Biodiversity monitoring across California
We conduct passive acoustic monitoring of >100 species via an ecosystem-scale effort that spans the entire Sierra Nevada (started in 2017, now entails 1,600 recorders across 25,000 km2) and a new program across the mountains of Southern California. These multifaceted efforts are a partnership with Dr. Zach Peery at UW-Madison, the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, state agencies, private industry, and Tribal communities.
Spotted Owl conservation
Spotted Owl conservation is a driving force behind much of what we do in the Sierra Nevada and Southern California. This includes monitoring population trends and responses to habitat change and supporting an unprecedented landscape-scale removal of an invasive competitor, the Barred Owl.
Managing at-risk species
Facilitating adaptive management of at-risk species through monitoring, restoration, and ecological research is a core element of our research group. Projects typically arise from collaborations with agency and industry partners. Current priority species include the Pinyon Jay, Yosemite toad, and Marbled Murrelet.
Wolf recolonization monitoring
As wolf populations recover in the western U.S. and elsewhere, the potential for conservation conflicts grows. We are using traditional passive acoustic surveys and real-time acoustic monitoring to study the spatiotemporal dynamics and demography of wolves, with the aim of improving the quality and efficiency of wolf management.
Kenyan rangeland restoration
Novel conservation finance mechanisms like “green bonds” have the potential to increase the pace and scale of ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation, but they require rigorous outcome assessments. I am working with several community-run conservancies in Kenya and the NGO Natural State to develop scalable biodiversity assessment tools.
Connor M. Wood 