Current Research

To explore our articles associated with the projects below, check out our Publications page or visit our PI Ethan’s ResearchGate page and Google Scholar page.

Human Dimensions of Wolves in Oregon

Over the past 20 years, wolves have been reestablishing populations across Oregon following their extirpation in the 20th century. Wolf recovery and management remain highly polarizing issues statewide. While considerable effort has been made to monitor wolf populations, less attention has been paid to understanding the human dimensions of wolf recovery, particularly the social and cultural perspectives that shape interactions with and responses to wolves.

Our lab aims to address this gap by working with fish and wildlife agencies, livestock producers, Tribes, organizations, community members, and other interested groups across Oregon to deepen our understanding of diverse perspectives related to wolves and their management. As an initial priority, we are focusing on the dynamics of wolf-livestock conflict and broader public attitudes toward wolves. Ongoing research includes:

  1. Co-creating shared research and management priorities around wolf-livestock conflict.

  2. Characterizing livestock producers’ experiences and perspectives on wolves and their management.

  3. Conducting a comprehensive statewide survey to assess Oregonians’ attitudes, perceived risks, trust in management, and views on current wolf-related policies.

Ultimately, this work aims to support those who actively share space and resources with wolves, as well as the agencies and organizations engaged in their recovery and management.

Perceptions and Management of Urban Wildlife

As human populations grow and urban areas expand, interactions between people and wildlife are becoming more frequent and intense. In urban and residential settings, the lines between human and wildlife spaces continue to blur, leading to a range of conservation outcomes, both positive and negative. While such interactions can increase public safety risks—including habituation, food conditioning, direct conflict, disease transmission, and property damage—they also offer opportunities for connection with nature and can promote conservation awareness. These complex dynamics call for more thoughtful and adaptive management strategies.

The LivWild Lab collaborates with researchers across OSU and other institutions to better understand and plan for human-wildlife interactions in urban environments. Current projects include:

  1. Investigating the dynamics of habituation between people and wildlife.

  2. Exploring community perceptions of urban wildlife and their management.

  3. Evaluating the effectiveness of targeted messaging to shift behaviors related to trash management and maintaining safe distances from wildlife.

This work aims to support more mutually beneficial outcomes between people and wildlife in the places they increasingly share.

Policy, Management, and Collaborative Practice

While the LivWild Lab focuses on applied research, we are also deeply engaged in broader questions of wildlife policy, governance, and collaborative decision-making. We aim to advance scholarship and practice in ways that support both ecologically- and socially-just outcomes. Our work examines:

  1. How overarching policies such as the Endangered Species Act can support or hinder local conservation goals.

  2. The influence of specific policy or management decisions on public trust at local and state levels.

  3. The level and effectiveness of collaborative approaches in achieving socially and ecologically meaningful outcomes.

We are especially interested in how policy and engagement processes account for (or fail to account for) human well-being and equity. Our commitment to ecological stewardship is rooted in a parallel commitment to social acceptability and inclusive decision-making.

Human-Wolf Coexistence in Clayoquot Sound Region

In 2018, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (PRNPR) on Vancouver Island, Canada, launched the Wild About Wolves project to “further improve coexistence between people and wolves by raising visitor (and local) awareness of the species and the importance of sharing space.”

Ethan’s doctoral research, under the supervision of Dr. Doug Clark, focused on exploring the social and cultural dimensions of human-wolf interaction and management in the region. By working closely with Park staff, the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, local organizations, and community members, the project co-developed long-term strategies to support sustainable coexistence and conflict reduction.

Although the formal project concluded in 2024, the LivWild Lab, together with collaborators, is working to continue this research by evaluating the effectiveness of the strategies implemented and tracking progress toward the co-produced plan for coexistence.