Lessons from the Field: Learning to Live with Wildlife

Living in the non-stop hustle and bustle of Washington, DC, I rarely get the chance to see the wildlife and habitats that we work so hard to protect. I recently got that chance. In addition, I met some of our incredibly dedicated staff in the field.

From July 14-18, Defenders’ staff from across the U.S. participated in the Society for Conservation Biology’s 2nd North America Congress for Conservation Biology (NACCB) in picturesque Missoula, Montana. This year’s NACCB featured a variety of highly respected organizations and scientists, and Defenders was thrilled to participate. At the NACCB, Defenders led a symposium on “coexistence” – a term used to describe community-based conservation practices that allow humans and wildlife to share the landscape while protecting livestock, wildlife and natural biodiversity. Defenders runs successful coexistence programs across the country, including in Montana. So, the NACCB provided us with the perfect stage to promote our work and interact with other conservationists. Our symposium on coexistence featured diverse presenters including our very own Jonathan Proctor, Suzanne Stone, and Craig Miller. We were also joined by representatives from Project Coyote, the Blackfoot Challenge, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Blaine County, Idaho Board of County Commissioners.

In order for coexistence to be successful, it is important for local communities, large and small, to get involved and be proactive about living with wildlife. In Montana for example, we’ve helped communities live with grizzly bears through our Electric Fence Incentive program and public outreach to prevent grizzly bear conflict. While I didn’t get to see a grizzly bear while was in Montana, it was reassuring to know that we are playing a role in keeping both the bears and communities safe. Montana isn’t the only place that Defenders is working with communities to help them live with wildlife. From Florida to Alaska, our field staff reaches out and collaborates with communities on the many tools available for living with wildlife (see “Coexistence in Action” for additional information).

The symposium provided a venue for folks to discuss the innovative tools they are employing, from range riders in the Southwest, to our community-based work on protecting Florida panthers, to working with local stakeholders on our Wood River Wolf Project in Idaho – to create successful coexistence programs.

After the symposium, our Montana staff led us on a field trip. Our first stop was the National Bison Range near the Flathead Valley in western Montana. The National Bison Range was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908, and currently maintains a herd of 350-500 bison . Although we were in awe of rolling hills and the seemingly endless mountain ranges surrounding us, the bison seemed to be in hiding – which is surprising considering their massive size! However, towards the end of our tour, we were rewarded to see a herd of these majestic creatures grazing near the river.

Our visit to the Flathead Valley area also provided us with an opportunity to look out into the valley to talk about some of the challenges in preventing conflict between grizzlies, people and livestock in the more developed communities of the region like this one. It’s important that we focus our coexistence work on important corridors that connect different grizzly bear populations, since those connections are essential for recovery.

After leaving the National Bison Range, we stopped on the side of the road to view one of the 41 wildlife crossings that Defenders played a key role in establishing as part of the People’s Way Partnership. Although hard to spot from the 56-mile stretch of Highway 93, these crossings allow a variety of animals to cross the road safely. The crossings also contain camera traps and sand beds that can capture an animal’s tracks. Researchers can actually document which animals are using the crossings: More than 25 species, including grizzly bears and even river otters!

These wildlife crossings are also a great example of why community involvement is so important to successfully living with wildlife. Through the People’s Way Partnership, we collaborate with the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University, and Montana Department of Transportation to reach out to the public on the importance of these wildlife crossings. At a scenic stop, we saw a group of children (and parents) excitedly reading informational signs about the crossings. I’m hopeful that these future drivers will now remember to watch out for wildlife on their journeys.

At the end of the day we returned to Missoula and parted ways. Some of us returned to DC, others to our offices in Florida, Colorado and California. Although we all work and live in different parts of the country and face different challenges, connecting in Missoula was a wonderful opportunity to renew our shared interest and passions for developing sustainable long term solutions for enabling humans and wildlife to share the landscape together.

Mackenzie Case is the Coordinator for the Field Conservation program at Defenders of Wildlife