In 1990, Utah State University (USU) established a U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control (ADC)-funded center dedicated to research, education, and extension in wildlife damage management. USU\u27 s Program in Wildlife Damage Management is designed to increase appreciation for wildlife damage management among wildlife professionals, provide superior training for future practitioners of wildlife damage management through education and innovative research, and create better public understanding of the role of wildlife damage management in today\u27s society

Conover, M. C.

Dueser, Raymond

Knowlton, Frederick F.

Messmer, Terry A.

Schmidt, R. H.

English

DigitalCommons@USU

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnFifth Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference(1991) Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences2-2-1991TRAINING TOMORROW'S SPECIALISTS INWILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENTRobert H. SchmidtDepartment of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UTMichael R. ConoverDepartment of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UTFrederik F. KnowltonDenver Wildlife Research Center, USDA, APHIS, ADCTerry A. MessmerDepartment of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UTFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ewdcc5Part of the Environmental Health and Protection CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences at DigitalCommons@University ofNebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Fifth Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (1991) by an authorized administrator ofDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.Schmidt, Robert H.; Conover, Michael R.; Knowlton, Frederik F.; and Messmer, Terry A., "TRAINING TOMORROW'SSPECIALISTS IN WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT" (1991). Fifth Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (1991). Paper33.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ewdcc5/33216TRAINING TOMORROW'S SPECIALISTS IN WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENTROBERT H. SCHMIDT, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5210MICHAEL R. CONOVER, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UT $4322-5210 RAYMOND D. DUESEDepartment of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5210 FREDERICK F. KNOWLTON, Denver Wildlife ResearCenter, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant HealthInspection Service, Animal Damage Control, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5295TERRY A. MESSMER, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5210Abstract: In 1990, Utah State University (tJSLT) established a U. S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiAnimal Damage Control (ADC)-funded center dedicated to research, education, and extension in wildlife damage management. USU's Progrin Wildlife Damage Management is designed to increase appreciation for wildlife damage management among wildlife professionals, provsuperior training for future practitioners of wildlife damage management through education and innovative research, and create better pubunderstanding of the role of wildlife damage management in today's society.Proc. East. Wildl. Damage Control Conf. 5:216-217. 1992.INTRODUCTIONFollowing the transfer of the ADC program from the U. S.Department of the Interior to the U. S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) in 1986, a succession of ADC Deputy Administratorsrecognized the importance of developing closer contacts with academicinstitutions to provide a well-trained pool of ADC professionals and todevelop new centers for research and education focusing on wildlifedamage management. The College of Natural Resources at Utah StateUniversity (USU) established such a center in 1990. With initial fundingby USDA and USU for a 5-year period, the USU Program in WildlifeDamage Management was incorporated into the Department ofFisheries and Wildlife as a model wildlife damage management programfor research, education, and extension. Although the program will havedirect benefits to residents of Utah, the program mission is meant tohave a national focus. This includes: (1) developing increasedappreciation for the scope and role of wildlife damage managementthroughout the wildlife profession; (2) providing personnel trained inthe principles and practices of wildlife damage management foremployment by the ADC program and by state and local agencies andorganizations; and (3) creating better public understanding of the roleof -wildlife damage management in meeting the needs and promotingthe values of the American people. To fulfill tfiese objectives, USUdesigned a program that focuses on creating new information throughresearch and synthesis, and disseminating wildlife damage managementinformation through academic and public information programs.The assistance, support, and contributions of ADC DeputyAdministrators J. Lee, J. Packam, and B. Acord in developing thisprogram are greatly appreciated. J. Chapman, Dean of the College ofNatural Resources at USU, demonstrated a contagious enthusiasm forthe idea and actively promoted the program. We thank each, and theirstaffs, for their continuing assistance and support.EDUCATIONOne primary outcome of the USU program is a specific optifor undergraduate students to major in wildlife damage managemeThis will be unique among the other universities offering one or mundergraduate classes in the subject.Before 1990, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife offeseveral courses applicable to a wildlife damage management maincluding wildlife techniques, management of wildlife habimanagement of wildlife populations, management aspects of wildbehavior, and predator ecology and management. The new ProgramWildlife Damage Management will add at least 4 additional courincluding principles of wildlife damage management, wildlife dammanagement policy, wildlife damage management techniqumanagementRESEARCHBefore 1990, faculty in the Department of Fisheries and Wildat USU were periodically involved in wildlife damage managemresearch efforts. The faculty and graduate students associated with Denver Wildlife Research Center's Logan facility focused on coyecology and management. The new Program in Wildlife DamaManagement enhanced the interests of the existing faculty, augmenthe faculty with 2 faculty members specializing in wildlife damamanagement research and extension, and was accompanied by recruitment of a new Cooperative Extension wildlife specialGraduate students pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. degrees have berecruited to assist with the program.Research projects are expected to be both traditional ainnovative, with emphasis on new methods and strategies for solvwildlife damage management problems. Research projects will focusecology and behavior of wildlife, damage prevention and managemewildlife damage policy, and human dimensions such as economics asocial values.of urban wildlife, and periodic seminars on selected topics such as theecology and management of exotic species. Combined with otherclasses offered at USU, these courses cover most of the topicsrecommended by Timm (1982) as necessary for training in wildlifedamage management.Central to this program, however, is the intent to incorporatewildlife damage management as an integral component in allappropriate courses in the department's curricula. Departmental facultyin both fisheries and wildlife have agreed to modify current courses toincorporate principles, examples, and techniques related to wildlifedamage management in their classes. This will ensure that all studentsgraduating with a wildlife major from USU will have multipleexposures to this expanding discipline. Graduate students will havesimilar opportunities.In addition to conventional academic course work, we anticipatedeveloping intensive summer training camps for continuing educationof wildlife professionals, including ADC specialists and staff in variousland-management agencies. These offerings may also develop intocorrespondence courses, utilizing mailed information or satellitebroadcasts such as AGSAT.EXTENSIONThe mission of USU's College of Natural Resources is "to achieveand maintain the productive, sustainable use of Utah's natural resourcesfor the benefit of citizens and future generations" (College of NaturalResources 1991:2). A Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist willfocus on wildlife damage management within Utah, in addition toduties related to riparian and wetland ecosystems and youth programs.Like other states, Utah is becoming more urbanized while farmers andranchers are refining and improving food and fiber production systems.An increase in wildlife conflicts is anticipated in the future. The wildlifespecialistwill likely become involved in identifying all affectedstakeholders, and asked to develop management programs that enhanceand protect all resources for sustainable uses.In addition to extension programs focusing on issues within Utah,the Program in Wildlife Damage Management will develop anextension program on a national scale, especiallyCONCLUSIONUtah State University intends to become an academic center forwildlife damage management. Its success will depend on an interactivefaculty, retention of skilled personnel, a continuing positiverelationship with the ADC program, and credibility with professionalwildlife biologists, managers, administrators, and a variety of local,state, and national stakeholders. We intend that the USU Program inWildlife Damage Management be a valuable resource available to allwildlife professionals, as well as other public and private groups andindividuals interested in wildlife damage management.LITERATURE CITEDCollege of Natural Resources. 1991. A plan for cooperative extensionand outreach education in the College of Natural Resources, UtahState University. Coll. Nat. Resour. and Coop. Ext. Serv., UtahState Univ., Logan. 44 pp.Timm, R. M. 1982. Teaching vertebrate pest control: a challenge towildlife professionals. Trans. N. Am. Wildl. Nat. Resour. Conf.47:194-199.WILDLIFE DAMAGE TRAINING • Schmidt et al. 217with "ignored" clientele. These will include professional wildlifebiologists, managers, and administrators; wildlife damage managementprofessionals; Cooperative Extension wildlife specialists; and nationalstakeholders interested in wildlife damage management, including butnot limited to The Wildlife Management Institute, The American SheepIndustry, The Humane Society of the United States, The NationalAnimal Damage Control Association, The National Audubon Society,and other industry and environmental groups. Toward this end, theUSU program will sponsor and host conferences and symposia,organize specialized workshops, produce general and technicalpublications and conference proceedings, and evaluate changes inclientele behavior.This extension effort will be directed toward overall programobjectives to develop an increased appreciation of the scope and roleof the discipline of wildlife damage management throughout thewildlife profession and the creation of better public understanding ofthe way that wildlife damage management meets the needs andpromotes the values of the American people.

Training tomorrow\u27s specialists in wildlife damage management

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Training tomorrow\u27s specialists in wildlife damage management

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