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E X P E R I E N C E    Y O U R    A M E R I C A E X P E R I E N C E    Y O U R    A M E R I C A

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E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A - PPT Presentation

National Park Service US Department of the Interior Natural Resources Stewardship and Science Wildlife Fertility Control in the US National Park Service Does it Make Sense Jenny Powers Rick Kahn Margaret Wild ID: 711516

national nps fertility management nps national management fertility control park service natural seashore species workshop ecosystem managers ecosystems parks

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Slide1

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the InteriorNatural Resources Stewardship and Science

Wildlife Fertility Control in the U.S. National Park Service – Does it Make Sense?

Jenny Powers, Rick Kahn, Margaret Wild

Biological Resources Division Slide2
Slide3

NPS Wildlife Management

Motivation for taking management action

Mission, mandates, laws, policyInterpretation is keyChanging paradigms over time

Preserve the “good” animals; provide experiencesLet nature take its course (Leopold Report 1963)Returning to active management to preserve and restore ecosystemsSlide4
Slide5
Slide6

NPS Mission

Organic Act of 1916:

“…[The] purpose [of the NPS] is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the

enjoyment of future generations” (54 USC §100101). Emphasis addedSlide7

NPS Policy

The NPS Management Policies (NPS 2006) directs managers to “…understand, maintain, restore, and protect the inherent

integrity of the natural resources, processes, systems, and values of the parks while providing meaningful and appropriate opportunities to enjoy them.” Additionally, “the Service recognizes that natural processes and species are evolving and the Service will allow this evolution to continue minimally influenced by human actions.” The “natural condition” is one that describes the condition of the resource “that would occur in the absence of human dominance over the landscape.”

…”intervention will be kept to the minimum necessary to achieve the stated management objectives.” Slide8

Ungulate Fertility Control in the NPS

Research

Yellowstone National Park elk – 1960sMammoth Cave National Park deer – 1970sVirgin Islands National Park burros – 1990sFire Island National Seashore deer – 1990sPoint Reyes National Seashore elk – 1990sRocky Mountain National Park elk – 2000s

Theodore Roosevelt National Park horses – 2010sManagement Assateague Island National Seashore - horsesCape Lookout National Seashore - horsesSlide9

Why did the NPS try fertility control?

Looking for options during a period of transition

Personal relationships and networkingSpecial interest supportLiving laboratoriesNo hunting in many areas with abundant ungulatesPopulations are often accessible

But did we ever ask ourselves the hard questions at the Service-wide level?Slide10

Asked the Service

Managers from across the NPS

Parks that have usedParks that haven’tParks that mightRegionsPrograms

2 daysExplore the scienceExamine our cultureDoes fertility control fit?Slide11

Technically can we use fertility control?

Allowed under our laws and policy

Product + application + feasibility = meeting objectivesTimeframeCostSlide12

Should we use fertility control?

Interpretation of NPS policies

“Naturalness”Ecosystem management“Hands off” Wilderness characterKilling animals

Incorporation of stakeholder viewsCoordination and collaboration for shared management States (wildlife)BLM (horses)NGOs (unique circumstances)Slide13

Workshop Outcomes

Common themes

NPS policy supports natural processesHowever, ecosystem change often necessitates active managementLow tolerance for uncertainty in collateral effectsManagement that is least manipulative and preserves or restores natural function is the most desirable Timeframes

Sustainability is important (e.g., cost, partner engagement)Co-management responsibilitiesThe ah-ha momentSpecies ecology and ecosystem processes are more consistent with NPS values than preservation of an individual animalSlide14

Under what circumstances?

Less likely

More likely

Domestic/exotic species, closed populations, highly disturbed ecosystems, certainty of outcome, regulated product, stakeholder agreement

Native species, open populations, functioning ecosystems, unknown collateral consequences, unregulated product, stakeholder disagreementSlide15

Limited applications in the NPS

Fertility control most likely to be used

Non-native species Intensive managementSlide16

Next steps

Where is the NPS likely to go with fertility control?

Parks determine how to apply workshop outcomes to inform management decisions

Accurate portrayal in planning documentsMore involvement with co-managersSlide17

Acknowledgements

(http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/)

Workshop participants: B. Hulslander, C. Zimmerman, A. Turner, K. Leong, J. Ransom, R. Monello, S. Stuska, D. Niosi, D. Jacob, L. Ries, S. Bates, M. Foley, N. Gates, K. Ferebee, T. Johnson, B. Whitworth, K. Heister, S. Windels, R. Wallen

Workshop Science expertise: D. Baker, T. Hobbs, M. Nelson, A. Moresco

Peer review: A. Kane, G. Sargeant, H. B. Underwood, D. EckerySlide18

Questions?

(http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/)

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