Michelle Reilly
Determining the Effects of Non-motorized Recreation on Medium- and Large-Sized Mammals in the San Francisco Bay Ecoregion
PhD Student at Northern Arizona University School of Forestry
Focus in Wildlife Ecology
Principal Investigator: Dr. Paul Beier, President, Society for Conservation Biology
Regents' Professor, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University
Goal:
This research will determine whether certain levels of hiking and bicycling in natural areas have significant impacts on habitat use by carnivores, deer, and other wildlife. This 3-year study will quantify the impact of non-motorized recreation on large & medium sized mammals (rabbits and larger) by sampling locations in the San Francisco Bay Area Ecoregion that span the full spectrum of non-motorized recreation and other variables that could obscure or exaggerate the effects of recreation. The study will produce written recommendations to locate trails and manage hiking in a way that does not degrade habitat value of protected areas.
Area:
The San Francisco Bay ecoregion is defined as part of the Nearctic ecozone. This ecoregion is characterized by Mediterranean forests, grasslands, and scrub vegetation types. Plant communities include grasslands, oak savannas, chapparal, and mixed conifer forests. This project is located within one of the only five Mediterranean climates in the world. The project area is part of the California Floristic Province which has been identified as a global biodiversity hotspot and is home to enumerable threatened and endemic species. Surrounding areas vary in the level of recreational use, ranging from heavily used trails to remote natural areas. This research will use this diversity of land cover types and recreational use levels to investigate possible interactions between these variables.
Contact: Michelle Reilly
PhD Student at Northern Arizona University School of Forestry
Focus in Wildlife Ecology
Principal Investigator: Dr. Paul Beier, President, Society for Conservation Biology
Regents' Professor, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University
Goal:
This research will determine whether certain levels of hiking and bicycling in natural areas have significant impacts on habitat use by carnivores, deer, and other wildlife. This 3-year study will quantify the impact of non-motorized recreation on large & medium sized mammals (rabbits and larger) by sampling locations in the San Francisco Bay Area Ecoregion that span the full spectrum of non-motorized recreation and other variables that could obscure or exaggerate the effects of recreation. The study will produce written recommendations to locate trails and manage hiking in a way that does not degrade habitat value of protected areas.
Area:
The San Francisco Bay ecoregion is defined as part of the Nearctic ecozone. This ecoregion is characterized by Mediterranean forests, grasslands, and scrub vegetation types. Plant communities include grasslands, oak savannas, chapparal, and mixed conifer forests. This project is located within one of the only five Mediterranean climates in the world. The project area is part of the California Floristic Province which has been identified as a global biodiversity hotspot and is home to enumerable threatened and endemic species. Surrounding areas vary in the level of recreational use, ranging from heavily used trails to remote natural areas. This research will use this diversity of land cover types and recreational use levels to investigate possible interactions between these variables.
Contact: Michelle Reilly