WMGT 1300 – Wildlife Preserve Management 

In Spring 2027, students taking the course Wildlife Preserve Management will take part in a field-based visit to the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, one of the last remaining strongholds of the endangered Attwater’s prairie chicken. This experience connects directly to course concepts in wildlife conservation and preserve management by placing students in an active recovery landscape where both conventional and nonconventional management strategies are being used in real time. Students will observe habitat management practices such as prescribed burning, grazing regimes, and vegetation control that maintain the coastal prairie ecosystem, while also examining more intensive conservation techniques including captive breeding, release programs, and population monitoring. The visit highlights the complexity of managing a critically endangered species within a fragmented habitat and demonstrates how science, policy, and land management intersect. Through guided observation and discussion, students will evaluate how wildlife managers balance ecological function, species recovery, and human land use, reinforcing the broader goal of wildlife reserve management: applying scientific and local knowledge to sustain wildlife populations while addressing societal needs.