USU-led Teens Shine at National Wildlife Competition

For the past five years, Utah State University Wildland Resources doctoral student Chris Peterson has painstakingly studied the impacts of humans feeding mule deer in northern Utah. She juggled research with classes and dissertation preparation, while taking care of family and community commitments. In the midst of it all, she found time to coach an award-winning team of teen wildlife enthusiasts.

July 25-28, Peterson accompanied the four-member team of Cache Valley youths to the 2007 National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program competition in Cedar City, Utah. The team garnered top honors.

 

“Sometimes you just have to take time to stop and smell the roses,” she says. “And this program is definitely a rose. I just get great satisfaction working with these kids.”

 

The Cache County team, which included brothers Brett Allen and Paul Allen of Cove, Utah; Travis Lisonbee of Smithfield, Utah; and Scott Thorne of Mendon, Utah; captured first place in the competition’s Rural Management Plan category. In individual competition Paul Allen placed second in the Wildlife Habitat Management Practices event, while teammate Lisonbee took fourth place in Wildlife Foods Identification. Thorne was named Runner-Up in the Leopold Education Program Essay Competition.

 

Overall, the team placed second in the competition, which drew 65 participants from about 20 states.

 

“This is a very difficult and hard-fought contest,” said Peterson. “To win second overall, and first place for the rural wildlife management plan, is a great accomplishment for these team members.”

 

Peterson has mentored youngsters ages 14-17 in the Cache County 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation program for nearly 15 years.

 

“I love the program and I love what it does for the kids,” she said. “It really teaches teamwork.”

 

Peterson meets regularly with team members in her home. The group studies a national WHEP curriculum that emphasizes wildlife ecology principles and wildlife management practices for varied geographic regions. Gatherings also include frequent forays into the outdoors.

 

“It’s best to get out into the field and see and do what you’re talking about,” Peterson said.

 

During the year, she enlisted help from other Aggies, including graduate student David Dahlgren, who taught the teens about sage grouse management, and grad student Josh Vest, who accompanied the youngsters on a field trip to the Bear River Bird Refuge to learn about waterfowl management.

 

“As a student, teaching teens gives me a practical application for my research,” Peterson said. “Learning about wildlife management really gets kids thinking about the big picture and taking a lot of different opinions and interests into consideration. Not many things do that for kids.”

 

Nicki Frey, research assistant professor with USU’s Department of Wildland Resources and USU Extension, serves on the WHEP national committee and coordinated the 2007 national event. Frey is national continuing education coordinator for the USU-led Berryman Institute for Wildlife Damage Management.

 

 

 

Contact: Chris Peterson [ccp@cc.usu.edu]