Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Natural Resources
First Advisor
Allan M. Strong
Abstract
Grassland bird populations have declined precipitously in the last century due to changing land use patterns across North America. New York’s Adirondack Park experienced farmland abandonment and reforestation over the last century, but still supports breeding grassland bird populations. The long-term viability of these populations relies on the adoption of financially viable haying timelines that maintain grassland habitats and allow birds to fledge from actively managed fields. Consequently, addressing this issue requires knowledge of the distribution of grassland birds relative to management and landscape patterns as well as understanding the values and financial requirements of landowners. My research was designed to quantify (1) patterns of occupancy, colonization, and extinction in relation to landscape composition and haying intensity throughout the breeding season, and (2) landowner perspectives on adopting recommended haying timelines. I used a multi-season occupancy model using data from 118 sites that were sampled during three seasons in the summer of 2023, and interviewed twenty land managers throughout the study area.
The multi-season occupancy model compared occupancy, colonization, and extinction patterns of Bobolinks (Dolichonyx orizyviorus), Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), and Eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) to landscape composition and haying patterns. I found that initial occupancy was associated with the percentage of open habitats in the landscape for all three species, with Bobolinks and Eastern meadowlarks most influenced by the landscape within 2.5 km, and Savannah sparrow occupancy closely associated with openness in the landscape within 250 m. Extinction and colonization trends were weak for all species, which may have been influenced by weather abnormalities during the summer of 2023.
I used semi-structured interviews to determine if two suggested haying timelines developed for Vermont’s Champlain valley were feasible in the economically and geographically divided farming communities of the Adirondacks. Almost half of the participants (45%) managed some or all their fields on grassland-bird friendly timelines. Delaying the first cut into July is the preferred bird-friendly management timeline for most farmers. While the participants noted that they can make small changes to accommodate breeding birds, they must produce hay that will meet their livestock's nutritional requirements. Financial compensation was the most desired form of support for farmers to prioritize grassland bird conservation.
Language
en
Number of Pages
64 p.
Recommended Citation
Howe, Hyla, "An Assessment of the Potential for Grassland Bird Conservation in a Fragmented Landscape" (2024). Graduate College Dissertations and Theses. 1973.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/1973
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons