CAN WILDLIFE COEXIST WITH CANNABIS? CHARACTERIZING BIRD AND BAT COMMUNITIES ON AND NEAR LICENSED CANNABIS FARMS IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA | |||
Mac Wilson; Cal Poly Humboldt; mw379@humboldt.edu; Janelle Chojnacki, Alex Lewis, Jackee Riccio, Matt Johnson | |||
Cannabis is a novel agricultural commodity that is grown in biodiverse areas of the Pacific Northwest, with Humboldt County, California being a major epicenter of production. Despite being a highly regulated industry with many potential environmental impacts, there is a dearth of field research on the wildlife communities present on licensed cannabis farms. In this presentation, we discuss findings from two years of monitoring bird and bat communities on and near these farms, and the response of secondary cavity-nesting songbirds to the installation of artificial nest boxes in cultivation areas. From May to August of 2022 and 2023, we conducted point counts and deployed ultrasonic detectors on six farms, and in October 2022 four of the six farms received habitat enhancements including artificial bat roosts and songbird and owl nest boxes in a before-after control-impact experimental design. In 2023, point counts were expanded to areas surrounding these farms to compare these wildlife communities to areas that are representative of the landscape before conversion to cannabis production. Our findings indicate cannabis farms are associated with diverse bat communities, and that bird communities on and surrounding farms are often distinct in several important ecological aspects including species abundance and functional richness. | |||
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