PLENARY SESSION THEME: Advancing Wildlife Conservation ...tws-west.org/events/2015/TWS2015ConferenceProgram_final_web.pdf · – Ellie Cohen, President and CEO of Point Blue Conservation

Annual Meeting 2015 Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel and Spa

PLENARY SESSION THEME: Advancing Wildlife Conservation through

Integration and Alignment in Planning

http://santarosa2015.tws-west.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/logo-with-date-large.png

The Western Section of The Wildlife Society 2015 Annual Meeting

Program and Schedule 2 January 26–30, 2015

DAY AND ROOM DESIGNATIONS: TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

ROOM TUESDAY WEDNESDAY MORNING

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

WEDNESDAY EVENING

Alexander Valley Ballroom III / IV

Exhibit Hall Set-Up 4 – 6 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Open 6 – 9 p.m.

Welcome Reception* 7 – 9 p.m.

Exhibit Hall 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Chalk Hill Conference Registration 6 – 9 p.m.

Conference Registration 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Alexander Foyer No-Host Cocktail Reception 6 – 7 p.m.

Alexander Valley Ballroom I

Symposium: Impacts of Marijuana Cultivation*

8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Keynote Address & Dialogue:

Ellie Cohen, President and CEO of Point Blue Conservation Science

10 – 11:30 a.m.

Concurrent Session Mesocarnivores

1 – 5 p.m. Members Banquet, Section Awards & Dutch Raffle*

7 – 10 p.m. Alexander Valley Ballroom II

Concurrent Session Birds

1 – 5 p.m.

Dry Creek Valley Ballroom California Fisher Working Group

8 – 10 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions Wildlife Techniques

(followed by…) Wildlife Diseases

1 – 5 p.m.

Sonoma Mountain Technical Writing Workshop* 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (cont’d) Resume Workshop for

Undergrads: 3 – 5 p.m.

Russian River 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo Working Group

1 – 5 p.m. Breakfast Roundtable*

7:30 a.m.

Poster Set-Up: 12 – 2 p.m. --------

Poster Viewing and Student Poster Judging

2 – 7 p.m.

Russian River 2

Green Valley Boardroom

Western Section TWS Board Meeting

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Conservation Affairs Committee 9 – 10 a.m.

Speaker Practice Room: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. --------

TWS-WS Retirees Meeting (bring your own lunch) 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Hospitality Suite #123 Humboldt State Alumni Reception: 5 – 6 p.m.

* Events requiring separate registration and fee

How to stay in communication with TWS-WS:

Twitter: @WesternTWS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tws.western

• Join our new Constant Contact email list (which replaces our old members Yahoo group): http://goo.gl/efWvfr

• And finally, visit our website for the most up to date information: www.tws-west.org

https://www.facebook.com/tws.western

http://goo.gl/efWvfr

http://www.tws-west.org/



DAY AND ROOM DESIGNATIONS: THURSDAY & FRIDAY

Room THURSDAY MORNING

THURSDAY AFTERNOON

THURSDAY EVENING FRIDAY

Alexander Valley Ballroom III/IV

Exhibit Hall 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Poster Reception 6 – 8:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall 7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

-------- Silent Auction Closes

9:55 – 10:15 a.m.

Career Fair 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Chalk Hill Conference Registration 7 a.m.– 8 p.m. Conference Registration

7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Alexander Foyer

Nevada Chapter Meeting and

Hawaii Chapter Meeting 8 – 9:30 p.m.

Alexander Valley Ballroom I

Concurrent Sessions Riparian Birds

(followed by…) Landbirds & Forest Management

8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Advancing Wildlife Conservation

Through Integration And Alignment In Planning

2 – 5 p.m.

Annual Members’ Meeting, Members Forum

and Raffle 5 – 6 p.m.

North Coast, SF Bay Area and Sacramento-Shasta Chapter members, meet across the

street at the Marriott Courtyard (refer to “Schedule at a

Glance”).

Concurrent Sessions Climate Adaption Strategies

(followed by) Effects of Drought on Wildlife

8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Alexander Valley Ballroom II

Concurrent Session Reptiles and Amphibians 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions Collaboration in Support of Wildlife

Conservation (followed by)

Linking Research to Policy and Management

8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Dry Creek Valley Concurrent Session

Mammals 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Poster Reception 6 – 8 p.m.

Concurrent Session Grasslands and

Wildlife Conservation 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Sonoma Mountain

Western Wildlife Meeting 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

-------- Resume Workshop for Undergrads

(repeat) 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

San Joaquin Chapter Meeting 8 – 9:30 p.m.

Resume Workshop for M.S. / Ph.D. Students

8-10 a.m. --------

Resume Critique with Barbara Peters: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Russian River 1 Poster Viewing and Student Paper Judging

7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Poster Pick-up 7 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Russian River 2 Job Interview Panel 10 – 11 a.m.

Green Valley Boardroom

Professional Development Mtng 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

-------- How NOT To Give a Scientific

Presentation 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

CDFW Timber Program Meeting 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

-------- CDFW Science Institute Meeting

1:30 – 2:00 p.m. --------

Speaker Practice Room 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Southern California Chapter Meeting

8 – 9:30 p.m.

Annual Meeting Planning Committee Wrap-Up Meeting

1 – 2 p.m.

Hospitality Suite #123

Molecular Ecology Working Group

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Central Coast Chapter

Meeting 8 – 9:30 p.m. Planning Committee Wrap-Up

2 – 3 p.m.



CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Thank You Conference Sponsors!

The Western Section of The Wildlife Society PO Box 6756, Albany, CA 94706

www.tws-west.org email: [email protected]

http://www.tws-west.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://ascentenvinc.com/



TABLE OF CONTENTS

DAY AND ROOM DESIGNATIONS: TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY ............................................................................... 2

DAY AND ROOM DESIGNATIONS: THURSDAY & FRIDAY ...................................................................................... 3

CONFERENCE SPONSORS ......................................................................................................................................... 4

DETAILED SCHEDULE ................................................................................................................................................ 6

HYATT HOTEL MAP ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

PROFESSIONALS: SUPPORT OUR FUTURE WILDLIFE LEADERS! ....................................................................... 9

GENERAL INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................................... 10

NEARBY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS (ALL ARE WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE HYATT) .............................. 12

EXHIBITOR LIST ......................................................................................................................................................... 13

TWS WESTERN SECTION BOARD MEMBERS ........................................................................................................ 13

2015 ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAM COMMITTEE ................................................................................................. 15

MEETING SCHEDULES .............................................................................................................................................. 16

SPECIAL EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS..................................................................................................................... 17

KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND DIALOGUE ..................................................................................................................... 19

PLENARY SCHEDULE, SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES, AND ABSTRACTS ................................................................. 21

BUSINESS MEETING AND MEMBERS FORUM AGENDA ....................................................................................... 26

CONTRIBUTED PAPER SCHEDULE ......................................................................................................................... 27

SESSION ABSTRACT ELECTRONIC ACCESS INFORMATION .............................................................................. 28

CONCURRENT SESSION TALK SCHEDULE IN GRID FORMAT............................................................................. 29

POSTER SESSION CONTRIBUTED PAPERS ........................................................................................................... 44

POSTER BOARD LOCATION MAP ........................................................................................................................... 47

PUBLISH YOUR RESULTS IN WESTERN WILDLIFE! .............................................................................................. 50

WESTERN SECTION STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (WS-SAC) ....................................................................... 50

HARASSMENT PREVENTION POLICY ..................................................................................................................... 51

TWS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ............................................................................................................................. 52

WESTERN FIELD COURSE / FIELD TECHNIQUES IN WILDLIFE ECOLOGY ........................................................ 54

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................ 55

WESTERN SECTION CONSERVATION AFFAIRS COMMITTEE & TWS CONSERVATION AFFAIRS NETWORK .................................................................................................................................................................. 55

THE WILDLIFE CONFESSIONAL: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS ................................................................................ 57

TWS WESTERN SECTION COMMITTEES NEED VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE THE SECTION! ............................... 59



DETAILED SCHEDULE

The Western Section of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting 2015, Santa Rosa

January 26-30, 2015

* Requires separate registration and fee

Mond

ay 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Symposium – Owl versus Owl: The Conundrum of Managing Barred and Spotted Owls in the Pacific

Northwest* (Alexander I) 12 – 6 p.m. Southern Sierra Nevada Fisher Working Group (Russian River Valley 2) 1 – 5:30 p.m. Workshop – Scientific and Technical Writing: From Field Work to Final Draft* (Sonoma Mountain)

(Day 1 of 2)

Tues

day

8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Watershed Restoration with Point Blue (Off-site. Pre-registration required. Meet in Hyatt Lobby at 8 a.m.) 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Symposium – Marijuana Cultivation and Its Impacts on Wildlife, Habitats, and the Wildlife Profession*

(Alexander I) 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Workshop – Scientific and Technical Writing: From Field Work to Final Draft* (Sonoma Mountain)

(Day 2 of 2) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TWS-WS Board Meeting (Green Valley Boardroom, all members welcome and encouraged to attend) 1 – 5 p.m. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Working Group (Russian River Valley 2) 4 – 6 p.m. Vendor Hall Setup 6 – 9 p.m. Official Conference Opening: Registration and Vendor Hall (Chalk Hill & Alexander III) 7 – 9 p.m. Welcome Reception, Photo Display and Nachos with No-Host Bar* (Alexander Foyer & Alexander III)

Wedn

esda

y

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Conference Registration (Chalk Hill), Vendors & Exhibitors (Alexander III) 7:30 a.m. Breakfast Roundtable – Linking Research on Climate Change to On-the-Ground Management* 8 – 10 a.m. California Fisher Working Group (Dry Creek I) 9 – 10 a.m. Conservation Affairs Committee Meeting (Green Valley Boardroom) 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Speaker Ready Room (get key at Registration) (Green Valley) 10 – 11:30 a.m. Keynote Address and Dialogue – Ellie Cohen, President and CEO of Point Blue Conservation Science, with

Field Scientists in Conversation and Dialogue with Audience (Alexander I and II) 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. TWS-WS Retirees’ Meeting (Green Valley Boardroom) (bring your own lunch) 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Lunch Break (on your own) 12 – 2 p.m. Poster Set-up (Russian River) 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Concurrent Session – Mesocarnivore Techniques and Ecology (Alexander I) 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Concurrent Session – Ecology and Management of Birds (Alexander II) 1:00 – 2:25 p.m. Concurrent Session – Wildlife Techniques (Dry Creek I) 2:45 – 5:00 p.m. Concurrent Session – Wildlife Diseases (Dry Creek I) 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. Poster Viewing & Student Poster Judging (Russian River) 2:25 – 2:45 p.m. Refreshment Break 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Résumé Workshop for Undergrads (Sonoma Mountain) 5 – 6 p.m. Humboldt State Alumni Reception (Hospitality Suite #123) 6 – 7 p.m. No-Host Cocktail Reception (Alexander Foyer) 7 – 10 p.m. Members Banquet, Section Awards & Dutch Raffle* (Alexander I and II)



Th

ursda

y

7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Conference Registration (Chalk Hill), Vendors & Exhibitors (Alexander III) 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Poster Viewing & Student Poster Judging (Russian River) 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Professional Development Committee Meeting (Green Valley Boardroom) 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Western Wildlife Meeting (Sonoma Mountain) 8:30 – 9:55 a.m. Concurrent Session - Ecology and Management of Riparian Birds (Alexander I) 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session – Ecology and Management of Mammals (Dry Creek) 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session – Ecology and Management of Reptiles and Amphibians (Alexander II) 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session –Landbirds & Forest Management (Alexander I) 9:55 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Refreshment Break 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Résumé Workshop for Undergrads (repeat) (Sonoma Mountain) 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. How NOT to Give a Scientific Presentation (Green Valley Boardroom) 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Molecular Ecology Working Group, Hospitality Suite #123 12:30 – 2 p.m. Lunch Break (on your own) 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. CDFW Timber Program Meeting, Green Valley Boardroom 1:30 – 2 p.m. CDFW Science Institute Meeting, Green Valley Boardroom 2 – 5 p.m. Plenary Session – Advancing Wildlife Conservation through Integration and Alignment in Planning (Alexander

I and II) 2 – 5 p.m. Speaker Practice Room, Green Valley Boardroom 3:30 – 3:50 p.m. Refreshment Break 5 – 6 p.m. Annual Members Meeting, Members Forum & Raffle (Alexander I) 6 – 8 p.m. Poster Reception (Dry Creek Ballroom/Alexander II/III/IV)

8 – 9:30 p.m. Chapter Meetings: So Cal: Hyatt Green Valley Boardroom Central Coast: Hyatt Hospitality Suite #123 San Joaquin: Hyatt Sonoma Mountain Hawaii: Hyatt Alexander Foyer Nevada: Hyatt Alexander Foyer North Coast: Marriott Courtyard* - Sonoma 3 Sac-Shasta: Marriott Courtyard* – Santa Rosa SF Bay Area: Marriott Courtyard* - Sonoma 1 and 2

Frida

y

7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Conference Registration (Chalk Hill Foyer), Vendors & Exhibitors (Alexander III) 8 – 10:00 a.m. Résumé Workshop for Graduate Students and PhD’s (Sonoma Mountain Room) 8:30 – 9:55 a.m. Concurrent Session – Climate Adaptation Strategies (Alexander I) 8:30 – 9:55 a.m. Concurrent Session – Collaboration in Support of Wildlife Conservation (Alexander II) 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session – Grasslands and Wildlife Conservation (Dry Creek) 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session – Effects of Drought on Wildlife (Alexander II) 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session – Linking Research to Policy and Management (Alexander II) 9:55 – 10:15 a.m. Refreshment Break & Silent Auction Closes (Alexander III) 10 – 11 a.m. Job Interview Panel (Russian River Valley II) 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Career Fair (Alexander Foyer) 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Résumé Critique with Barbara Peters (requires appointment) (Sonoma Mountain) 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session-- Effects of Drought on Wildlife (Alexander I) 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Session – Linking Research to Policy and Management (Alexander II) 1 – 2 p.m. Annual Meeting Planning Committee Wrap-Up Meeting (Green Valley) 2 p.m. through Sunday Student Field Weekend at Clem Miller Environmental Education Center in Point Reyes*

(requires separate registration)



HYATT HOTEL MAP

The hotel offers free Wi-Fi internet access in all of our meeting rooms.

Please, no video streaming or downloads which will slow the network for everyone.

Network: Global Meeting Wireless password: Wildlife



PROFESSIONALS: SUPPORT OUR FUTURE WILDLIFE LEADERS!

Dear Wildlife Professional:

Remember how it felt to be a student at your first conference? Or an early career professional trying to land that first wildlife biology job? A little overwhelming and intimidating, right?

One of the aims of The Wildlife Society is to support and foster the next generation of wildlife professionals. Please help us meet that goal by looking for opportunities to engage with students.

Here is how (it is easy!):

• Students have blue badge-holders. When you see a student, especially one who might need some conference guidance, introduce yourself and help them engage in a conversation, session or activity.

• Fill out your “Ask me about…” button. We will be encouraging students to ask you about it! You can change the topic every day with your re-usable badge.

• Play our Scavenger Hunt game, included in your registration packet, which requires participants to ask questions of other students and professionals. When you complete the game, you can enter yourself in a raffle for great prizes!

• Stop by the Student Activities table and let us know if you would be interested in being a mentor at next year’s meeting.

If you have any questions or ideas about how to help TWS-WS help students get the most out of their experiences at our Annual Conference, please visit us at the Student Activities table, located near conference registration.

Mandi McElroy (Chair), Student Activities Sub-committee, The Western Section of The Wildlife Society, 2015 Annual Meeting.



GENERAL INFORMATION

Annual Business Meeting and Members’ Forum. The Annual Business Meeting and Members Forum will be held on Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. in Alexander I. Section members are invited to discuss activities past and future with officers and committee chairs of the Western Section, including new officers and Executive Board members. Attendance by all members is encouraged (and will be rewarded)! Also, refer to “Raffle” information below.

Awards Banquet. The 2015 banquet program is simply the awards presentations, followed by networking and a short “Dutch” raffle. We heard your comments from 2014 loud and clear, and offer a simple evening of recognition for Western Wildlifers and informal networking with colleagues. The banquet will be held Wednesday evening from 7 to 10 p.m. in Alexander I and II.

California Fisher Working Group. The California Fisher Working Group has met annually in conjunction with the TWS Western Section meeting since 2001. The group was created to share and discuss current research and conservation matters related to fishers in California. The 2015 meeting will be held on Wednesday from 8 to 10 a.m. in Dry Creek I.

Carbon Offset and Reducing our Ecological Footprint:

The Western Section of The Wildlife Society is proud to partner with Point Blue Conservation Science to offset the carbon and ecological footprint of the Santa Rosa 2015 Annual Meeting. Over the past several years, the Western Section has collected donations from meeting attendees used to fund local restoration projects that will offset the carbon footprint of the annual meeting. This year, each meeting registration fee includes a $5 surcharge for carbon offsets and ecological karma. TWS-WS will match this surcharge, meaning that $10 per paid registration will be donated to Point Blue to conduct climate-smart habitat restoration in the North Bay Area and provide science education to students and community members.

Career Fair. The Career Fair will be held on Friday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Alexander Foyer. This is an opportunity for students to meet prospective employers and discuss careers in the wildlife sciences. Professionals from state and federal agencies and several consulting firms will be present.

Cell Phone – Informal Policy. The Western Section of The Wildlife Society strongly encourages all meeting participants to silence their cellular phones and similar devices prior to entering meeting rooms! The informal policy of the Western Section is that, if your device makes an audible noise during any session, you will be expected to purchase a beverage for every person in your seating row at that evening’s social function. Seriously…you beep, you buy!

Concurrent Sessions. Concurrent sessions will be held on Wednesday afternoon; Thursday morning and Friday morning (refer to Day and Room Designations for locations.)

Conservation Affairs Committee Meeting. The Conservation Affairs Committee will meet on Wednesday, 9 to 10 a.m. (Green Valley Boardroom). Members are welcome to attend and learn how to be more involved in the Conservation Affairs Network of The Wildlife Society at Section or Chapter level. The committee will brainstorm ways to better inform decision makers about wildlife!

Exhibits and Vendor Displays. Exhibits will be displayed Tuesday 7 to 9 p.m.; Wednesday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Friday 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Alexander III.

Job Board. Post and view job announcements on the job board in the Foyer area near the Registration Desk. Please do not post résumés as we cannot be responsible for the security of your personal information.

Job Interview Panel: I Got a Job Interview, Now What? – Getting Jobs in a Tough Job Environment. Join us for a panel discussion about the skills employers desire to see in prospective new hires and what candidates can expect in the interview process. Panelists include biologists from Federal and State agencies and from private industry. Questions will also be fielded from the audience. The panel discussion will be held on Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. (Russian River Valley 2).

Keynote Program. The Keynote Address and Dialogue will be held on Wednesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Alexander I and II. Following the keynote, Point Blue Conservation Science field biologists will join Ellie for conversation and dialogue, discussing audience-directed questions.

Local Services. A listing of local services (banks, pharmacies, grocery stores, hospital, etc.) is available at the Hyatt concierge desk.



Messages and Announcements. Post and view messages and announcements at the message board near the Registration Desk.

Molecular Ecology Working Group. This group is a newly formed working group initiated at the recent National TWS meeting in Pittsburgh this past October. There is an informational meeting for people interested in joining the working group and is open to all, on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. in the Hospitality Suite #123.

Odor Sensitivity. Please be courteous to those who may be sensitive to chemical smells, and refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes and strong-smelling hand lotions.

Videotaping and Photography Policy. Videotaping and photography of conference participants at conference events may occur. Western Section of TWS may use photographs and videos of conference attendees for any lawful purpose, including publicity, illustration, advertising, newsletter, and web content. During sessions that will be photographed or videotaped, "no photo" areas will be available in each room. More information will be available at the conference registration desk. Your registration and attendance at this conference confirms your acknowledgement and agreement with these terms for use of videos and photographs.

Plenary Session. The plenary session, titled “Advancing Wildlife Conservation through Integration and Alignment in Planning” will be held on Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. in Alexander I and II. There will be no concurrent sessions during the plenary session. Everyone should plan to attend.

Poster Session. Conference posters will be available for viewing in the Russian River Valley room on Wednesday from 2 to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Poster Reception will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Dry Creek ballroom. A no-host bar will be available. Authors will be available to answer questions about their posters during the Poster Reception. Posters will be available for pickup on Friday in the Russian River room from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Professional Development Committee (PDC) Meeting. The PDC will meet on Thursday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. This is an opportunity for PDC chapter coordinators and PDC Section members to discuss objectives and schedules for 2015 events and activities. Whether your interest is as a subject matter expert for a topic of interest or as host of a facility that would be perfect for field workshops, this meeting is a great chance to make an action plan to serve Western Wildlifers.

Raffles!! Raffle proceeds support the Western Section’s commitment to providing students with programs and scholarships, encouraging their involvement and attendance at this meeting as well as our professional development events.

Raffle tickets will be sold by TWS-WS board members and designated volunteers throughout the conference up to the “last call” or when tickets are sold out. For more detailed information, please visit the Raffle/Silent Auction table in the Exhibit Hall where all raffle and silent auction items will be available for viewing.

This year we will hold two raffles! The first raffle will be conducted at the Members’ Banquet where we will hold our first ever Dutch Raffle (a.k.a. bucket raffle). Each item will have a bucket and purchasers will drop tickets into the bucket of each prize they would like to win. Raffle Master of Ceremonies Joe DiDonato returns to the banquet stage on Wednesday night to draw a winning ticket from each bucket. The second raffle will be held at our Thursday late afternoon Members’ Meeting; this raffle is a traditional raffle where all the tickets are drawn out of one drum. Raffle tickets will be drawn at the end of the Members’ Meeting, along with a door prize.

Silent Auction. Our Silent Auction proceeds also support student programs and scholarships. Items will be available for bidding in the Exhibit Hall throughout the conference until the first break Friday morning. Bidders need not be present to win. However, prizes will not be mailed and must be picked up and paid for by the winner (or a proxy) before 12:30 p.m. on Friday when the conference closes. We reserve the right to award a silent auction item to the next highest bidder if payment or pickup is not completed by closing time on Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Recycled and Low Environmental Impact Program Materials. This program has been printed on 30% post-consumer recycled and Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper. In addition, the programs were printed using Toshiba’s eco-Style printer which is made with 30% recycled plastics and is Energy Star Tier 2 compliant. Ascent’s participation in Close the Loop, a zero waste to landfill recycling program, allows for 100% recycling of collected consumable supplies such as cartridges, drum units and toner bottles. Best of all, it manufactures eLumber™ using all the waste that was once considered unusable. Thank you to Ascent Environmental for handling the layout, and printing this program at no charge to TWS-WS. They also provided outstanding editing skils (AND that last bit is just a silly joke, for the few who actually read these things.)



Refreshment and Lunch Breaks. Light refreshments will be provided at the early morning, mid-morning and afternoon breaks. Lunch will not be provided. For information on local restaurants and services, inquire at the Registration Desk or at the Hyatt concierge desk.

Registration Desk. Registration materials, general information, and Western Section membership applications can be picked up at the Registration Desk.

Résumé Workshop. The Western Section is pleased to announce the return of our fantastic résumé workshop! Barbara Peters (retired) from the Career Center at Humboldt State University will offer outstanding guidance on job searching to students and young professionals.

• Wednesday 3 – 5 p.m. (Sonoma Mountain) Undergraduate Students • Thursday 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Sonoma Mountain) Undergraduate Students (Repeat Session) • Friday 8 – 10 a.m. (Sonoma Mountain) MS to PhD Level Students

Re-usable Name badge Holders. The Western Section is now using re-usable name badge holders. At the end of the conference, please drop your name badge holder off at the Registration Desk so it can be re-used next year. Thanks!

Speaker Practice Room. The Green Valley Boardroom is available throughout most of the meeting for speakers to practice their presentations; obtain a key from the Registration Desk.

Student Presentation Contest. Recognition is awarded to the best student presentations, both oral and posters. Award winners will be announced on our website and in our spring newsletter after the meeting.

Welcome Reception. A welcome reception will be held on Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in Alexander II-IV. A nacho bar will be served and a no-host bar will be available. A ticket or name badge symbol indicating payment is required for this event. Wildlife photos submitted by Western Wildlifers and Wildlings will be on display.

NEARBY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS (all are walking distance from the Hyatt)

A’Roma Roasters Coffee, Tea & Ice Cream 95 5th Street; Sunday–Wednesday 6 a.m. – 10 p.m; Thursday 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Chevys Fresh Mex 24 4th St; Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Jack and Tony’s Rest. & Whiskey Bar 115 4th St.; Sunday 4 p.m. – 2 a.m. Monday–Saturday 11:30 – 2:00 a.m.

Khoom Lanna Thai Restaurant 107 4th St.; Saturday–Sunday 12 – 3 p.m. & 5 – 9:30 p.m. Monday–Friday 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m & 5 – 9:30 p.m.

La Gare Restaurant (French) 208 Wilson Street Reservations suggested; Daily 5 – 10 p.m. (closes at 9 on Sunday)

LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica (Italian) 117 4th Street Saturday–Sunday 5 – 10 p.m. Closed Monday. Tuesday–Friday 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. & 5 –10 p.m.

Omelette Express (a favorite!) 112 4th Street Monday–Friday 6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday–Sunday 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Stark’s Steakhouse 521 Adams Street Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday–Sunday 5 – 9 p.m.

Station 1870 Wine Bar 123 4th St Closed Tuesday Thursday–Sunday 12 – 10 p.m. Monday–Wednesday 4 –10 p.m.

The Pullman Kitchen 205 5th St Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. & 5 – 9 p.m.

Toad In the Hole (Classic Pub, a favorite!) 116 5th St Monday–Thursday 12 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Friday 12 p.m. – 2 a.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 2 a.m. Sunday 12 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Flying Goat Coffee (Artisanal) 10 4th St Daily 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Jackson's Bar and Oven 135 4th St Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Sushi To Dai For 119 4th St Monday–Friday 12 – 3 p.m. Saturday–Sunday 5 – 11 p.m.

Local Favorites that are a longer walk / short drive: El Coqui Ruerto Rican Cuisine 400 Mendocino Ave Monday–Saturday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday 12 – 9 p.m.

Russian River Brewery 725 4th Street Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m. – midnight Friday–Saturday 11 to 1 a.m.

Third Street Ale Works 610 3rd St Sunday–Thursday 11 a.m. – midnight Friday–Saturday 11 – 1 a.m.

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=La+Gare+Restaurant,+208+Wilson+Street+Santa+Rosa,+CA+95401&fb=1&gl=us&hq=La+Gare+Restaurant,&hnear=208+Wilson+Street+Santa+Rosa,+CA+95401&cid=0,0,2686035655882667296&ei=b2wMS7K2CYncsgO26eyVAw&ved=0CAgQnwIwAA&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A



EXHIBITOR LIST

Anatum Field Solutions 14845 SW Murray Scholls Dr., Suite 110, PMB 602 Beaverton, OR 97007 (800) 980-4649 [email protected]

Ascent Environmental, Inc. 455 Capitol Mall, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-7301 [email protected]

Dudek 605 3rd Street Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 479-4256 [email protected]

Fletcher Conservation Lands 2624 Eagle Ave Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 326-8175 [email protected]

Holohil Systems Ltd. 77 Arbutus Spur, Sidney Isl. PO Box 2398 Sidney BC 833 [email protected]

Lotek Wireless 115 Pony Drive Newmarket, ON 375 [email protected]

North Star Science and Technology, LLC PO Box 438 King George, VA 22485 (410) 961-6692 [email protected]

PG&E 2730 Gateway Oaks Drive Sacramento, CA 95833 (916) 206-9657 [email protected]

Quad Knopf 901 E Main St Visalia, CA 93292 (559) 733-0440 [email protected]

Sequoia Ecological Consulting 822 Hartz Way, Suite 206 Danville, CA 94526 (925) 989-7011 [email protected]

Swaim Biological, Inc. 4435 First Street, PMB # 312 Livermore, CA 94551 [email protected]

Tomahawk Live Trap PO Box 155 Hazelhurst, WI 54531 (715) 356-4600 [email protected]

USDA Forest Service 1323 Club Drive Vallejo, CA 94503 (707) 562-8954 [email protected]

Westervelt Ecological Services 600 North Market Blvd, Suite 3 Sacramento, CA 95834 (916) 646-3644 [email protected]

TWS WESTERN SECTION BOARD MEMBERS

2014 Elected Officers President Natasha Dvorak Swaim Biological, Inc.

Past-President Doug Bell East Bay Regional Park District

President-Elect Don Yasuda U.S. Forest Service

Section Representative Cynthia Perrine TWS-WS

2014 Appointed Officers Treasurer John McNerney City of Davis

Secretary Janae Scruggs Western Wildlife Bridget Souza Newsletter Editor Debra Hawk PG&E

Chapter Representatives California Central Coast Wendy Knight California North Coast Sal Chinnici Humboldt Redwood Company

Hawaii Rachel Sprague NOAA - National Marine Fisheries

Nevada Mackenzie Jeffress Nevada Dept. of Wildlife

Sacramento-Shasta Hal Holland Westervelt Ecological Services

San Francisco Bay Area Matthew Bettelheim, CWB URS Corporation, Inc.

San Joaquin Valley Jeff Davis Colibri Ecological Consulting

Southern California Jeff Lincer Researchers Implementing Conservation Action

Chapter Representatives Cal Poly SLO Student Chapter Brooke Wainwright Humboldt State Student Chapter Darwin Mayhew UC Davis Student Chapter Cameron Clay UCSB Student Student Chapter Katelyn Pilcher San Francisco State Student Chapter Natalie Greer University of Nevada, Reno Student Chapter Jamie Chambers

Contractors Accountant Mike Chapel Program Director Cynthia Perrine Project Manager Candace Renger Webmaster Eric Renger

Committee Chairs Awards and Grants Richard Burg CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Affairs Erin Aquino-Carhart CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Membership Don Yasuda U.S. Forest Service

Professional Development Rhys Evans Vandenberg Air Force Base and Jessica Martini-Lamb Sonoma County Water Agency

Student Affairs Mandi McElroy URS Corporation, Inc. and David Wyatt Sacramento City College





















2015 ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Program Chair Don Yasuda, U.S. Forest Service President Natasha Dvorak

Professional Development Events Rhys Evans

Program Director Cynthia Perrine

Meeting Planner Candace Renger

Banquet Cynthia Perrine, Natasha Dvorak, Don Yasuda, Richard Burg

Abstract Review Don Yasuda

Audio Visual Captains Keelan Dann, Ona Alminas, Cynthia Perrine

Breakfast Roundtable Jeff Lincer, Mackenzie Jeffress, EJ Koford

Career Fair Karen Swaim

Conference Volunteers Management Janae Scruggs, Patrick Tweedy

Keynote & Conversation Cynthia Perrine

Local Arrangements & Info Brad Valentine

Onsite Registration Janine Payne Schneir

Photo Collection Submissions Eveline Larrucea

Poster Session Jessica Martini Lamb, Carlos Alvarado

Printed Program Editing Rhys Evans, Debra Hawk, John Perrine, Don Yasuda

Point Blue Watershed Restoration Day Jessica Martini Lamb

Raffle and Silent Auction Coordination Sandra Hunt-von Arb, Lisa Ollivier

Sponsors & Exhibitors Chair Sarah Hegg

Student Activities Subcommittee Mandi McElroy (Chair), Ivan Parr, David Wyatt, Erika Walther, Rachel Fichman, Rachel Sprague, Tammy Lim, Don Yasuda, Cynthia Perrine, Candace Renger, Sarah Hegg, Erin Aquino Carhart, Jeff Lincer, Wendy Knight

Student Field Weekend Ivan Parr (Chair), Rachel Sprague, Don Yasuda, Tammy Lim, Rachel Fichman, Claire Woolf, Mandi McElroy, Cynthia Perrine, Candace Renger, Mehrey Vaghti

Student Presentation Competition Karen Converse, Brian Barton, Janae Scruggs



MEETING SCHEDULES

Official Meetings

Tuesday, January 27 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Western Section Executive Board Meeting (Green Valley Boardroom)

Wednesday, January 28 9 – 10 a.m. Conservation Affairs Committee (Green Valley Boardroom) 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. TWS-WS Retirees’ Meeting (Green Valley Boardroom)

Thursday, January 29 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Professional Development Committee (Green Valley Boardroom) 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Western Wildlife editorial meeting (Sonoma Mountain) 5 – 6 p.m. Annual TWS Western Section Business Meeting and Members’ Forum (Alexander I and II) 8 – 9:30 p.m. Chapter Meetings

• So Cal: Hyatt Green Valley Boardroom • Central Coast: Hyatt Hospitality Suite #123 • San Joaquin: Hyatt Sonoma Mountain • Hawaii: Hyatt Alexander Foyer • Nevada: Hyatt Alexander Foyer • North Coast: Marriott Courtyard* - Sonoma 3 • Sac-Shasta: Marriott Courtyard* - Santa Rosa • SF Bay Area: Marriott Courtyard* - Sonoma 1 and 2

*The Marriott Courtyard is a 3-minute walk. Cross Railroad Street at the W. 3rd Street intersection.

Friday, January 30 1 – 2 p.m. Conference Planning Committee and Wrap-Up (Green Valley Boardroom)

Other Meetings Monday, January 26 12 – 6 p.m. Southern Sierra Nevada Fisher Working Group (Russian River 2)

Tuesday, January 27 1 – 5 p.m. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Working Group (Russian River 2)

Wednesday, January 28 8 – 10 a.m. California Fisher Working Group (Dry Creek I) 5 – 6 p.m. Humboldt State Alumni Reception (Hospitality Suite #123)

Thursday, January 29 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Molecular Ecology Work Group (Hospitality Suite #123) 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. CDFW Timber Program Meeting (Green Valley Board Room) 1:30 – 2 p.m. CDFW Science Institute Meeting (Green Valley Board Room)



SPECIAL EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS

• Breakfast Roundtable Linking Research on Climate Change to On-the-Ground Management Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., Russian River Valley Room. (Separate fee and advance registration required.) The objective of the Roundtable is to provide more opportunities for conference attendees to exchange ideas and cultivate productive professional relationships.

To encourage conversation, the (round) tables will seat 6 to 8 people and the discussion can be lively, but not too loud. Each table will be provided with background information, an introduction to the topics, simple guidelines, and the event will end with a summary of ideas from each table.

• Résumé Workshops & Résumé Critiques with Barbara Peters, Humboldt State University (retired) Wednesday afternoon 3 to 5 p.m. Sonoma Mountain Undergrads Thursday Morning 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sonoma Mountain Undergrads Friday morning 8 to 10 a.m. Sonoma Mountain MS/PhD Résumé Writing for Undergrads and Graduating Seniors: Barbara Peters (retired Career Counselor) will present Résumé Writing workshops for undergraduate students on both Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning (same material presented each day). Barbara will provide information and handouts about putting together an effective résumé and cover letter targeted to positions in the wildlife and environmental fields (seasonal, internship, and professional).

Résumé Writing for Graduate Students: Barbara Peters (Career Counselor) will also present a Résumé / Curriculum Vitae Writing workshop for graduate students (MS & PhD) on Friday morning. Barbara will provide information and handouts about putting together an effective CV / résumé and cover letter targeted to professional positions in the wildlife and environmental fields.

In all three workshops, Barbara will also provide a list of special skills that students develop as part of their undergraduate and graduate experiences (research techniques, field equipment & techniques, training, licenses, etc.), as well as interviewing tips and on-line resources for job hunting in these fields.

On Friday, Barbara will be available, on a sign-up basis, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Sonoma Mountain to critique CV / résumé; she is also willing to look at emailed résumés & CVs after the annual meeting.

Barbara Peters worked at Humboldt State University (HSU) in Arcata, CA, as a Career Counselor for 30 years. At HSU, she specialized in helping students (undergrads and graduate students) in the natural resources and sciences with career decision-making, gaining summer job and internship experiences, and professional job hunting upon graduation. Prior to her time at HSU, she worked for 5 years in the Career Planning and Placement Office at Idaho State University. She obtained her B.A. degree in Political Science (1971) and her M.A.Ed. in Student Personnel Work in Higher Education (1976) from Idaho State University. She lives in Eureka, CA with her fisherman husband and a Springer Spaniel, Maizey – they have raised 2 litters of Springer Spaniels over the years. Barbara has been presenting these workshops at The Western Section since 2007 and at the Western Section Annual Meeting since 2009.

• How NOT to Give a Scientific Presentation Workshop with Dr. Jon Hooper, California State University, Chico Thursday, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., Green Valley Boardroom Whether you are just starting out or looking to improve, this informative (and likely humorous) mini-workshop will provide you with information and tips for presenting your research work to your peers. Instructor Jon Hooper will provide demonstrations on how to give an effective presentation….and how NOT to. Dr. Jon K. Hooper, Professor, CSU Chico (and Certified Wildlife Biologist, Certified Interpretive Trainer with a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and 35+ years teaching communication workshops around the country).



• Career Fair Friday, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Alexander Foyer This is an opportunity for students to meet prospective employers and discuss careers in the wildlife sciences. Professionals from state and federal agencies and several consulting firms will be present. Everyone is invited to attend the Career Fair. The Student/Professional Lunch, served at noon, is free to students and professionals who indicated on their registration form that they would attend; a ticket or name badge symbol is required.

• Job Interview Panel: I Got a Job Interview, Now What? Getting Jobs in a Tough Job Environment with David Wyatt, Sacramento City College Friday, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m., Russian River Valley

The job interview process can be an intimidating experience for the job seeker. To help make this less mysterious, a group of 4 to 6 invited speakers from agencies, private consulting, and academia will provide insights into what can be expected during a job interview with their respective employers. Topics include how to prepare for the interview, how you should present yourself, and the range of potential questions you may be asked. In addition, an open discussion follows the presentations. This workshop will be led by David Wyatt who teaches in the Biology Department at Sacramento City College.

NOTES



KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND DIALOGUE

Wednesday, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. (Alexander II)

Ellie Cohen, the President and CEO of Point Blue Conservation Science, will deliver our 2015 Keynote Address. The Western Section designated Point Blue Conservation Science the “Conservationist of the Year” in 2010. Under Ellie’s leadership, Point Blue has grown to a hemisphere-scale organization, conducting bird-focused applied ecosystem studies from the Sierra to the sea. After the keynote address, a group of Point Blue field scientists will join Ellie on-stage for conversation around questions collected from the audience.

Ellie Cohen has served as President and CEO of Point Blue Conservation Science since 1999. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Ms. Cohen received her undergraduate degree with honors in Botany (focus on ecology) from Duke University. Field studies in butterfly ecology brought her to California in 1979.

She later received her Master in Public Policy degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she was honored with the Policy Analysis Exercise Award for highly distinguished

performance and the first annual Robert F. Kennedy Public Service Award. In 2001, she was awarded a fellowship to Stanford University’s Executive Program for Non-profit Leaders at the Graduate School of Business.

Ellie co-founded the Bay Area Ecosystem Climate Change Consortium, bringing together scientists and natural resource managers to cooperatively conserve nature’s benefits in the face of accelerating extremes, for wildlife and our communities. Ellie is an invited member of the National Wildlife Federation’s Climate-Smart Conservation Team and serves as Chair of the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative. She is also a member of the Central Valley and SF Bay Joint Ventures’ Executive Committees.

Ellie is the recipient of the BayNature 2012 Local Environmental Hero Award for Conservation Advocacy. As Ellie explained, “This award truly belongs to PRBO’s outstanding staff and Board leaders as well as many of our partners! It is a team effort!” Read her interview with Bay Nature here.

In 2009 she was named one of the “100 Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet” in the United States as part of National Women’s History Month, recognizing her contributions to catalyzing conservation solutions to the impacts of rapidly accelerating environmental change on nature.

Ellie speaks regularly on climate change, ecosystems and adaptive solutions that benefit wildlife as well as human communities.

Ellie and her family live in San Anselmo, California.

http://baynature.org/articles/conservation-action-award-ellie-cohen/

http://baynature.org/articles/conservation-action-award-ellie-cohen/



Jaime Jahncke, Ph.D., California Current Group Director, received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. His Point Blue work aims to advance marine conservation and by conducting research and developing tools to inform climate adaptation, marine spatial planning and ecosystem based management approaches. Jaime leads the Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies (ACCESS) Partnership to support marine wildlife conservation and healthy marine ecosystems by conducting ocean research to inform resource management, and the Whale Alert – West Coast Partnership to protect whales by using science, innovative technology, and collaborative community efforts to decrease ship strikes to whales.

Geoff Geupel has been with Point Blue for 35 years and is Director of the Emerging Program and Partnerships Group and a senior management team member. His recent work has evolved from monitoring and assessment to implementation with the goal of putting better, more appropriate conservation practices on the ground to improve conservation outcomes and reduce the negative impacts of climate change, habitat loss, and other threats to wildlife and people.

Wendell Gilgert, Working Lands Program Director, Emerging Programs and Partnerships, is a Great Valley native and joins Point Blue following a 34-year career with the Natural Resources Conservation Service where he most recently served as the Western Region Wildlife Biologist and NRCS Partners in Flight representative in Portland, OR. Wendell’s knowledge and experience with fish and wildlife issues, habitat management and restoration and how to work with private landowners helps the organization plan, design, implement and monitor conservation actions on their working lands. He is leading the new Rangeland Watershed Initiative that intends to help re-water California watersheds.

Catherine Hickey, Conservation Director, Pacific Coast and Central Valley, received her M.S. in Conservation Ecology from UC Davis. A leader in bird conservation planning from the local to international scale for two decades, she currently serves on steering committees of the Central Valley Joint Venture, Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, US Shorebird Conservation Council, North American Bird Conservation Initiative, and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

Kristen Dybala, Ph.D., UC Davis Ecology (2012) is a Postdoctoral Researcher, Pacific Coast and Central Valley, and focuses on bringing together the best available science to inform conservation planning in the Central Valley. She collaborates with partners at the Central Valley Joint Venture to revise sections of the 2006 implementation plan, focusing on breeding riparian landbirds and wintering shorebirds.

Melissa Pitkin, Outreach and Education Group Director, works with Point Blue’s team of scientists and educators to share our conservation science findings and recommendations to inspire action. She firmly believes in training the next generation of conservationists, scientists, and educators by connecting people to science and nature. Melissa has a M.S. in Environmental Education from Southern Oregon University and a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from UC Davis. She first came to Point Blue as a third grader on a field trip to observe bird banding at Point Blue’s Palomarin Field Station, and returning in 1997 as a biologist working at the Cosumnes River Preserve. Over the past 17 years, Melissa has grown the Education and Outreach Group to reaching over 5,000 people of all ages each year, through programs in the field and in classrooms, including overseeing the award-winning program called STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed). Western Section note: Melissa was an instructor-mentor for the Western Field Camp, a Professional Development Event coordinated by TWS Western Section.



PLENARY SCHEDULE, SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES, AND ABSTRACTS

Advancing Wildlife Conservation through Integration and Alignment in Planning

Thursday, January 29, 2015, 2 - 5 p.m. Alexander I and II

Chair: Don Yasuda, TWS Western Section President-Elect With the pace of environmental, social, and global change, the scale of our conservation work must link the local site to the project to the watershed and larger regional and statewide landscapes. We have a few examples of large-scale conservation planning that took a big upfront investment but are now starting to pay off dividends for resources such as the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan and the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. New efforts such as Integrated Regional Planning show great promise. Local and regional land trusts are making great strides to work with farmers, ranchers, rural residents and communities to provide for sustainable agriculture through maintaining working open lands and areas that provide for conservation, recreation, and sustainable development. Government agencies are realizing the need to cooperate and collaborate to share and stretch limited resources. The result of integrated and aligned landscape conservation planning is that local, state and federal government agencies and representatives, scientists and researchers, non-governmental organizations, interest groups, and the public are all talking and working together to find common solutions. This will benefit us all by forcing us to tackle difficult, but ever critical questions of how to best balance competing interests while providing for ecological, social, and economic sustainability for people and resources. We hope to set the stage to engage our thinking and inspire us to work together to meet a challenge of the California Biodiversity Council (http://biodiversity.ca.gov) to conservation planning - we need to “Go Big or Go Home”.

2:00 – 2:05 p.m. Don Yasuda, Welcome and Announcements; Plenary Introduction 2:05 – 2:25 p.m. Jim Kenna, California State Director for BLM and Co-chair of the CA Biodiversity Council.

California Biodiversity Council: The Time is Right to Go Big or Go Home 2:25 – 2:45 p.m. Denny Grossman, Senior Advisor for Environmental Science and Policy, CA Strategic Growth

Council; Implementing an Integrated Regional Planning Program in California 2:45 – 3:05 p.m. Debra Schlafmann, LCC Coordinator, CA Landscape Conservation Cooperative; Landscape

Conservation Cooperatives: Bridging Science and Management 3:05 – 3:25 p.m. Barnie Gyant, Deputy Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, CA

Ecological Restoration: The Balance of Planning Versus Need for Action 3:25 – 3:45 p.m. Refreshment Break 3:45 – 4:05 p.m. Bob Neale, Stewardship Director, Sonoma Land Trust; Connecting Landowners and Communities

in Conservation 4:05 – 4:25 p.m. Jim Branham, Executive Director, Sierra Nevada Conservancy; Putting It Together: Tackling

Challenges, Capturing Opportunities and Enjoying Successes 4:25 – 4:45 p.m. Speaker Panel, Questions and Discussion 4:45 – 4:55 p.m. Closing

Do not forget the Business Meeting, Members Forum, and Raffle

which immediately follow the Plenary, 5 to 6 p.m., in the same room.

http://biodiversity.ca.gov/



Plenary Speaker Biographical Sketches and Abstracts Jim Kenna, California State Director for BLM and Co-Chair of the California Biodiversity Council California Biodiversity Council: The Time is Right to Go Big or Go Home The California Biodiversity Council (CBC) was formed in 1991 to improve coordination and cooperation between the various resource management and environmental protection organizations at federal, state, and local levels. Strengthening ties between local communities and governments has been a focus of the Council by way of promoting strong local leadership and encouraging comprehensive solutions to regional issues. The CBC currently has 42 members.

Drawing from experiences spanning decades, as well as from current examples in California, this talk is geared for those who work on public policy, planning and operations at all levels of government. It addresses why some issues and problems require thinking and acting at the landscape scale. It also addresses why now is the time to change some of the patterns and tendencies that prevent working together. With these ideas as foundation, the talk also explores what it means, and does not mean, to work effectively at large scales, and how necessary partnerships can be created. In support of these efforts, the CBC passed a resolution in 2013 on Strengthening Agency Alignment for Natural Resource Conservation.

BIO: Jim Kenna was appointed the California State Director for the Bureau of Land Management in 2011, with responsibilities in overseeing the management of more than 15.2 million acres of public lands in California and 1.6 million acres in northwestern Nevada. Jim began his federal career as a wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service in Prescott, Arizona. He previously served in numerous key agency positions with BLM in Arizona, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and the Palm Springs Field Office in California and as a Budget Analyst with the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

While working with the BLM, Jim contributed his leadership and planning to various national and statewide initiatives and conservation efforts. He provided leadership in establishing Service First and Stewardship Contracting initiatives and in coordinating federal, state and local land use planning processes balancing community needs, water rights and conservation of multiple species in southern California. During his time as the BLM Palm Springs Field Manager, he worked with communities and tribes leading to the establishment of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. He also coordinated a national conservation strategy for sagebrush habitats with Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Western Governors Association. Most recently he led an interagency, landscape-level renewable energy and conservation planning effort covering more than 22 million acres in the California desert. Jim is currently a co-chair of the California Biodiversity Council along with California Secretary for Natural Resources, John Laird.

Jim has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Prescott College in Arizona. When not at work, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons and grandchildren, hiking, rafting, reading and enjoying music.

http://ucanr.edu/sites/CBC/

http://ucanr.edu/sites/CBC/About_the_Council/CBC_Members/

http://ucanr.edu/sites/CBC/2013_Resolution/



Denny Grossman, Ph.D., Senior Advisor for Environmental Science and Policy, CA Strategic Growth Council Implementing an Integrated Regional Planning Program in California On October 6, 2014, the California Strategic Growth Council resolved to, “Coordinate state agencies for the development and implementation of an Integrated Regional Planning approach to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of regional development and natural resource conservation.” The California Biodiversity Council subsequently passed a resolution to align its member agencies to support the regional conservation assessment and planning components of this Integrated Regional Planning initiative.

This Integrated Regional Planning program is committed to envisioning and managing for a sustainable balance between conservation and development at a regional scale. This process will require a regional assessment of conservation goals to provide the context for prioritization of resource management strategies and implementation of important development initiatives. The integration of these conservation and development frameworks will also focus project mitigation resources to advance regional conservation goals through targeted stewardship, restoration and acquisition programs.

This presentation will provide an overview of the emerging Integrated Regional Planning initiative in California, and identify next steps for program implementation.

BIO: Dr. Dennis Grossman is the Senior Advisor for Environmental Science and Policy at the Strategic Growth Council (SGC). This position coordinates the overall development and implementation of Integrated Regional Planning (IRP) programs for the State of California and also focuses on the application of the IRP approach to address the environmental assessment and mitigation components for High Speed Rail. Dr. Grossman joined SGC after providing science and policy leadership in non-profit conservation organizations for the past 25 years. Prior positions he has held include Senior Scientist at the Conservation Biology Institute, Senior Environmental Policy Advisor for The Nature Conservancy, Vice President for Science at NatureServe, and Chief Ecologist at The Nature Conservancy.

Dr. Grossman is a recognized authority on biodiversity and ecological assessments, conservation planning, and the evaluation of environmental impacts. He has made significant contributions to the classification and mapping of terrestrial, freshwater and coastal/marine ecosystems, and the advancement of ecosystem and landscape approaches for effective conservation and resource management. In recent years, Dr. Grossman has focused on the application of scientific knowledge and decision support technology to improve the effectiveness of sustainable development and conservation decision making processes. He has advanced the environmental planning and assessment capabilities of multi-lateral financial institutions, development agencies and corporations through the application of these approaches. Dr. Grossman is co-chair of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Section of the International Association for Impact Assessment. Dr. Grossman earned his Ph.D. in Plant Ecology from the University of Hawaii through the East-West Center Environment and Policy Institute. He completed M.S. and B.S. degrees in Botany at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

http://www.sgc.ca.gov/

http://sgc.ca.gov/docs/Agenda_Item_5_Integrated_Regional_Planning_Resolution.pdf

http://ucanr.edu/sites/CBC/Conferences_and_Meetings/2014_-_October_29_Agency_Alignment_in_Action/

http://ucanr.edu/sites/CBC/Conferences_and_Meetings/2014_-_October_29_Agency_Alignment_in_Action/

http://ucanr.edu/sites/CBC/files/202415.pdf



Debra Schlafmann, LCC Coordinator, California Landscape Conservation Cooperative Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: Bridging Science and Management The conservation challenges of the 21st Century are more complex than ever before. Widespread threats such as drought, climate change and habitat fragmentation are too large for any single organization to meet alone and challenge our ability to conserve wildlife for the future. It will take a combined effort involving many public and private organizations to deal with the landscape-scale issues facing us all. Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) provide a forum for States, Tribes, Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and other groups to work together in a new way.

LCCs are applied conservation science partnerships with two main functions. The first is to provide the science and technical expertise needed to support conservation planning at landscape scales – beyond the reach or resources of any one organization. The second function of LCCs is to promote collaboration among their members in defining shared conservation goals. With these goals in mind, partners can identify where and how they will take action, within their own authorities and organizational priorities, to best contribute to the larger conservation effort. LCCs help partners to see how their activities can “fit” with those of other partners to achieve a bigger and more lasting impact. I will be providing some examples of how LCCs have brought a new level of scientific capability to its conservation partners and the benefits of partner-led landscape-scale conservation plans and strategies. Through the identification of shared priorities, coordination of activities, and leveraging of resources among our conservation partners, together we can create landscapes capable of supporting self-sustaining fish and wildlife populations for current and future generations.

BIO: Debra L. Schlafmann has been Coordinator for the California Landscape Conservation Cooperative (CA LCC) since May 2010. Her primary duties include administering and expanding the effectiveness of the CA LCC. Deb has 25 years of experience mostly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service serving in numerous technical and leadership positions that required skills in developing partnerships and seeking common goals for natural resources. Deb holds a bachelor of science degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University and a master of science degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State University. Deb likes birding, boating, hiking and spending as much time possible outdoors with her 10 year old son.

Barnie Gyant, Deputy Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) Ecological Restoration: The Balance of Planning Versus Need for Action Public land management agencies have an interesting challenge: to manage public trust resources for present and future generations. Considering just federal and state agencies, a significant portion of the Western Section area is managed for public trust values. For the Forest Service, this means managing roughly 20 million acres in California and 6.3 million acres in Nevada. These lands serve as headwaters for much of the water used for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses; provide a rich suite of outdoor recreation opportunities and other uses; and provide important habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including many threatened and endangered species.

One of the key roles of land management agencies today can be described as finding balance. We need to balance providing habitat for species today with managing lands and activities to provide for habitat into the future. This is not easy in a dynamic environment where much of the landscape is in need of ecological restoration to improve resilience and sustainability. I will discuss some of the many challenges in seeking this balance from working with regulatory agency partners to conservation-focused stakeholders and will describe some collaboration successes. I will focus on how the Forest Service is changing both its thinking as well as its practices to move more efficiently towards our overall goal of having resilient forests and wildlands that serve the conservation needs of society.

BIO: Barnie Gyant oversees the areas of Program Development and Budget, Ecosystems Management, Ecosystems Planning, Information Management, and Tribal Relations for the Pacific Southwest Region. Mr. Gyant was previously the Deputy Director of Ecosystem Management in Region 5 from September 2009 to June 2012. Barnie successfully completed a temporary promotion to Director, Ecosystem Management for four months in 2010 and for five months in 2011. He has an extensive background including work assignments as Forest Supervisor, Deputy Forest Supervisor, District Ranger, Deputy District Ranger, and Resources Program Manager. Early in his career, he was a Fisheries Biologist. Barnie has extensive experience as a line officer and natural resources manager for the past 20 years working on eight different national forests and in four different regions. Barnie earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Biology from East Carolina University. Key strengths include a strong background in natural resources and ecological restoration and strong communication and collaboration skills.

http://lccnetwork.org/

http://www.californialcc.org/

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5351674.pdf

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/landmanagement/?cid=stelprdb5402752

http://www.fs.usda.gov/r5



Bob Neale, Stewardship Director, Sonoma Land Trust Land Trusts: Building Community Support for Landscape Conservation Our broader conservation goals cannot be achieved solely on public lands or through regulatory efforts. Conservation efforts on private lands, with private landowners and local communities, are key to achieving landscape level success. Private, nonprofit land trusts have close ties with landowners and community. Thus, we play a key role by implementing large, regional planning efforts at the local level, because of our relationships and our work with local landowners, the community, and conservation funders. We rely on up-to-date scientific information to inform our planning, acquisitions, and conservation land management. In addition, we play a key educational role by translating current scientific thought into language and ideas that are easier for the lay person to understand through our media communications and our efforts to take the community and decision makers to see conservation projects first hand. Today, I will describe three key projects: the Jenner Headlands Project, The Sears Point Restoration Project, and the Sonoma Valley Wildlife Corridor Project; demonstrating how land

trusts can work with the community to build support for landscape conservation, incorporating and communicating the concepts of ecological enhancement on working lands, wildlife permeability, and climate change adaptation strategies. I will conclude with ideas and challenges on how to relate our conservation stories to the rapidly changing demographics of California.

BIO: Bob directs the activities of the stewardship department: working with a team of dedicated professionals to care and manage the Sonoma Land Trust’s lands and conservation easements over the past 10 years. He grew up in southern California, watching the fields and beach front slowly disappear to condos, mansions and strip malls. Fleeing the concrete, Bob moved north and received his B.A. in English with a concentration in creative writing from San Francisco State. After graduating, he wandered through Europe and Turkey, with extended stops in Paris and Istanbul. Returning to San Francisco, Bob worked in the freight industry for several years until he finally decided to bring his attention back to his first love – the land. Beginning at Peninsula Open Space Trust, and then moving to Sustainable Conservation, he was fortunate to work with and learn from some of the most creative people in conservation which is a trend in good fortune that continues with his tenure at the Trust.

Jim Branham, Executive Director, Sierra Nevada Conservancy Putting It Together: Tackling Challenges, Capturing Opportunities and Enjoying Successes Using collaborative processes to develop consensus (not necessarily unanimity) on desired outcomes and needed actions is a critical first step in integrating planning efforts. Contentious issues are best addressed by identifying areas of agreement, developing action plans to address those areas and use the trust developed during the process to address more difficult issues. Agencies and interested parties need to commit to this process in order for it to be successful and for organizational silos to be broken down.

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy has been actively involved in a variety of collaborative efforts addressing forest/habitat issues, including the Amador-Calaveras Consensus Group and Rim Fire restoration efforts. While these efforts have shown some level of success, converting consensus into action continues to prove challenging.

BIO: Jim Branham has spent more than 30 years working on natural resource and rural community issues in California. He was selected as the Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s first Executive Officer by the Conservancy Board in October of 2005. As Executive Officer, Jim is responsible for day to day management of the organization and works closely with the Governing Board in developing policy and program priorities. The organization’s mission is to improve the environmental, economic and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada region in an integrated manner. The Conservancy is a State agency that awards grants and provides technical and other assistance to parties in support of activities that help to carry out the Conservancy’s mission. Since 2007, the Conservancy has awarded nearly $50 million in Proposition 84 grants throughout the Sierra Nevada region. The Conservancy serves a region comprised of all or part of 22 counties covering 25 million acres, approximately one-quarter of the state of California. Prior to joining the Conservancy Jim has worked in the California State Legislature, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the California Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency. He also worked in the forest products industry, assisting the Pacific Lumber Company with implementation of its Habitat Conservation Plan.

http://www.sonomalandtrust.org/protect/campaigns/jenner/jenner.html

http://bairwmp.org/projects/sears-point-restoration-project

http://bairwmp.org/projects/sears-point-restoration-project

http://www.sonomalandtrust.org/pdf/WildlifeCorridorOnline.pdf

http://sonomalandtrust.org/index.html

https://acconsensus.wordpress.com/

http://www.sierranevada.ca.gov/our-region/rim-fire

http://www.sierranevada.ca.gov/



BUSINESS MEETING AND MEMBERS FORUM AGENDA

Thursday, January 29, 5 to 6 p.m. (immediately following the Plenary)

NOTE: Reports summarizing Executive Board and contractor accomplishments and key highlights will be located in the back of the room. Minutes will be recorded during this meeting to track issues, ideas, and action items for the Executive Board.

5:00 p.m. Call to Order (President Dvorak) 5:01 p.m. Approval of 2014 Business Meeting Minutes

- (Secretary Scruggs/Past-President Bell) 5:05 p.m. Review of Financial Status (Treasurer McNerney) 5:08 p.m. Election Results for President-Elect and Review Bylaws Updates (Bell) 5:10 p.m. Review of 2014 Accomplishments (Outgoing President)

- Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Completion - Updated Communications Platform - 60th Anniversary Celebration and record conference attendance

5:15 p.m. Review of President’s Agenda for 2015 - Strategic Plan – Increasing member services and opportunities for members to serve the

Section - Growing and strengthening the funding base – fundraising & examining dues - Improve operations – making it easier and more rewarding for members to serve the Section

5:25 p.m. Installation and Charge of 2015 Executive Board (President) 5:30 p.m. Members’ Forum (all, led by newly-installed President) 5:45 p.m. Review of Action Items Arising from Members Forum (Secretary) 5:48 p.m. Adjournment (President) 5:50 p.m. Raffle

A raffle will be held during the last ten minutes of the business meeting!

Have you purchased your tickets yet? Tickets are sold by Executive Board members, and at the Raffle item display table

All those who attend the business meeting will be entered in a raffle for a door prize - must be present at the 5:50 p.m. drawing to win.

Don’t forget to head over to the Poster Session from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Dry Creek Room!



CONTRIBUTED PAPER SCHEDULE

2015 Annual Conference

Session Name Start Time Room Page

Wednesday January 28, 2015

Mesocarnivore Techniques and Ecology – Chair Esther Burkett, CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Weds. 1:00 p.m. Alexander I 36

Ecology and Management of Birds – Chair Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project Weds. 1:00 p.m. Alexander II 37

Wildlife Techniques – Chair Jenny Rechel, USDA Forest Service Weds. 1:00 p.m. Dry Creek I 38

Wildlife Diseases – Co-Chairs Mike Ziccardi & Kristen Gilardi, U.C. Davis Weds. 2:45 p.m. Dry Creek I 38

Thursday January 29, 2015

Ecology and Management of Riparian Birds – Chair Chrissy Howell, USDA Forest Service Thurs. 8:30 a.m. Alexander I 39

Ecology and Management of Reptiles and Amphibians – Chair Dave Cook, Sonoma County Water Agency Thurs. 8:30 a.m. Alexander II 40

Ecology and Management of Mammals – Chair Brian Cypher, CSU Stanislaus Thurs. 8:30 a.m. Dry Creek I 41

Landbirds & Forest Management – Chair Chrissy Howell, USDA Forest Service Thurs. 10:15 a.m. Alexander I 42

Plenary Session: Advancing Wildlife Conservation through Integration and Alignment in Planning –

Chair Don Yasuda, TWS-WS President Elect Thurs. 2:00 p.m. Alexander I and II 23

Friday January 30, 2015

Climate Adaptation Strategies – Chair Jeff Lincer, RICA Fri. 8:30 a.m. Alexander I 43

Collaboration in Support of Wildlife Conservation – Chair Lucy Harrington, Westervelt Ecological Services Fri. 8:30 a.m. Alexander II 43

Grasslands and Wildlife Conservation – Chair John McNerney, City of Davis Fri. 8:30 a.m. Dry Creek I 44

Effects of Drought on Wildlife – Chair Jeff Lincer, RICA Fri. 10:15 a.m. Alexander I 45

Linking Research to Policy and Management – Chair Mike Westphal, Bureau of Land Management Fri. 10:15 a.m. Alexander II 46

When entering or exiting rooms during sessions, please be careful to open and close doors quietly. Please do not congregate and converse in the hallway in the immediate area of a door, as your conversation may disturb ongoing sessions.



SESSION ABSTRACT ELECTRONIC ACCESS INFORMATION

To conserve paper and reduce energy consumption, abstracts for concurrent and poster sessions are provided electronically.

Abstracts are available to view, download or print via the Western Section Annual Meeting website:

www.tws-west.org/santarosa2015

Smart phone users may scan the following code to gain quick access to the online abstracts:

Constant Contact Newsletter Emails Replace the TWS-WS Yahoo Group.

The Western Section has moved away from our Yahoo Group email communication system in favor of more dynamic emails hosted by Constant Contact. The new system provides better service to our

members by allowing us to send more personalized (and attractive!) emails that are friendly to mobile devices. If you use Gmail, check the

Promotions tab. And if you are a current member and not receiving these messages, let us know at [email protected].

To join our new group and receive our workshop and meeting announcements and newsletters, visit: http://goo.gl/efWvfr

http://www.tws-west.org/santarosa2015

http://goo.gl/efWvfr



CONCURRENT SESSION TALK SCHEDULE IN GRID FORMAT Room Alexander I Alexander II Dry Creek Ballroom

Day and Time

Mesocarnivore Techniques and Ecology Ecology and Management of Birds Wildlife Techniques

Wednesday 1:05 p.m.

Home Is Where The Estimation Is Powell, Roger

Taste Aversion, Trapping, and Translocation: an overview of predator management for two

protected beach-nesting birds in southern California

Brinkman, Matt

Photo-sensor equipped Vaginal Implant Transmitters and Precise Event Timing coding aid in accessing birthing times,

locations, and capture of mule deer neonates Bush, Anthony

Wednesday 1:25 p.m.

rSPACE: Spatially-based power analysis for conservation and ecology

Ellis, Martha

Geospatial Modeling of Common Raven Distribution and Abundance in Snowy Plover

Habitats of Coastal Northern California Lau, Matt

Applications of Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques to Wildlife Conservation and

Management Lounsberry, Zachary

Wednesday 1:45 p.m.

Using spatially explicit power analyses to assess the power to detect trend for the

southern Sierra Nevada fisher population Tucker, Jody

Snowy Plovers Wintering in Coastal Northern California

Dejoannis, Alexa

A new method of recovering stomach content samples from freshwater turtles that is

effective and humane Karres, Nicole

Wednesday 2:05 p.m.

Accelerometers and Remote Cameras Confirm Seasonal Patterns and Reveal

Individual Differences in Activity Patterns of Pacific Martens

Tweedy, Patrick

The Response of Breeding Western Snowy Plovers to Habitat Restoration Evaluated by

Resource Selection Function Analysis in Coastal Northern California

Leja, Stephanie

Using Mobile GIS for Aerial Wildlife Surveys Alexander, Matthew

Session Break Day and

Time Mesocarnivore Techniques

and Ecology Ecology and Management of Birds Wildlife Diseases

Wednesday 2:45 p.m.

The Efficacy of Assisted Dispersal for Restoration of the Humboldt Marten

Slauson, Keith

Shorebird Response to Varying Salinity and Water Depth in an Experimental Design in

Salt Pond Management Smith, Lacy

Reducing entanglement hazards to marine wildlife: partnering with commercial fishermen

to recover derelict gear Gilardi, Kirsten

Wednesday 3:05 p.m.

Spatial-temporal interactions in female fishers (Pekania [Martes] pennanti) on the Hoopa

Valley Indian Reservation in California Rennie, Kerry

Space-Use and Behavior of Summering Greater Sandhill Cranes in Modoc County,

California Grebe, Abigail

The Value and Effectiveness of Oiled Wildlife Response

Ziccardi, Michael

Wednesday 3:25 p.m.

Reestablishing fishers on a managed landscape in California

Facka, Aaron

Reproductive investment and success indicate senescence and individual

heterogeneity in Black Brant Riecke, Thomas

Conservation Through Collaboration: Zoos, Universities and You.

Wack, Ray

Wednesday 3:45 p.m.

A Management Grid System for Implementing the Southern Sierra Nevada

Fisher Conservation Strategy Spencer, Wayne

Survival and Growth Rates of Wood Duck Ducklings

Sedinger, Benjamin

Natural and anthropogenic causes of puma mortality in southern California

Sanchez, Jessica

Wednesday 4:05 p.m.

A report on occupancy estimates, range extent, and habitat use for Sierra Nevada red fox, coyote, and Pacific marten in the eastern

Sierra Nevada Stermer, Chris

Brood Size and Nesting Phenology in Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark’s Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) in

Northern California Robison, Kristofer

Urban amphibian conservation in the midst of a fungal pathogen Young, Jonathan

Wednesday 4:25 p.m.

Native versus nonnative origins of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Great Basin

Alden, Preston

Nesting Bird Management at PG&E: A Standardized Species-based Approach to a

System-wide Challenge Burkholder, Laura

Complex interactive effects of water mold and an herbicide on chytridiomycosis in Pacific

treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) hosts Romansic, John




Room Alexander I Alexander II Dry Creek Ballroom Day and

Time Ecology and Management of

Riparian Birds Ecology and Management of

Reptiles and Amphibians Ecology and Management of

Mammals Thursday 8:35 a.m.

Alameda Creek Riparian Bird Community Occupancy Analyses

Riensche, David

Acoustic Monitoring of Breeding Amphibians at Yosemite National Park and Point Reyes

National Seashore Kleeman, Patrick

Preliminary Results of the Effects of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Projects on Bats

Johnston, Dave

Thursday 8:55 a.m.

Factors Affecting Detection of Yellow-billed Cuckoos During Standardized Surveys

Stanek, John

Woodland Salamanders: Relative Abundances, Functional Roles, and Use as Metrics of Seral Status in California’s Forest

Ecosystems. Welsh, Hartwell

Roosting Ecology of Lasiurine Bats in the Northern Portion of the Central Valley,

California Wyatt, David

Thursday 9:15 a.m.

Bank Swallow Status on the Sacramento River – Threatened or Endangered, and

Where Do We Go From Here? Wright, David

“Retiring” Amphibian Breeding Ponds Inundated by the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project, Contra Costa County,

California Davis, Cheryl

Importance of Oak Mistletoe in the Diet of Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) in a portion of

the Central Valley of California Wyatt, David

Thursday 9:35 a.m.

A science-based framework for setting riparian landbird population targets in

California’s Central Valley Dybala, Kristen

History and Status of the California Red-Legged Frog (Rana draytonii) in the Sierra

Nevada Barry, Sean

Coyote Foraging Patterns in the Central Mojave Desert: Implications for Predation on

Desert Tortoises Cypher, Brian


Time Landbirds and Forest Management Ecology and Management of Reptiles and Amphibians

Ecology and Management of Mammals

Thursday 10:15 a.m.

Habitat Associations and Restoration Targets for Meadow Birds in the Sierra Nevada

Campos, Brent

Distribution of observations of California red-legged frog in the Great Central Valley

Hydrographic Basin Alvarez, Jeff

A range-wide occupancy estimate and habitat model for the endangered Point Arena

mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) Zielinski, William

Thursday 10:35 a.m.

Assessing Willow Flycatcher Population Size and Distribution to Inform Meadow

Restoration Priorities in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades

Loffland, Helen

Highway One Revisited: Twenty years of road surveys for California red-legged frogs

in coastal Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties

Westphal, Michael

White-footed vole habitat selection at multiple scales supports a strong association with red

alder Bean, William

Thursday 10:55 a.m.

Short Term Changes in Avian Community Composition within the Sierra Nevada's

Massive Rim Fire Fogg, Alissa

Long-term (1997-2012) Demographic Study of the Endangered Sierra Nevada Yellow-

legged Frog In Kings Canyon National Park Matthews, Kathleen

Role of native consumers in yellow bush lupine invasion and restoration

Barton, Daniel

Thursday 11:15 a.m.

Management Indicator Species Response to Time Since Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbance in Sierra Nevada National

Forests Roberts, Lance

An Enhanced Technique for California Tiger Salamander Burrow Excavation,

Collaboration in Action Grant, Jill

Effects of large scale gold mining on the migratory behavior of a large herbivore

Blum, Marcus

Thursday 11:35 a.m.

Searching for Focal Species in the Sierra Nevada: Conundrums for the Avian

Ecologists White, Angela

The Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea): A multi-locus look at a wide-

ranging forest lizard Lavin, Brian

Comparative Analysis of State Deer Management Strategies

Webb, Kent

Thursday 11:55 a.m.

Using Management Indicator Species (MIS) monitoring of Black-backed Woodpecker to

inform post-fire forest management Siegel, Rodney

An endangered snake thrives in a highly urbanized environment

Swaim , Karen

Investment in Constitutive Immune Function by North American Elk Experimentally Maintained at Two Different Population

Densities Downs, Cynthia




Room Alexander I Alexander II Dry Creek Ballroom Day and

Time Climate Adaptation Strategies Collaboration in Support of Wildlife Conservation

Grasslands and Wildlife Conservation

Friday 8:35 a.m.

Climate Adaptation Planning for the Sierra Nevada

Howell, Chrissy

A Road Map for Collaborative Land Conservation

Crawford, Aimee

Use of Sierra Nevada Foothill grasslands by nesting Tricolored Blackbirds and conservation

implications Airola, Daniel

Friday 8:55 a.m.

Raptors and Climate Change: The Need for a Holistic Approach Lincer, Jeffrey

California's State Wildlife Action Plan Update: A Plan for Conserving California's Wildlife

Resources While Responding to Environmental Challenges

Gonzales, Armand

Burrowing Owl Breeding and Foraging Ecology at Natural and Artificial Burrows in San Diego

County Wisinski, Colleen

Friday 9:15 a.m.

Creating High-tide Refuge Habitat for the Endangered California Ridgway’s Rail

Demers, Scott

Changing the process of conservation to save the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal

Sprague, Rachel

Habitat Associations of California Ground Squirrels and Implications for Western

Burrowing Owl Conservation in San Diego County Grasslands Marczak, Susanne

Friday 9:35 a.m.

Western monarch butterflies core overwintering habitat: evidence for a range contraction and a

role for native conifers Griffiths, Jessica

Research and Recovery -The Hidden Benefits of Conservation Banking

Harrington, Lucy

The effect of prairie burn regimes on mating patterns in Dickcissels

Sousa, Bridget


Time Effects of Drought on Wildlife Linking Research to Policy and Management

Grasslands and Wildlife Conservation

Friday 1 10:15 a.m.

The effect of water level management and drought on nesting Aechmophorus grebes in

northern California Arsenault, David

San Diego County’s Feral Pig Damage Control Project

Burg, Rich

Legacy effects of habitat degradation by Lesser Snow Geese on nesting Savannah Sparrows

Peterson, Stephen

Friday 10:35 a.m.

Drought severity influences female Greater sage-grouse breeding behavior, habitat use,

and success Gibson, Daniel

Developing a Wild Pig Management Plan on Tejon Ranch

Hiroyasu, Elizabeth

Movement Ecology of Lions Living Along the Edge of Cattle-Dominated Areas in the western

Okavango Delta, Botswana Whitesell, Carolyn

Friday 10:55 a.m.

Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gigas) – Surviving Landscape Changes and Drought in

California’s Central Valley Hansen, Eric

Using Demographic Monitoring to Inform Bird Conservation

Albert, Steven

San Joaquin kit fox presence on and near Topaz Solar Farms, San Luis Obispo County

Meade, Daniel

Friday 11:15 a.m.

Drought and Life History of California Tiger Salamanders in Vernal Pools of the Southern

San Joaquin Valley Geographic Region Lopez, Ryan

Greater Sage-grouse Brood Survival and Habitat in the Great Basin: An Opportunity to

Assess Impacts of Feral Horses and Livestock Street, Phillip

Long Term Population and Density Estimates for San Joaquin Kit Fox on the Carrizo Plain

National Monument (2000-2014): Implications for Conservation Stafford, Robert

Friday 11:35 a.m.

Response of Western Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorata) to Drought

Purcell, Kathryn

When the heat is on: the 2014 drought and the first blunt-nosed leopard lizard rangewide

recruitment survey Westphal, Michael

Locomotory performance of a kangaroo rat in a habitat dominated by a non-native grass

Boag, Camille

Friday 11:55 a.m.

Population Trends of the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse During a California Drought

Smith, Katherine

Evaluation of DRECP Desert Tortoise and Bighorn Sheep Habitat Suitability and

Connectivity Model Predictions in the Soda Mountain Area, San Bernardino County

Heim, Susanne

Native small mammal use of an invasive grass: Heermann's Kangaroo rats and Veldt grass

(Erharta calycina) in Coastal California Trunzo, Juliana




NOTES



Contributed Papers Session # 1

Mesocarnivore Techniques and Ecology

Wednesday, January 28, 2015; 1 to 5 p.m. Alexander I

Chair: Esther Burkett, California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

1:05 – 1:25 p.m. Home Is Where The Estimation Is; Roger A Powell

1:25 – 1:45 p.m. rSPACE: Spatially-based Power Analysis for Conservation and Ecology; Martha M. Ellis, Jacob S. Ivan, Jody M. Tucker and Michael K. Schwartz

1:45 – 2:05 p.m. Using Spatially Explicit Power Analyses to Assess the Power to Detect Trend for the Southern Sierra Nevada Fisher Population; Jody M. Tucker, Martha M. Ellis and Michael K. Schwartz

2:05 – 2:25 p.m. Accelerometers and Remote Cameras Confirm Seasonal Patterns and Reveal Individual Differences in Activity Patterns of Pacific Martens; Patrick J. Tweedy, Katie M. Moriarty, Clinton W. Epps and William J. Zielinski

2:25 – 2:45 p.m. Refreshment Break

2:45 – 3:05 p.m. The Efficacy of Assisted Dispersal for Restoration of the Humboldt Marten; Keith M. Slauson, William J. Zielinski, Lowell V. Diller, Keith A. Hamm and Desiree A. Early

3:05 – 3:25 p.m. Spatial-temporal Interactions in Female Fishers (Pekania [Martes] pennanti) on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in California; Kerry M. Rennie, J. Mark Higley, Caylen M. Cummins, Sean M. Matthews, William J. Zielinski and M. Szykman Gunther Student Paper

3:25 – 3:45 p.m. Reestablishing Fishers on a Managed Landscape in California; Aaron N. Facka, Richard Callas, Deana Clifford, Tom Engstrom, Laura Finley, Sean M. Matthews, Kevin P. Smith, Robert C. Swiers, J. Scott Yaeger and Roger A. Powell

3:45 – 4:05 p.m. A Management Grid System for Implementing the Southern Sierra Nevada Fisher Conservation Strategy; Wayne D. Spencer, Heather Romsos, William Zielinski, Jim Baldwin, Susan Britting and Craig Thompson

4:05 – 4:25 p.m. A Report on Occupancy Estimates, Range Extent, and Habitat Use for Sierra Nevada Red Fox, Coyote, and Pacific Marten in the Eastern Sierra Nevada; Chris J. Stermer, Cate Quinn, Kristi Cripe, Brett Furnas and Benjamin N. Sacks

4:25 – 4:45 p.m. Native Versus Nonnative Origins of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Great Basin; Preston B. Alden, Zachary Lounsberry, Mark Statham and Benjamin N. Sacks Student Paper

4:45 – 5:00 p.m. Discussion




Ecology and Management of Birds Wednesday, January 28, 2015; 1 to 5 p.m.

Alexander II Chair: Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project

1:05 – 1:25 p.m. Taste Aversion, Trapping, and Translocation: an Overview of Predator Management for Two Protected Beach-Nesting Birds in Southern California; Matt P. Brinkman, David K. Garcelon, Mark A. Colwell and Brian R. Hudgens Student Paper

1:25 – 1:45 p.m. Geospatial Modeling of Common Raven Distribution and Abundance in Snowy Plover Habitats of Coastal Northern California; Matt J. Lau and Mark A. Colwell Student Paper

1:45 – 2:05 p.m. Snowy Plovers Wintering in Coastal Northern California; Alexa D. DeJoannis, Mark A. Colwell and Sean E. McAllister Student Paper

2:05 – 2:25 p.m. Response of Breeding Western Snowy Plovers to Habitat Restoration Evaluated by Resource Selection Function Analysis in Coastal Northern California; Stephanie D. Leja, Allison M. Patrick and Mark A. Colwell Student Paper

2:25 – 2:45 p.m. Refreshment Break

2:45 – 3:05 p.m. Shorebird Response to Varying Salinity and Water Depth in an Experimental Design in Salt Pond Management; Lacy M. Smith, Stacy M. Moskal, John Y. Takekawa, Susan E. W. De La Cruz, John Krause, and Renee Spenst

3:05 – 3:25 p.m. Space-Use and Behavior of Summering Greater Sandhill Cranes in Modoc County, California; Abigail Grebe, Dominic Bachman and Micaela Szykman Gunther Student Paper

3:25 – 3:45 p.m. Reproductive Investment and Success Indicate Senescence and Individual Heterogeneity in Black Brant; Thomas V. Riecke, Alan G. Leach and Jim S. Sedinger

3:45 – 4:05 p.m. Survival and Growth Rates of Wood Duck Ducklings; Benjamin S. Sedinger, Christopher A. Nicolai and Kelley Stewart Student Paper

4:05 – 4:25 p.m. Brood Size and Nesting Phenology in Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark’s Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) in Northern California; Kristofer M. Robison, Daniel W. Anderson and Renèe E. Robison

4:25 – 4:45 p.m. Nesting Bird Management at PG&E: A Standardized Species-based Approach to a System-wide Challenge; Laura L. Burkholder, J. Mark Jenkins, Andi L. Henke, Mike Best, Glen Lubcke, E. J. Koford, Wes Rhodehamel, Terah Donovan and Scott Demers


http://wildlifeprofessional.org/western/tws_abstract_detail.php?abstractID=977




Wildlife Techniques Wednesday, January 28, 2015; 1 to 2:25 p.m.

Dry Creek Ballroom Chair: Jenny Rechel, USDA Forest Service

1:05 – 1:25 p.m. Photo-sensor Equipped Vaginal Implant Transmitters and Precise Event Timing Coding aid in Accessing Birthing Times, Locations, and Capture of Mule Deer Neonates; Anthony P. Bush, Kelley M. Stewart, Vernon C. Bleich and Neal Darby Student Paper

1:25 – 1:45 p.m. Applications of Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques to Wildlife Conservation and Management; Zachary T. Lounsberry, Sarah K. Brown, Luis D. Hernandez, Mark J. Statham and Ben N. Sacks

1:45 – 2:05 p.m. A New Method of Recovering Stomach Content Samples from Freshwater Turtles that is Effective and Humane; Nicole M. Karres, Andrea L. Goodnight and Nicholas R. Geist Student Paper

2:05 – 2:25 p.m. Using Mobile GIS for Aerial Wildlife Surveys; Matthew P. Alexander

This session changes to Session 4, Wildlife Diseases after the break.


Wildlife Diseases Wednesday, January 28, 2015; 2:45 to 5 p.m.

Dry Creek Ballroom Chairs: Mike Ziccardi & Kristen Gilardi, U.C. Davis

2:45 – 3:05 p.m. Reducing Entanglement Hazards to Marine Wildlife: Partnering with Commercial Fishermen to Recover Derelict Gear; Kirsten V.K. Gilardi and Jennifer Renzullo

3:05 – 3:25 p.m. The Value and Effectiveness of Oiled Wildlife Response; Michael H. Ziccardi

3:25 – 3:45 p.m. Conservation Through Collaboration: Zoos, Universities and You; Ray F. Wack

3:45 – 4:05 p.m. Natural and Anthropogenic Causes of Puma Mortality in Southern California; Winston Vickers, Jessica N. Sanchez, Scott A. Morrison, Randy Botta, Trish Smith, Brian S. Cohen, Patrick R. Huber, Holly B. Ernest and Walter M. Boyce Student Paper

4:05 – 4:25 p.m. Urban Amphibian Conservation in the Midst of a Fungal Pathogen; Jonathan S. Young, Vance T. Vredenburg and Andy Zink Student Paper

4:25 – 4:45 p.m. Complex Interactive Effects of Water Mold and Herbicide on Chytridiomycosis in Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) Hosts; John M. Romansic, James E. Johnson, R. Steven Wagner, Rebecca H. Hill, Christopher A. Gaulke, Vance T. Vredenburg and Andrew R. Blaustein





Ecology and Management of Riparian Birds Thursday, January 29, 2015; 8:30 to 9:55 a.m.

Alexander I Chair: Chrissy Howell, U.S. Forest Service

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. Alameda Creek Riparian Bird Community Occupancy Analyses; David L. Riensche, Douglas A. Bell, Julian K. Wood, L. Jay Roberts

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. Factors Affecting Detection of Yellow-billed Cuckoos During Standardized Surveys; John R. Stanek, Shannon E. McNeil and Diane D. Tracy

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Bank Swallow Status on the Sacramento River – Threatened or Endangered, and Where Do We Go From Here?; David H. Wright, Dawn Garca, Kelley Barker, Greg Golet, Adam Henderson, Henry Lomeli, Ryan Martin, Joe Silveira and Danika Tsao,

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. A Science-based Framework for Setting Riparian Landbird Population Targets in California’s Central Valley; Kristen E. Dybala, Nathaniel E. Seavy, Michelle Gilbert and Thomas Gardali

This session changes to Session 8, Landbirds and Forest Management after the break.

Do you like our conference logo? This year's logo was designed by Catherine Yasuda, a graduate student at California State University, Chico. She is currently writing her thesis on Panamint alligator lizards, but in her spare time she enjoys studying and portraying nature through illustration, photography and various other crafts. Catherine designed the logo to represent an endangered species - the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense). She chose this species not only because it has critical habitat in the Santa Rosa area, but also because collaboration between many parties is and will continue to be necessary to ensure its survival. If you are interested in seeing more of her work or for additional design opportunities contact Catherine at: [email protected]


http://santarosa2015.tws-west.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/logo-with-date-large.png




Ecology and Management of Reptiles and Amphibians

Thursday, January 29, 2015; 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Alexander II

Chair: Dave Cook, Sonoma County Water Agency

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. Acoustic Monitoring of Breeding Amphibians at Yosemite National Park and Point Reyes National Seashore; Patrick M. Kleeman, Gary M. Fellers and Brian J. Halstead

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. Woodland Salamanders: Relative Abundances, Functional Roles, and Use as Metrics of Seral Status in California’s Forest Ecosystems; Hartwell H. Welsh and Garth R. Hodgson

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. “Retiring” Amphibian Breeding Ponds Inundated by the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project, Contra Costa County, California; Cheryl L. Davis

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. History and Status of the California Red-Legged Frog (Rana draytonii) in the Sierra Nevada; Sean J. Barry and Gary M. Fellers

9:55 – 10:15 a.m. Refreshment Break

10:15 – 10:35 a.m. Distribution of Observations of California Red-legged Frog in the Great Central Valley Hydrographic Basin; Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox and Sarah M. Foster

10:35–10:55 a.m. Highway One Revisited: Twenty Years of Road Surveys for California Red-legged Frogs in Coastal Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties; Michael F. Westphal, Richard B. Seymour, Diane Kodama and H. Bradley Shaffer

10:55–11:15 a.m. Longterm (1997-2012) Demographic Study of the Endangered Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog in Kings Canyon National Park; Kathleen Matthews

11:15 – 11:35 a.m. An Enhanced Technique for California Tiger Salamander Burrow Excavation: Collaboration in Action; Jill M. Grant, Troy D. Kelly, Ryan Jolley, Benjamin J. Hart and Elizabeth Greunstein

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. The Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea): A Multi-locus Look at a Wide-ranging Forest Lizard; Brian R. Lavin, Chris R. Feldman and Derek J. Girman Student Paper

11:55 – 12:15 p.m. An Endangered Snake Thrives in a Highly Urbanized Environment; Natalie M. Reeder, Karen E. Swaim and Ryan M. Byrnes





Ecology and Management of Mammals Thursday, January 29, 2015; 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Dry Creek Ballroom Chair: Brian Cypher, CSU Stanislaus

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. Preliminary Results of the Effects of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Projects on Bats; Dave S. Johnston, Meredith K. Jantzen, Kim M. Briones, Gabe A. Reyes and Brian B. Boroski

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. Roosting Ecology of Lasiurine Bats in the Northern Portion of the Central Valley, California; David T. Wyatt, Elizabeth D. Pierson, William E. Rainey, Linda Angerer, Lyle Lewis and Kathleen M. Norton

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Importance of Oak Mistletoe in the Diet of Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) in a portion of the Central Valley of California; David T. Wyatt

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. Coyote Foraging Patterns in the Central Mojave Desert: Implications for Predation on Desert Tortoises; Brian L. Cypher, Tory L. Westall, Christine L. Van Horn Job and Erica C. Kelly


10:15 – 10:35 a.m. A Range-wide Occupancy Estimate and Habitat Model for the Endangered Point Arena Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra); William J. Zielinski, Fredrick V. Schlexer, Jeffrey R. Dunk, Matthew J. Lau and James J. Graham

10:35 – 10:55 a.m. White-footed Vole Habitat Selection at Multiple Scales Supports a Strong Association with Red Alder; William T. Bean, David Tange and Scott Osborn

10:55 – 11:15 a.m. Role of Native Consumers in Yellow Bush Lupine Invasion and Restoration; Daniel C. Barton, Erik Liebrecht, Kyla Winthers-Barcelona, Matthew Johnson, Ryan Baumbusch and Elizabeth Elkinton

11:15 – 11:35 a.m. Effects of Large Scale Gold Mining on the Migratory Behavior of a Large Herbivore; Marcus E. Blum, Kelley M. Stewart, Cody Schroeder and Tony Wasley Student Paper

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. Comparative Analysis of State Deer Management Strategies; Kent Webb

11:55 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Investment in Constitutive Immune Function by North American Elk Experimentally Maintained at Two Different Population Densities; Cynthia J. Downs, Kelley M. Stewart and Brian L. Dick


Shop at AmazonSmile… Amazon will donate a percentage of the sale to TWS-WS

Donations from this program will be used to support Western Section operations and help keep membership and event registration fees low.

Visit AmazonSmile and select the Western Section of The Wildlife Society as your preferred charity. http://smile.amazon.com/ch/95-4470836

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Landbirds and Forest Management Thursday, January 29, 2015; 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Alexander I Chair: Chrissy Howell, U.S. Forest Service

10:15 – 10:35 a.m. Habitat Associations and Restoration Targets for Meadow Birds in the Sierra Nevada; Brent R. Campos, Ryan D. Burnett, Helen L. Loffland and Rodney B. Siegel

10:35 – 10:55 a.m. Assessing Willow Flycatcher Population Size and Distribution to Inform Meadow Restoration Priorities in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades; Helen L. Loffland, Rodney B. Siegel, Ryan D. Burnett, Brent R. Campos, Tina Mark and Chris Stermer

10:55 – 11:15 a.m. Short Term Changes in Avian Community Composition within the Sierra Nevada's Massive Rim Fire; Alissa M. Fogg, Ryan D. Burnett and Zack L. Steel

11:15 – 11:35 a.m. Management Indicator Species Response to Time Since Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbance in Sierra Nevada National Forests; Lance J. Roberts and Ryan D. Burnett

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. Searching for Focal Species in the Sierra Nevada: Conundrums for the Avian Ecologists; Angela M. White and Patricia N. Manley

11:55 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Using Management Indicator Species (MIS) Monitoring of Black-backed Woodpecker to Inform Post-fire Forest Management; Rodney B. Siegel, Robert L. Wilkerson and Morgan W. Tingley


CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST CHAPTER WILDLIFE SYMPOSIUM

FEBRUARY 27, 2015 The California Central Coast Chapter of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society will be hosting a symposium intended to bring local professionals from Monterey to Santa Barbara counties together to share ideas, professional knowledge, and information on projects, and/or on-going research.

Friday February 27, 2015 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. County of San Luis Obispo Public Library

995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo

We will all benefit from the knowledge shared at this event, so please consider sharing your experience with your colleagues.

For additional info, contact: Wayne Vogler (Chapter President) at [email protected]





Climate Adaptation Strategies Friday, January 30, 2015; 8:30 to 9:55 a.m.

Alexander I Chair: Jeff Lincer, Researchers Implementing Conservation Action

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. Climate Adaptation Planning for the Sierra Nevada; Chrissy Howell and Jessi Kershner

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. Raptors and Climate Change: The Need for a Holistic Approach; Jeffrey L. Lincer and Zachary Ormsby

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Creating High-tide Refuge Habitat for the Endangered California Ridgway’s Rail; Scott A. Demers, Marilyn Latta, Max Busnardo, Gavin Archbald , Jen McBroom, Toby Rohmer, Jeannie Hammond, Steve Rottenborn, Ron Duke, Joy Albertson and Joe Howard

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. Western Monarch Butterflies Core Overwintering Habitat: Evidence for a Range Contraction and a Role for Native Conifers; Jessica L. Griffiths and Francis X. Villablanca

This session changes to Session 12, Effects of Drought on Wildlife, after the break.


Collaboration in Support of Wildlife Conservation Friday, January 30, 2015; 8:30 to 9:55 a.m.

Alexander II Chair: Lucy Harrington, Westervelt Ecological Services

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. A Road Map for Collaborative Land Conservation; Aimee Crawford and Jon Wilcox

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. California’s State Wildlife Action Plan Update: A Plan for Conserving California's Wildlife Resources While Responding to Environmental Challenges; Armand G. Gonzales, Junko Hoshi and Linda Leeman

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Changing the Process of Conservation to Save the Critically Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal; Rachel S. Sprague and Charles L. Littnan

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. Research and Recovery -The Hidden Benefits of Conservation Banking; Lucy G. Harrington

This session changes to Session 13, Linking Research to Policy and Management, after the break.




Grasslands and Wildlife Conservation Friday, January 30, 2015; 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Dry Creek Ballroom Chair: John McNerney, City of Davis

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. Use of Sierra Nevada Foothill Grasslands by Nesting Tricolored Blackbirds and Conservation Implications ; Daniel A. Airola, Robert J. Meese and David Krolick

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. Burrowing Owl Breeding and Foraging Ecology at Natural and Artificial Burrows in San Diego County; Colleen L. Wisinski, Lisa A. Nordstrom, Jeffrey L. Lincer and Ronald R. Swaisgood

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Habitat Associations of California Ground Squirrels and Implications for Western Burrowing Owl Conservation in San Diego County Grasslands; Susanne A. Marczak, Colleen L. Wisinski, Lisa A. Nordstrom and Ronald R. Swaisgood

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. The Effect of Prairie Burn Regimes on Mating Patterns in Dickcissels; Bridget F. Sousa Student Paper


10:15 – 10:35 a.m. Legacy Effects of Habitat Degradation by Lesser Snow Geese on Nesting Savannah Sparrows; Stephen Peterson, Robert F. Rockwell, Christopher R. Witte and David N. Ko

10:35 – 10:55 a.m. Movement Ecology of Lions Living Along the Edge of Cattle-Dominated Areas in the western Okavango Delta, Botswana; Carolyn A. Whitesell, Christiaan Winterbach and Ben Sacks Student Paper

10:55 – 11:15 a.m. San Joaquin Kit Fox Presence on and near Topaz Solar Farms, San Luis Obispo County; Daniel E. Meade, Jason Dart, Christine Van Horn Job, Brian Cypher, Bill Vanherweg and Jacquelline Tilligkeit

11:15 – 11:35 a.m. Long Term Population and Density Estimates for San Joaquin Kit Fox on the Carrizo Plain National Monument (2000-2014): Implications for Conservation; Robert W. Stafford, Craig M. Fiehler, Brian L. Cypher, Laura R. Prugh and H. Scott Butterfield

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. Locomotory Performance of a Kangaroo Rat in a Habitat Dominated by a Non-native Grass; Camille D. Boag and Francis Villablanca Student Paper

11:55 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Native Small Mammal Use of an Invasive Grass: Heermann's Kangaroo Rats and Veldt Grass (Erharta calycina) in Coastal California; Juliana P. Trunzo and Francis X. Villablanca Student Paper





Effects of Drought on Wildlife Friday, January 30, 2015; 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Alexander I Chair: Jeff Lincer, Researchers Implementing Conservation Action

10:15 – 10:35 a.m. The Effect of Water Level Management and Drought on Nesting Aechmophorus Grebes in Northern California; David P. Arsenault, Karen Velas, Emily Mickus and Madelyn Ore

10:35 – 10:55 a.m. Drought Severity Influences Female Greater Sage-grouse Breeding Behavior, Habitat Use, and Success; Daniel Gibson, Erik Blomberg, Michael Atamian and Jim Sedinger Student Paper

10:55 – 11:15 a.m. Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gigas) – Surviving Landscape Changes and Drought in California’s Central Valley; Eric Hansen and Matt Gause

11:15 – 11:35 a.m. Drought and Life History of California Tiger Salamanders in Vernal Pools of the Southern San Joaquin Valley Geographic Region; Ryan P. Lopez

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. Response of Western Pond Turtles (Actinemys marmorata) to Drought; Kathryn L. Purcell

11:55 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Population Trends of the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse During a California Drought; Katherine R. Smith, Laurie Barthman-Thompson, Sarah Estrella and Melissa K. Riley


The Sandhill Crane Technical Advisory Committee and the Sacramento Shasta Chapter of TWS-WS present

Sandhill Cranes in California

February 17, 2015 – Classroom Session February 18 or 19, 2015 – One day field Session

Holiday Inn Express, Elk Grove

Workshop topics include species’ life history, population trends, threats, survey protocols, current research, and management. The first day will be in the classroom with an add-on option for a field portion that will teach survey methodology and further identification skills.

For more information, draft agenda and online registration: http://tws-west.org/sac-shasta/home/calendar/upcoming-events/

http://tws-west.org/sac-shasta/home/calendar/upcoming-events/




Linking Research to Policy and Management Friday, January 30, 2015, 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Alexander II Chair: Mike Westphal, Bureau of Land Management

10:15 – 10:35 a.m. San Diego County’s Feral Pig Damage Control Project; Rich Burg, Megan Jennings and Scott Tremor

10:35 – 10:55 a.m. Developing a Wild Pig Management Plan on Tejon Ranch; Elizabeth H. Hiroyasu, Jocelyn Christie, Emily DeMarco, Adam Kreger and Maxwell Ludington

10:55 – 11:15 a.m. Using Demographic Monitoring to Inform Bird Conservation; David F. DeSante, Danielle R. Kaschube, James F. Saracco and Steven K. Albert

11:15 – 11:35 a.m. Greater Sage-grouse Brood Survival and Habitat in the Great Basin: An Opportunity to Assess Impacts of Feral Horses and Livestock; Phillip A. Street and James, S, Sedinger Student Paper

11:35 – 11:55 a.m. When the Heat is On: The 2014 Drought and the First Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard Rangewide Recruitment Survey; Michael F. Westphal, Erin N. Tennant, Joseph A.E. Stewart, H. Scott Butterfield and Barry R. Sinervo

11:55 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Evaluation of DRECP Desert Tortoise and Bighorn Sheep Habitat Suitability and Connectivity Model Predictions in the Soda Mountain Area, San Bernardino County; Susanne Heim


NOTES



POSTER SESSION CONTRIBUTED PAPERS

Poster Reception Thursday, January 29, 6 to 8 p.m.

Dry Creek Ballroom

Session Chairs: Jessica Martini-Lamb (Sonoma County Water Agency) and Carlos Alvarado (Ascent Environmental)

Note: Posters will be available for informal viewing in the Russian River Room on Wednesday from 2 to 7 p.m., and on Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Statewide Coordination and Stakeholder Input to Inform 2015 CDFW Regulation Changes Affecting Scientific Collecting Permits; Ona Alminas, Craig Martz, Russ Bellmer, Dan Kratville, Justin Garcia, Esther Burkett, Brian Owens and Mark Stopher

Links Between Demography, Climate, and Forage Availability; Brianne Boan, Kelley M. Stewart, Thomas D. Lohuis, Thomas P. Albright, Thomas Dilts and James S. Sedinger Student Poster

Foraging and Nesting Habitat Association of Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) along Lower Cache Creek, Yolo County, California; Kevin Cahill Student Poster

Water Drawdown from Four Bighorn Sheep Water Developments; Neal Darby, Sarah Yates and Debra Hughson

Modeling Movement Corridors for the Humboldt Marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) in Northwestern California; Matt Delheimer, Zav Grabinski, Melissa Kimble, Keith Slauson and Bill Zielinski

Neonate Prey Preferences of Giant Gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) from the Sacramento Valley of California: Implications of an Exotic Diet for a Threatened Native; Julia Ersan, Brian J. Halstead, Erica L. Wildy and Michael L. Casazza Student Poster

Bees of the American River Watershed Project: Community Structure, Niche Overlap, and Resource Competition; Micheal Finnell, Alisa Simonoff-Smith and Patrick Foley Student Poster

The Greater Sandhill Crane TAC: Developing a Strategy for Crane Conservation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; Rachel Gardiner

Future Direction of the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System; Melanie Gogol-Prokurat and Monica Parisi

Avian Response to Small-scale Riparian Restoration on Private Lands in Marin and Sonoma Counties; Kathleen Grady, Thomas A. Gardali and Derek J. Girman Student Poster

Correlates of Community Structure and Diversity of Small Mammal Communities in Great Basin Sagebrush Habitats; Sarah Hegg, Jade Keehn, Teresa Campbell, Scott Appleby and Marjorie Matocq Student Poster

Lifetime Reproductive Success in a Small Population of the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus); Dana Herman and Mark A. Colwell

Male Sex Bias in Capture Samples of the Endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) from a Range-wide Population Genetics Study; Luis Hernandez, Laureen Barthman-Thompson, Sarah Estrella, Susan Fresquez, Meg Marriott, Katie Smith, Mark Statham, Rachel Tertes and Ben Sacks

Prevalence of Internal Parasites Based on Fecal Testing of Wild Mammals in Sonoma and Marin County Rehabilitation Centers; Janet Hohn, Daniel J. Famini and Danielle A. Mattos



Understanding the Effects of Mercury Concentration Levels on Wood Ducks: Are Males or Females More Susceptible? Eman Jabali, Kelley M. Stewart, Ben Sedinger and Chris Nicolai Student Poster

Lek Geography Predicts Fine-scale Genomic Structure of Sage-grouse; Josh Jahner, Daniel Gibson, Chava Weitzman, Erik Blomberg, Jim Sedinger and Thomas Parchman Student Poster

The Unexpected Diet and Foraging Patterns of Western Pond Turtles (Emys marmorata) in Two Northern California Urban Streams; Nicole Karres and Nicholas R. Geist Student Poster

A Summary of the Effects of Dredging on California Least Tern Foraging; Kathleen M. Keane, Nathan Mudry, Spencer Langdon, Bob Schallmann, Wally Ross, Nick Liberato and Santiago Lopez

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s BIOS Data Viewer; Sophie King

Wildlife Connectivity from the Central Valley to the Sierra Nevada Mountains; Crystal Krause, Melanie Gogol-Prokurat and Simon Bisrat

The Historical Range of Beaver (Castor canadensis) in Coastal California: An Updated Review of the Evidence; Christopher Lanman, Heidi Perryman, J. Eli Asarian, Brock Dolman, Richard Lanman and Michael Pollock

Patterns in the Forest: The Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea) as an Indicator of Biodiversity; Brian Lavin, Chris R. Feldman and Derek J. Girman Student Poster

The Effects of Habitat Restoration and Sea Level Rise on Breeding Western Snowy Plovers in Coastal Northern California; Stephanie Leja, Keith N. Barnard, Rachel M. Nypaver and Eric V. Bloom Student Poster

Acoustic Monitoring in California’s Northern Central Valley; Aithne Loeblich, Shahroukh Mistry and Colleen Hatfield Student Poster

Conservation Incentive Program Leads to Higher Waterbird Densities in Enrolled Rice Fields in the Sacramento Valley, California; Kelsey Navarre and Greg H. Golet

Home Ranges of Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) in a Central Valley Oak Woodland, Sutter Co., California; D. Scott Newton, David T. Wyatt, Christopher Vang, Rosalinda Vizina and Kathleen Norton

Hopping Fox Syndrome - Treatment Outcomes 2009-2013; Lisa Pesch

Canine Field Assistants at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System: The Safe and Effective Use of Ecological Detection Dogs in Challenging Field Conditions; Robyn Powers, Katherine Ayres, Murrelet Halterman; Daniel Duke and Brian B. Boroski

Avian Community Response to Drought Differs Along Elevation Gradients and Riparian and Upland Habitats, San Gabriel Mountains, California; Jennifer Rechel

Effects of Laying Order and Egg Volume on Black Brant Apparent Pre-fledging Survival Rates; Thomas Riecke, Alan G. Leach and Jim S. Sedinger

An Integrated Population Model for Mottled Ducks in Texas: Harvest, Habitat, and Survival; Thomas Riecke, Jena A. Moon, David A. Haukos, Jim S. Sedinger, Warren C. Conway and Patrick Walther

Western Snowy Plover Nest Site Selection and Oyster Shell Enhancement; David Riensche, Nicole A. Beadle and Sarah C. Gidre

Habitat Associations for Three Montane Mammal Species; Aviva Rossi, Robert Klinger and Dirk Van Vuren

Native Kangaroo Rat Consumption of Non-native Veldt Grass Seed Even When Presented with Other, Highly-preferred Seed; Summer Schlageter; Caitrin M. Doles; Juliana P. Trunzo; Francis X. Villablanca Student Poster



Strain Variation of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Sciurids and Woodrats in Northwestern California; Kathleen Sholty, Richard N. Brown and Janet E. Foley Student Poster

Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Free-living California Ground Squirrels: Experimental Validation and Inter-individual Differences in the Stress Response; Lisa L. Surber, Minnie Vo, Lauren Kong, Tali Hammond, Eileen A. Lacey, Bree Putman, Rulon W. Clark and Jennifer E. Smith Student Poster

Habitat Selection of the White-footed Vole in Northern California; David Tange and William T. Bean

Impacts to Mexican Free-tailed Bats from Wind Energy Development in the Western US; Joel Thompson, Wallace Erickson, Rene Braud and Paul Rabie

Factors Influencing Mule Deer Fawn Survival and Recruitment; Danielle Walsh, Kelley M. Stewart, Bruce K. Johnson and Michael J. Wisdom Student Poster

Status of Sarcoptic Mange in Urban San Joaquin Kit Foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica); Tory Westall, Brian Cypher, Deana Clifford, Don Richardson, Janet Foley, Jaime Rudd, Leslie Woods and Diego Montecino

Nest-site Selection and Feeding Behavior of Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) Across Urban Density Using Citizen Scientists; Justin White, Kelley Stewart and Scott Bassett

Current Status of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Spotted Owl Observations Database; Katherine Whitney

The Effects of the Rim Fire on Great Gray Owl Habitat in Yosemite National Park; Joanna Wu, Rodney B. Siegel, Sarah L. Stock and Stephanie A. Eyes

NOTES



POSTER BOARD LOCATION MAP

Poster Board

Location Abstract Title Presenter

18 Statewide coordination and stakeholder input to inform 2015 CDFW regulation changes affecting Scientific Collecting Permits

Ona Alminas

40 Links between demography, climate, and forage availability Brianne Boan Student Poster

3 Foraging and Nesting Habitat Association of Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) Along Lower Cache Creek, Yolo County, California

Kevin Cahill Student Poster

42 Water drawdown from Four Bighorn Sheep Water Developments Neal Darby

36 Modeling movement corridors for the Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) in northwestern California

Matt Delheimer

21 Neonate prey preferences of giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) from the Sacramento Valley of California

Julia Ersan Student Poster

23 Bees of the American River Watershed Project: Community Structure, Niche Overlap, and Resource Competition

Micheal Finnell Student Poster

5 The Greater Sandhill Crane TAC: Developing a Strategy for Crane Conservation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Rachel Gardiner

1 Lek geography predicts fine-scale genomic structure of sage-grouse Daniel Gibson Student Poster

19 Future Direction of the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System Melanie Gogol-Prokurat



Poster Board


44 Wildlife connectivity from the Central Valley to the Sierra Nevada Mountains Melanie Gogol-Prokurat

13 Avian response to small-scale riparian restoration on private lands in Marin and Sonoma counties

Kathleen Grady Student Poster

26 Correlates of community structure and diversity of small mammal communities in Great Basin sagebrush habitats

Sarah Hegg Student Poster

11 Lifetime Reproductive Success in a Small Population of the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus)

Dana Herman

27 Male sex bias in capture samples of the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) from a range-wide population genetics study

Luis Hernandez

37 Prevalence of Internal Parasites Based on Fecal Testing of Wild Mammals in Sonoma and Marin County Rehabilitation Centers

Janet Hohn

8 Understanding the Effects of Mercury Concentration Levels on Wood Ducks: Are Males or Females More Susceptible?

Eman Jabali Student Poster

22 The unexpected diet and foraging patterns of Western Pond Turtles (Emys marmorata) in two Northern California urban streams

Nicole Karres Student Poster

6 A Summary of the Effects of Dredging on California Least Tern Foraging Kathleen Keane

20 Patterns in the Forest: The Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea) as an indicator of biodiversity

Brian Lavin Student Poster

14 The Effects of Habitat Restoration and Sea Level Rise on Breeding Western Snowy Plovers in Coastal Northern California

Stephanie Leja Student Poster

33 Acoustic Monitoring in California’s Northern Central Valley Aithne Loeblich Student Poster

30 The Historical Range of Beaver (Castor canadensis) in Coastal California: An Updated Review of the Evidence

Kate Lundquist

7 Conservation incentive program leads to higher waterbird densities in enrolled rice fields in the Sacramento Valley, California

Kelsey Navarre

29 Home Ranges of Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) in a Central Valley Oak Woodland, Sutter Co., California

D. Scott Newton

28 Hopping Fox Syndrome - Treatment Outcomes 2009-2013 Lisa Pesch

41 Canine Field Assistants at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System: The Safe and Effective Use of Ecological Detection Dogs in Challenging Field Conditions

Robyn Powers

15 Avian community response to drought differs along elevation gradients and riparian and upland habitats, San Gabriel Mountains, California

Jennifer Rechel

10 An integrated population model for mottled ducks in Texas: harvest, habitat, and survival Thomas Riecke

12 Effects of laying order and egg volume on Black Brant apparent pre-fledging survival rates Thomas Riecke

2 Western Snowy Plover Nest Site Selection and Oyster Shell Enhancement David Riensche

35 Habitat Associations for Three Montane Mammal Species Aviva Rossi

39 Transmission of ectoparasites across kin-structured social networks of California ground squirrels

Imani Russell

31 Native kangaroo rat consumption of non-native veldt grass seed even when presented with other, highly preferred, seed

Summer Schlageter Student Poster



Poster Board


43 Strain variation of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in sciurids and woodrats in northwestern California

Kathleen Sholty Student Poster

32 Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in free-living California ground squirrels: Experimental validation and inter-individual differences in the stress response

Lisa Surber Student Poster

25 Habitat Selection of the White-footed Vole in northern California David Tange

34 Impacts to Mexican Free-tailed Bats from Wind Energy Development in the Western US Joel Thompson

24 Factors influencing mule deer fawn survival and recruitment Danielle Walsh Student Poster

38 Status of Sarcoptic Mange in Urban San Joaquin Kit Foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica) Tory Westall

4 Nest-site selection and feeding behavior of Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) across urban density using citizen science

Justin White

16 Current Status of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Spotted Owl Observations Database

Katherine Whitney

17 The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s BIOS Data Viewer Katherine Whitney

9 The effects of the Rim Fire on Great Gray Owl habitat in Yosemite National Park Joanna Wu

NOTES



PUBLISH YOUR RESULTS IN WESTERN WILDLIFE!

• Do you have a good study that you want to publish? • Have you developed a new technique that you want to share with other members? • Do other journals just seem out of reach, too slow, or too expensive?

Western Wildlife (formerly TWS Transactions) is the Western Section’s own peer-reviewed scientific journal. It has been re-designed and re-invigorated to provide a convenient publishing outlet for research on animal ecology, conservation and management.

Western Wildlife especially wants papers by students, agency personnel, and private consultants, who may have little prior experience with peer-reviewed publishing.

Articles are Open Access – available to everyone online! No publication charges for TWS-Western Section members! No restrictions on authors’ rights to post or distribute PDFs! Fully peer-reviewed, by colleagues who realize the limitations to field studies on wild animals! Quick turn-around time from submission to review to publication!

To submit your manuscript: www.WWJournal.org

WESTERN SECTION STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (WS-SAC)

WS-SAC is seeking member feedback to help prioritize effort and funding for key initiatives that support student members of The Wildlife Society. Please contribute your feedback by completing a short survey via the QR code below, or follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WSSAC

Did you know that Western Section…

Has an ambassador program for student outreach? Is planning a mentor program for student members & professionals? Offers grants to students for research and travel to scientific meetings? Is seeking a student (undergrad or graduate) to fill a vacant co-chair on the committee?

The Western Section Student Affairs Committee supports wildlife students and early-career professionals by engaging students and faculty in Section activities, and emphasizes career-long benefits and opportunities of active membership in The Wildlife Society. The WS-SAC activities and outreach efforts extend to colleges and universities within Western Section, regardless of student chapter affiliation or accreditation status, fostering student involvement in the natural resources field.

Chair-at-large Mandi McElroy ([email protected]), and David Wyatt, Faculty Chair, manage the Student Affairs Committee. The survey shares more about these opportunities, and invites you to indicate your specific interests in becoming more involved in outreach and supporting efforts to help students get a foothold in the wildlife profession.

http://www.wwjournal.org/

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WSSAC



HARASSMENT PREVENTION POLICY

The Western Section is committed to ensuring our Conferences are free of harassment. While violations may be reported to the President or any officer, to facilitate compliance with this policy at the Conference, Section Representative Cynthia Perrine and Section Treasurer John McNerney have agreed to be primary points of contact for questions or to report violations. The official policy adopted by the Western Section: Adopted April 15, 2013 The Western Section of The Wildlife Society (TWS-WS) is committed to providing an environment free of any form of harassment. Our policy formally discourages sexual harassment and harassment because of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religious creed, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. All such harassment is unlawful. Our harassment prevention policy applies to all persons involved in our operations and prohibits unlawful harassment by any officer of our organization, as well as by any person doing business with or for our organization including independent contractors, suppliers, and volunteers. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, making unwanted sexual advances and requests for sexual favors where either: 1. Submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term or condition of some benefit from the organization; or 2. A hostile environment is created because of unwelcome actions, and the organization knows, or should know, about the problem

and does nothing to correct it. Prohibited unlawful harassment because of sex, race, ancestry, physical handicap, mental condition, marital status, age, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected basis includes, but is not limited to, the following behavior:

• Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory jokes or comments, slurs or unwanted sexual advances, invitations or comments; • Visual conduct such as derogatory and/or sexually oriented posters, photography, cartoons, drawings, e-mail and faxes or

gestures; • Physical conduct such as assault, unwanted touching, blocking normal movement or interfering with work because of sex, race or

any other protected basis; • Threats and demands to submit to sexual requests as a condition of participation or other benefit from the organization, or to avoid

some other loss, and offers of other benefits in return for sexual favors; and • Retaliation for having reported or threatened to report harassment. If you believe that you have been unlawfully harassed by an officer or agent of TWS-WS you should promptly report the facts of the incident or incidents and the names of the individual(s) to the President of TWS-WS or another officer of the organization. It is the responsibility of each officer or independent contractor of TWS-WS to immediately report any violation or suspected violation of this policy to the President. Upon receipt of a complaint, the organization will undertake a thorough, objective and good-faith investigation of the harassment allegations. If the organization determines that harassment has occurred, effective remedial action will be taken in accordance with the circumstances involved. Any officer determined by the organization to be responsible for harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Executive Board or termination of membership. Any independent contractor determined by the organization to be responsible for harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of contractual agreements. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint and/or assisting in a complaint or investigation process. Further, we will not tolerate or permit retaliation by officers or independent contractors of TWS- WS against any complainant or anyone assisting in a harassment investigation. All members of the Executive Board and independent contractors of TWS-WS are required to complete sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors that complies with California AB 1825 within 60 days of appointment or election to the Board. The training will be required every two years If you have any questions concerning this policy, please contact the TWS-WS President.



TWS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Certification of wildlife biologists is a service provided by The Wildlife Society for wildlife professionals and the public, who may desire a peer evaluation statement. The Wildlife Society is committed to the sound stewardship of wildlife resources under the guidance of well-educated, experienced, and dedicated wildlife biologists. To further this aim, The Wildlife Society has established standards for certifying the credentials of qualified wildlife biologists.

A professional wildlife biologist is a person with the educational background and demonstrated expertise in the art and science of applying the principles of ecology to the conservation and management of wildlife and its habitats. An applicant for professional certification who demonstrates this expertise through education and experience, and is judged to be able to represent the profession as an ethical practitioner, will be designated as a Certified Wildlife Biologist.

An applicant for professional certification who has limited experience but who has completed the rigorous academic standards and is judged to be able to represent the profession as an ethical practitioner will be designated as an Associate Wildlife Biologist (AWB). After sufficient experience is gained, the AWB may apply for the more advanced level of certification.

Please visit the TWS (National) website (www.wildlife.org) for additional details, or contact your TWS-Western Section Professional Development Committee.

NOTES

http://www.wildlife.org/



Congratulations to The Wildlife Society Pittsburgh Annual Conference 2014

Quiz Bowl Champs…

Humboldt State University!

Future Meeting Dates

5th International Wildlife Management Congress July 26-30, 2015 Sapporo, Japan

TWS Annual Conference October 17-21, 2015 Winnipeg, Manitoba

TWS Western Section Annual Conference January 26-29, 2016 Pomona, CA

Where should we go next?

Talk to your Chapter Representative!



WESTERN FIELD COURSE / FIELD TECHNIQUES IN WILDLIFE ECOLOGY

August 10 – 21, 2015, Swanton Pacific Ranch, Santa Cruz County (Davenport, CA)

This is an intensive, resident field camp emphasizing wildlife identification and field techniques for vertebrates. Administered by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and the Western Section of The Wildlife Society, this course includes hands-on learning opportunities, data collection and a team research project. Informal time provides additional mentoring opportunities with instructors, including wildlife professionals from USFWS, CDFW, USFS, Point Blue Conservation Science, Swaim Biological Incorporated, and others to be determined.

What participants say about the Western Field Course:

“I felt as though this makes me a more competitive candidate for my career.” “I gained a lot of experience in different field techniques. I appreciate a good crew more than ever” “This class opened my eyes to the different careers in wildlife that I did not know about before, such as private consulting.” “The best part was unexpected animals in the traps (skunk!) and holding things!”

What instructors say about the Western Field Course:

“I enjoyed helping out at your class. It was a good break from my typical work.” “The students were interested and helpful.” “Wow that was fun. Let’s do it again!”

Meals, lodging, and 4-units of academic credit are included in the course fee, which is still being finalized but should be around $1600. Register through Cal Poly Extended Education or call (805) 756-2053 for registration details. Course is limited to 16 participants, with students working in groups of 3 to 5 to maximize hands-on experiential learning and mentoring.

Field Camp is always interested in additional mentor-instructors! Want to help lead a field technique? Contact Program Director, Cynthia Perrine: [email protected]

http://calpoly.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=10411&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0




PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The number of contact hours for each workshop and contributed paper session is equal to the number of actual hours spent in a workshop or session and does not include time allotted for breaks or lunch. Generally, attendance at a meeting such as this is not creditable for an initial application for Certified Wildlife Biologist or Associate Wildlife Biologist (but this year’s pre- and post-conference events are!); however, conference hours may be credited “one for one” toward CWB Recertification. For example, if you attend four 2.5 hour technical sessions (sorry, social events do not count!) you may claim 10 hours toward a Professional Development Certificate (in category 1) or toward Certified Wildlife Biologist renewal (also category 1). Speaking in or chairing a session is usually credited at 1 hour = 2 hours. Additional information on the TWS Professional Development Certificate and Certified /Associate Wildlife Biologist programs is available from the TWS-Western Section Professional Development Committee or on the national TWS website: www.wildlife.org

WESTERN SECTION CONSERVATION AFFAIRS COMMITTEE & TWS CONSERVATION AFFAIRS NETWORK

The Chair of Western Section’s CAC (WS-CAC) is Erin Aquino-Carhart ([email protected]) and Vice-Chair is Steve Juarez ([email protected]). WS-CAC seeks input about local and regional conservation priorities within Western Section, and needs additional members to serve on Chapter and Section CAC’s to expand the Conservation Affairs Network throughout Western Section. Please complete a short survey via the QR code in this section, or follow this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WSCAC

The Conservation Affairs Network (TWS-CAN) engages and unifies the efforts of The Wildlife Society, its 200+ units, and nearly 10,000 members to advance wildlife conservation policy issues at the national, regional, and local levels. Launched in 2014, TWS-CAN creates a venue for streamlined communication, collaboration, and cooperation on policy matters important to wildlife professionals.

Wildlife professionals now have an effective method for bringing their valuable and crucial perspectives into the policy process, to the betterment of wildlife conservation. TWS-CAN operates through Conservation Affairs Committees (CAC) established within TWS Sections and Chapters. These

committees are charged with identifying and addressing policy priorities within their region, and communicating their activities and needs with other CACs and TWS Staff. CACs and TWS Staff support each other in their policy activities, lending experience and expertise to enhance efforts.

http://www.wildlife.org/

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WSCAC





THE WILDLIFE CONFESSIONAL: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Western Section of The Wildlife Society is excited to announce a call for submissions for consideration in The Wildlife Confessional, an anthology of stories by wildlife professionals about their adventures, misadventures, revelations, reflections, mishaps, and pivotal experiences in the field.

Submissions Guidelines

Who Can Submit: Anyone in the wildlife profession (wildlife biologists, game wardens, land managers, researchers, students) with a good wildlife story to tell. If you have told – or been told – a good yarn over a campfire or a cold beer or a long car ride... yep, *those* are the stories we are looking for. Now is the time to put your story on paper, or to nudge that old timer collecting dust in the corner office to tell theirs…

Subject Matter: Submissions can be humorous, reflective, poignant, inspirational, but should ultimately embody professionalism and a respect for the natural world; submissions should be non-fiction, but should *not* be technical or how-to in nature.

Submission Format: Submissions should be in a format supported by Microsoft Word, and should include complete contact information (full name / job title / affiliation / address /phone / e-mail).

Submittal Deadline: Submissions must be received no later than May 15, 2015.

Mail Submissions & Questions to: [email protected]

Selection Criteria

It will be the responsibility of the Editors to select the final stories from the pool of submissions. Submissions will be reviewed and selected for publication based on their originality, quality, content, accuracy, and the level of effort necessary to edit and revise the story suitable for publication. The Editors will contact and work with authors whose work(s) are selected to tailor their submission in accordance with the expectations of the Editors.

Contributors whose submissions are not selected will be notified by a form letter/email thanking them for their submissions.

Author Acknowledgment: Authors will be acknowledged with a story by-line and brief about-the-author paragraph, but will not be compensated for accepted or published submissions.

thewildlifeconfessional.wordpress.com


http://www.thewildlifeconfessional.wordpress.com/



NOTES



TWS WESTERN SECTION COMMITTEES NEED VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE THE SECTION!

Sign up to serve on Western Section committees by completing a short survey via this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2015WSCommitteeSignup or scan this QR code:

Professional Affairs Committee (Chair Don Yasuda, [email protected]; Vice-Chair Rhys Evans, [email protected]) This committee encourages the maximum number of qualified persons residing or working within the Section’s organizational area to become members of The Wildlife Society and the Western Section, and it shall encourage Certification of eligible professionals.

Certification Subcommittee (Chair Rhys Evans, [email protected]) This subcommittee is responsible for promotion, education, and dissemination of Certification information to wildlife professionals and the public in the Western Section area. The Subcommittee promotes certification among employing agencies and private interests.

Membership Services Subcommittee (Chair Don Yasuda, [email protected]) This subcommittee addresses services currently provided to Western Section members and identifies services wanted by the membership such as a member directory and outreach.

Conservation Affairs Committee (Chair Erin Aquino-Carhart, [email protected]; Vice-Chair Steve Juarez, [email protected]) This committee may review legislative proposals, administrative regulations, environmental assessments and impacts statements, and other subjects or issues affecting wildlife or wildlife habitat within the Western Section, and prepares comments to be submitted on behalf of the Western Section. WS-CAC is part of The Wildlife Society's Conservation Affairs Network.

Student Affairs Committee (Chair-at-large Mandi McElroy, [email protected]) This committee supports wildlife students and early career professionals by engaging students and faculty in Section activities, and emphasizes career-long benefits and opportunities of active membership in The Wildlife Society.

Professional Development Committee (Chair Jessica Martini-Lamb, [email protected]) This committee coordinates development of technical workshops and symposia for the Annual Conference, identifying workshops, training sessions, professional meetings, and course work offered by other individuals and organizations that meet the requirements of the Section's Professional Development Program, and provide professional development training where current providers are not meeting the needs of wildlife biologists in the Section.

Program Committee (Chair TBD, President-Elect 2015) This committee works closely with the President-Elect to plan the Annual Conference, and decides general and concurrent session topics, and structures additional activities for the 2016 annual conference.

Awards and Grants Committee (Chair Richard Burg, [email protected]) This committee oversees the awards bestowed by Western Section, provides outreach to advertise and administers collection of the grant applications and provides applications to the President for consideration by Executive Board.

Newsletter and Outreach (Chair Debra Hawk, [email protected]) This committee coordinates with the Executive Board, Chapters, and with members to solicit and prepare content to be included in the Section newsletter. This committee also manages the Section website and electronic communications.

[NEW] Ethnic and Gender Diversity in the Wildlife Profession Ad Hoc Committee Review the ethnic and gender diversity of the Section membership and assess diversity of students and wildlife professionals within the Section area and provide recommendations on how the Section can improve its outreach and representativeness. (Vacant)

[NEW] Early Career Professional Ad Hoc Committee Work with the Student Affairs Committee and Professional Development Committee to assess needs and opportunities to provide services for wildlife professionals entering their careers that better ensures their career success and their contributions to wildlife conservation. (Vacant)

[NEW] Enhance Careers Ad Hoc Committee Review the strategic approach to professional development available to members and develop processes such as a 5-year Professional Development Plan to guide planning for the Professional Development Committee and identify opportunities for networking and collaborating with other organizations. (Vacant)

[NEW] Board Operations Ad Hoc Committee Review Executive Board operational models and develop new tools and procedures as needed to ensure effective operations methods. (vacant) Seeking committee members who are former Section Board members and members who have knowledge of executive board Rules and Regulations from service to other organizations.

[NEW] Member’s Advisory Ad Hoc Committee Given specific charges each year. The focus for 2015 is to evaluate membership dues and make a recommendation to the Section Executive Board on if dues should be raised or not. (Vacant)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2015WSCommitteeSignup



http://tws-west.org/professional_development.php#certprogram


http://tws-west.org/professional_development.php#certprogram








Hey there! Western Section Committees Need YOUR Service!

THE BACK INSIDE COVER OF THIS PROGRAM LISTS THE

COMMITTEES THAT NEED YOUR HELP.

COME TO THE ANNUAL MEMBERS FORUM ON THURSDAY AT 5:00 P.M. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW

TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE WESTERN SECTION.

PLENARY SESSION THEME: Advancing Wildlife Conservation ...tws-west.org/events/2015/TWS2015ConferenceProgram_final_web.pdf · – Ellie Cohen, President and CEO of Point Blue Conservation

Documents