The black bears are attempting to make Ohio their home again. Once thought to be removed from Ohio in the 1850s, the black bear population in the state is estimated to be between 50-100 bears according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ONDR)Division of Wildlife. Black bears are classified as an endangered species in Ohio.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife started keeping track of bear sightings in 1993 and has since seen an increase in unconfirmed and confirmed sightings.  For a sighting to be confirmed some type of evidence must be available such as a photograph, video, tracks, fur or scat.

You are most likely to see a black bear from late May to early July either around dawn or late in the evening. Some black bears tend to be nocturnal if around a lot of human activity.

If you see a black bear or hear of one sighted in your area it would be in your best interest to do somethings around your property to make it less attractive to the bears.  You should remove bird feeders and keep pet food inside. Also keep your garbage cans inside your garage or in a secure area. These items are easy food sources for black bears.  They will eat the food and then return to the area to eat again. The black bears will most likely cause some property damage while searching for food.

Most of the black bears in Ohio tend to be juvenile males weighing between 125-250 pounds and capable of running up to 35mph. Black bears are usually afraid of people and bear attacks are extremely rare. If you happen to see a black bear remain calm.  The ODNR Division of Wildlife recommends the AWARE method if you come in contact with a bear.

•  Act calm and do not run.
• Warn the bear that you are near; talk in a firm, calm voice.
• Allow space between you and the bear. Step aside and back slowly away. Do not make the bear feel trapped or threatened.
• Raise your hands above your head to appear larger if the bear approaches. Clap your hands or shout to scare the bear away.
• Exit the area.

Once you have safely exited the area call 1-800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) or use the ODNR website to report the sighting.  This will help to track the locations of the black bears and help to estimate the population in Ohio.

Credits

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/mammals/black-bear

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/nuisance-wildlife/black-bears-in-ohio

https://www.animalfactsencyclopedia.com/Black-bear-facts.html

Images:

2)http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/mammals/black-bear

There are plenty of fish in the sea, right? While there may be plenty of fish, sometimes the aquatic creatures found in ecosystems aren’t necessarily the right kind. Invasive species are becoming a bigger and bigger problem in many areas, one of which is Lake Erie. And if these invasive species are allowed to continue, it might result in ecosystems devoid of any natural or useful wildlife, fisheries, or plant stocks.

One prime and notable example of this can be found in the lake trout populations of Lake Erie. A key predator in the aquatic ecosystem of Lake Erie, the lake trout is a long-living species that prefers cold, deep-water areas of Lake Erie. The lake trout have a slow reproduction rate, not reaching sexual maturity until 7 or 8 years of age (“Lake Trout,” n.d.) giving the lake trout the tendency of being a “K” species (a kind of species that tends to have longer life expectancies, produce less offspring, and be more dominant part in the food chain of an ecosystem; contrasts with “R” species that are found lower on the food chain, and produce much more offspring with lower life expectancies). This can be seen in Figure 1, where it is shown that lake trout are quite high on the Lake Erie food chain.

Figure 1: This diagram graphically illustrates the food chain throughout the Lake Erie aquatic ecosystem, showing what species show more “K-species” tendencies and what species show more “R-species” tendencies. (“LEfoodweb.pdf,” n.d.)

Species high on an ecosystem’s food chain play a very important role, both for the ecosystem and in human consumption. Throughout evolution, ecosystems have developed tenuous equilibriums between the “K” species and the “R” species, which allow the ecosystem to function sustainably. The loss of a species high on the food chain can have a wide-reaching effect more often than not leading to a multitude of problems, including biodiversity loss, (“Loss of Predators Impacts Food Chain,” n.d.). In regard to Lake Erie, the loss of the lake trout population would result in equilibrium turmoil, biodiversity loss, and many negative economic effects, one being a hit to the 4.5 billion dollar sport fishing industry found on Lake Erie (“Conserving Lake Erie and Our Great Lakes,” 2017).

However, as Figure 1 shows, there is a species that is higher than the lake trout, and many other of the dominant fish species on the food chain. Sea lampreys in the past century have had a devastating effect on many of the top species found in Lake Erie’s food chain which makes this species a perfect example of an invasive species that could have been prevented. The sea lamprey was brought into the ecosystem in the 1920s (Dec, n.d.) and even went as far as to almost eliminate the lake trout population in the 1950s and 60s(“LEfoodweb.pdf,” n.d.). The effects of this can be seen through data that organizations like the Great Lakes Fishery Commission collect. The data set displayed in Figure 2 is an excellent example of how organizations use data to see how the ecosystem is responding and what work still needs to be done. In this particle graphs, the number of wounds per 100 lake trout fish that are over 21 inches are tracked yearly and compared to the organization’s and ecosystem’s target goal (Dec, n.d.). This easily shows the great effect sea lampreys are still having on the lake trout populations and show that there is much work still needed to be done to bring the ecosystem back to its natural state. When the public realized the dire situation Lake Erie’s lake trout populations were in, organizations like Great Lakes Fishery Commission made lake trout restoration a major goal. They continue to accomplish this this through practices like regular lampricide treatments to attempt to control the sea lamprey populations and manual stocking of the lake trout populations (Dec, n.d.).

Figure 2: This graph illustrates data comparing the yearly numbers of lake trouts per 100 fish over 21 inches showing sea lamprey wounds versus the target goal. (Dec, n.d.)

The relationship between the Lake Erie lake trout and invasive sea lamprey specie is just one example of a worldwide issues. With the rise of human globalization there have been a dramatic rise in the number of invasive species and the negative consequences that can come with them. With many of these situations are caused by human actions, it will take a cumulative human effort to ensure that the ecosystems humans depend on for survival are kept intact, natural, and productive to ensure the health of our society and our Earth.

References

Conserving Lake Erie and Our Great Lakes. (2017, February 3). Retrieved June 14, 2019, from

Greater Cleveland Aquarium website:

http://greaterclevelandaquarium.com/conserving-   lake-erie-and-our-great-lakes/

Dec, N. (n.d.). NYSDEC Lake Erie 2017 Annual Report. 80.

Lake Trout. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14^th, 2019, from

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/fish/lake-trout

LEfoodweb.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2019, from

https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures/foodweb/LEfoodweb.pdf

Loss of Predators Impacts Food Chain. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2019, from Voice of America

website: https://www.voanews.com/africa/loss-predators-impacts-food-chain

 It’s one of the few things that can resonate with almost every single American, no matter their age, state, or class. It’s that warm summer night; when it’s just warm enough, the air is fresh, the sky is clear, and the glow of fireflies in their nightly dance illuminate the landscape. It’s like that sad song you just can’t turn off once it comes on; it evokes such powerful feelings of hope and youth, of calming peace and tranquility, and of bittersweet memories of summers long-past. Fortunately, this iconic source of American nostalgia is in no danger of disappearing, but its daylight counterpart is in serious danger, and only you can save them.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

The Monarch

What I’m talking about is the Danaus plexippus, or as most of us call them, the monarch butterfly. These magnificent icons fly 3,000 miles every single year(1), over the course of about 4 generations! Spending their winters in Mexico, they begin to migrate North toward Ohio, reaching us between the end of May through the middle of August. Fortunately for us, Ohio is one of the first stops for summer breeding by monarchs, so we get to enjoy their splendor for longer than most!

Source: The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

The Problem

You may have noticed, however, you don’t get to see these beauties as much as you used to. If you did happen to make that observation, you’d be correct. As a matter of fact, the monarch population is down over 90% from where it was in 1992(2), with an estimated 6,000 acres of habitat critical for monarchs being lost every single day in the US(3). Since 1992, that stands at 147 million acres of lost habitat. But monarchs are not isolated on the ecological web; these butterflies are vital pollinators, and serve as a source of food to many small birds, such as quail and pheasants(4).

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

The decline in population coincides in lockstep with the decline in milkweed population. In the same period that monarch’s saw a 90% decline, the milkweed population also declined 90%(2,3). Despite their name, milkweed is actually not a weed, but to most Americans, it is a nuisance and is removed in favor of prettier, but less useful, flowers. Likewise, land development and modern farming practices have decimated habitats where milkweed once thrived. Herbicides, pesticides, and other land-use practices of humanity has left little-to-no consideration for these plants. But why are milkweed so integral to the monarch? The milkweed is the only plant that the monarch butterfly can lay its eggs on, as their caterpillars can only consume the milkweed plant(5).

What YOU can do

As long as you have a backyard, a patio, or even a pot with some sunlight, you have the power to help revive the monarch! Being Ohioans, we have the unique capability to influence monarch populations, given the sheer quantity of individuals that come through us! Helping is as easy as spending about $15. There are many sellers of the common milkweed, which is the variant that would be naturally found in Ohio. Though this is not an endorsement, Save Our Monarchs is one of the largest groups working toward conserving and rebuilding the monarch, but there are many others with just as much merit. Just one plant is enough to make a difference, though if you decide to want to go the extra mile, you could also create your own pollinator garden, which would give your tired monarchs a place to rest their wings after their long trip! Not only would monarchs love this, but this would also introduce habitats for other pollinators (such as the also-endangered bumblebee). The milkweed and many pollinator plants are fairly easy to manage, no green thumb required. These are also perennial, so that means a single investment from you now will bring your yard and garden to life for years to come, all while providing vital ecosystem benefits for those who really need your help right now!

Works Cited:

1. https://conservesenecacounty.com/2018/04/the-monarch-butterfly-common-questions-what-you-can-do/
2. https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/
3. https://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/campaign/the-details/
4. https://www.fws.gov/savethemonarch/
5. https://monarchjointventure.org

American Burying Beetle
photo by US Forest Service
Wayne National Forest reintroduction – 2009

The American Burying Beetle

The American Burying beetle was declared critically endangered in 1989. Scientist are not sure what caused the decline in the population of the American burying beetle, but they suspect it is due to land changes that affect the American burying beetles’ food sources and natural habitat.
This beetle is among a group of beetles referred to as Carrion beetles. These beetles are important to the environment because they recycle the remains of deceased animals and return vital nutrients back into the soil, which feeds soil microorganisms and keeps the soil fertile.

The American burying beetle does not have a distinct habitat but have been found through-out Ohio and other states, and some were even found in Canadian provinces. Scientist are unaware of the exact location because these beetle’s natural habitat is actually in the carcasses of deceased animals that have to be medium to large such as a dove or small primate. With the increase in human land coverage many species of animals have decline in population which in turn directly affects the burying beetle’s food source and home. Without the remains of these specific animals the burying beetle’s population also declines.

When scientist declared the American burying beetle critically endangered, they began a conservation program to help re-build the American burying beetle population. A partnership was established between many great divisions in Ohio to help with the conversation program such as The Wilds, US Fish and Wildlife services, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Cincinnati Zoo, Fernald Preserve and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of wildlife. These great divisions have worked together for over 8 years to finally be re-introducing the American Burying beetle back into the environment beginning June 6, 2019. They plan on releasing the beetle at the Wilds, a non-profit safari park and conservation center located in Cumberland, Ohio.

Upon releasement the beetles will be monitored in order to make sure they are able to survive the wild. The American Burying beetles usually mate in pairs and produce a brood size ranging from 1-30, the American burying beetles only live for 1 year and so they produce more offspring to ensure their survival of the species.

This conservation program may have taken some time, but they have succeeded in bringing a critically endangered insect back from the brink of near extinction. Scientist hope to see this beetle repopulated in areas all other Ohio without their help. Scientist also plan to continue to study the beetle to see if it is an important environmental marker for the land, once scientist is able to uncover the specific reasons of the decline in the population they may be able to better understand the overall health of the land what it takes to keep the environment at optimal levels.

Work Cited

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s New England Field Office, May 29, 2019. American Burying Beetle, fact sheet U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region. https://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/insects/ambb/abb_fact.html

Division of wildlife, June 6, 2019. ODNR Works with Partners to Help Protect American Burying Beetles, Division of Wildlife. http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/stay-informed/news-announcements/post/odnr-works-with-partners-to-help-protect-american-burying-beetles

Photo from by US Forest Service, Wayne National Forest reintroduction – 2009

Figure 1.) A man stands in front of a mature American chestnut tree.
Photo from The American Chestnut Tree Archives

The great America chestnut tree, this tree once dominated most of eastern America, many of us know a piece of history regarding these trees weather that be due do its popular chestnuts that were a staple during the Christmas season or stories that were told about the immense size of the tree alone.

Figure 2.) A young hybrid American Chestnut Tree

Many of us also know that Due to non-existent regulatory rules at the time, imports from China carried an invasive species of fungus, that were refer to as blight, that were foreign to the American Chestnut trees and caused a rapid decline in the population of American chestnut trees. It is said that a mature American chestnut tree is currently extinct in America. Years after the near complete extinction of this tree species environmental scientist are still trying to create a blight resistant tree that they hope will be re-introduced into forest ecosystems through-out America.

Figure 3.) Shows the fence that separates the program from the rest of the park.

Currently located in Louisville, Kentucky, The American Chestnut Foundation partners with the American Fishery and wildlife division and are working on a management conservation program that includes the most advanced hybrid offspring of a cross between the American Chestnut tree and the blight resistance Chinese chestnut tree. These offspring increase the probability of blight resistance in each generation of hybridized trees.This conservation program isolates the hybrid trees in order to control the breeding of the trees and to monitor the trees overall health. Figure 3 shows the red gate and behind the red gate are the young offspring of the hybridized trees.

Unfortunately, these trees are not guaranteed to have the blight resistant trait nor are they guaranteed to be 100% blight resistant. Scientist have to consider this information when breeding these trees and take the risk of losing the tree once they begin to mature because they are still very likely to succumb to the blight fungus and die before they reach true maturity. The purpose of this program is to see which trees overcome the blight fungus and which trees do not.

Figure 4.) Poster created by the American Chestnut Foundation.

Once the blight resistant trees are uncovered their seeds will be selected and cross breed with other blight resistant seeds which will be used to continue the research and help create the next generation of hybridized trees. The goal is to create a blight tolerant tree that bares as close genetic resemblance as possible to the original American chestnut tree with the addition of the blight resistance trait that is native to the Chinese chestnut tree.

Scientist are able to continue this hybridization by using multiple methods such as genetic breeding, bioengineering, biological control and hypovirulence all together in order to insure their success at creating more blight resistant trees.

Although, this generation of trees may not produce the iconic American chestnut tree that dominated parts of the US years ago, this research program and conservation approach allows us to continue to fight for the tree species in hope to one day be able to produce a healthy, strong American Chestnut tree that future generations will be able to enjoy.

Figure 5.) Field of the hybrid trees.

Work Cited

Hodgins, Jane. “What It Takes to Bring Back the near Mythical American Chestnut Trees.” What It Takes to Bring Back the near Mythical American Chestnut Trees | US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 9 Apr. 2019, www.fs.fed.us/features/what-it-takes-bring-back-near-mythical-american-chestnut-trees.

Garrison, L., Barton, C., Hebard, F., Bobigian, A., & Freidhof, S. (2011, April). American Chestnut: An Update for Kentucky Woodland Owners. Kentucky Woodland Magazine, 6(1), 10-13. file:///C:/Users/Kris/Downloads/FFW/KWM-Apr-2011-Chestnut-pg10-13.pdf

American Chestnuts in Kentucky | American Chestnut Foundation – Kentucky. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acf.org/ky/american-chestnuts-kentucky/

Figure 1) Photo taken from the American Chestnut Foundation Archives
Figure 4) Photo of the billboard from The American Chestnut Foundation
All other photos taken by the student.

You’ve probably never seen a black bear in person, and if you have, it probably wasn’t in Ohio. However, this doesn’t mean that they aren’t present in the state and play an important role in forest ecosystems here. In the past, black bears were much more abundant and roamed throughout Ohio. Due to unregulated hunting and deforestation, populations plummeted. The remaining bears that survived these disturbances were either shot or trapped by settlers to protect livestock and crops³.

Now that Ohio’s woodlands have regrown and more action is being taken to preserve natural habitats, the black bear population is making a comeback. Young bears are returning from nearby states to settle in Ohio’s forests and establish new territories¹. While the population is still very small, experts say it continues to grow. The statewide black bear population is estimated to be around 50-100 individual bears¹. This may not seem like many, but considering they were completely wiped out, this is big news.

Most recent sightings of black bears are coming out of the wooded eastern half of Ohio. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) began tracking sightings in 1993, and reports have been increasing since then. Most commonly, people have been spotting bears any time between late May and early July, but they can be seen year-round. Last year, 191 sightings were reported across 45 Ohio counties, with 73 of those being confirmed with photos and tracks¹. Obviously not every sighting is of a different bear and many cannot be confirmed due to lack of hard evidence. Because black bears have a very large home range and travel often, it is very difficult for scientists to precisely monitor the population. ODNR relies primarily on public reports to gain an estimate of the number of individual bears currently present in Ohio¹.

Increases in the black bear population will have certain ecological impacts in the future. Bears are omnivorous and eat anything from fruit to grasses to meat. Most commonly, they consume forbs, berries, carrion, nuts, and insects¹. The presence of the black bear allows for increased dispersal of seeds and allows for more trophic stability in the food chain. With the addition of a top predator, lower trophic levels can be kept in check and overabundant populations are less likely to be produced. Overall, the black bear adds diversity and stability to Ohio’s forests and should be welcomed instead of feared.

ODNR has recently advised people in the state to be on the lookout for black bears as their active season approaches². If you see a bear, the first thing to do is remain calm to avoid provoking the animal. Usually the bear will flee upon noticing human presence. Allow an amble amount of space between you and the bear and allow it an easy escape route if it is cornered. If the black bear approaches, raise your hands above your head to appear larger and more intimidating. You can also clap your hands and make loud noises to scare the bear off².

As you can see, the return of the black bear to Ohio’s woods is a major occurrence and something that should not be taken lightly. The more the population grows, the more likely you are to encounter one in the wild. However, their presence is also great for the health of forest ecosystems and helping to keep populations in check. On both sides of the coin, black bears are poised to make a big impact in Ohio’s forests for years to come.

Figure from ODNR 2018 Ohio Black Bear Monitoring Report showing sighting trends from 1993 to 2018.

References:

¹Black Bears in Ohio: Guidelines to Enjoying Ohio’s Expanding Black Bear Population. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2019, from http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/nuisance-wildlife/black-bears-in-ohio

²ODNR: Black bear sightings expected to increase in Ohio this summer. (2019, May 14). Retrieved June 14, 2019, from https://www.wlwt.com/article/odnr-black-bear-sightings-expected-to-increase-in-ohio-this-summer/27462846

³Fioto, D. (n.d.). Ohio Black Bears. Retrieved June 14, 2019, from https://www.hockinghills.com/featstory/bears.html

For most people, our busy lifestyle requires a life on the run. This can lead to us carelessly dropping wrappers, scraps, leftover food, etc. in our environment. Personally, if I am not too rushed I’ll stop to run after the run-away trash, but other times I just say, “What’s the harm of that one piece?” And that’s exactly the cause of our environmental instability. We think of ourselves individually rather than as a population. And once one person stops and picks up their litter, it creates a butterfly effect to everyone surrounding them. In order to motivate that first person to pick up after themselves, I figured I would provide some impacts of littering and alternatives to just throwing everything in the trash.

While you may have just dropped your litter on the side of the road, most people don’t realize the great lengths that trash will travel. It will eventually invade the beauty of our landscape, flow through the rivers, and end up in a body of water. This is important for Ohioans because, as a flat land, debris moves quite easily and damages the aesthetic and health of Lake Erie, a lake already hurt by algae blooms.

Not only does littering ruin the beauty of Earth, it also impacts the habitats of our wildlife. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “As debris accumulates, habitat structure may be modified, light levels may be reduced in underlying waters, and oxygen levels may be depleted,” (Impacts of Mismanaged Trash). This hurts the ability of rivers and bodies of water to support aquatic life, an essential aspect of the stability of our environment.

A less looked at impact of littering is the chemical imbalances it creates. The EPA clearly states that littering can cause the accumulation of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBTs) contaminants. “Aquatic plastic debris has been found to accumulate contaminants at concentrations that are orders of magnitude (thousands to millions of times) greater than the surrounding environment,” (Impacts of Mismanaged Trash). Trash emphasizes harm to our waters, creating many problems for Ohioans, and the world, as our aquatic life and clean water supply are dwindling.

While it may sound intimidating, the amount of harm we are creating for the environment, there is still hope. As easy as it sounds, it is so important that our society doesn’t litter anymore, as it is clear what it does to our ecosystems, and throw their trash in the trash. However, that is not the last step. There are alternatives for certain products and materials than just throwing it in the dumpster. Paper, glass, certain plastics, and a few other materials can be recycled. This creates less build-up in our dumps and reusable supplies for more products in a consumerism heavy society. Also, while food may seem okay to litter, it can actually be very harmful to animals who aren’t supposed to eat those foods. So, an alternative to littering food or even throwing it in the trash is to make your own compost. It is an easy way to create nutrient rich soil of your own. That new soil also provides food and habitat for many organisms living in the ground.

Life can be busy. It may be hard to back up and put the environment first. However, it only takes one person to start a change.

https://www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/impacts-mismanaged-trash

“Street bird”by bookfinch is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Have you ever glanced out the window of a room you were in and suddenly see a bird fly right into the window, only to fall out of the sky? Well there’s a pretty good chance most people have and it’s a lot more common than you might think. Each year in the United States alone, up to 988 million birds die by colliding with man-made structures, remaining the largest human-related deaths in birds. These occurrences are most likely to happen during the fall when migration season is starting, when birds are making the long journey from northern parts of the U.S and Canada, to the south. On the Ohio State campus fall 2018, 173 birds were found due to building collisions, with only 11 of them still alive. These events concern many people as it strikes endangered species of birds as well.

Why does this happen?

To understand why this happens, we need to look at a bird’s perspective when it comes to flight. Rather than relying mostly on sight like humans do, birds use a combination of vision, flying patterns, and other senses to direct them in where to fly. Birds are not always looking in the forward direction, as well as their vision is best suited to detect movement, which means birds could miss the chance of noticing what’s in front of them when flying. Also, when it comes to windows in buildings, the reflection coming off it can look real enough to a traveling bird.

What is being done about this?

There are a few things you can do at home to help prevent this as well as some methods in research. Some examples any homeowner can do are turning lights off at night to reduce reflections, add a variety of decals on your window to help break up reflections, keep bird feeders away from windows, or simply allow your window to remain dirty to more visibility (although this isn’t ideal). In the video below, National Geographic portrays research to help stop these collision events from occurring.

There is also a group called ‘Lights out for Birds’ which is dedicated to stopping building collisions for birds. They provide numerous methods for diverging light sources in your home to help migrating birds during the appropriate seasons. They have programs all around the country including one in Columbus. More information can be found on their website: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/project/lights-out

Sources:

Bookfinch. “Street Bird.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 22 Dec. 2009, www.flickr.com/photos/53585158@N00/4205391104.

Geographic, National. “Can We Stop Millions of Birds From Crashing Into Windows? | National Geographic.” YouTube, YouTube, 22 Dec. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMgfuhD2cpo.

Ohio State University. “Ohio State News.” A Deadly Strike for Migrating Birds, The Ohio State University, 11 June 2019, news.osu.edu/a-deadly-strike-for-migrating-birds/.

Vincent, Alice. “Study Explains Why Birds Crash into Buildings.” WIRED, WIRED UK, 4 Oct. 2017, www.wired.co.uk/article/bird-collisions-research.

“Why Birds Smash into Windows.” EarthSky, 28 Apr. 2017, earthsky.org/earth/why-do-birds-collide-with-windows.

Here in the great state of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is charged with the management of nearly all the natural resources found within state borders.  More specifically, the Ohio Division of Wildlife is charged with the management of Ohio’s fisheries and wildlife resources.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife is responsible for creating and enforcing all hunting, trapping, and fishing laws within the state.  In order to determine what the laws must be set at, fisheries and wildlife biologists carry out a number of sampling and survey methods to determine the status or health of the population under study.  I am lucky enough to currently work for the Division of Wildlife as a Natural Resource Technician and have first hand insight to two of the techniques used to sample fish populations in Ohio.

The first technique is commonly known as electrofishing or “shocking”.  This is the process of putting electric current into the water via two extended poles off the bow or front of the boat that have a number of wire cables draped into the water.  The wire cables disperse the electric current evenly throughout the water so that it is not too strong at any one spot.  The electric current is pulsed into the water which causes the fish in the immediate area to be temporarily stunned and float to the surface of the water, allowing them to be netted.  This technique is very effective because it allows us to only net the species that we are targeting and doesn’t harm any of the other fish.  The general rule when using this method to sample a body of water is keeping 5 fish per centimeter class of the targeted species to study their otoliths.  Otoliths are used to age fish, which also tells biologists how healthy and successful a specific body of water is according to how fast a species is growing each year.  Electrofishing is the method commonly used for bass sampling (Largemouth and Smallmouth) in lakes and reservoirs in Ohio.

The second method of fish sampling is through the use of nets.  Most recently, we have been targeting Channel Catfish which requires a specific net called a hoop net.  A hoop net involves a series of metal hoops connected by netting  which is suspended in the water column, but below the surface. The hoops all lead to an end section where bait of some sort is placed that the fish collect in after becoming trapped when pursuing the bait. The specific bait we use is solid blocks of grinded up cheese which catfish love.  The hoop nets are suspended via buoys on the surface and anchors on the bottom.  Once the nets have been in the water 48 hours, we return to each net and pull it out of the lake.  Usually having anywhere from a few, to hundreds of channel catfish in each net along with various other species of fish and sometimes even turtles.  The same rule of keeping 5 fish per centimeter class is followed in this technique as well.  The big difference in this technique from the first is that bycatch is almost inevitable.  Various species including carp, panfish (bluegill, sunfish, crappie, etc.), and even turtles are frequently found in the nets.  The only type of bycatch that is generally unable to be released is turtles because they usually will drown before we get back to the nets.  The other types of fish caught in the net besides channel catfish are usually counted, measured and released.  This netting method is very successful for catching bottom dwelling fish such as catfish which are less susceptible to shocking methods.  Netting methods also allow for fish to be caught while biologists can do other things including lab work with fish from previous samplings.

Here is a link to a YouTube video I made showing the proper removal of Otoliths from a Channel Catfish: https://youtu.be/jSUf7pz6h9A

This Hybrid Striped Bass was caught while Electrofishing O’Shaughnessy Reservoir sampling for Largemouth and Smallmouth bass.

This is an example of an average haul of various types of fish caught when targeting Channel Catfish via Hoop Nets.

This Snapping turtle was in one of our catfish nets and is a good example of bycatch. Luckily this one was able to be released unharmed. Also pictured are various species of panfish along with a few channel catfish.

If you are like me you probably prefer to take your dog on a hike through the woods rather than going to the gym. This use of forests is incredibly important to not only keeping protected forests around but also maintaining them for years to come. The issue some people face with taking their dogs for a walk through the woods is the want for your dog to be free to roam. Often we think that it’s no big deal to let our dogs off leash when they are in the woods, after all, what damage can one dog really do? The issue does not come from one dog but rather from the multiple people who also think that their one dog can’t do that much damage to nature. In this blog post, I will describe three main reasons to keep your dog on a leash when they are in a forest.

1. For your dog’s safety

This reason is rather self-explanatory, as an owner you will always want to do what is best and safest for your dog, in the woods, there are too many uncontrollable variables to let them run around without guidance, even if they have good recall. One of the biggest issues we in Ohio face with dog safety is our population of white-tailed deer. These deer are incredibly overpopulated in the state which is why they can be legally hunted, being overpopulated also means that almost any hike you take will result in you seeing at least a few. These deer can carry ticks that spread Lyme disease and can get aggressive with dogs if they feel threatened. They can also be incredibly hard to see so your dog could startle them and get hurt even if you have your eye on it. Besides deer, there are many other safety reasons to keep your dog on a leash, since it can remove hundreds of variables from your walk.

      2. For the happiness and safety of the animals that live in the wild.

In a study that was done by the National Parks Service in 2008 researchers found that animals that lived on or near hiking trails where dogs were allowed animals would not be within 100m of the trail areas even though in areas where no dogs were allowed they would come within 50m. We must remember that in nature we are guests and cutting off around 50m of space for an animal to roam is not fair to it at all. Another reason wild animals are bothered by dogs is that they mark everywhere. When a dog marks he or she is claiming an area as his, if a wild animal such as a fox, bobcat, or wolf smells it they will be less likely to go within that area and that causes territory issues within the species. Dogs are also predators meaning when they chase those squirrels they are not chasing for fun they are chasing to kill, this leads to the deaths of animals who otherwise would have been fine in that area. Similarly, this leads to wildlife using all their energy running away from dogs that could be used to run away from actual predators.

      3. To protect the forest itself.

Forests are living things just as much as you or me. The trees and plants depend on a variety of factors to grow and survive, off-leash dogs can hinder these things. When a dog is left off leash they are very often going to run off trail and trample saplings. These saplings are important to the growth of the forest. If these trees never have a chance to grow the forest will slowly die off since the current large trees will die and there will be no other trees to replace them. Another issue that concerns forest health is water purification. When a dog is off leash and far away it is hard to pick up its droppings. Even though many animals do use the restroom in the woods when large amounts of dogs do it can cause water purity issues which lead to poor forest and wildlife health.

I am just as guilty as any other party when it comes to letting my dog off leash in the woods as you can see in the picture, but having learned the harmful impacts that letting a dog off leash can do to the environment I now plan to keep her on a leash always. The most important thing for forest and wildlife health is to keep educating. If hundreds of people keep up the mentality of “it’s only my dog” than we will never see a change in the world or in peoples minds