Human Dimensions Research

Details from the Westchester County informant interviews are now available online as a Human Dimensions Research Unit publication (click here to download).

We have preliminary findings from the Saratoga County survey. A brief summary is available in the Human Dimensions Research Unit Annual Report (click here to download).

The Survey Research Institute finished administering the Saratoga County coyote survey today. In total, 1438 questionnaires were completed. We will analyze the Saratoga County dataset alone as well as compare it to data from Westchester County.

Heather Wieczorek Hudenko presented general coyote information and findings from the Westchester County inquiry to a variety of national and international audiences over the last several months. Presentations were given at: the 63nd Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference, April 2007, Mystic, CT; the National Park Service's Biological Resources Management Division, May 2007, Fort Collins, CO; the Urban Wildlife Management Conference, June 2007, Portland, OR; the International Union of Game Biologists Congress, August 2007, Uppsala, Sweden; and the Furbearer Management Symposium, The Wildlife Society Conference, September 2007, Tucson, AZ. It was a treat to share our study with other wildlife professionals. Many interesting and wonderful discussions occurred, offering helpful feedback and possibilities for future collaborations.

Cornell's Survey Research Institute began administering the coyote questionnaire in Saratoga County today. We expect telephone calls to continue for the next couple of months until we have reached our required sample size.

Meetings and discussions earlier this year led the coyote team to conclude that an additional HD inquiry in a different part of NYS state would be beneficial for management and decision making. The HD research team has now adapted the Westchester County coyote questionnaire for use in Saratoga County. In particular we will be evaluating how duration of coyote presence and resident tenure might impact attitudes toward coyotes or human-coyote interactions.

Bill Siemer, Paul Curtis and Dan Bogan met with coyote specialists from around the country at the Wildlife Damage Management Conference's coyote symposium. Both Bill and Paul delivered presentations highlighting research needed on coyotes in suburban spaces.

Heather Wieczorek Hudenko and Dan Bogan presented an invited talk at the DEC's Bureau of Wildlife's Annual Meeting in Hamilton, NY. They summarized study results and implications from Aug. 2005 - Feb. 2007.

The coyote team (including: DEC coyote contact team; Cornell coyote research team; representatives from Westchester County Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County) came together for a meeting to review findings from 2006 and discuss the course of research for 2007.

Lots of interesting information has come from the Westchester County survey! For a brief summary, please see a description of the coyote project in the Human Dimensions Research Unit annual report (click here to download).

The Survey Research Institute reached the quota of completed telephone questionnaires today. Thanks to everyone who participated in this process. The second phase of data collection for the human dimensions work is now complete. We will analyze the survey data in the coming weeks.

Cornell's Survey Research Institute began the telephone survey today. If you are a resident of Mount Pleasant, Greenburgh, Yorktown, or Somers, you may receive a call from the group - we hope you will be willing to offer your opinion and insights!

The informant interviews were analyzed this month and yielded some very helpful information that is guiding the survey instrument design. The HD research team is creating a telephone questionnaire that will be administered to a random sample of residents in the study area. The questionnaire is currently in the review and pre-test phase and will be implemented soon.

Heather spent June and July in Westchester speaking with various stakeholders throughout the county. We gained valuable insights from participants that will help us design the next phase of data collection in order to ensure the most accurate and comprehensive information. Thanks so much to everyone who so generously donated their time and energy through interview participation.

Interviews are moving along swiftly and still on track to wrap up in mid-July. At that time we will begin analysis and design of the survey instrument. Many thanks to all of the wonderful folks who have provided valuable time and insight for our study. I've enjoyed talking with all of you and look forward to continuing with this process.

The human dimensions fieldwork is underway. Informant interviews began yesterday in Westchester county. Interviews will be conducted with a variety of citizens, group members, town and county officials, and agency personnel. We expect the interviews to continue until mid-July.

The Cornell Research Team will present a paper in April at the Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference in Burlington, VT. They will discuss what is known about human-coyote interactions in suburban environments and the potential management implications, particularly as it relates to the conference's theme of "No Child Left Indoors."