Course Project Proposal DRAFT

Course Project Proposal

Wild Turkey Habitat Mapping

Nick Mancuso

Siena College

Loudonville, NY 12211

February 28, 2013

Introduction:

Wild Turkeys are an integral part of the forest ecosystems in upstate New York as well as across the northeastern United States.  While this North American native has adapted to many different habitats in the changing environment, they, like many other species, do have difficulty dealing with human development.  Wild turkeys prefer a diet of nuts and seeds, berries, and insects and when food becomes scarce or when their habitat changes, the birds are forced to further cope with human impact.

Although the wild turkey population is still plentiful, it would be logical to think that habitat destruction and alteration from human development takes its toll on the birds.  Open-space connectivity is very important to the wild turkey.  Roads, parking lots, railways, and other man-made infrastructure are notorious for cutting off migration routes or disrupting preferred turkey habitat.  The interruption of natural processes for these wild turkeys by a lack of open-space connectivity can alter mating and foraging habits and have detrimental impacts on local population numbers.

Why then has there been a recently observed increase in wild turkey population in the area?  It is important to have a base knowledge of the open-space connectivity, transportation corridors, and even natural wild turkey habitat, and to have this data mapped out so that we can properly manage the wild turkey population and make policy decisions that will not harm the birds.

Objectives:

This project will include the use of GIS to create a base for which human development can continue in the area without disrupting the wild turkey population.  The specific objectives include:

Primary:

Gather data

Map open-space

Map current human transportation corridors in the area

Secondary:

Map wild turkey population

Map potential wild turkey habitat

***Discovering overlap and making policy suggestions

Methodology:

Data will be collected concerning open-space in the study area and the polygons and lines of human transportation corridors will be mapped using ArcGIS.  Wild turkey habitat and population range in the area will also be considered and mapped using ArcGIS if time allows determining connectivity in the study area and its overall effect on the wild turkey population.  A series of drafts will be worked up and submitted to the agency and Dr. Jean Mangun of Siena College until a final product is constructed and delivered.

Data Sources:

Data will be provided by Dr. Jean Mangun and online sources...?

Open-space

Roads

Railways

Parking lots

Natural wild turkey habitat

Wild turkey population range

Overall connectivity

Work Plan:

3/4/13 meet with Dr. Mangun to discuss parameters

3/12/13 signed project contract

3/19/13 draft 1 submitted to client

4/2/13 draft 2 submitted to client

4/9/13 draft 3 submitted to client, progress presentation

4/16/13 draft 4 submitted to client

4/23/13 final draft 5 submitted to client