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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
Working Groups |
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Project Title:
Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group |
Project Directors (PDs):
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Lead State: MI Lead Organization: Michigan State University |
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Cooperating State(s):
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin |
| Undesignated Funding: $20,000 |
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Start Date: Mar-01-2018 End Date: Feb-28-2019 |
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Pests Involved: Wildlife |
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Site/Commodity: Specialty crops, field crops, animal production |
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Area of Emphasis: IPM |
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Summary:
Famers in the Great Lakes Region of the United States produce a diversity of crops. This region also supports abundant wildlife populations. As a result, crop damage by wildlife is common. However, information on how common and widespread crop damage is or the costs to farmers is lacking and resources for helping farmers address crop damage are highly varied. Wildlife IPM resources are generally under-used, often viewed as not effective, and for some types of wildlife damage they simply do not exist. To improve communication across the region between relevant agencies and Universities, the Agriculture and Wildlife Coexistence Working Group will bring together researchers, regulators, conservationists, educators, stakeholders, and resources from across the region. We currently have cooperative commitments from faculty and staff at the following universities and agencies: Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, USDA-APHIS and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The major goals of the of the working group include; improved understanding of agriculture-wildlife conflict resources and expertise across the region, increased collaboration between participants to address ag-wildlife conflicts, improved stakeholder communication, and increased adoption of mitigation practices by producers. These efforts address the NCIPMC priority for production agriculture IPM outreach and partnerships and training for Federal, State, County Agencies and Conservation Programs. The working group efforts also align with the NCERA222 Committee priority to network and collaborate with state, regional, and federal partners working on IPM-related issues.
Objectives: Obj. 1. Advance sustainable agriculture and wildlife coexistence through improved networking in the North Central Region. As a first year project, much of the working group effort this year will focus on identifying and recruiting members who are dispersed geographically and often separated by silos of expertise and affiliation. A state-level working group has been active in Michigan for three years. This group will be expanded to include researchers, extension staff and wildlife management professionals from across the region, and will meet tri-annually (annually face-to-face; otherwise via webinar). The goal(s) of the Working Group will be articulated in an organizational mission decided upon by the membership during their first and second meeting. Baseline elements of the mission will include regular interaction with producers and conservationists, as well as creation and dissemination of educational resources including seminars, print materials and maintenance of a regional webpage. Lizotte will coordinate the distance and in-person meetings for work group members. At all meetings, members will share pest updates, current research findings, regulatory expertise and outreach success stories to collectively identify current best management practices for producers facing wildlife management challenges. Additionally, a listserv will be generated and maintained by Lizotte to expedite communication and information exchange within the group. These efforts will facilitate the high level of interdisciplinary coordination necessary to address complex pest management problems, and also allow targeted application of member expertise to agriculture-wildlife coexistence issues on the ground. Obj. 2. Improve integrated wildlife damage management resources and adoption for regional agricultural producers and wildlife conservationists. The working group will facilitate the development of written best management practices for key wildlife species in the region. Pete Butchko, retired director of the regional USDA-APHIS will be the lead author on this effort. Lizotte will coordinate editing, publication, and distribution. Working group members will act as editors, chapter contributors, and assist in distribution upon completion. Members of the working group are well positioned to assist with this effort as they include university faculty who have direct interactions with regulatory staff and governmental agents with expertise in agriculture, wildlife ecology, human-wildlife conflict resolution, and wildlife regulations. |
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