Policy White Papers
Anchored at Adjust - Closing the Loop on Adaptive Management: Adaptive management (AM) and its derivatives have become the science-policy framework of choice for many major species recovery and ecosystem restoration efforts around the globe. The track record of AM is mixed at best with many programs anchoring at the last step in the AM cycle, failing to operationalize learning due to major disagreement over the meaning and reliability of program science for decision-making. This white paper presents four practices to depoliticize science and operationalize learning at the adjust stage of AM.
Refereed Scientific Publications
Keldsen, K.J. (2021). Efficacy of predator exclusion methods and ID of nest predators for interior lest terns and piping plovers at off-channel nesting sites along the central Platte River, Nebraska. [Masters Thesis, University of Nebraska at Kearney].
Farrell, P.D. and D.M. Baasch. (2020). Reducing Effort When Monitoring Shorebird Productivity. Waterbirds.
Smith, C. B. (2020). A conceptual model evaluation framework for adaptive governance and adaptive management in large-scale restoration programs. (Order No. 28260789). [Doctoral dissertation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln].
Pearse, A.T., K.L. Metzger, D.A. Brandt, M.T. Bidwell, M.J. Harner, D.M. Baasch, and W. Harrell. (2020). Heterogeneity in migration strategies of Whooping Cranes. The Condor.
Baasch, D.M., Farrell, P.D., A.T. Pearse, D. A. Brandt, A.J. Caven, M.J. Harner, G.D. Wright, and K.L. Metzger. (2019). Diurnal habitat selection of migrating Whooping Crane in the Great Plains. Avian Conservation and Ecology.
Baasch, D.M., P.D. Farrell, S. Howlin, A.T. Pearse, J.M. Farnsworth and C.B. Smith. (2019). Whooping crane use of riverine stopover sites. PLoS ONE.
Baasch, D. M., Farrell, P. D., Caven, A. J., King, K. C., Farnsworth, J. M., & Smith, C. B. (2019). Sandhill Crane use of riverine roost sites along the central Platte River in Nebraska, USA. Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, P.D. Farrell, C.B. Smith, and K.L. Werbylo. (2018) Investigating whooping crane habitat in relation to hydrology, channel morphology and a water-centric management strategy on the central Platte River, Nebraska. Heliyon.
Baasch, D.M., P.D. Farrell, A.J. Caven, K.C. King, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith. (2018) Sandhill crane use of riverine stopover sites along the central Platte River in Nebraska, USA. Western North American Naturalist.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, and P.D. Farrell. (2018). Integrating species-centric and geomorphic-centric views of interior least tern and piping plover habitat selection. Heliyon.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, C.B. Smith, and K.L. Werbylo. (2018). Reproductive ecology of interior least tern and piping plover in relation to Platte river hydrology and sandbar dynamics: Response to the letter to the editor. Ecology and Evolution.
Farrell, P. D., D. M. Baasch, J. M. Farnsworth, and C. B. Smith. 2018. Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover nest and brood survival at managed, off-channel sites along the central Platte River, Nebraska, USA 2001-2015. Avian Conservation and Ecology 13(1):1.
Baasch, D.M, P.D. Farrell, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith. (2017). Nest-site selection by Interior Least Terns and Piping Plovers at managed, off-channel sites along the Central Platte River in Nebraska, USA. Journal of Field Ornithology.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, C.B. Smith, and K.L. Werbylo. (2017). Reproductive ecology of interior least tern and piping plover in relation to Platte River hydrology and sandbar dynamics. Ecology and Evolution.
Baasch, D.M., P.D. Farrell, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith. (2017). Interior least tern productivity in relation to flow in the central Platte River valley. Great Plains Research 27:35-42.
Smith, C.B., Farnsworth, J.M., Baasch, D.M., Kenny, J.F. 2016. Adaptive Management and Governance Lessons from a Semiarid River Basin: A Platte River Case Study. In: Miller, K.A., Hamlet, A.F., Kenney, D.S., Redmond, K.T. (eds.), Water Policy and Planning in a Variable and Changing Climate: Insights from the Western United States, CRC Press.
Pearse, A.T., M.J. Harner, D.M. Baasch, G.D. Wright, A.J. Caven, and K.L. Metzger. 2016. Evaluation of nocturnal roost and diurnal sites used by whooping cranes in the Great Plains, United States. Open File Report 2016–1209.
Werbylo, K.L., J.M. Farnsworth, D.M. Baasch, and P.D. Farrell. 2016. Investigating the accuracy of estimated unvegetated channel widths in a braided river system: a Platte River case study. Geomorphology. 278:163–178.
Farnsworth, J.M., Kenny, J.F., & Smith, C.B. 2015. Comment on “Progressive abandonment and planform changes of the central Platte River in Nebraska, central USA, over historical timeframes”. Geomorphology.
Pearse, A.T., D.A. Brandt, W.C. Harrell, K.L. Metzger, D.M. Baasch, and Hefley, T.J., 2015, Whooping crane stopover site use intensity within the Great Plains: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015–1166, 12 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151166.
Baasch, D.M., T.J. Hefley, and S.D. Cahis. 2015. A comparison of breeding population estimators using nest and brood monitoring data. Ecology and Evolution 4197:4209. doi: 10.1002/ece3.1680
Hefley, T.J., D.M. Baasch, A.J. Tyre and E.E. Blankenship. 2015. Use of opportunistic sightings and expert knowledge to predict and compare Whooping Crane stopover habitat. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12515
Hefley, T.J., D.M. Baasch, A.J. Tyre, and E.E. Blankenship. 2014. Correction of location errors for species distribution models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5:207-214.
Hefley, T.J., A.J. Tyre, D.M. Baasch and E.E. Blankenship. 2013. Non-detection sampling bias in marked presence-only data. Ecology and Evolution. 3:5225-5236.
Smith, C.B. 2011. Adaptive management on the central Platte River – science, engineering, and decision analysis to assist in the recovery of four species. Journal of Environmental Management 92, 1414-1419.
Smith, C.B. 2009. Active adaptive management on the Platte River. Water Resources IMPACT, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 11(3): 8-10.
Farrell, P.D. and D.M. Baasch. (2020). Reducing Effort When Monitoring Shorebird Productivity. Waterbirds.
Smith, C. B. (2020). A conceptual model evaluation framework for adaptive governance and adaptive management in large-scale restoration programs. (Order No. 28260789). [Doctoral dissertation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln].
Pearse, A.T., K.L. Metzger, D.A. Brandt, M.T. Bidwell, M.J. Harner, D.M. Baasch, and W. Harrell. (2020). Heterogeneity in migration strategies of Whooping Cranes. The Condor.
Baasch, D.M., Farrell, P.D., A.T. Pearse, D. A. Brandt, A.J. Caven, M.J. Harner, G.D. Wright, and K.L. Metzger. (2019). Diurnal habitat selection of migrating Whooping Crane in the Great Plains. Avian Conservation and Ecology.
Baasch, D.M., P.D. Farrell, S. Howlin, A.T. Pearse, J.M. Farnsworth and C.B. Smith. (2019). Whooping crane use of riverine stopover sites. PLoS ONE.
Baasch, D. M., Farrell, P. D., Caven, A. J., King, K. C., Farnsworth, J. M., & Smith, C. B. (2019). Sandhill Crane use of riverine roost sites along the central Platte River in Nebraska, USA. Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, P.D. Farrell, C.B. Smith, and K.L. Werbylo. (2018) Investigating whooping crane habitat in relation to hydrology, channel morphology and a water-centric management strategy on the central Platte River, Nebraska. Heliyon.
Baasch, D.M., P.D. Farrell, A.J. Caven, K.C. King, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith. (2018) Sandhill crane use of riverine stopover sites along the central Platte River in Nebraska, USA. Western North American Naturalist.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, and P.D. Farrell. (2018). Integrating species-centric and geomorphic-centric views of interior least tern and piping plover habitat selection. Heliyon.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, C.B. Smith, and K.L. Werbylo. (2018). Reproductive ecology of interior least tern and piping plover in relation to Platte river hydrology and sandbar dynamics: Response to the letter to the editor. Ecology and Evolution.
Farrell, P. D., D. M. Baasch, J. M. Farnsworth, and C. B. Smith. 2018. Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover nest and brood survival at managed, off-channel sites along the central Platte River, Nebraska, USA 2001-2015. Avian Conservation and Ecology 13(1):1.
Baasch, D.M, P.D. Farrell, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith. (2017). Nest-site selection by Interior Least Terns and Piping Plovers at managed, off-channel sites along the Central Platte River in Nebraska, USA. Journal of Field Ornithology.
Farnsworth, J.M., D.M. Baasch, C.B. Smith, and K.L. Werbylo. (2017). Reproductive ecology of interior least tern and piping plover in relation to Platte River hydrology and sandbar dynamics. Ecology and Evolution.
Baasch, D.M., P.D. Farrell, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith. (2017). Interior least tern productivity in relation to flow in the central Platte River valley. Great Plains Research 27:35-42.
Smith, C.B., Farnsworth, J.M., Baasch, D.M., Kenny, J.F. 2016. Adaptive Management and Governance Lessons from a Semiarid River Basin: A Platte River Case Study. In: Miller, K.A., Hamlet, A.F., Kenney, D.S., Redmond, K.T. (eds.), Water Policy and Planning in a Variable and Changing Climate: Insights from the Western United States, CRC Press.
Pearse, A.T., M.J. Harner, D.M. Baasch, G.D. Wright, A.J. Caven, and K.L. Metzger. 2016. Evaluation of nocturnal roost and diurnal sites used by whooping cranes in the Great Plains, United States. Open File Report 2016–1209.
Werbylo, K.L., J.M. Farnsworth, D.M. Baasch, and P.D. Farrell. 2016. Investigating the accuracy of estimated unvegetated channel widths in a braided river system: a Platte River case study. Geomorphology. 278:163–178.
Farnsworth, J.M., Kenny, J.F., & Smith, C.B. 2015. Comment on “Progressive abandonment and planform changes of the central Platte River in Nebraska, central USA, over historical timeframes”. Geomorphology.
Pearse, A.T., D.A. Brandt, W.C. Harrell, K.L. Metzger, D.M. Baasch, and Hefley, T.J., 2015, Whooping crane stopover site use intensity within the Great Plains: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015–1166, 12 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151166.
Baasch, D.M., T.J. Hefley, and S.D. Cahis. 2015. A comparison of breeding population estimators using nest and brood monitoring data. Ecology and Evolution 4197:4209. doi: 10.1002/ece3.1680
Hefley, T.J., D.M. Baasch, A.J. Tyre and E.E. Blankenship. 2015. Use of opportunistic sightings and expert knowledge to predict and compare Whooping Crane stopover habitat. Conservation Biology. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12515
Hefley, T.J., D.M. Baasch, A.J. Tyre, and E.E. Blankenship. 2014. Correction of location errors for species distribution models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5:207-214.
Hefley, T.J., A.J. Tyre, D.M. Baasch and E.E. Blankenship. 2013. Non-detection sampling bias in marked presence-only data. Ecology and Evolution. 3:5225-5236.
Smith, C.B. 2011. Adaptive management on the central Platte River – science, engineering, and decision analysis to assist in the recovery of four species. Journal of Environmental Management 92, 1414-1419.
Smith, C.B. 2009. Active adaptive management on the Platte River. Water Resources IMPACT, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 11(3): 8-10.
Peer Reviewed Synthesis Reports
Executive Director's Office. 2017. Whooping Crane Habitat Synthesis Chapters. Prepared for the Governance Committee of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program.
Executive Director's Office. 2015. Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Habitat Synthesis Chapters. Prepared for the Governance Committee of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program.
Executive Director's Office. 2015. Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Habitat Synthesis Chapters. Prepared for the Governance Committee of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program.
Platte River Recovery Implementation Program
Adaptive Management Reports
PRRIP 2019 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2015 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2014 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2013 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2012 State of the Platte Report Technical Details
PRRIP 2012 State of the Platte Report Executive Summary
PRRIP 2015 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2014 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2013 State of the Platte Report
PRRIP 2012 State of the Platte Report Technical Details
PRRIP 2012 State of the Platte Report Executive Summary