Quarterly Report:
Submitted 2 April 2005

Accomplishments this quarter:
(January 1-March 31, 2005)

• Visits to BRMD:

• Dan: January 10-February 18.

• Developed Wildlife Disease Management System Workshop to explore human dimensions questions associated with management of CWD. As an outgrowth of the workshop: (a) developed a model of the wildlife disease management system; (b) helped negotiate a continuing working relationship between Shawn Riley and NPS to develop an operational simulation model of the disease system; (c) prepared and submitted an abstract, with co-authors from HDRU (Siemer), MSU (Riley), CDOW (Miller) and NPS (Wild), based on the model produced in the workshop for the CWD symposium scheduled for July 2005; d) presented seminar on workshop process and output in brown-bag lunch seminar at BRMD.

• Work with several BRMD staff to develop more fully a symposium on Wildlife Habituation, slated for the TWS 2005 Annual meeting in Madison, WI, including: drafting 2 abstracts for which I will be co-author; identifying co-authors and speakers for 2 HD papers; gaining agreement from Wildlife Society Bulletin editor for a special section of WSB devoted to the symposium papers.

• Worked with NPS to design and lead a workshop (18 March) and science panel (19 March) to develop a wolf deployment alternative for the DEIS for elk and vegetation management in Rocky Mountain National Park.

• Began discussions with NPS restoration ecologist about HD of restoring native species in Parks. This included early brainstorming about the nature of a section on HD in a restoration primer for NPS natural resource management staff in parks.

• Continue to work on logistics and process for affiliating Cornell University with one or more CESUs.

• Began draft of methodology and complete study plan for Phases II and III of research.

• Kirsten: January 17-February 4.

• Began draft of manuscript on the relationship between conception of "community" and approaches to participation.

• Review of Phase I research report with NPS contact team (Regional Scientists via conference call).

• Submitted Teresa Heinz Scholars Fellowship application.

• Began working on concept models for paper on human dimensions in NPS.

• Began Phase II interviews with public participation practitioners.

• Attended Wildlife Disease Management System Workshop.

• Continued revising draft of manuscript on the relationship between conception of "community" and approaches to participation.

• Continued with Phase II research. Twelve practitioners interviewed to date from: NPS, BLM, FWS, USGS, private consultants (target: 15 practitioners).

• Completed dissertation proposal draft for submission to BRMD.

• Revised Phase 1 research report for publication in HDRU publication series. Currently in review with deer biologists and NPS Environmental Quality Division as requested by NPS collaborators.

• Final revisions of Issue Evolution Model for submission to George Wright Forum.

• Kirsten presented results of Phase 1 research at George Wright Society meeting.

• Kirsten completed written A-examinations.

• Kirsten continued to volunteer with Paul Curtis on Cayuga Heights deer project: assisted in capturing deer in drop nets for spay-vac trials.

• Updated project website: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/research/deerinparks/index.asp

Next quarter plans: (April 1-June 30, 2005)

• Kirsten's oral A-examination.

• Kirsten to attend alternatives meeting for Deer Management EIS at Catoctin Mountain Park

• Continue with Phase II research.

• Submit Phase III proposal for UCHS and OMB approval.

• Recruit NPS units for participation in Phase III research, begin preliminary logistics.

• Submit summary of Phase I research for George Wright Society Conference Proceedings.

• Submit Issue Evolution Model and Phase I report for publication.

• Continue with manuscripts: Human Dimensions in Natural Resource Management in the NPS, Community and Participation, "Wild" Natural Resource Issues.

• Continue reading NPS literature.

• Continue to update and maintain website.

• Continue to collect information about eastern NPS units with known deer interests.