Carnivore Coexistence Lab
August 8, 2024
Amount Requested$15,000.00
550 North Park Street, 30A Science Hall
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Adrian Treves, PhD
Professor of Environmental Studies
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- Species Conservation
Program Support
Our shared vision is to preserve nature for future generations of all life on Earth.
As public scientists, we value the service to (a) the broadest public including future generations of all life, (b) good governance for fulfilling the duties of public trustees, and (c) the best available science following the principles of Open Science: transparency, independent review, strong inference, and reproducibility.
for a fuller description of our worldview, see https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/Vision.php
$15,000.00
$27,000.00
$500,000.00
No
The Carnivore Coexistence Lab (CCL) works to save large carnivores from extinction and individual harms, conserve their important ecological roles, preserve biodiversity generally, and protect the environment wherever we work. Therefore, our work mainly overlaps Olseth Family Foundation priorities in species conservation. I specify below. However, our approach to that mission also engages in education, and promotes diversity, respect, and equity initiatives.
Diversity: The director, Prof. Treves, as a scientist with a visual impairment that impedes major life activities, recruits junior colleagues from groups under-represented in science, including women, non-whites, and other groups. We respect Indigenous sovereignty.
Within our main focus of carnivore preservation, we try to give back to the public that has educated us, funded our research, and provided our main audiences for research findings these last 12 years. We pay particular attention to the people coexisting with large carnivores in minimal conflict who supervise their domestic animals responsibly, prevent cruelty to all animals, and conserve ecosystems. We educate at multiple levels. Every year, Prof. Treves is continuously teaching undergraduates (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/courses.php) and training and mentoring graduate students (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/people.php). CCL junior colleagues also occasionally participate in higher education programs as instructors. In addition, we all conduct energetic outreach to wildlife professionals on subjects ranging from carnivore science to research integrity to US law relating to endangered species and wildlife conservation. We do this through the Carnivore Coexistence Collaborative a consortium we started in 2012 (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/CCC.php). For every research project, we engage with science and environment reporters to reach a broader audience (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/press.php).
The current proposal launched in 2023 is gearing up for major research, educational, and outreach efforts in 2025 (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/wolves_BogPack.html).
Currently we work in four countries (USA, Rwanda, Kenya, And Russia) and within the USA, in Wisconsin. Recently, we completed projects in Canada, Chile, Colombia, and the states of Colorado and Michigan, USA. Our reputation is international (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/projects.php).
All those who wish to coexist in minimal conflict with wolves and other medium to large wild carnivores (American black bears, cougars, coyotes, bobcats, etc.). We also serve undergraduate research assistants (2-3), undergraduate ecology students (>150), and graduates of our program with training and mentoring. Dr. Treves also serves on science advisory boards for half a dozen organizations, on the board of directors of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (P.E.E.R.),and as an expert witness for litigation in civil cases aimed at improving governance, use of science, or the rule of law (all unpaid).
Agro-ecosystems & habitats hosting wild carnivores near people & domestic animals in US or abroad.
1. Using trail cameras, we will collect photos of wolves and other carnivores continuously for 12 months across the Bog project site.
2. We will train and educate 6 research assistants in field monitoring methods and landowner engagement skills over 12 months; we will transport >100 undergraduate ecology students to the Bog in Fall 2025 to gain familiarity with conservation and ecology fieldwork.
3. We will produce a species inventory for all animals photographed by trail cameras and describe the animals’ natural history and behavior observable from photos and indirect sign surveys over a full calendar year of fieldwork. With landowner collaborators, we will tell the story of coexistence between wolves and landowners locally, nationally, and internationally.
We have years of experience analyzing and publishing trail camera data dating back to 2010 in several countries (https://faculty.nelson.wisc.edu/treves/pubs/Treves_etal_2010.pdf). For 12 months, every other week, we will send at least two team members to the Bog for 1-2 days of daylight fieldwork. Whens schedules allow, team members will camp overnight there too. We will collect trail camera photos and service the cameras. We will conduct indirect sign surveys along established routes to document species occurrence to supplement cameras and detect other important life history events (e.g., wolf urine-marking on snow indicates when breeding pairs are present and can show when a female wolf is pregnant). Our field director, Olivia Deering, will train junior team members and coordinate with senior advisor Joseph Schwirtz, Prof. Adrian Treves, and collaborating landowners. We will also work closely with the landowners who invited us onto their properties, Pat Clark and John Weiss). All of CCL’s projects involve engagement with local communities, especially with livestock owners.
In Fall 2025, Prof. Treves will rent two coach buses to transport approx. 100 undergraduate ecology students along with team members for a one day field excursion to the Bog. There students will observe and attempt the same sets of skills our team performs semiweekly. Back in the classroom, we will discuss and reflect on the experience. Prof. Treves may use this opportunity to recruit the next year’s volunteers.
We will compile data and qualitative information into a scientific paper, a media report, a community meeting with local media, and a classroom lecture on coexisting with large carnivores.
1. By publishing our findings on a wolf pack living near people and domestic animals without conflicts, we will advance the ideas and practices that promote coexistence without the benefits of large protected areas. We will advance the goal of education and outreach about the feasibility of conserving wolves and other large wildlife without killing them. In addition, we will generate the highest-quality reproducible research findings about wolf behavior in a human-dominated ecosystem. These are unique data that complement another unique study by Dr. A. S. Chavez in 2006. Chavez, working in Minnesota, used radio-collars to show how wolves crossed Minnesota agricultural areas, sheltered in the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, and caused little or no conflict with livestock owners surrounding the Refuge. We will measure our success by the number of scientific publications (at least one), the number of broadcast media reports (2 or more), and the full-length classroom lecture that we can prepare by December 2025. Bog project staff will help convey al these messages along side Dr. Treves.
2. We will measure our success by the number of undergraduate theses completed and graduate projects launched (one year is too brief to complete graduate work).
3. We will measure the success of goal 3 by completing a field excursion and the number of students who participate, in a addition to the number of volunteers recruited as a result (2-3 is the target).
01/01/2025
12/31/2025
Our most important and essential partners are the landowners Pat Clark and John Weiss who invited us onto their lands, taught us everything they know about their ecosystem, and ‘introduced’ us to the Bog pack of wolves. Through them, we will aim to conduct outreach to other neighboring landowners through informal conversations or group meetings (e.g., a local deer hunting club). If willing, Mr. Clark and Dr. Weiss will speak to reporters and classes, to spice up our dryer scientific narrative and tell first person testimonials of coexisting with wolves.
Prof. Treves is a frequent contributor to the Endangered Species Coalition national wolf call with 30+ NGOs. He will arrange for interested team members to participate in those calls and give at least one presentation on our Bog pack Project during 2025. Prof. Treves is also a founding member of Wildlife For All, a national network of 35+ NGOs interested in coexistence with wildlife and governance reform. Again, he will arrange for interested team members to participate in those calls and give at least one presentation on our Bog pack Project during 2025. Prof. Treves has the names and addresses of >50 reporters and has had prior contact with them for previous stories. He will arrange interviews with as many team members as are willing, in hopes of gaining media coverage of our project.
We will conduct fieldwork, training, education, and outreach continuously over 12 months. We will work in the field over 26 weeksr. We will lead the field trip class excursion in October 2025. Undergraduate team members will complete training and data collection by December 2025 aiming for theses and other final products in May 2026. Graduate student team members will complete their training by May 2025 and launch their own projects thereafter. We will recruit new volunteers for fieldwork by December 2025.
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