building partnerships to reduce human-bear conflicts in an … · 2012. 3. 22. · blackfoot...
TRANSCRIPT
Building partnerships to reduce human-bear conflicts in an agricultural landscape
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Seth Wilson, Blackfoot Challenge ● James J. Jonkel, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks ● Greg Neudecker, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
HBC Workshop Missoula, MT March 22, 2012
Background
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
THE BLACKFOOT CHALLENGE
State Agencies
Corporations
Conservation Organizations
Non-profit Organizations
Federal Agencies
Private Landowners
Local Business Community
Recreationists
The Blackfoot Challenge... works through
...is a landowner driven group…500 landowners; 160 partners
Communication Collaboration Consensus
Results
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Efficacy of Outreach and HBC Preventative Projects: Reflections on a decade of effort
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Outreach: Initial Steps...a bottom up approach to goal setting
Emphasis
Key Goals to Be Addressed to Improve
Human-bear Coexistence
Less
Difficult
More
Difficult
M
anag
e H
uman
Beh
avio
rs Develop a strategy
Understand “the system” Focus on protecting garbage, grain, livestock, etc. Stop developments in bear habitat “Keep a clean camp” Better communication Truthful communication from wildlife managers Better education Protect human safety Improve cooperation among landowners and wildlife managers
M
anag
e Be
ar N
umbe
rs
and
Beha
vior
s
Know where “problem” bears are Know what population is doing Reduce the population Manage “problem” bears more aggressively Institute a hunting season on bears Have legal right to protect livestock during depredations Improve bear monitoring Increase bear relocation distances
Goal Setting: (bottom up)
Emphasis
Key Goals to Be Addressed to Improve
Human-bear Coexistence
Less
Difficult
More
Difficult
M
anag
e H
uman
Beh
avio
rs Develop a strategy
Understand “the system” Focus on protecting garbage, grain, livestock, etc. Stop developments in bear habitat “Keep a clean camp” Better communication Truthful communication from wildlife managers Better education Protect human safety Improve cooperation among landowners and wildlife managers
M
anag
e Be
ar N
umbe
rs
and
Beha
vior
s
Know where “problem” bears are Know what population is doing Reduce the population Manage “problem” bears more aggressively Institute a hunting season on bears Have legal right to protect livestock during depredations Improve bear monitoring Increase bear relocation distances
Goal Setting: (bottom up)
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Community Supported Goals:
Photo Courtesy: Patti Sowka
Prevent Conflicts
Protect Human Safety
Protect Livelihoods
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Community Supported Goals Reflect: Two Important Characteristics:
1. Emphasis on managing human behaviors
2. Risk Reduction
Influenced the type of projects
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Core Projects: GIS – Risk Analysis
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Core Projects: GIS – Risk Analysis
Producer Knowledge Wildlife Management Data (FWP)
Pasture Use / Beehive locations Reported & Verified Grizzly Bear Observations / Conflicts / GPS & Radio Telemetry Data
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Core Projects: GIS – Risk Analysis
priority site(s) conflict hotspots
Methodology & Analysis: Geo-Spatial Models, Density Surface Mapping, Monte Carlo Simulations, and Expert Opinion (Jonkel, 2005; Wilson et al., 2004; Wilson et al., 2005; Wilson et al., 2006)
Statistical Analysis to Prioritize Projects
Livestock producers and landowners wanted to us to work on the issue and implement PROJECTS
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Core Projects: GIS – Risk Analysis
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Core Projects: Electric Fencing
From 2003-2011
• 20 beehive fences • 16 calving areas fences • 2 composting facilities • 2 transfer site(s) • cost-shared w/ranchers
Core Projects: Portable Electric Fencing
Core Projects: Livestock Carcass Removal
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
No.
Car
cass
es R
emov
ed (B
lack
foot
)
Core Projects: Livestock Carcass Removal
Core Projects: Neighbor Networks
Neighbor Networks
Core Projects: Bear Poles
Core Projects: Outreach/Participation with 1,200 residents/yr.
WL Committee/Coordinator Meeting Log 2005
Rate Per Hour $35 $25 $25 $15 $35 $25 $15 Non-Fed Total In-Kind
Date Meeting
Type Federal (F) State
(S) Local
(L) Landowner
(LO) Corporate
(C) Non-Profit
(NP) Volunteer
(V) Hours In-Kind By Hrly Rate
1/5/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 $
50.00 $ 50.00
1//7/2005 One-on-one 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 $
75.00 $ 180.00
1/10/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 $
25.00 $ 25.00
1/12/2005 One-on-one 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 $ - $ 70.00
1/17/2005 Work Group 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 $ - $ 35.00
1/18/2005 Work Group 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 3 $
330.00 $ 435.00
1/19/2005 Committee 2 1 0 3 1 4 0 3.5 $
717.50 $ 962.50
1/20/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 $
25.00 $ 25.00
1/20/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 $
15.00 $ 15.00
1/26/2005 Committee 3 8 0 8 0 2 0 1.5 $
555.00 $ 712.50
1/26/2005 Work Group 1 1 0 7 0 1 0 3 $
465.00 $ 570.00
1/31/2005 One-on-one 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 $ - $ 35.00
1/31/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 $
15.00 $ 15.00
2/2/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 $
90.00 $ 90.00
2/7/2005 One-on-one 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 $
40.00 $ 75.00
2/7/2005 One-on-one 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 $
30.00 $ 30.00
2/23/2005 Work Group 1 6 0 6 0 1 0 3 $
795.00 $ 900.00
Ave. $45,000 in-kind per year
Results: Grizzly bear conflicts have decreased by 96% from 2003-2010
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
No.
of C
onfli
cts
Data courtesy: MT FWP
Results: Grizzly bear mortality has declined by 80% from 2003-2010
No.
of M
orta
litie
s
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Data courtesy: MT FWP
Grizzly Bear-Wolf Conflict Abatement Strategies – An Update for the USFWS – MT Partners Program – 2-29-12
Dr. Seth M. Wilson Blackfoot Challenge, Wildlife Committee Coordinator Yale University, Visiting Fellow People and Carnivores, Field Director IUCN – Human-Bear Conflict Expert Team Member
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Grizzly bear population is increasing at approx. 3% in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and observations (verified and unverified, 1990-2011) of grizzlies outside recovery areas have increased (data source: FWP).
Data courtesy: MT FWP
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Preliminary evidence suggests that grizzlies are using the Blackfoot and having few conflicts with people. GPS-based polygons for grizzlies (n =10) from 2004-2010 (data source: FWP).
Dominant land use(s): small-to-mid-sized cow/calf operation, forestry, and recreation
Emerging challenges of grizzlies foraging in cereal/irrigated crops
Increasing ownership, recovery, and sustainability of bear (or carnivore) populations
Form of local involvement
“You’re On your Own”
Tell them how
Do it for them Expert Dependency Model
Show them How technology transfer
Ownership—peer education, stewardship
Outcomes
People eliminate carnivores
Low odds of success; people eliminate carnivores slowly
Program may Be successful—but very expensive, may not be sustainable
May be less expensive and more sustainable
Coexistence becomes part of culture, most sustainable and durable
Concluding thoughts
NRCC
Special thanks to the Blackfoot Challenge and all members of the Wildlife Committee, the Landowner Advisory Group, the Waste Management and Sanitation Work Group, and the Neighbour Network. Thanks to Granite County Headwaters, Granite County Commissioners, Granite Conservation District, Big Hole Watershed Committee, LighHawk (Chris Boyer), Special thanks as well to T. Smith, J. and I. Weaver, J. and C. Coughlin, G. Coughlin, M. McCormick, L. McCormick, T. Murphy, C. McClure, M. Gahan, D. Pruet, W. Slaght, K. Kovatch, R. Burchenal, D. Iverson, R. Cahoon, L. Flemming, B. Mannix, D. Mannix, R. Mannix, B. Rowland, R. Hall, J. Mulcare, D. Weiss, M. Gravely, C. Bauer, V. Edwards, P. Sowka, M. Johnson, T. Radandt, A. Klinefelter, T. Bernd-Cohen, J. Stone, J. Stuzman, H. Johnson, G. Neudecker, K. Ertl, C. Servheen, S. Kloetzel, Carol Kulish, W. Weaver, Barb McNally, R. Allen, G. Foote, and K. Schoendoerfer. Special thanks to Traci Bignell and Gary Burnett for expert administrative support. Special thanks to J.J. Jonkel, C. Sime, A. Dood, L. Bradley, M. Long, J. Kolbe, M. Thompson, and B. Henderson of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for their vision, support, and collaboration. Thanks to B. Friede, P. Basting, C. Helm, and D. Moeller of MT Department of Transportation. Thanks to all of the fencing contractors we’ve worked with over the years and thanks to Dr. J. Waller, Dr. M. Gibeau, Dr. M. Schwartz, Dr. D. Mattson, Dr. L. Boitani, W. Gilgert, C. Sime, and L. Bradley for various scientific and management-related consultations on various scientific aspects of this effort. Thanks to all partners at the NRCS: D. Smith, P. Lauridson, G. Green, J. Bowe, C. Frazer, B. Weltzein, C. Engelhard, J. Blaine, W. Lujan, T. Prince, D. White, W. Gilgert, P. Husby, C. Mosley, E. Suffridge, P. Matthews, M. Harris, R. Nadwornick, L. Metz, and T. Pick. Thanks to our new riders, Peter Brown, G. Smith, T. Smucker, W. Bignell, L. Pocha. Always there when you need him, Jason Wilmot—THANK you. Thanks to Chris Paige for being the “logistics” queen for our event this evening. Thanks to Becky Weed for all the good thinking over the years. We are grateful for the generous financial , cost-share, and technical support from: Allied Waste Services (formerly BFI), Blackfoot Challenge, Brainerd Foundation, Brown Bear Resources, Bunting Family Foundation, Confluence Fund, Chutney Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, Frankenberg Foundation, Great Bear Foundation, Harder Foundation, Living with Wildlife Foundation, MT Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, MT, Department of Transportation, MT Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative (Thanks Jason Wilmot!), Pumpkin Hill Foundation, Powell County Extension, Private Landowners (Ranchers, Outfitters, Business owners, and Residents), Resource Media, University of Montana, College of Forestry and Conservation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, US Geological Survey, Y2Y / Wilburforce Foundation, and Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
All photographs, data, and maps presented in this talk are either by S. Primm or S. Wilson unless otherwise credited