The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of cow age on grazing distribution relative to mountain riparian areas. In each of two years, sixty cow-calf pairs were stratified by age into the following treatments: 1) thirty first calf heifers (442 kg, body condition score (BCS)=4.5), and 2) thirty mature cows (5-7 years of age; 569 kg, BCS=5.0). From late July to early September, treatments were randomly assigned to four pastures with treatments reversed in Year 2. Analysis of hourly cattle locations observed during 4-d periods early (d 15 to d 18) and late (d 36 to d 39 in Year 1; d 29 to d 32 in Year 2) during the grazing bout revealed a three-way interaction between cow age, time of day, and grazing bout (P<0.01). In the morning hours of the early grazing bout, mature cows distributed farther from the stream (P<0.10), and occupied the riparian vegetation type less (P<0.10) than first calf heifers. No differences (P>0.10) in distribution occurred between age classes from 1300 h until dark. Similarly, during the late grazing bout, no differences were observed (P>0.10) between the distribution of the age classes. While no difference (P=0.20) occurred between age classes in total minutes spent grazing, first calf heifers foraged longer during the morning and evening bouts (P<0.10). The forage utilization pattern and the fecal deposits within 1-m of the stream were not different (P>0.10) between age classes. While mature cows tended (P=0.17) to have higher dry matter intake (DMI), first calf heifers consumed more feed per unit of body weight (BW) (P=0.08). Though first calf heifers tended (P=0.13) to gain more BW, no differences occurred between age classes in BCS change (P=0.69), or calf average daily gain (ADG) (P=0.34). In summary, mature cows distributed farther from water and spent more time outside the riparian vegetation zones during the morning hours early (d 15 to d 18) in the trial compared to first calf heifers. / Graduation date: 2003

In the fall and winter of 1999/2000, efforts by federal, state, and local agencies to restore salmon habitat by protecting land adjacent to rivers and streams drew intense responses citizens in the Pacific Northwest. Despite efforts to "involve" citizens in the development of riparian protection policies, many did not believe their knowledge or concerns were considered or addressed. The PLACE (People Learning About Community and Environment) mapping technique was developed and tested as a way to improve the quality of citizen participation by improving their ability to help define the situation to be addressed by policy. The PLACE mapping technique is guided by LINCS (Learning-oriented, Interactive, Non-competitive, Collaborative, Systemic inquiry) theory, which suggests that contentious situations will be improved by increasing learning among community members. Participants in PLACE mapping sessions explore and learn from the knowledge and experiences of community members to appropriately identify the situation and criteria that need to be addressed by policy. The PLACE mapping technique is shown to promote learning among participants, but limitations are revealed in the format of project that restricts learning to isolated groups by limiting interactions among diverse interests. / Graduation date: 2002

Current riparian management objectives in the Pacific Northwest promote both retention of existing conifers and conversion of hardwood-dominated areas to conifers. Although understanding of relationships between riparian vegetation and salmonid prey availability is growing, temporal variation in these relationships is poorly understood. Seasonal fluxes in availability of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrate prey for coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) were investigated by estimating invertebrate biomass from aquatic (benthos and drift) and allochthonous (terrestrial) sources in three watersheds in the Oregon Coast Range. To investigate the influence of vegetation type on food sources, samples were collected in each watershed from stream sections dominated by deciduous, conifer, and mixed vegetation. During each sample period, diet was assessed by examining gut contents of captured trout. Stream discharge appeared to be an influential factor regulating seasonal fluxes of aquatic invertebrate biomass in the benthos and drift. Total allochthonous invertebrate biomass at deciduous and mixed vegetation sites (64 and 61 mg·m⁻²·day⁻¹, respectively) was almost 30% higher than at coniferous sites (45 mg·m⁻²·day⁻¹). Although aquatic insects dominated the total gut contents during this study, prey from terrestrial origin was more common during summer and fall. These results suggest that systematic removal of deciduous vegetation in riparian zones to promote conifers may have unintended consequences on the food resources of coastal cutthroat trout and the productivity of aquatic food webs in the Pacific Northwest. / Graduation date: 2004