Sustaining an Endangered Songbird and its Human Community

Much of the breeding range of the federally endangered Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) occurs in a region dominated by poor soils and fire disturbance regimes throughout Michigan and Wisconsin. Presently, this... [ view full abstract ]

Much of the breeding range of the federally endangered Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) occurs in a region dominated by poor soils and fire disturbance regimes throughout Michigan and Wisconsin. Presently, this region lags behind other portions of these states (and the country) when it comes to social demographic indicators such as unemployment, education, poverty, and wages. However, these landscapes are attractive to people who value low population densities, proximity to green spaces, abundant fresh water, and a variety of recreation opportunities (e.g., hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, and off-road vehicle trails). The continued recovery and potential downlisting of the Kirtland’s Warbler is a testament to efforts by public agencies and industrial forest owners to manage their lands in an adaptive and scientific manner; however, increasing threats to the landscape, economic challenges associated with jack pine management, poor levels of philanthropic investment, and a disconnected citizenry may undermine the continued successful recovery and underscore the importance of incorporating an effective human dimension into future conservation efforts. In 2016, the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team launched a human dimensions subcommittee with the stated goal of finding common ground among private landowners, recreationists, and land managers to minimize conflict and ensure long-term sustainability of the Kirtland’s Warbler and its habitat. Efforts are currently underway to improve the understanding of the cultural/social landscape spanning a broad range of stakeholders, increase awareness of habitat needs and conservation values among community members, and engage citizens, community leaders, and elected officials in management efforts. The human dimensions subcommittee will employ several methods to accomplish its stated goal (i.e., recruit expert advisors with human dimensions expertise, conduct a social network analysis, engage audiences that haven’t been traditionally involved, conduct visioning sessions to define what meaningful public engagement looks like, and provide training resources and talking points to community stakeholders and land managers alike). Once the subcommittee completes its work within the breeding range, it will expand its focus to human communities within the wintering range and key stopover locations, where similar socioeconomic conditions persist. Ensuring vibrant human communities throughout the annual cycle is essential to sustainable Kirtland’s Warbler conservation.