Shelby Weiss' Graduate Defense Seminar
A Graduate Defense Seminar will be presented by Shelby Weiss, MS candidate. She will present Social and Ecological Aspects of Managing Wildlife in Fire-dependent Forested Ecosystems. This seminar will be held in 245 Kottman Hall.
Many wildlife species are closely linked to natural disturbance processes and the habitat features created by them. As one such disturbance, fire can create unique vegetation patterns on forested landscapes that certain species require to persist. Managing and restoring fire-adapted ecosystems can present unique challenges for managers, particularly when they must weigh forest restoration priorities with other land use or conservation policies and objectives, such as managing for endangered species. I investigated the case of the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis) that nests and forages within pine ecosystems of the southeastern United States. Through semi-structured interviews with natural resource professionals (n=32), I examined manager perspectives on conserving the red-cockaded woodpecker, how their efforts align or conflict with restoration or ecosystem management objectives, and what lessons might be learned from this case to inform others.
Eric Toman, advisor