Year of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Name
Parks, Tourism and Recreation Management
Department or School/College
Society and Conservation
Committee Chair
Dr. William L. Rice
Commitee Members
Dr. Kyle Bocinsky, Dr. Katherine Zeller
Keywords
Recreation Ecology, Cross Country Skiers, Domestic Dogs, Wildlife Assemblage, Recreation Management
Publisher
University of Montana
Subject Categories
Natural Resources Management and Policy
Abstract
Outdoor recreation activities are seen as a type of anthropogenic stressor that can significantly impact wildlife. Despite winter recreational activities having a more negative effect on wildlife compared to summer or aquatic recreation, they are the least studied in terms of impact (Larson et al., 2016). Wildlife species can be influenced both temporally and spatially by the development of winter recreation trails and snow-based recreation (Braunisch et al., 2011; Olsen et al., 2018). This research combines natural and social science methods to assess how cross-country skiers affect wildlife activity patterns, guiding decisions about managing recreation. During two winter data collections, an array of 35 trail cameras measured trail use density and its impact on wildlife over time and space in a popular cross-country ski area. The work aimed to provide insights into interactions between human and dog activity and wildlife. After collecting camera data, MegaDetector, a machine learning program, expedited the process of classifying and tagging trail camera images. Once tagged, further cleaning and analysis of the data was conducted using program R. The daily activity patterns of three focal wildlife species were compared between weekends and weekdays, representing times of high and low recreation. White-tailed deer exhibited significant changes in their daily activity between these two levels of recreation, while coyotes and foxes became more active later at night during periods of high recreational use. The extent to which these focal species shifted their activity appeared to be related to their natural activity patterns. For instance, white-tailed deer, which had the greatest overlap with human activity, also showed the greatest shift in daily activity when recreational use was higher. Habitat use was modeled with a general linear mixed-effects model, with species' habitat use closely associated with climate predictor variables such as snow depth and temperature average. White-tailed deer were negatively associated with motorized vehicles but not direct human recreation or dog use. Due to a stronger temporal avoidance than spatial avoidance of humans and dogs, limiting human and dog use to an hour after sunrise and before sunset is suggested to provide wildlife with safe and energy efficient travel corridors, reducing stress caused by human interactions, especially during times of high snow depth and low temperature averages. These results also enhance the viability of cameras for monitoring human and wildlife activity and sustainable management of winter recreational areas.
Recommended Citation
Morris, Sophie Ann, "INFLUENCE OF CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING & OFF-LEASH DOGS ON WILDLIFE HABITAT USE IN LUBRECHT EXPERIMENTAL FOREST" (2024). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12299.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12299
© Copyright 2024 Sophie Ann Morris