A Growing Body of Research Relevant to the Methow Valley

Last week, the Methow Conservancy hosted a well-attended presentation by Home Range Wildlife Research and Conservation Northwest about their recently released review of research about the recreation impacts on fifteen species found in Washington State. As recreation continues to grow across the west (we’ve officially hit a “new recreation normal”), thinking critically about how we interact with the land and all its inhabitants is becoming increasingly important to the preservation of our public spaces.

With spring on the way and new areas open and accessible for hiking, biking, and trail-running, here are a few findings from the study to keep in mind as we think about what it means to recreate responsibly on the land.

• Impacts on wildlife are context dependent: different forms of recreation have different impacts on both wildlife and landscapes, and different species react differently to various stimuli.

• Across the board, wildlife tend to have stronger negative responses to unpredictable behavior (think hiking off-trail, recreating at night, dogs chasing wildlife, etc.).

• Habitat generalists are less vulnerable than habitat specialists (ex. mule deer vs mountain goats).

• An animal’s reproductive status is very important, and wildlife are particularly vulnerable when pregnant and rearing young (ex. bears disturbed while denning will sometimes abandon dens or cubs).

• Seasonality is important for both where wildlife tend to be on a landscape and how vulnerable they are to disturbance; responses can differ considerably between summer and winter

While recreation brings in $6.7 million to the Methow every year and is a vital part of our local economy, it also offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce both new and old recreationists to the world of conservation. Our community has an incredible track record of stewardship and of cultivating a culture of shared responsibility for our home valley, and we will have ample opportunity to do more of this specifically as it relates to wildlife coexistence with the coming updates to both the Methow Wildlife Area Plan and the Forest Service’s Travel Management Plan. Stay tuned for more information and ways to be involved in the coming months.

We encourage those interested in learning more about wildlife and recreation coexistence to read Homerange Wildlife’s full research review here, and to sign up with Methow Trails Collaborative to get involved with trail stewardship in the valley.
Bobcat Photo: Craig Barfoot; Owl Photo: Pat Leigh