ORNHIC unpublished data) have documented the locations of wintering Snowy Plovers. Coos Bay North Spit (CBNS) is one location where plovers are known to winter. During the winter of 2008-2009, Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) contracted Kerr Contractors, Inc. to complete repairs on the North Jetty of the Coos River. ACOE consulted with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regarding impacts to sensitive species including Western Snowy Plover. ACOE contracted Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center (ORNHIC) to complete two Snowy Plover surveys prior to jetty repair work, two plover surveys per week during repair work, and two plover surveys post repair work to document any potential impacts to wintering plovers. In winter, plovers tend to spend much of their time roosting along the high tide wrack line, but also spend time foraging, often on the wet sand near the surf (ORHIC, unpublished data). At CBNS, winter Snowy Plover survey data has shown that plovers will roost and feed on the beach north of the North Jetty, but also spend time roosting on the South Spoil and Habitat Restoration Areas (HRAs) east of the foredune. Large 20-ton dump trucks and other large equipment were used to haul material to the North Jetty. Vehicles used the foredune road that bisects the HRAs. Our objectives were to survey and monitor Snowy Plovers on the beach, HRAs, and South Spoil, to document the number of plovers using the area and any impacts or disturbance to the plovers during the North Jetty repair project. Close