Wildlife Management: Modules

Module 14: Making a Difference to Wildlife (Optional)

Suggested time: 10 - 15 hours

Level: Advanced

Prerequisite: None

Module Overview

Wildlife and humans have always coexisted. Wildlife has supplied inspiration, as well as the staples of life, to many cultures. It has importance in all human cultures. Strategies for managing different interactions between humans and wildlife will be examined, and the need to demonstrate individual and shared actions that foster environmental stewardship will be encouraged.

Foundational Objectives

To develop values that will increase an appreciation of and respect for wildlife.
To understand the role and obligations of government agencies, interest groups and individuals to preserve wildlife.
To cultivate an appreciation and understanding of how other cultures view wildlife.

Common Essential Learnings Foundational Objectives

To enable students to use language for differing audiences and purposes that are relevant to the students and the subject area. (COM)
To support students in coming to a better understanding of the personal, moral, social and cultural aspects of wildlife. (PSVS)
To enable students to think for themselves, to recognize the limits of individual reflection and the need to contribute to and build upon mutual understandings of wildlife management. (CCT)

Learning Objectives	Notes
14.1 To explain past and present influences of wildlife on cultures and societies.	The Grade 9 Science unit Saskatchewan . The Environment and the Grade 7 Science unit on The Basics of Life will contribute some background for this topic. Visit cultural and natural history museums to examine how wildlife relationships are expressed through art, literature, dance, music and drama. The Internet will allow a virtual tour of some remote sites. (TL) Examine differing cultural views regarding wildlife under the following headings: food, clothing and shelter, spiritual and aesthetic benefits, medicinal values and recreation and companionship. (PSVS)
14.2 To explain how social attitudes and values regarding wildlife have changed. (PSVS)	Develop a timeline that illustrates changing attitudes to wildlife. Use drawings and symbols to enhance the timeline. Have students examine writings from different eras dealing with wildlife. Henry David Thoreau, Ernest Thompson Seton, Aldo Leopold and Monte Hummel span more than a century of ideas . Visit a National, Provincial or Regional Park or other historic sites to examine changes in social attitudes and values relating to wildlife.
14.3 To explain how decisions involving Canada's wildlife are a shared responsibility of government agencies, government and landowners, and are influenced by trans-boundary concerns. (CCT)	Investigate acts or agreements. Examples of appropriate documents and representative organizations are listed in the foreword of the bibliography. Reflect on what the responsibilities of government, government agencies and landowners are in relation to wildlife. Research international agreements on cooperative wildlife protection plans.
14.4 To research decision-making processes that affect wildlife and the environment.	Research the perspectives of different societal groups that affect wildlife. Examine political, economic, social and/or scientific viewpoints. Debate two or more wildlife management strategies. (PSVS) Discuss trade-offs or compromises that accompany any wildlife decision.
14.5 To compare the contributions of different stakeholder groups that conduct management activities.	Brainstorm and then research the contributions to wildlife of different stakeholders such as landowners, individuals, business and industry, government and non-governmental agencies. Start locally and widen the research to become provincial, regional and then federal.
14.6 To propose an individual action plan for managing wildlife that permits the achievement of social, cultural, economic and environmental goals.	Examine local needs and then develop and implement a plan to benefit wildlife in the community. Develop an inventory of wildlife for the local area. Wildflowers, trees, insects, birds and small mammals could be included.
14.7 To plan, conduct and assess a school wide campaign to increase awareness of relationships between lifestyle and wildlife and the environment.	Create a wildlife walk in the local community highlighting native plants and animals that exist in the area. Refer to the bibliography for resources that discuss positive community action. Cooperative learning groups can create and maintain projects that students have initiated. Student and teacher developed rubrics that allow peer and self-evaluation, along with teacher evaluation, help to internalize the idea of quality. Research environmental project information on the Internet. Many sites have examples of projects that have been done in other communities. Funding for many environmental projects may be obtained from many agencies. The Internet has many websites promoting environmental projects. A listing of sample websites is given in the bibliography. Adopt a natural area in the local community. Work with landowners and the urban or rural municipality to educate citizens and preserve the area.
14.8 To identify ways in which individuals may influence public decisions that affect wildlife and the environment.	Create posters that identify ways that individuals can influence public decisions that affect wildlife and the environment. Voting, lobbying, seeking office, supporting interest groups and taking personal action are some the activities that may be undertaken. (PSVS) Invite speakers from government or private agencies to speak on how public decisions regarding wildlife may be influenced.

Module 15: Applications of Wildlife Research (Optional)

Suggested time: 5 - 10 hours

Level: Advanced

Prerequisite: None

Module Overview

Research has allowed us to better understand wildlife populations and how they interact with each other. Research will be used to better understand a wildlife area or species. The applications of this research will be stressed. This module might be handled as an independent research project.

Note: Module 15 is a prerequisite for Modules 16A and 16B. It is recommended that students work on a common theme for all three modules.

Foundational Objective

To develop values that will increase an appreciation and respect for wildlife.
To understand the role and obligations of government agencies, interest groups and individuals to preserve wildlife.
To research career development and volunteer opportunities that exist in the field of wildlife in Saskatchewan and other provinces.

Common Essential Learnings Foundational Objectives

To strengthen students' knowledge and understanding of how to compute, measure, estimate and interpret numerical data as it relates to wildlife studies. (NUM)
To develop an understanding of how knowledge is created, evaluated, refined and changed in wildlife study. (CCT)
To enable students to use language (listening, speaking, reading, writing) for differing audiences and purposes that are relevant to the students and the wildlife management unit. (COM)

Learning Objectives	Notes
15.1 To identify and describe major stages and steps in the research process. (COM)	Have students review articles on research provided in scientific journals as listed in the bibliography. Invite a practising field biologist to speak to the students on research being conducted. Have students use the research process to analyze a contemporary Saskatchewan wildlife issue (e.g., burrowing owl or peregrine falcon recovery program, mule deer or antelope hunting limits). The steps to the research process include: defining a research problem conducting a literature review organizing information proposing a plan for data collection collecting data analyzing/assessing data drawing conclusions and making recommendations communicating results.
15.2 To relate the research process to an existing piece of wildlife research.	Contact government agencies and environmental or wildlife organizations for copies of research papers or reports. The names of suitable organizations are in the bibliography. Have students identify the steps to the research process in existing research documents. (COM) Attend a conference on wildlife and use the presentations and handouts to examine the research process.
15.3 To identify a problem or question regarding a wildlife area or species.	Identify a research problem that might be studied in the local area. Some possibilities are: growth rate of a plant germination rate of introduced and native species encroachment of introduced species on native spaces bird preference to seed type effect of light on plant growth habitat preference of an animal or plant species overwintering of species reproductive rate of composting worms. Survey the local community to identify problems or needs regarding habitat preservation and wildlife needs. (IL)
15.4 To gather background information about the problem or question. (IL)	Work with birders or conservation groups in the local community to identify a research problem in the community and gather information. Use the Internet, resource centres and universities to research background information.
15.5 To propose a plan for conducting research related to the problem or question.	Cooperative learning groups may be used to simulate the research that is done by scientists. Roles and responsibilities should be clearly delineated and evaluated. (PSVS)
15.6 To collect baseline and specific data using a variety of information gathering techniques.	Do species counts and observations of behaviours through sampling, surveys and observations. Measurement, estimation and experimentation with experimental controls could be done. Introduce the students to quadrate and line intercept techniques and then use them in the field.
15.7 To analyze and interpret data that is gathered and formulate further questions. (NUM)	Use data tables, graphs, anecdotal reports and photographs or line drawings to record observations. Have students analyze this information and propose new questions.
15.8 To draw conclusions related to the problem or question.	Use the data gathered to draw conclusions. Examine alternative conclusions based on the data.
15.9 To communicate the results of research through written reports and oral presentation.	Use video cameras, presentation software, audio recordings or other technologies to have students present their research. (TL) Students and teacher may jointly develop criteria for assessment of this module. Rubrics, checklists, anecdotal observations and rating scales may be used. Teacher, individual and peer evaluation might be used. Prepare posters, collages or displays that share the result of student research.