Iowa State University
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Staff

Wildlife Extension
339 Science II
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-3221

Phone: 515-294-6440
jpobrien@iastate.edu

Jason O'Brien

Degrees:

B.S. in Animal Ecology, with emphasis in Natural Resource Interpretation, Iowa State University, 1996
M.S. in Wildlife Biology, Iowa State University, 2000

I spent two years as a naturalist with the Des Moines YMCA Camp teaching residential environmental education. I then spent a summer as an Interpreter/Ranger at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Regue-Prairie Learning Center (NWR-PLC) before entering graduate school.

During graduate school, I was the ISU Extension Wildlife Assistant under Extension Wildlife Specialist Dr. Jim Pease. As Wildlife Assistant, I worked with Dr. Pease to create and coordinate the Iowa NatureMapping Program, which began in 1999 as a new Extension Wildlife Program. I also served on the steering committee of the Iowa Gap Analysis Program.

Currently I coordinate the Iowa NatureMapping Program, a statewide citizen-driven wildlife-monitoring program through Iowa State University Extension Wildlife Programs. NatureMapping is a citizen-based wildlife monitoring program designed to collect and map location and habitat data for Iowa's common wildlife (birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians). NatureMapping volunteers attend a one-day workshop and are trained in the "basics" of wildlife monitoring. Keeping track of wildlife numbers and locations, NatureMappers are assisting with much needed data collection, as key partners in the efforts of wildlife professionals who are responsible for establishing management plans for Iowa's game and non-game species. Hunters, hikers, canoeists, campers, bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts, and other outdoor sport and recreation-minded individuals can help map Iowa's wildlife as well as access the collected data through continuous updates at the NatureMapping website: www.extension.iastate.edu/naturemapping. NatureMapping can also be an important educational tool, enhancing or even informing classroom science curriculum. Since its inception, over 1000 people, representing schools, businesses, agencies, clubs, organizations, and other community groups have been trained. To date, tens of thousands of species reports, representing hundreds of Iowa species, have been entered into the Iowa NatureMapping database. Conservation-minded citizens have a wealth of knowledge about local wildlife populations, and can add their knowledge to NatureMapping efforts. Anybody interested in contributing to a statewide effort to map Iowa's fauna are encouraged to get involved with NatureMapping. Iowa NatureMapping: Finding All The Pieces To Keep Common Species Common.

I am a member of the Iowa Association of Naturalists (IAN), Iowa Conservation Education Council (ICEC) and National Association for Interpretation (NAI). I have served as co-chair for the Iowa Conservation Education Council and am currently deputy director for The National Association for Interpretation, Region V.

Research

My M.S. research involved evaluating the environmental education program at the Neal Smith NWR-PLC, by measuring changes in knowledge and attitudes of central Iowa 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes pre- and post-visit. Elementary classes visit the Prairie Learning Center to fulfill a field trip requirement or as an integral part of the classroom curriculum. The survey instrument was designed around the central themes of the PLC, found in exhibits or frontline interpretive programs, measuring knowledge in tallgrass prairie natural history, historic cultural events, and current and future practices the Refuge is using to reconstruct tallgrass prairie. Results showed a significant increase in knowledge post-visit. Attitudes were also measured against the same thematic elements. Again, overall attitudes toward the tallgrass prairie improved significantly, with certain key concepts showing greater changes than others. In particular, greater positive attitude changes occurred toward certain “non-charismatic” wildlife species, such as the striped skunk and pocket gopher. The “charismatic megafauna”, such as bison, elk and even badgers, showed less positive change even though these species in particular were emphasized more thematically than other species. This is perhaps because classes already had greater positive feelings toward these species prior to visiting the Refuge, thus allowing for little further improvement. Another area that showed marked change in attitudes was in the subject of “fire management”. Pre-visit results showed moderately negative feelings toward fire. Post-visit, these same attitudes were dramatically improved toward the positive end of the scale. Neal Smith NWR employs fire extensively in their management plan, and some students even had an opportunity to witness prescribed fire management in action at the refuge. Fire was also emphasized in 2 major parts of the PLC as well as in frontline interpretive programs led by interpretive rangers. These results are encouraging as other management agencies look to increase the use of fire as a management tool.

Publications

O’Brien, J.P. and J.L. Pease. (2004). The Effects of a National Wildlife Refuge’s EE Programs on Elementary School Classes’ Knowledge and Attitudes. Journal of Interpretation Research. pp. 27-45.

Grants

Principal Investigator, “Iowa NatureMapping: Enhancing Comprehensive Wildlife Management Through Internet GIS Mapping Technology”, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, $45,000, 2006.

Principal Investigator, “Roadside wildlife mortality; “NatureMapping Roadkill Survey”, Living Roadway Trust Fund, $15,000, 2005.

Co-Principal Investigator, “Iowa NatureMapping: Teacher In-service Training and Wildlife Sampling Equipment” Resource Enhancement and Protection – Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP), $16,220, 2003.

Co-Principal Investigator, “Iowa NatureMapping: A Citizen Science Program to Assist State Wildlife Agencies”, State Wildlife Grant Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service – Iowa DNR, $24,030, 2003.

Co-Principal Investigator, “Iowa NatureMapping: Statewide Wildlife Watching Traveling Workshops”, Resource Enhancement and Protection – Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP), $21,990, 2003.

Co-Principal Investigator, “Iowa NatureMapping: Expanding the program for continued success”, Iowa REAP-CEP, $33,156, 2002.

Co-Principal Investigator, “Using knowledge and attitudes to evaluate the environmental education program at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge-Prairie Learning Center”, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, $4,500, 1999.