Crowdfunding: Connecting Creators and Patrons

The shortgrass prairie rPlover festivaesearch project bridges private agricultural landowner interests and wildlife conservation in a cooperative partnership rooted in local culture and rigorous science.  The study area is Karval, Colorado (http://karval.org/), a small rural community within the shortgrass prairie ecosystem located 100 miles east of Colorado Springs.  The private landowners within the Karval community are part of the group that received the Department of Interior’s Conservation Service award in 2005.  Since 2007, the Karval community developed, plans, and hosts the annual Mountain Plover festival in April/May.  They received a USFWS Challenge Grant for a Ranching and Wildlife program in which their high school students develop programs to teach younger individuals about ranching, agriculture, wildlife, and developing partnerships with natural resource professionals.  Additionally, individual recognition has been given to numerous landowners within Karval.  Most recently, the family managing the Wineinger-Davis Ranch received theKarval 2012 Leopold Conservation Award.  The Karval community has initiated the development of a natural resource education and research center to further their interest in community-based support of agricultural, wildlife conservation, and environmental education.

My ecological research in shortgrass prairie has primarily focused on understanding the breeding biology of Mountain Plovers as influenced by agricultural land use.  I plan to expand my research involvement with the Karval community to other species within the shortgrass prairie ecosystem and also investigate social and economic aspects that influence conservation of shortgrass prairie systems.