National Park Service Grant: Studying Tour Boat Impacts on Terrestrial Wildlife in Glacier Bay

OVERVIEW

In Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, shore excursions from tour vessels have increased substantially but no studies have been conducted to quantify the effects of increased shore excursions on terrestrial wildlife in Glacier Bay. This project will use non-invasive methods to quantify species occupancy and activity levels to compare between sites used for shore excursions versus those that are not and between days when human use occurs versus days in which no human use occurs at the same site.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Develop protocols to quantitatively assess occupancy and activity levels of selected mammal and nesting bird species on shoreline segments of Glacier Bay using non-invasive sampling and determine if there are spatial and temporal differences in occupancy and activity levels of selected mammal and ground-nesting bird species between: different yet comparable study sites where no tour boast shore excursions occur (control) and where tour boat shore excursions occur (treatment); and the same study site on days when no human use occurs (control) and days when human use occurs (treatment).

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT
Recipient will develop study plan, conduct field research, analyze data, and publish results in a graduate thesis and/or peer reviewed publication.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
The National Park Service will provide financial assistance, participate in project development and planning, assist with field logistics, and review final products.