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	<title>wildlife Archives - The Utah Statesman</title>
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	<title>wildlife Archives - The Utah Statesman</title>
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	<item>
		<title>Wilderness First Responders: Helping students adventure safely</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/wilderness-first-responders-helping-students-adventure-safely/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Lacey Cintron]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 13:45:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Statewide Campuses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[first-aid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[first-aid training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hiking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outdoor recreation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safety class]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[statewide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU Moab]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU wilderness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wilderness first-aid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129334</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>In a state like Utah where anyone can backcountry ski, river raft and mountain bike all in one place, wilderness&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/wilderness-first-responders-helping-students-adventure-safely/">Wilderness First Responders: Helping students adventure safely</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In a state like Utah where anyone can backcountry ski, river raft and mountain bike all in one place, wilderness expertise is essential for outdoor enthusiasts. At Utah State University, students can take the first step into wilderness medicine via the Wilderness First Responder course. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>WFR certification is the standard for professional wilderness guides, instructors and those working in search and rescue. In a total of 80 hours, students learn how to handle medical emergencies in remote areas where access to a hospital is limited. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Greg Davis is the assistant director of outdoor programs and an administrator for the Moab WFR course. Davis found his passion for the outdoors in backcountry skiing, whitewater rafting and backpacking. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“Turning my passion into an actual career is what initially drove my desire to get involved with wilderness medicine,” Davis said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Davis has been teaching the course for 10 years. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“We have two courses that we offer: wilderness first responder and wilderness first aid,” Davis said. “Wilderness first responder is a much longer course and much more involved. It goes into more depth as far as skills and treatments.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Students at both the Logan and Moab campus can register for a WFR class, which entails 80 hours in total of online coursework and hands-on training in the classroom and in the field. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“The most beneficial thing students learn is skills that can potentially save somebody’s life,” Davis said. “The most important thing is how to recognize life-threatening conditions and situations and how to deal with those.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Harsh environments in remote locations offer unique challenges that require specialized knowledge to navigate. Through these courses, students learn crucial wilderness medicine skills, treatment options for a variety of injuries and patient assessment.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Anna Rupper is a fourth-year student in nursing who completed her WFR through USU and is now a trip leader for outdoor programs. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“The course has a lot of basic first-aid skills and in-depth first-aid skills,” Rupper said. “A lot of it’s tied to being in the backcountry. We went over CPR, sucking chest wounds, trauma injuries, illnesses, how to treat those and get someone out safely.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>As a trip leader, treatments taught in WFR have helped Rupper ensure a safe experience. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“I’ve had a few illnesses come up and a few minor injuries,” Rupper said. “I’m not excited for people to get hurt, but I like being ready to use my skills.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Becoming a trip leader was one of the main reasons Rupper completed her WFR and now leads backpacking trips, backcountry ski trips and kayaking.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“I lead the National Bridges trip every summer,” Rupper said. “I’ve led it two years in a row now, and it’s super cool because you get a fresh group of people coming to college, and you hike them up into the mountains around Logan. Every time I’ve led that trip, it’s just been super engaging and exciting to bring new freshmen into Utah State.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Davis has utilized WFR skills both individually and throughout his 15-year long career as a team lead for Cache County Search and Rescue. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>“I’ve used these skills in my personal recreation and then I also do search and rescue,” Davis said. “I’ve definitely had some long rescues before that have taken all night.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Introductory courses such as Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness First Aid can represent stepping stones for those looking to become EMT’s, work in Search and Rescue or become guides. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It can definitely be a gateway and is one of the baseline prerequisites for going outdoor careers,” Davis said. “Whether that’s becoming a river guide or a climbing guide, the WFR course is the industry standard for guiding.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Health Care Pathway, Utah EMT licensure requires, at minimum, 120 hours of training and 10 hours of clinical experience. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">WFR courses, through USU and Desert Mountain Medicine, offer up to 70 EMT educational hours through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. Those aspiring to go into these fields can complete many of their hours through USU. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s also the baseline level course if you wanted to pursue the medicine side of things and go into search and rescue,” Davis said. “It’s a fundamental course for that as well.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Davis teaches courses and oversees wilderness trips both in Logan and in Moab. The most recent course took place in Moab on March 23-28, where Davis was one of the instructors. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">At the Professor Valley Field Camp, 20 minutes away from Moab, students can stay on-site and have an all-encompassing experience learning wilderness medicine.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“In most of the WFR courses I teach we do a night scenario,” Davis said. “It’s this culminating experience where the students can put all their skills into practice. It’s dark, it’s cold, they have a challenging patient to deal with and they all have to work together as a team.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">As an instructor, Davis values getting to see his student’s skills come to fruition through these scenarios. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s really fun and exciting to see students put everything that they’ve learned into practice, making some mistakes along the way and learning from those mistakes,” Davis said. “It’s really cool to watch as an instructor. That&#8217;s my highlight of every WFR course.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Every three years, participants must certify again through a refresher WFR course meant to update and review current wilderness medicine treatments and guidelines. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Collin Appleby is a first-year student studying outdoor product design and development. Appleby is WFR certified and is currently in process of recertification through Desert Mountain Medicine. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s usually about every three years you have to get recertified,” Appleby said. “Instead of your seven day course you do it in two days.”  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Through USU, students can take their recertification in a three day span. Recertification focuses less on lecture and coursework and more so on scenario-based training, in which students jump into practicing their skills. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Appleby took their first WFR course in Leadville, Colorado through Colorado Mountain College. As an aspiring wilderness guide, Appleby was motivated to take the course as part of reaching this goal.  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“A requirement for outdoor education and guiding jobs is some sort of wilderness medicine training,” Appleby said. “The standard, especially for multi-day expeditions, is WFR.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For Appleby, an imperative takeaway from WFR was patient assessment, and knowing what problems to look for. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“The most valuable aspect I&#8217;ve taken away and used a lot in my work, when responding to anything from a spider bite to bigger injuries, is the assessment piece,” Appleby said. “Looking for problems to fix.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Rupper and Appleby, learning how to assess and effectively treat an injured individual is a crucial skill to possess. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“The most beneficial thing is the primary assessment,” Rupper said. “If you come on the scene and you notice something wrong you go through everything systematically to make sure nothing is an immediate threat, then you fix it on the way. It’s like a stop and fix, before you move on to the next thing which creates a safe flow for how you approach medicine.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Appleby, insights gained through WFR have been especially helpful in managing situations where the solution isn’t always apparent. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s been really helpful in those gray area circumstances where an injury is not as easily treatable or manageable as a bigger, more obvious injury,” Appleby said. “The practices WFR focused on helped in those situations.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For students aspiring to become guides or wilderness medicine professionals, WFR courses prepare them to experience the backcountry without fear. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Knowing that I’m going into this setting where I’m not really going to have all the access and tools I might have in the front country or in an urban environment,” Appleby said. “It adds to that layer of, ‘How are you going to get this individual out of this situation?’ WFR helps with that next step thinking and with practicing those skills.”</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/wilderness-first-responders-helping-students-adventure-safely/">Wilderness First Responders: Helping students adventure safely</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Climate Adaptation Science minor helps Cache Valley adjust to change</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/climate-adaptation-science-minor-helps-cache-valley-adjust-to-change/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Layla Alnadar]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 03:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CAS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Adaptation Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[graduate program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129183</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Utah State University offers the Climate Adaptation Science program, a nine-credit interdisciplinary specialization that aims to integrate science, research and&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/climate-adaptation-science-minor-helps-cache-valley-adjust-to-change/">Climate Adaptation Science minor helps Cache Valley adjust to change</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">Utah State University offers the Climate Adaptation Science program, a nine-credit interdisciplinary specialization that aims to integrate science, research and policy to approach the changing climate.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Comprising ten departments, including biology, ecology, environment and society and wildland resources, the program spans over two years and provides graduate students with hands-on experience in their field through extensive research and an internship with a project.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">During the first few weeks, students are grouped together based on strengths and potential research interests. Throughout the first semester, they decide on a project that fits their workload, schedule and academic background. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The program’s fall 2020 cohort was made up of a combination of degrees such as ecology, wildland resources, environment and society and watershed sciences. Their project focused on rethinking agricultural methods for the Great Salt Lake’s survival. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Patrick Kelly, a Ph.D. student and CAS graduate, completed his project on alternative crops. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Our team was interested in alternative crops for our changing climate here in Cache Valley,” Kelly said. “We had seen some of the worst drought years on record and knew that with water restrictions, farmers were suffering. A lack of water directly translates to a lack of income for many of them.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Kelly, along with a team of four other graduate students, helped develop research for farmers to use if they wanted to switch from the current water-intensive crops to a more suitable option. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The students ran climate projections for Cache Valley, accounting for temperature and precipitation. They used these growing conditions for current crops and potential crops. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We found that many crops use less water and can be more profitable than some of the major crops that are grown in Cache Valley currently,” Kelly said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Kelly, there is a connection between their research and changing conditions for agriculture in the valley. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We presented our findings at USU’s farm school,” Kelly said. “We talked to farmers about alternative crops that are less water-intensive, more heat-tolerant and the market conditions that made certain crops economically viable over others. We want farming to continue, but to also be economically viable so that folks can make ends meet, especially in water-scarce years where supply is limited.”   </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Kelly said the nature of his group’s project was interdisciplinary.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto"> “We didn’t have an economist in our group but economics is a major part of our project,” Kelly said. “We were given the opportunity to connect with multiple economists to refine our methods and get quality data and tools to help solve issues.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Mitchell Parsons, a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of Wildland Resources, was also part of the fall 2020 cohort that developed research on alternative crops. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We explored future climate predictions to understand what growing season conditions may look like in the future,” Parsons said. “We then compiled data on a suite of currently grown and alternative crops and explored how they may grow in the future, what changes and replacements could be feasible and how decisions may depend on future water availability.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Along with farmers and crops, wildlife is another piece of the biological web adapting to a changing climate.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Learning to work with climate data can be useful when thinking about how many animals may have to shift their ranges to stay in their desired climates,” Parsons said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Another component of the program is an internship with a government agency, a non-profit or one of the organizations CAS is partnered with. In Kelly’s case, he served with a private working bison ranch. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Kelly said the resiliency of the bison species has incredible potential to contribute to food security. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Where cattle suffer and perish, bison are just fine,” Kelly said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">As temperatures rise and become more extreme, cattle struggle to tolerate it and survive. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Bison don’t just survive, but thrive in the temperature we’re seeing and have predicted to intensify,” Kelly said. “Bison have a much lower negative impact on landscapes compared to cattle, increasing the biodiversity of multiple taxa, which then improves landscape resilience to climate change.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Students gain a range of skills and experience even outside their field due to the program’s rich interdisciplinary coursework. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“The most valuable aspect was gaining experience working outside my typical field of wildlife biology,” Kelly said. “This gave me the opportunity to work with different data types, interact with different stakeholders and think about different challenges related to the broad field of ecology.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">An important pillar of the program is the interaction between science and policy. The CAS program integrates the two fields through both coursework and guest speakers.  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Abby Bushman, the program coordinator, regularly assists students with project development, internship planning and navigating the program.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“The speakers vary for each cohort and are chosen to help them with their research and become better communicators,” Bushman said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Perhaps the conversations with state employees and representatives were the most tangible integration of science and policy,” Parsons said. “Throughout the program, we took courses on decision-making, met with speakers from science and policy backgrounds, and participated in panels that included scientists, state employees and state representatives.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Climate change and adaptations bring on complex issues that take a collaborative effort to approach, and the program attracts an array of students from different disciplines. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We had students from all across the sciences coming together, each bringing their expertise to solve real world problems,” Kelly said. “We had the freedom to learn as well.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Following graduation, students go on to work at federal or state agencies, industry giants such as BioWest, nonprofits or universities.  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Sometimes in school, we learn to leave specialist information to specialists,” Kelly said. “In CAS, we were encouraged to be that bridge, gain new skills and knowledge sets, and integrate holistically how to solve these very real and very diverse problems.” </span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/climate-adaptation-science-minor-helps-cache-valley-adjust-to-change/">Climate Adaptation Science minor helps Cache Valley adjust to change</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Campus safari: The wild side of college life</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/campus-safari-the-wild-side-of-college-life/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ashley Dorius]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 02:56:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[campus animals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[campus mountain lion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecosystem health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pollinators]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[squirrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129186</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>With a canyon in its backyard, Utah State University is home to thousands of living, breathing non-student beings. Deer, squirrels,&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/campus-safari-the-wild-side-of-college-life/">Campus safari: The wild side of college life</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With a canyon in its backyard, Utah State University is home to thousands of living, breathing non-student beings. Deer, squirrels, cats, birds, bees and the occasional mountain lion can wander the campus, searching for a snack or a place to rest like any other Aggie. <span data-contrast="auto">These animals are here to stay, and many factors are at play to ensure a peaceful co-existence.  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Shane Richards, a USU alum who studied horticulture and park management, is USU’s Landscape Operations and Management manager. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“A lot of people don&#8217;t realize there’s wildlife around on campus,” Richards said. “Part of planning is where can we afford to have the wildlife in the campus landscaping. We create an environment that fosters both groups.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Richards explained one of the most prominent wildlife groups LOAM has to account for is the large deer population. He estimates there are about 20 to 100 deer per season on campus, ranging from young fawns to intimidating bucks. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Some spots have resident deer herds, but the LOAM team tries to keep them safe and away from most residents. Their solution is to keep the deer in an area fondly known as “the pit” on the other side of 400 N.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“One of our biggest challenges is deer,” Richards said. “They&#8217;re pretty smart. We’re conscientious to keep the deer on the other side of the road to keep them happy. We provide good feed and a good habitat.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">However, the animals still find a way onto campus, affecting how flower beds and other landscaping features are designed.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“When we plant tulips, they&#8217;re like a candy treat to deer and other animals,” Richards said. “There are some tulips that are deer-resistant, but they’re limited in color, scope and size. We’ve planted about 8,000 to 10,000 tulips in the past two years, with many of these being deer-resistant.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Tulips aren’t the only plants that require a shift in plans when the paws come out. The campus squirrels must also be considered during garden and yard work.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We’re in the thousands of squirrels,” Richards said. “The animals are smart; we have to be conscious of where we put trees that produce fruit or nuts.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Insects and pollinators are also essential aspects of the environment that LOAM preserves.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Marci Stevens, a LOAM employee, helped spearhead the work that led to USU receiving a Bee Campus USA designation, given to universities who make commitments to preserve native pollinators. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Stevens works to promote sustainable gardening practices and the preservation of pollinators.</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“</span><span data-contrast="auto">We&#8217;re specifically interested in protecting bees, but it also includes other invertebrates,” Stevens said. “We provide a habitat for them by planting flowers and keeping everything pretty cool.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Stevens said campus is home to several types of bees. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We actually have a honeybee hive that is a wild hive on campus, and they&#8217;re kind of tucked into a hollow tree log,” Stevens said. “They don&#8217;t bother anybody. They can just handle life on their own, and we just made sure that we stay clear of them and let them live their lives. We also have native sweat bees in a couple of different places on campus. We have three or four different varieties of bumblebees on campus as well.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Stevens’s goal is to limit the pesticides used on campus by introducing natural predators to the environment to limit the bugs. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We have certain areas on campus that we&#8217;re going to make completely pesticide-free so we can keep those bad chemicals out of our ecosystem,” Stevens said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Stevens isn’t just a bee-love</span><span data-contrast="auto">r. She also aims to have USU registered as a Monarch Waystation, and she’s a fan of spiders because they naturally keep the pests at bay.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We do also have a pretty good ecosystem of spiders on campus,” Stevens said. “We have some great big yellow-banded garden spiders. They&#8217;re huge, and they are very startling when you go into a flower bed and ‘Spider!’, but are also a good one to kind of keep the pests down.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Even though Stevens specializes in creepy crawlies, she also knows the secret lives of animals on campus. One example is the outdoor cats.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We have a cat population on campus, and they have a couple of feeding stations,” Stevens said. “Those cats helped keep our mice population down, which is nice, and they also keep the squirrel population in check.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In regards to the safety concerns of having wildlife on campus, the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources handles emergency cases and safety precautions. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">One unique example was on Feb. 13, when a mountain lion was spotted on campus.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Faith Heaton Jolley,</span> <span data-contrast="auto">public information officer for DWR, said the DWR team sedated, cared for and safely released the 2-year-old female puma.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Jolley said DWR’s role is to keep animals and people safe. With the rising population in Utah, their work of helping the local fauna find a safe place to roam is gaining importance. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Jolley said what matters most when encountering wild animals is to let them be.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“</span><span data-contrast="auto">One kind of issue that we see is people not keeping wildlife wild,” Jolley said. “Make sure you are not doing things to draw wildlife to an urban area. Make sure you know how to react when around wildlife.”</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Jolley recommended visiting wildawareutah.org for further information about wildlife safety.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">When it comes to having a balanced, sustainable campus, Richards said wildlife is a crucial piece of the environmental puzzle of northern Utah.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“If we have wildlife, we know the landscape is feeling natural,” Richards said. “When it’s too industrial, the animals aren’t there. We want us to co-exist; it helps us gauge the health of our ecosystem.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Richards said his goal is sustainability for USU. He has pushed for composting and lessening pesticides.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“As I&#8217;ve professionally grown, I’ve seen how the ecosystem works together,” Richards said. “The key is to balance. I think it would be really boring to have an environment where animals don’t feel as comfortable as people do. We do it strategically so it&#8217;s not uncomfortable or causes conflict.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Richards said getting to follow his passions at his alma mater was the cherry on top of a great deal. He loves that he gets variety in his job, and gets to be a part of keeping USU beautiful.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“What I like best is LOAM keeps me involved with people, animals and plants and dirt and water,” Richards said. “I find a lot of satisfaction in that. I get to go prune trees and tend flowers or talk to classes and help students.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/campus-safari-the-wild-side-of-college-life/">Campus safari: The wild side of college life</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Predator Research Facility studies coyote bonds, wolf deterrence</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/predator-research-facility-studies-coyote-bonds-wolf-deterrence/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ella Stott]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 02:46:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Animal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coyotes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecology research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Wildlife Research Center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[predator ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Predator Research Facility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[U.S. Department of Agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129192</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>For people who want to learn about coyotes, wolves, ravens or other predators and how they affect Utah ecology, the&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/predator-research-facility-studies-coyote-bonds-wolf-deterrence/">Predator Research Facility studies coyote bonds, wolf deterrence</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">For people who want to learn about coyotes, wolves, ravens or other predators and how they affect Utah ecology, the Predator Research Facility in Millville is the place to look. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Across the country, the National Wildlife Research Center focuses on research done in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Utah center started in 1972, and it specializes in researching predators’ ecology and behavior.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Dustin Ranglack, the predator research facility field station leader who got his Ph.D. from USU, said the facility got their 165 acres of land leased from USU. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We have similar goals: we want to educate the public, educate students, do research, resolve conflicts,” Ranglack said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">One of the predators the facility focuses on is the coyote. Coyotes are the only predators they always house in their facility, splitting them up between 54 pens of different sizes.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Right now it’s breeding season,” Ranglack said. “We have animals that we want to breed, but then we have animals that we don&#8217;t want to breed, and we have to separate them during this time.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Each coyote has an ID number to identify what year and litter they were born in. This way, the staff can ensure they never put littermates together during breeding season, and they can identify which coyotes do better alone or in pairs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In order to avoid any inbreeding, the center brings in wild coyote puppies every five years to add to the genetic pool.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We bring in a litter of puppies from the wild where their mother and father have been killed,” Ranglack said. “We basically go in and rescue the puppies, raise them up here and then they become part of our colony.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The team works to keep the situation for the coyotes wild.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We want them to represent as closely as possible what a wild coyote would behave like when we&#8217;re doing our research,” Ranglack said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Alexandra Turano, an animal care biologist, recently finished her research on the monogamous relationships of coyotes.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We were trying to understand what is the nature of the monogamous pair bond between a male and a female coyote when it&#8217;s housed here at this captive facility,” Turano said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Turano, there were multiple factors when considering how closely bonded a pair of coyotes are.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">First, the coyotes spent a lot more time together during the breeding season. Second, how long the pair had been a couple was influential. Couples who had been paired for one to two years spent more time together than recently paired coyotes or ones that had been in longer relationships. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Finally, the hormonal status played a part in how much time the coyotes spent together.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“What was interesting is we saw that in pairs where the female had really high progesterone levels, the pairs spent more time together relative to those that had lower progesterone levels,” Turano said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Turano resubmitted her research paper in February, and she estimated it would be published around August.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I guess in the simplest way, we were looking to see what factors influenced how much they love each other,” Turano said. “That was kind of our first stab at it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Jeffrey Schultz, wildlife biologist, is testing a coyote repellent device that uses realistic wolf eyes to potentially scare them.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I would go at nine o&#8217;clock, turn them on to test and then, before it got light again, turn them off,” Schultz said. “I&#8217;m in the middle of kind of looking at that data, which doesn&#8217;t look like there&#8217;s too much of an effect between that behavior.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Schultz, the facility is always working on multiple predator repellent devices. The research facility doesn’t develop the devices themselves; they test those sent to them from other parts of the country.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Along with the replicated wolf eyes, they are testing a remote device that use flashing lights to scare predators away.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Schultz said other teams are working on developing devices that use AI to detect coyotes that the Millville facility will eventually be able to test.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I feel like our tech has been motion-activated, or radio at first,” Schultz said. “But this tech is using AI, with the progress and developments.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Another predator the facility has done recent research around is wolves, although they aren’t housed on the facility like the coyotes are.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Ranglack is involved in a project testing hazing devices for wolves to prevent them from killing livestock. They’re testing these drones on wolves in southeast Oregon.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“In this particular area in 2020, over a three-week period, 11 cows were killed by wolves. So every other night,” Ranglack said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The team found that the drone alone made the wolves want to play, but when combined with shouting, the wolves would get scared and leave the livestock alone.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The animals went from killing cows once every two nights to once every six weeks with the hazing device.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s really exciting,” Ranglack said. “We&#8217;re able to use this to stop wolves from killing livestock before it happens.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sierra Pederson, a USU grad student, is studying raven removal for sage grouse protection.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It was just one of the projects that really caught my eye,” Pederson said. “It’s going to be used immediately to help inform better ways for us to project sage grouse and control raven populations.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Pederson, the facility is very important to the Cache Valley community.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“There are various agricultural and livestock practices that are taking it out on these species that are just doing what they know to do,” Pederson said. “That&#8217;s what I find to be really cool about this research facility — they&#8217;re just constantly working to find better ways to manage the species.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The facility is open to new volunteers, especially students in wildlife programs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We are often relying on Utah State students to come in and just give us those couple extra bodies that we need to make things happen,” Ranglack said. “We&#8217;re always happy to try to give students those experiences as well.”</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/predator-research-facility-studies-coyote-bonds-wolf-deterrence/">Predator Research Facility studies coyote bonds, wolf deterrence</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Visiting University of Utah professor William Anderegg speaks on climate change factors</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/visiting-university-of-utah-professor-william-anderegg-speaks-on-climate-change-factors/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Lacey Cintron]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:45:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[air quality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Department of Environment and Society.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drought]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[University of Utah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yellow-leafed Quaking Aspen]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22127901</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Dying forests, destructive wildfires and mass extinction — these are just some of many problems faced by ecosystems around the&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/visiting-university-of-utah-professor-william-anderegg-speaks-on-climate-change-factors/">Visiting University of Utah professor William Anderegg speaks on climate change factors</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">Dying forests, destructive wildfires and mass extincti</span><span data-contrast="auto">on </span><span data-contrast="auto">—</span><span data-contrast="auto"> the</span><span data-contrast="auto">se are just some of many problems faced by ecosystems around the globe due to climate change. Stories of a dying Earth have dominated headlines for years.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">William Anderegg, director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, is an associate professor of biology at the University of Utah. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg visited Utah State University to host the Ecology Center Seminar series Jan. 17 and 18, where he discussed his research on the survival of Earth’s forests in a rapidly changing climate. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to un.org, public awareness of global warming and ozone layer depletion increased in 1987 when the United Nations General Assembly took on the “Year 2000 and Beyond” perspective, a conceptual framework for taking environmental action. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The following two years marked the first in which nations came together to take effort against the effects of climate change via conventions focused on new response strategies. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">However, multiple studies suggest the world has not kept up with these projected climate goals.</span><span data-contrast="auto"> According to The World Resources Institute, “41 of 42 indicators assessed are not on track to achieve their 2030 targets.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The future of the Earth’s forests has been a particular interest for climate scientists such as Anderegg. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We do most of our work on western U.S. forests,” Anderegg said. “We&#8217;re trying to understand how droughts, temperatures, wildfires and insect outbreaks are going to affect these forests in the coming decades.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg said the biggest impacts on forests are wildfires, drought and biotic stressors such as pests. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We are absolutely seeing in the western U.S. that these climate stresses are already dominating and having bigger effects,” Anderegg said. “Fire and drought are some of the biggest ones. They can devastate forests when they come through.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg said the way these factors interact with a forest ecosystem are complex, making solutions hard to work out.   </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Forests are perched on this knife edge between two opposing forces with climate change,” Anderegg said. “On one hand, raising CO2 levels can help plants and allow them to do more photosynthesis. But on the other hand, you have stresses like fires and droughts that come with rising CO2 levels.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Extreme winter weather is another example of climate change effects having conflicting positive and negative impacts on forests.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“If trees are not adapted to the cold and snow, you can absolutely lose trees from that,” Anderegg said. “One thing that cold does, though, is it tends to kill overwintering beetles and pests, which slows down those pest populations.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">While cold winters may benefit forest populations in states such as Utah or Maine whose trees are adapted, according to kut.org, states such as Texas or Tennessee can suffer devastating effects without preparation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Utah trees are pretty well adapted to the cold, so in general, this cold and snow is going to be generally positive for them,” Anderegg said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Anderegg, droughts have devastated forests in Utah.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We’ve had a number of drought-driven forest die-offs,” Anderegg said. “We had a lot of Pinyon pines die in the early 2000s. Quite a bit of Aspen experienced die-offs in the past decade. The 2018 drought saw a number of Utah Junipers start to die from drought stress.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The yellow-leafed quaking aspen is Utah’s state tree. It carries a lot of value in the tourism industry.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“These are really iconic species in our western landscapes,” Anderegg said. “Aspens provide habitat for deer and elk and other wildlife. These species also provide a lot of clean air, water and all these other benefits that we tend to take for granted.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg said emissions reduction and proper management are some of the best solutions. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Slowing the speed of climate change by reducing emissions is really helpful,” Anderegg said. “The U.S. has made some good progress on that and if we can accelerate, that will really benefit us. Regionally, we can work to build more climate-resilient forests through smart management.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Forest die-off is just one example of climate change’s toll on local environments. According to utahrivers.org, temperatures in Utah are projected to rise 3 degrees by 2050, resulting in less snow, megadroughts, plant and animal extinction.  </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The trends observed in Utah can be seen across the world in varying extremes. As more stories are told of climate change’s increasingly drastic effects, the more some professionals in the field look towards prior civilizations that faced collapse. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Joseph Tainter is a professor at Utah State University in the Department of Environment and Society. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Back in the 1980s, I did a study of why ancient societies collapsed,” Tainter said. “As I was doing this study, I realized that what I was learning had implications for ourselves today and for our future.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Tainter wrote a book titled </span><span data-contrast="auto">“</span><span data-contrast="auto">The Collapse of Complex Societies</span><span data-contrast="auto">”</span><span data-contrast="auto"> based on this research, in which he wrote societies fail when “their investments in social complexity and energy subsidies reach a point of diminishing marginal returns.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Tainter relates this argument to energy usage in the 1940s and the downward trend in return on investment. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“In 1940, we produced oil and gas at an energy profit of 100 to one,” Tainter said. </span><span data-contrast="auto">“</span><span data-contrast="auto">For every one barrel of oil we would spend, we’d get 100 back. That’s now down to 10 to one. This trend is irreversible.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Tainter blames this drop in energy investment returns on human tendency to quickly use up the easiest sources of supply. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“As we do with every resource we undertake</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> we pluck the lowest hanging fruit,” Tainter said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">However, when speaking of the climate crisis today, Tainter does not see collapse. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I don’t see an immediate crisis,” Tainter said. “But I do think our way of life will change quite a bit by the end of this century.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Utilizing his background as a historian, Tainter has recently oriented his research around sustainability to contextualize society today with information from the past. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I have come to focus on two elements I think are essential to a sustainable society,” Tainter said. “They’re energy and innovation.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The first steps towards balancing sustainability, energy and innovation are time, awareness and a change in attitude. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span><span data-contrast="auto">“It takes a long transition. It takes a change in attitude,” Tainter said. “But at the same time, people don’t want to give up their current way of life.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Tainter said invoking change and changing perspectives begins in the classroom. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I would spend a lot of time talking with K-12 educators,” Tainter said. “We have to learn to think broadly in time and space. As it is now, most people live their lives day-to-day, and broader issues aren’t considered. I wonder if you started teaching this to children at a young age, to think broadly about the world, that it would bring about the future.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg said the pessimism climate change is typically regarded with isn’t entirely helpful. Instead, it helps to be aware of what is being done right.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Folks don’t really know a lot of the news, and there is a ton of good news,” Anderegg said. “I think telling those good news stories is important. We have to be sober about the risks we face, but we also need to highlight that there is a lot we can do and are doing.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Despite the current reality of climate change, there are many success stories and strategies underway to combat its effects. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Renewables this last year hit 22% of the U.S. grid,” Anderegg said. “A decade or two ago, it was at 7%. There are also a lot more electric vehicles getting sold.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg said clean energy goes a long way in reducing climate change.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Cleaning up the electricity sector and converting things to electricity gets us about 60-70% of the way to solving climate change,” Anderegg said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Tainter, the Department of Environment and Society</span><span data-contrast="auto"> </span><span data-contrast="auto"> is actively studying climate change’s effects to create solutions. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“There are people working at it, certainly in my college and in Natural Resources,” Tainter said. “There’s an interest in climate change and how climate change will affect vegetation zones and wildlife.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Anderegg said this decade is a key window for sustainability, and people must continue trying. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I am much more optimistic about our ability to tackle climate change than I was five or 10 years ago,” Anderegg said. “There&#8217;s been a huge amount of progress.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/visiting-university-of-utah-professor-william-anderegg-speaks-on-climate-change-factors/">Visiting University of Utah professor William Anderegg speaks on climate change factors</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Utah prairie dog recovery biologist speaks on career options at USU</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/utah-prairie-dog-recovery-biologist-speaks-on-career-options-at-usu/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ella Stott]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DWR research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job opportunities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prairie dogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[volunteering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22126169</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>On Oct. 2, Barbara Sugarman, Utah prairie dog recovery biologist for the Division of Wildlife Resources, came to Utah State&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/utah-prairie-dog-recovery-biologist-speaks-on-career-options-at-usu/">Utah prairie dog recovery biologist speaks on career options at USU</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">On Oct. 2</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Barbara Sugarman, Utah prairie dog recovery biologist for the Division of Wildlife Resources, came to Utah State </span><span data-contrast="auto">University </span><span data-contrast="auto">to share important information for those considering a wildlife career.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In the presentation</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Sugarman explained how she came to work for the DWR despite receiving her undergraduate degree in forestry. It was a long process involving many jobs that Sugarman found she wasn’t passionate about.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman’s first introduction to wildlife work experience was the summer after her first year of her undergraduate. She worked for the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, which aimed to reintroduce wolves in the Grand Canyon area.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I got a lot of experience dealing with very unhappy and difficult people through this job,” Sugarman said in her presentation. “I learned that I did not enjoy doing environmental advocacy work.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">This job</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> allowed her to network with experts in the field to get her experience more closely related to what she wanted to do. Although she was majoring in forestry, Sugarman said that she always wanted to focus on the wildlife aspects of natural resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman’s boss for the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project had worked with prairie dogs in the past, and she recruited Sugarman to help trap and </span><span data-contrast="auto">re</span><span data-contrast="auto">trans</span><span data-contrast="auto">locate the animals for a month.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“That was the random thing that I did that led to my entire career,” Sugarman said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Although she gained experience with prairie dogs early on, Sugarman didn’t return to them until after she got her graduate degree. During this time, she had many different jobs ranging from park ranger to working with bears.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Finally, things fell into place when Sugarman’s old supervisor wrote to </span><span data-contrast="auto">her saying</span><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman that </span><span data-contrast="auto">she got a promotion within the division and the prairie dog recovery biologist position was available. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I had done my master&#8217;s thesis work with prairie dogs,” Sugarman said. “So I applied for her job and I got it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Now, Sugarman continues to work with prairie dogs. A major part of her job is counting the animals.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Prairie dogs move around so much,” Sugarman said . “It&#8217;s really important to see where they&#8217;re at right now, so we do a mapping.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman and her technicians count prairie dogs from 1,300 colonies every year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We&#8217;re just documenting how many prairie dogs there are and trying to get the best data,” Sugarman said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There is some human-wildlife conflict between farmers and prairie dogs because the animals often get into the soil the farmers want to use. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We go and we trap Utah prairie dogs from locations where there&#8217;s like human wildlife conflict.” Sugarman said. “So it&#8217;s very important to get an accurate spring count of a property.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman hires seasonal technicians to help perform these counts. Two of them, Jake Durbin and Josh Morris, came with Sugarman to an interview following her presentation. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Durbin knew he wanted to go into wildlife since high school after participating in</span><span data-contrast="auto"> the</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Future Farmers of America.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I&#8217;ve just been pretty much doing wildlife my entire academic career,” Durbin said. “I figured,  might as well make a job out of it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Durbin’s passion continued in college when his school’s mascot was a live buffalo. He got to help handle it during sports games and parades. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“That was kind of where I knew I wanted to do live animal handling,” Durbin said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Morris said </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">his passion for wildlife came early on as well, but not because of school activities. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I grew up on a farm, so I&#8217;ve always loved working with animals and hunting and fishing,” Morris said. “I just wanted to have a career in that field as well.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Morris, his time being a prairie dog wildlife technician is helping him gain experience to work with larger animals and eventually become a biologist.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I’d like to eventually work with game mammals like deer or elk,” Morris said. “I also just enjoy being outdoors and preserving what we have now.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In her interview, Sugarman said she really appreciates the work of her technicians, as it takes a lot of people to count all the prairie dogs. </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Sugarman, getting involved in volunteer work or </span><span data-contrast="auto">working </span><span data-contrast="auto">as a technician early on is crucial to getting your foot in the door of wildlife resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Volunteering is one thing you can do to get as much experience as you can during your undergrad,” Sugarman said in an interview. “That&#8217;s how my whole career ended up happening.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman said </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">being able to take opportunities when they were presented is important to finding footing in the field.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Your career is this transformation,” Sugarman said. “Something leads into something else that leads into something else.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Durbin agreed </span><span data-contrast="auto">students should be</span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">taking advantage of opportunities as soon as </span><span data-contrast="auto">you can is very important.</span><span data-contrast="auto">they can.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It&#8217;s a lot easier on yourself if you have that volunteer work to add to your stuff right out of college,” Durbin said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Nakaila Wengreen, senior in wildlife ecology and management, </span> <span data-contrast="auto">attended Sugarman’s presentation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“It&#8217;s always great to hear professionals talk about the work that they do,” Wengreen wrote. “I love hearing about the research that&#8217;s going on in Wildlife Management and all of the cool work that people are doing.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Wengreen, some of the opportunities </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman mentioned were very important to getting experience in her desired field.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I learned about work opportunities next year with the DWR,” Wengreen wrote. “It helps to get career advice and to get an idea of what options I have when I graduate.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Wengreen wrote </span><span data-contrast="auto">she had</span><span data-contrast="auto">that she</span><span data-contrast="auto"> dreamed of working with animals since she was a kid.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Going into a career in wildlife means that I will be doing work that&#8217;s important and that I&#8217;m passionate about,” Wengreen wrote.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman gave lots of advice during her presentation on how to get involved in wildlife for those considering going into the field, but she also made sure to note </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">everyone can do their </span><span data-contrast="auto">own </span><span data-contrast="auto">part when it comes to conservation.</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I find a lot of people with the intent to do good,” Sugarman said. “But often, when they don&#8217;t understand the situation, they make it worse.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman’s main piece of advice for people who don’t know much about wildlife is to ask experts. This can be as simple as looking something up when they don’t know the right thing to do.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Wengreen agreed</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> that </span><span data-contrast="auto">everyone should do what they can to appreciate and conserve wildlife.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Wildlife plays important ecological roles in natural ecosystems that would collapse if they were to disappear,” Wengreen wrote. “Those ecosystems need wildlife, and we need those ecosystems.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Morris, the efforts of the DWR are helping a lot to preserve these ecosystems.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“I think it&#8217;s important just to preserve species that we have to protect the amount of wildlife,” Morris said. “The conservation that we&#8217;re doing helps.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For more information on the Division of Wildlife Resources and how to get involved, visit </span><span data-contrast="auto">wildlife.utah.gov</span><span data-contrast="auto">/</span><a href="https://wildlife.utah.gov/"><span data-contrast="none">https://wildlife.utah.gov/</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For more information on USU’s natural resources programs, visit </span><a href="https://qcnr.usu.edu/"><span data-contrast="none">https://qcnr.usu.edu/</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-contrast="auto">qcnr.usu.edu.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/utah-prairie-dog-recovery-biologist-speaks-on-career-options-at-usu/">Utah prairie dog recovery biologist speaks on career options at USU</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>USU hosts Pack It Out Utah event to clear trails and waterways</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/usu-hosts-pack-it-out-utah-event-to-clear-trails-and-waterways/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brielle Carr]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Oct 2021 14:30:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[000 pounds of trash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[6]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blacksmith Fork Canyon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cache Valley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean-up event]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Canyon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hope Braithwaite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pack It Out Utah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State University]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22115947</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>USU Water Quality Extension hosted a meet up and clean up called Pack It Out Utah at Adams Park on&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/usu-hosts-pack-it-out-utah-event-to-clear-trails-and-waterways/">USU hosts Pack It Out Utah event to clear trails and waterways</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">USU Water Quality Extension hosted a meet up and clean up called Pack It Out Utah at Adams Park on Sept. 11.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is Pack It Out Utah’s second annual cleanup event, and there will be more to come. According to a Facebook post from USU Water Extensions, this year more than 6,000 pounds of trash were collected.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This statewide event is designed to bring volunteers in to clean up trash on the trails and waterways in Utah. They provided all the gear to collect trash.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year the event was started by Sydney Southers, a senior at Utah State University graduating with a degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. Southers started this project while doing an internship with USU Water Extensions during the pandemic to get people outside and help the community, while still staying socially distanced.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I always pick up litter on the trails when I’m hiking,” Southers said, “and I just thought that could be a really good thing and I’d heard about coastal cleanups but never a ton of inland.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Southers reached out to other organizations that did the same thing. They helped the Pack It Out Utah team get the project off the ground.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hope Braithwaite, an assistant professor of Watershed Sciences at USU said anybody in the community can participate by simply picking up trash around their neighborhoods or their local trails and submitting how much trash they collect on the Pack It Out Utah website.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said anywhere or anytime you collect trash will end up having a positive impact on the waterways and local wildlife.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The goal is to keep trash out of the water ways to ensure no wildlife or habitats are harmed, as well as keeping water in Utah clean.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;Trash can also be problematic for wildlife,” Braithwaite said, “I mean we&#8217;ve all seen images of things where it&#8217;s like trapping an animal or causing it to get tangled up in plastic.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braithwaite said UV radiation releases chemical properties in plastic and other trash. Those chemicals can make it into the water local wildlife live in or drink out of.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braithwaite explained that heavy rainfall water will wash trash into storm drains and the trash will eventually end up in our waterways.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year this project was done mainly on an individual level in neighborhoods due to social distancing, but this year they were able to do in-person events and in-person clean ups. Areas targeted for the project were Blacksmith Fork Canyon, Green Canyon and parks all around Cache Valley.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pack It Out Utah worked with partners such as Tracy Aviary, Friends of Great Salt Lake and Seven Canyons Trust to host clean up events all over Utah.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For students at the start of the year, it&#8217;s kind of a fun thing to do to get to know people too,” Braithwaite said. “It&#8217;s nice to be outside. It’s nice to chat with people or get to know other USU students and you are still doing something good.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year they estimated more than 870 pounds of trash were collected and around 350 signed up for the project. This year they have collected around 6,000 pounds of trash and more than 400 people participated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braithwaite said they hope to have a bigger turnout every year and hope to collect over 10,000 pounds of trash next year.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once volunteers were done cleaning up trash, they simply had to weigh the trash they collected and fill out a form on the Pack It Out Utah website. They add all that together to estimate how much trash is collected each year.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some of their partners had weighing stations at the events to collect accurate data.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the Utah Water Watch, a citizen science water quality monitoring program, the spring is the primetime when things start to really pick up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Volunteers across the state collect water quality data. Not only is it a great way to get involved, but Braithwaite added it&#8217;s a fantastic resume builder too.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have really loved the experience of environmental outreach, that was something you definitely don’t learn in a classroom,” Southers said.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said they have many volunteers who have covered ground in northern Utah and would love to expand this effort in southern Utah.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;There are 10 major watersheds in Utah, and we hit seven of the 10,&#8221; Braithwaite said. She hopes to hit all of them in the future.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brielle.Carr@usu.edu</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/usu-hosts-pack-it-out-utah-event-to-clear-trails-and-waterways/">USU hosts Pack It Out Utah event to clear trails and waterways</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Opinion: Utah baiting laws harm hunters</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/opinion-utah-baiting-laws-harm-hunters/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Keaton Hagloch]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Sep 2021 14:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[animals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baiting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[big game]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[caribou]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservative]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CWD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hunter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hunting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[liberal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22115715</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>In July 2021, Utah passed House Bill 295, making baiting big game illegal. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/opinion-utah-baiting-laws-harm-hunters/">Opinion: Utah baiting laws harm hunters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In July 2021, Utah passed House Bill 295, making baiting big game illegal. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the bill “restricts the baiting of big game animals (like deer and elk) when hunting in Utah.” Hunters can still use bait during the summer months while they are scouting an area they plan to hunt in the fall, but “they must remove the bait before the hunt — with enough advance time that the animal isn’t still being lured to that area,” according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>The bill, which passed 63-6 in the House and 22-5 in the Senate, defines baiting as “intentionally placing food or nutrient substances to manipulate the behavior of wildlife for the purpose of hunting or attempting to harvest big game.” Violations under the new baiting law may result in criminal charges ranging from a class B misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, and may also lead to the suspension of<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>hunting privileges.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Other states have also passed bans on baiting, such as Michigan’s 2018 baiting law. In 2019, Ted Nugent, affectionately called “Uncle Ted,” testified in support of a bill to reverse the ban. He slammed Michigan state officials as “liars” or “stupid” for supporting a ban on baiting deer and elk and said, “the ban will spark civil disobedience across state.” I believe the same is true for Utah’s ban.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Baiting has a long history in hunting and fishing. Hunters have used bait for big game since the dawn of time. While Utah’s baiting law has good intentions in preventing chronic wasting disease, or CWD, it harms hunting conservation by deterring new hunters from entering the sport and paying the hunting fees that conservation depends on. The baiting ban also cuts into the state’s economy and criminalizes hunters by the simple act of baiting game.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Advocates for anti-baiting laws claim they are trying to prevent or eradicate big game diseases, but these arguments do not seem to be based in science and are yet another example of powerful individuals trying to control something they know nothing about, and in the process harm what they claim to believe in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Any avid hunter or wildlife watcher will tell you that deer and elk are chewing on the same branches, licking and grooming each other, and eating the same food. Wildlife behavior will not change or be controlled by man through any hunting law. Various studies have shown animal-to-animal contact is the main point of transmission and that infectious prions can enter the environment through “saliva, feces, urine, blood or placenta from infected animals, as well as by decaying carcasses.” They are also transmissible through the soil and “grass plants bind, retain, uptake and transport infectious prions that create the disease.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>I will be the first one that admits wildlife is a right and needs to be regulated, but the ban on baiting big game does nothing more than handicap conservation and will rob hunting revenue from the state of Utah, just as it did in Michigan. If anything, we should be regulating the types of bait used and not ban baiting altogether.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Less hunters means more deer and elk and more deer and elk means increased odds of transmission. By deterring hunters from the sport, it has the opposite effect to promote big-game diseases like CWD by allowing the herd populations to grow larger and interact more often. Instead, we should allow hunters to thin the herd during high infection seasons through the use of bait, slowing or preventing the chances of infection. We should promote hunting laws that allow the hunting industry in Utah to grow, providing a robust conservation community. I think we should listen to Ted Nugent when he said, “Hunters should have no ‘stranglehold.’ Let hunters bait deer and elk.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p>Stop criminalizing hunters and let them do what they do best — hunt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-22115269 alignleft" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/keaton-hagloch.png" alt="Profile photo of Keaton Hagloch" width="168" height="168" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/keaton-hagloch.png 578w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/keaton-hagloch-300x300.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/keaton-hagloch-335x335.png 335w" sizes="(max-width: 168px) 100vw, 168px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><i>Keaton Hagloch is a public health major and has a passion for politics and writing. He loves the outdoors, playing the guitar and spending time with friends and family.</i></p>
<p><i>khagloch@aggiemail.usu.edu</i></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/opinion-utah-baiting-laws-harm-hunters/">Opinion: Utah baiting laws harm hunters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>New research: World&#8217;s largest life-form is dying, deer are to blame</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/new-research-the-worlds-largest-life-form-is-dying-deer-are-to-blame/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Carter Moore]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Nov 2018 20:13:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aggies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aspen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aspens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishlake national forest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mule deer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pando]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pando clone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sharpshooters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://usustatesman.com/?p=22095375</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>New research from a forest ecologist at Utah State University suggests the world’s largest known organism is being consumed and&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/new-research-the-worlds-largest-life-form-is-dying-deer-are-to-blame/">New research: World&#8217;s largest life-form is dying, deer are to blame</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>New <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203619#abstract0">research</a> from a forest ecologist at Utah State University suggests the world’s largest known organism is being consumed and dying faster than previously thought. But the solution the researcher proposes — sharpshooters — will not be coming to fruition anytime soon.</p>
<p>“This system is failing, and it is clearly pointing a finger back at us,” said Paul Rogers, a forest ecologist and the director of the Western Aspen Alliance. “All of us humans are causing this to go downhill.”</p>
<p>Rogers studied the Pando clone, a 106-acre aspen stand in the Fishlake National Forest near Richfield, Utah. With approximately 47,000 stems from one root system, Pando — Latin for “I spread” — is considered to be the world’s largest living organism, but Rogers suggested that may not be the case for long.</p>
<p>“Most, if not the whole thing, could collapse in a decade or two,” he said.</p>
<p>Because of houses, campgrounds and roads in the middle of the Pando clone, Rogers said, mule deer began to seek refuge in the hunting-free area. There, the deer would gnaw at Pando’s “suckers” before the baby aspens have time to grow larger.</p>
<p>The deer &#8220;know they won’t get shot,” Rogers said. “They start raising new generations that become acclimated to the taste of Pando.”</p>
<p>Taking the deer out of the area, however, isn&#8217;t as easy as finding a few good hunters.</p>
<p>There is not and will never be any hunting or shooting within Pando’s breadth according to Teresa Griffin, a wildlife manager for the Southern District of Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources.</p>
<p>Rogers suggests that while civilian hunters are not the right choice, professional sharpshooters from the division could easily kill the deer and send the message that Pando is not on the menu.</p>
<p>“We have too many animals for that ecosystem now,” Rogers said. “They are in and among those houses so you need someone who is a professional to kill them.”</p>
<p>Government officials disagree.</p>
<p>“It would be problematic to allow that,” said John Zapell, the public information officer for Fishlake National Forest.</p>
<p>Griffin, as well as the division habitat manager for the Southern district Gary Bezzant, said calling in sharpshooters is not an option.</p>
<p>“It is not the lead option or even the second and third option right now,” Bezzant said.</p>
<p>The forest service and wildlife resources agree better fencing is the solution.</p>
<p>“We can definitely get the improvement that we have been looking for with just maintaining the fence better than it has been,” Bezzant said.</p>
<p>Pando is bisected by Utah State Route 25, and both sides of the clone have fences around major sections. In the southern section, Zapell said, there have been promising signs of regeneration due to another of Rogers’ research projects including burning and cutting sections of Pando to trigger regeneration.</p>
<p>However, “The north side is not doing well,” Rogers said. “They used this 25-year-old fence to save money.”</p>
<p>According to the report, the lower boundary of the northern fence was built in 1992 while the rest was erected in 2014. Even with new fences, Bezzant said, it is imperative that they are continually monitored to prevent breaches.</p>
<p>“Fencing hasn&#8217;t been done well,” Bezzant said. “In just a 45-minute walk, I have seen many things that could be improved to keep the deer from getting in.”</p>
<p>Zapell said there is no forest service employee in charge of the fences, but whenever someone is in the area, they tend to check the fence line or report any disrepair.</p>
<p>“Our recreation folks or range people will go up and run the fence line,” he said. “It is pretty hard to do much else.”</p>
<p>Casual monitoring is not enough, Rogers said, as one felled tree can open up the stand to the deer and ruin years of growth.</p>
<p>“You have to have someone constantly monitoring,” he said. “Trees fall quite commonly.”</p>
<p>Rogers said saving Pando could give clues about how to save aspen forests across the West, but Bezzant and Griffin disagree.</p>
<p>“They are trying to solve the problem on a postage stamp level,” Bezzant said. “It’s got significance but the questions that they’re asking don’t answer larger-scale environmental questions.”</p>
<p>By managing both wildlife and forests at the same time, Rogers said, especially by starting in a single-genotype forest like Pando, a trend of “mega-conservation” can provide answers to such questions.</p>
<p>“We created this issue; it is incumbent on us to fix it,” he said.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><a href="mailto:carter.moore@aggiemail.usu.edu"><span style="font-weight: 400;">carter.moore@aggiemail.usu.edu</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">@carterthegrreat</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/new-research-the-worlds-largest-life-form-is-dying-deer-are-to-blame/">New research: World&#8217;s largest life-form is dying, deer are to blame</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Protecting the wilderness: students play a role in preserving the Cache National Forest</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/protecting-the-wilderness/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mekenna Malan]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Oct 2017 23:05:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cache Valley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[connection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[connectivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[internship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[involvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logan Canyon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mountains]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[national forest]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Utah.com claims Logan Canyon is “the scenic drive for fall foliage fanatics.” If one is lucky, they might catch a&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/protecting-the-wilderness/">Protecting the wilderness: students play a role in preserving the Cache National Forest</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utah.com claims Logan Canyon is “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">the</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> scenic drive for fall foliage fanatics.” If one is lucky, they might catch a fish in the Logan River or see a family of elk amongst the changing leaves. Logan Canyon, and the wildlife inside it, puts on an autumnal show for Cache Valley residents. But what is being done to protect it?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://yellowstoneuintas.org">Yellowstone to Uintas Connection</a> (Y2U) is a non-profit organization created to protect and maintain the wildlife corridor, or passageway, that connects Yellowstone to the Uinta Mountains. This length of ecosystem runs through Wyoming, Idaho and Utah, and includes the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Y2U aims to provide a connected network of habitats to allow for the safe movement of wildlife through this corridor, a term coined “wildlife connectivity.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to Jason Christensen, the director of Y2U, this corridor is a major passageway for deer, elk, wolves, and other animals that are beginning to experience negative effects from being isolated in Yellowstone or the Uintas.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The problem is that we’ve created these islands of conservation, like Yellowstone, the Uintas and the Grand Canyon,” said Jason Christensen, the director of Y2U. “Wildlife populations are now becoming isolated because they aren’t able to safely travel amongst populations. This creates a problem with genetic diversity. We are starting to see inbreeding in the grizzly bears in Yellowstone because there is no genetic diversity through corridor travel.”</span></p>
<div id="attachment_22016067" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter">			<div class="media-credit-container aligncenter"  style="max-width: 970px">
			<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22016067" class="wp-image-22016067 size-large" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/y2u-corridor-slide-web-ready-1000x583.jpg" width="960" height="560" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/y2u-corridor-slide-web-ready-1000x583.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/y2u-corridor-slide-web-ready-300x175.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/y2u-corridor-slide-web-ready-335x195.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/y2u-corridor-slide-web-ready-1050x612.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/y2u-corridor-slide-web-ready.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><span class="media-credit">Yellowstone to Uintas Connection</span>		</div>
	<p id="caption-attachment-22016067" class="wp-caption-text">The Yellowstone to Uintas wildlife corridor runs from Yellowstone National Park to the Uinta mountain range.</p></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Y2U was founded in 2012 by John Carter, a PhD ecologist and Utah State University alumni. After living on a 900-acre wildlife preserve he established in Idaho, Carter realized there wasn’t enough being done in the wildlife corridor connecting the ecosystems of Yellowstone to the Uinta mountains. In addition to restoring the fish and wildlife population in this corridor, part of Y2U’s mission is to educate Cache Valley residents on the importance of habitat connectivity for wildlife.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We feel like educating the youth is the only way we’re going to save this planet, as it seems like the older people have their minds set on destroying it,” Christensen said. “Part of that education is hiring student interns from USU to give them real field experiences.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After graduating in conservation and restoration ecology from Utah State University in May, Casey Brucker landed an internship with Y2U. After just one month, she was offered a full-time position as the organization’s ecological technician. Brucker has helped Y2U implement three different projects so far.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I finished up a project with the Bear River watershed where I was taking water quality samples and checking them for E. coli,” she said. “I was also doing a sage grouse tag project, and I also helped put cameras up in Paris, Idaho where we are doing a predator survey. I’m going to start writing grants and doing advocacy and outreach soon.” </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brucker said it is very fulfilling to work with an up-and-coming environmental organization with a good cause.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Yellowstone to Uintas combines science with education and advocacy,” she said. “They take the science and make it useful. It’s one thing to write a paper and another thing to actually take action.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having Logan Canyon and other places for outdoor recreation near Utah State is a factor many students consider in deciding to enroll in school there, Brucker said. She finds it important to preserve the wildlife and ecosystem of Cache Valley, as it is of great value to its residents.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“All of our education efforts are created with future generations in mind,” Brucker said. “Students at USU may stay here and have their kids grow up here. We have to ask ourselves, ‘What is it going to look like? What can we do to preserve this?’”</span></p>
			<div class="media-credit-container alignnone"  style="max-width: 970px">
			<img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-22016072 size-large" style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-1-1-1000x667.jpg" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-1-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-1-1-335x223.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-1-1-1050x700.jpg 1050w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><span class="media-credit"></span>		</div>
	
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With over 20 current projects, Y2U is constantly seeking community members and students to volunteer, help with projects, and perform a crucial role in the preserving of the lands we call home. Projects listed on the organization’s website include working with off-highway vehicles, forest management, watersheds, grazing, trapping, mining, and oil drilling.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have quite a few young people who are starting to work for us, and even just volunteer,” said Logan Christian, a USU graduate and the outreach director for Y2U. “Volunteers are what make it work. They are what make Y2U happen. We are working together to make Logan a better place for people and wildlife.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Christian wants students to go outdoors, get connected, and establish a relationship with their public lands. Volunteering with Y2U is one way students can make a difference.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We all have access to these places, but they are getting degraded by timber harvesting or grazing. These are places we could be recreating if people knew more about them,” he said. “We are constantly looking for students to get involved, regardless of their field. We need people to be involved because everyone has got a piece in this.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Y2U works with issues of logging and extraction on public lands, as species like lynx and wolves require an unfragmented habitat to thrive. But the lower portion of the Yellowstone to Uintas corridor is largely private land, which creates a more complicated problem for Y2U in trying to create wildlife connectivity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One of our biggest projects right now is building wildlife-friendly fencing on private ground,” Christensen said. “The top wire is barbless, and there’s 12 inches until the next wire. This keeps the deer from getting caught in it and there’s enough room for foxes to go underneath. The fencing gets lowered to the ground during the winter so wildlife can pass over it.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At 14 thousand dollars a mile, most ranchers and private land owners can’t afford to implement it, Christensen said. By identifying choke points and migration routes and putting in miles of wildlife-friendly fencing, Y2U creates a partnership with private landowners so they can work together toward a common goal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are really trying to change the stigma about communication with environmental groups,” Christensen said. “Most environmental groups are all about fighting, usually through litigation, against the forest service, the BLM, and the ranching community. We are trying to figure out ways to come up with solutions without litigation, working together with agencies that are very much understaffed and underfunded and can’t manage what they are charged with managing.”</span></p>
			<div class="media-credit-container aligncenter"  style="max-width: 677px">
			<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-22016070" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-2-1-667x1000.jpg" alt="" width="667" height="1000" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-2-1-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-2-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-2-1-335x503.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/fallphotos-2-1-1050x1575.jpg 1050w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px" /><span class="media-credit">Kyle Todecheene</span>		</div>
	
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once the organization has its foot in the door with private landowners, Y2U members can start talking about how to preserve the land for recreation without coming off as threatening.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are trying to be a face of conservation they actually trust,” Christian said. “We are there to help them and provide them with fencing. We want these landowners to reach out to us with questions or ideas and no longer have it be conservationists versus private landowners. We would love if volunteers even wanted to come out and help us install the fencing.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Christian said the best part of working on a local, regional issue is the difference he is making in the outdoor areas he has played in since he moved to Cache Valley at 3 years old.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I got involved with Y2U after finding out I could take the skills I learned in the College of Natural Resources and turn that into protecting the placed I ski in, hike through, and camp in,” Christian said. “If you get involved as a USU student, you are bettering the places where you can then go recreate. You’re helping protect wildlife you can drive up the canyon and view with your binoculars.”   </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Individuals who want to be involved with Yellowstone to Uintas Connection can join the organization’s email list or sign up to volunteer at <a href="http://yellowstoneuintas.org">yellowstoneuintas.org</a>. All projects are open for students to help.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">— </span><em><a href="mailto:mekenna.malan@gmail.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">mekenna.malan@gmail.com<br />
</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">@kennamalan</span></em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/protecting-the-wilderness/">Protecting the wilderness: students play a role in preserving the Cache National Forest</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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