Non-consumptive Use of Wildlife

Non-consumptive Use• Any non-hunting or non-extractive use• Examples: wildlife feeding & photography,

bird watching, whale watching

Non-consumptive Use

Sources of information• Based on USFWS’s series of National Surveys of

Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation– One of the Nation's most important wildlife

recreation databases (since 1955)– Conducted by US Census Bureau every 5 years– Sample of 85,000 households– Funded by the 1937 Federal Aid in Wildlife

Restoration Act• http://federalasst.fws.gov/surveys/surveys.html

2006 Survey Highlights

• Over 87 million U.S. residents 16 years old and older fished, hunted, or wildlife watched– 29.9 million people fished– 12.5 million hunted– 71.1 million participated in at least

one type of wildlife-watching activity including observing, feeding, or photographing wildlife (non-incidental activity)

2006 Survey Highlights

• 31% of the U.S. population fed, observed, or photographed wildlife

• 13% increase from 1996 to 2006– 10% decrease in hunting– 15% decrease in fishing

• Expenditures for wildlife-watching equipment (binoculars, cameras, etc.) increased by 20% and for wildlife-watching trips by 40%

Wildlife Watching Participation Rates

Wildlife Watching Participation: Pacific Region

Wildlife Watching Trends

Around home Away from home

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+

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1996-2006

Wildlife watching expenditures

• Hunters and fishermen spent $75 billion

• Wildlife watchers spent $45 billion • Total = $120 billion, or 1% of US

gross domestic product

Trip-Related Expenditures• Food• Lodging• Transportation

– Cars, boats, pack animals

• Guides• Land use Fees• Equipment rental

Wildlife watching: equipment & expenses

Equipment• Binoculars, spotting scopes• Cameras• Backpacking equipment• Special clothing• Field guides & maps• Tents and camping equipment• BlindsNest boxes, bird houses, feeders, bathsOther Expenditures• Magazines, books• Land leasing and ownership• Membership dues and contributions

Wildlife watching: equipment &

expenses

Wildlife Watching & Photography

• Take a class

• Hire a guide

• Join a group

• No trespassing

• Don’t disturb natural behaviors – keep your distance

Wildlife Watching in WA

Principles of Birding Ethicsof the American Birding

Association• Promote the welfare of birds and their

environment– Protect habitats, stay on trails– Avoid incurring stress or danger

• Respect the law and the rights of others– No trespassing

• Ensure that feeders, nest structures, and other artificial bird environments are safe

• Group birding requires special care– Respect other recreationists

Feeding Wildlife

• "People" food is not formulated for animal consumption• When animals learn that humans can provide a cheap and easy food source, they often lose their natural fear of humans

Feeding Wildlife

• Feeding wildlife from vehicles– Traffic hazards– Costly property damage

• Animals dependent on human food sources – Gather in abnormally

large numbers– Spread disease

• Backyard wildlife feeding– keep feeders clean – keep cats indoors

Domestic cats . . .

• > 90 million pet cats in U.S.

• Free-roaming cats kill hundreds of millions small wildlife each year!

Why Landscape for Wildlife?

1.Watching wildlife can be fun and relaxing

2.Provide refuge for wildlife3.Restore habitats 4.Reduce the use of chemicals,

conserve energy and water, and compost to help improve air, water and soil quality

Food- Plant native forbs, shrubs, and trees provides foliage, nectar, pollen, berries, seeds, and nuts- Provide feeders (seeds, suet, nuts)

Landscaping for Wildlife

Landscaping for Wildlife

Water

• Natural features: ponds, lakes, rivers, springs, oceans, wetlands

• Human-made features: bird baths, puddling areas for butterflies, installed ponds, rain gardens

Landscaping for Wildlife

Cover• Sheltered places to hide

and take young to be safe from people, predators, and inclement weather

• Shrubs, thickets, brush piles, dead trees

Landscaping for Wildlife

Places to raise young• Nest boxes• Bat boxes• Dead trees

Landscaping for WildlifeSustainable gardening• Mulch• Reduce lawn area• Rain barrels• Remove invasive plants• Add native plants• Reduce or eliminate use of chemical

pesticides and fertilizers

• Compost• Shrubs, thickets, brush piles, dead trees

Top 10 native plants for feeding WA wildlife

• Douglas Fir• Oregon White Oak• Western Serviceberry• Hollyleaf Oregon-grape• Blue Elderberry• Salal• Salmonberry• Hooker’s Evening Primrose• Red Columbine• Beach Strawberry

Ecotourism

• Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people (The International Ecotourism Society)

EcotourismPrinciples• minimize impact • build environmental and cultural awareness and

respect • provide positive experiences for both visitors and

hosts • provide direct financial benefits for conservation • provide financial benefits and empowerment for

local people • raise sensitivity to host countries' political,

environmental, and social climate

Ecotourism

• Most of tourism expansion in and around world’s last remaining natural areas (UN Environment Programme and Conservation International)

• Rapid loss of unique ecosystems damages the livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest people and drives unique biodiversity to extinction - Tourism provides a unique and valuable tool to addressing these challenges (Conservation International)

Ecotourism• Tourists willing to pay more for responsible

ecotourism

• Ecotourists invest more in local economy

• Ecotourism is growing 10% / year

. . . Opportunity for good

Ecotourism

• Be a responsible consumer– Choose wisely – are the places you go eco-certified?

– How are fees allocated?

• Not a perfect system – lots of ways to have a break down– Ecotourism operations come in shades of gray

• Don’t actually invest fully in conservation or community

– Displacement of people

– Resource harvesting for subsistence• Illegal poaching

• Carbon collection

• Wood

Potential negative effects of wildlife watching

• Direct– Feeding patterns– social structure– communication

• Indirect– Species introductions, more roads/facilities,

increased predation, increased pollution

Implications of Wildlife Watching

• Supplements traditional funding for wildlife, which alone is inadequate

• Engages the public into conservation efforts

• May help or hinder wildlife populations, depending on activity