Alaska EPSCoR AHM May 27, 2010
Shannon DonovanUniversity of Alaska AnchorageDepartment of Geography and
Environmental Studies
The Issues: They are Complex Predator control occurs across many Northwest states
and Alaska Gray wolves were delisted from the Federal ESA Prey (caribou and moose) populations seem to be
decreasing/fluctuating in some areas Different management strategies employed on different
land types and by different agencies Problematic for sport and subsistence huntingLittle is known/agreed upon about existing numbers of
predators and prey Highly controversial topic Need for biological, economical and social baseline data
Bringing Together an Interdisciplinary Team
To date, several folks have met to develop an interdisciplinary project focused on predator/prey management issues.
Matt Berman, UAA ISERShannon Donovan UAA Julie Lurman Joly, UAF Don Spalinger, UAA Toby Schwörer , UAA ISERJeff Welker, UAA ENRI
Discussed needs, resources and opportunities as well as the challenges of addressing predator management in Alaska.
Wolves, Bears, and Their Prey in Alaska: Biological and Social Challenges in Wildlife Management.
Report by the National Research Council in 1997
Provides 17 conclusions and recommendations for moving forward
Many of these recommendations have not been followed up on as of yet
Need and opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary approach for collecting baseline data
Habitat availability and quality need to be better understood
Increase coordination across agencies to better understand predator-prey relationships across landscapes
Assess full economic costs and benefits of predator management programs
Manage and monitor predators and prey using adaptive management strategies
Increase understanding of social values Develop a framework for incorporating public opinion Create and implement conflict resolution strategies
Select Recommendations: Coordinate and Cooperate
Alaska Residents’ Attitudes toward Predator Management Statewide in Unit 13
Study conducted by Cornell for ADF&G in 2003Random sample of 1300 households statewide and
1300 in Unit 13Among other things, the study assessed public
acceptance of predator controlStudy shows public acceptance is conditional
“when predation reduces prey populations to the point that some local residents who rely on game for food are unable to find moose or caribou to hunt”
Study also suggests public interest in increasing prey is greater than their interest in decreasing predators
Umbrella Research Question
Under what conditions does predator control make social and ecological systems more resilient?
Sub-Topics Predator-prey relationships Carrying capacity (habitat)Migration (in and out of local areas
and across land types)Fire and fire managementPredator management and policies: different
rules in different landsPublic opinions and stakeholder values Rule making processes
What are the optimal predator and prey harvest rates that maximize long term social net benefits?
How effective is predator control in selected study areas?What are the economic benefits and costs of predator control
versus what they could be under ecosystem-based management?
To what degree are prey populations changing at regional levels? How do population changes coincide with other factors?
How can social and ecological changes be monitored at a landscape level – to what degree can spatial mapping help better understand systems?
What are the range of factors affecting prey populations?How important are predators in shaping sense of place?How can lessons learned about predator management in the
North be applied to other areas -like WY, ID and MT?What strategies can be employed to reduce stakeholder
conflict?
Other potential ideas Assess impacts of predator management and
reduced prey on native communities Incorporate local knowledge into adaptive
management strategies Look at the impact of climate change on prey
movementModeling changes in predator-
prey relationships
Approach Assess impacts of predator management and
prey availability across landscapes Identify what is already known and gaps in
the knowledgeDevelop intensive case studies in varying
geographic regions Generate baseline data sets Bring stakeholders together Develop plausible strategies for effectively
monitoring and managing predators and prey
Hopeful Outcomes Provide managers and policymakers with relatively
objective data needed to solve a complex bio-social problem
Create a framework for collaboration across landscapes
Create a framework for collaboration across agencies Understand public values regarding predator
management Identify true costs and benefits of predator
management Develop a successful models that can be
implemented in other regions
Potential Funding NSF
Dynamics of coupled human and natural systems (Nov. deadline)
ARCSS (Dec. deadline)National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation (Nov. deadline)Federal initiatives/earmarks
Shannon Donovan 907-786-6052