Sharing the Same Slope: Can Canada Lynx and Winter Recreation Coexist?

Winter recreation is booming in Colorado, and the potential for disturbance to the secretive Canada lynx seems high. Canada lynx are very specific in their habitat needs due to their dependence on snowshoe hares, deep snow, and wet spruce or fir forests, all of which are in limited supply in Colorado. To understand whether lynx and recreationists can get along, we studied how Canada lynx react to winter recreation. We also looked at what type of habitat features lynx and recreationists use when moving through the same landscape. In this talk I’ll explain what we found and why we think lynx might be able to persist in Colorado with a little give and take from humans.

About Lucretia Olson

Lucretia Olson is an Ecologist with the Rocky Mountain Research Station, the research arm of the US Forest Service. Her work focuses on modeling the habitat needs and distribution of small forest carnivores, such as Canada lynx and fishers, as well as their response to disturbances such as fire, insects, or human activities. She loves that her job allows her to provide managers with the best possible science in order to make informed decisions to protect wildlife populations. Located in Missoula, Montana, she enjoys hiking, cross-country skiing, and feeding treats to her three chickens. Learn more.

Thursday, February 4 at 6:00pm MST via Zoom and Facebook. Free and open to the public, registration is required to receive virtual links. 

Naturalist Nights are brought to you through a partnership between Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), Wilderness Workshop, and Roaring Fork Audubon.