Papers by Joseph Osbourne
… . Proceedings of the …, 2002
It is naive to think that management of wildlife habitat or populations is unnecessary. Drastic l... more It is naive to think that management of wildlife habitat or populations is unnecessary. Drastic landscape-level alterations have substantially changed the potential carrying capacity for many species from historic times. Current problems including habitat loss and degradation, ...
Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2005
The importance of riparian habitat in small-mammal sampling and conservation is unknown in the ce... more The importance of riparian habitat in small-mammal sampling and conservation is unknown in the central Appalachian region, and the little research available has produced mixed results. In addition, studies have produced varied results when comparing small-mammal ...
Wetlands Ecology and Management, 2011
Wetland and stream mitigation programs originated to offset the unavoidable impacts to wetlands a... more Wetland and stream mitigation programs originated to offset the unavoidable impacts to wetlands and streams from activities related to development. Until recently, most mitigation in the United States and globally was done on a case-by-case basis, with site selection based on availability. Today, systematic programs that choose sites based on structural and ecological characteristics that give an indication of the feasibility of the site for wetland and stream mitigation banking are necessary. This paper outlines a three-level framework to select, prioritize, and evaluate potential wetland and stream mitigation banking sites. The framework was tested on three tendigit hydrologic unit code watersheds in West Virginia that were in three different physiographic regions and near proposed future road construction projects. Level 1 included a Geographic Information System (GIS) based analysis of watersheds and appropriate spatial data. Level 2 was a field reconnaissance survey of sites using evaluation criteria weighted with the pairwise comparison Analytical Hierarchy Process. Level 3 was an on-site evaluation of the highly ranked sites to verify the modeling approach. Results showed successful selection of suitable sites for combined wetland and stream mitigation banking. We found the framework to be an efficient and non-subjective way to identify and prioritize wetland and stream mitigation banking sites and has direct applications for other states or regions.
Proceedings of the Twenty-first …, 2004
Abstract. The role of natural streams and associated riparian habitat in structuring vertebrate c... more Abstract. The role of natural streams and associated riparian habitat in structuring vertebrate communities is an important wildlife management issue in human-impacted environments. Many studies have illustrated the value of healthy riparian ecosystems in providing basic habitat ...
It is naive to think that management of wildlife habitat or populations is unnecessary. Drastic l... more It is naive to think that management of wildlife habitat or populations is unnecessary. Drastic landscapelevel alterations have substantially changed the potential carrying capacity for many species from historic times. Current problems including habitat loss and degradation, fragmentation of habitats, the spread of exotic floral and faunal species, pollution, and human disturbance among others, are all contributing to loss of species diversity and abundance. Wildlife management plans are essential for properly managing wildlife habitats, populations, and associated recreational activities. A management plan is a description of the short-term objectives and long-term goals that will be met by manipulation of habitat, wildlife populations, and people and how these objectives and goals will be reached. Historically, management plans have focused primarily on increasing abundance of game species and maximizing recreational opportunities associated with these species. Currently, management plans address threatened and endangered species and habitats, nongame species that are not classified as rare, overall biodiversity, and quality and abundance of game species populations. Wildlife management plans on Camp Dawson, an Army National Guard training facility in Preston County, West Virginia, have been developed for each of three primary training areas. Management objectives are targeted towards restoring native habitats; removing invasive, exotic species; protecting habitats for rare species; conserving and providing habitat for birds, small mammals, and herpetofauna; increasing the quality of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations; increasing the abundance of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and other game species; providing public recreational opportunities; and allowing for the military training mission. These plans are biologically feasible and should result in the maintenance and enhancement of wildlife populations and habitats on Camp Dawson.
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Papers by Joseph Osbourne