Research Projects
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.
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.
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. 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.