Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units—

A Model Partnership Program

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) program is a unique model of cooperative partnership among the USGS, other U.S. Department of the Interior and Federal agencies, universities, 

State fish and wildlife agencies, and the Wildlife Management Institute. These partnerships are maintained as one of the 

USGS’s strongest links to Federal and State land and natural resource management agencies.

Established in 1935 to meet the need for trained professionals in the growing field of wildlife management, the program 

currently consists of 40 Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units located on university campuses in 38 States and 

supports 119 research scientist positions when fully funded. The threefold mission of the CRU program is to (1) conduct 

scientific research for the management of fish, wildlife, and other natural resources; (2) provide technical assistance to 

natural resource managers in the application of scientific information to natural resource policy and management; and 

(3) train future natural resource professionals.

Meeting USGS Strategic Goals and 

Objectives

One of the three pillars of the CRU mission is to 

lead research that provides science solutions for the 

management needs of our State and Federal agency 

cooperators—research that informs decision making. 

The CRU program with its Federal, State, and university partners are proactively working together to 

conduct science at transboundary landscape levels to 

meet the needs of all stakeholders while building constructive, effective, geographically broad conservation 

programs that wouldn’t be possible at the individual 

State level. The geographic distribution of the Units 

and the collaborative structure within the program place 

the CRU program in a unique role of facilitating these 

broader syntheses, analyses, and conservation efforts 

that fit neatly into larger USGS strategic goals and 

objectives, as evidenced below. 

The breadth and scope of the CRU’s research portfolio and scientific capacity is best demonstrated through 

USGS Circular 1427 titled “U.S. Geological Survey 

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: 

2016 Research Abstracts,” which provides a summary 

of the objectives, findings, and applications of over 

560 research projects that were active during fiscal year 

(FY) 2016. 

The circular also highlights how CRU research 

efforts fulfill larger USGS strategic goals, specifically 

goals C and D of the Ecosystems Mission Area: “Science to Manage and Sustain Resources for Thriving 

Economies and Healthy Ecosystems” and “Accelerate 

Technological Innovation to Enhance Science-Based 

Decision Making.” A summary of CRU research activities within the framework of the proposed 2018–22 

USGS strategic goals and objectives is provided on the 

following pages. 

Canada lynx kitten. Photograph by Marvin 

Moriarty, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2017–3022

April 2017
Strategic Goal C. Science to Manage and Sustain Resources for Thriving Economies and Healthy Ecosystems

Strategic Objective 1: Increase Society’s Ability to Anticipate, Adapt and Mitigate the Effects of Climate and Land-Use Change 

In 2016, 18 Units were conducting 43 research projects in the Climate Science theme. 

Projects in this theme researched a broad range of taxa from caribou to crayfish to quail and 

included topics ranging from carbon sequestration to forecasting vegetation responses and predicting future water supply. For example, the following is an ongoing project from the Oregon 

Unit that appears in the Climate Science theme: 

Coastal areas have been identified as high-risk zones from the 

impact of global climate change. Significant increases in sea level 

have been forecasted by 2100, resulting in the loss of salt marshes 

and their component species. This project characterizes nearshore 

habitats across a coastal continuum in Oregon and Washington, 

determines vulnerability of nearshore habitats and their associated avian guilds from climate change, and determines whether 

projected site vulnerability varies with latitudinal gradient. This 

study will address the significance and priority goals established 

in “Rising to the Urgent Challenge” developed by the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to establish their strategic 

climate change plan to assist managers with the development of adaptation and planning strategies.

Strategic Objective 2: Understand, Model, and Predict Change in Natural Systems

In 2016, 54 projects across 23 Units were specifically focused on understanding, modeling, 

and predicting changes in natural systems across broad landscapes. For example, the New York 

Unit is actively conducting the following research:

In partnership with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, the New York Unit is developing an 

Integrated Land Stewardship Strategy for Existing and Newly Settled Native American Lands 

in the Northern Forest. Specifically this project (1) undertakes a comprehensive land-use study 

of existing lands and newly settled land claims of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in the northern 

forest based on social-ecological mapping of hotspots where geographical areas of human and 

ecological values overlap; (2) develops an innovative, comprehensive, and culturally relevant 

stewardship strategy; and (3) creates audio visual curriculum material on sustainable forest 

management and land stewardship for use in high school and undergraduate environmental 

science education. This project combines Native American ecological knowledge and scientific understanding to achieve sustainable forest management, addressing ecological, economic, and sociocultural needs. 

Strategic Objective 3: Conserve and Protect Wildlife and Fish Species and their Habitats

In 2016, 293 projects across 38 Units addressed ways to conserve and protect fish and 

wildlife species and their habitats, focusing on the following science themes: Endangered Species Conservation, Recovery, and Proactive Strategies (83 projects across 30 Units); Species 

of Greatest Conservation Need (60 projects across 31 Units); and Species Population, Habitat, 

and Harvest Management (149 projects across 33 Units). Within Strategic Objective 3, numerous Units have been leaders in research efforts targeted at understanding population drivers 

of species of greatest conservation concern and in some cases providing needed information 

prior to species listing decisions. For example, a project conducted by the Georgia Unit aims to 

provide population data and other information to facilitate conservation decisions for a number 

of at-risk species:

The USFWS Southeast Region is working actively with 

State wildlife agencies and other partners, through the 

Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to 

assess the status of more than 300 species awaiting reviews 

for listing decisions and to implement conservation for these 

species on public and private lands. The longleaf pine ecological system supports a number of priority at-risk species, 

including the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), striped 

newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), gopher frog (Rana capito), 

southern hog-nosed snake (Heterodon simus), and Florida pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus Barbour, 1921). Major science needs are to analyze and integrate new information from status 

surveys for this group of species and to identify those conservation actions to improve the status of 

these species. The research will deliver population information on these species to facilitate a future 

formal decision analysis in which tradeoffs in alternative conservation actions may be explored.

Figure 1. States with Cooperative 

Fish and Wildlife Research Units with 

2016 research projects focusing on the 

science theme of Climate Science.

Caribou image from the USFWS.

Figure 2. States with Cooperative 

Fish and Wildlife Research Units with 

2016 research projects focusing on the 

science theme of Landscape Ecology.

Figure 3. States with Cooperative 

Fish and Wildlife Research Units with 

2016 research projects focusing on 

the science themes focused on the 

conservation and protection of fish and 

wildlife: Endangered Species; Species 

of Greatest Conservation Need; and 

Species Population, Habitat, and Harvest 

Management.

Gopher tortoise image from the 

USFWS.
Strategic Objective 4: Reduce or Eliminate the Threat of Invasive Species and Wildlife Disease

In 2016, over one-half of all Units were involved in specific research addressing Strategic Objective 4, focusing on the following science themes: Invasive Species (24 projects across 13 Units) and 

Wildlife Health and Disease (36 projects across 21 Units). 

Unit scientists throughout the program are involved in 

evaluating the effects of invasive species and wildlife disease 

as potential limiting factors in conservation and restoration 

efforts. For example, the Idaho Unit is looking at the effects 

sylvatic plague may be having in preventing the recovery and 

delisting of a federally threatened species:

Sylvatic plague is a bacterial disease of wild rodents that 

is transmitted by fleas. This study is documenting whether 

sylvatic plague is reducing survival of the federally threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus 

brunneus). This project will complement an existing 10-year 

study to evaluate the effectiveness of habitat restoration treatments at increasing populations 

of the squirrel. Study results will help managers working to reduce a potential threat (plague) 

that might be preventing population increases and thereby preventing recovery and delisting. 

Strategic Objective 5: Critically Assess and Ensure Sustainable Use of Energy and Mineral Resources 

In 2016, 12 Units were conducting 30 research projects involving energy-related activities, including solar energy, wind energy, and gas and oil extraction. A diverse set of taxa was evaluated and 

included endangered or threatened raptors and other bird 

species, bats, ungulates, and a variety of aquatic species. In 

many cases, research emphasis was placed on determining 

the effect that energy projects had on the distribution and 

life-history traits of populations (at local and continental 

scales) to better inform decisions regarding siting and operation of energy projects, particularly to minimize potential 

negative effects of energy projects on their surroundings. 

For example, the following is a project summary from the 

New Mexico Unit: 

Predicting the risk that proposed wind energy developments might have on resident and migratory golden eagles 

(Aquila chrysaetos) in southeastern and south-central New Mexico is hampered by a lack of 

information. This research is addressing critical information needs by assessing habitat and 

space use of migratory and resident golden eagles in areas managed by the Bureau of Land 

Management; identifying nest sites and estimating productivity and survival of golden eagles; 

determining patterns of relatedness for resident and wintering golden eagles; and identifying the origin and migration patterns for 

golden eagles over-wintering in southeastern and south-central New Mexico. The information from this study will greatly strengthen 

the ability to predict potential risks and help develop effective mitigation strategies to reduce potential effects.

Strategic Goal D. Accelerate Technological Innovation to Enhance Science-Based Decision Making

CRU research in 2016 included 14 projects for development of Advanced Technologies at 13 Units 

and 27 projects for development and application of Decision Science tools at 14 Units. For example, the 

Oregon Unit is developing noninvasive methods to monitor burrow-nesting seabird populations:

Populations of surface-nesting seabirds can be monitored using 

aerial photography and visual counts; however, monitoring of 

burrow-nesting species is more challenging, especially on offshore 

islands that are difficult to access. This study plans to develop, 

test, and validate multiple new, efficient, and minimally invasive 

techniques to monitor populations of a representative burrownesting seabird, Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa). 

Researchers are using upward viewing remote cameras and acoustic recorders to generate abundance estimates. Through partnerships, these efforts may lead to the design and implementation of 

a comprehensive inventory and standardized census program for 

burrow- and crevice-nesting seabirds to obtain a more accurate 

estimate of populations, monitor population trends, and establish 

a long-term research program using seabirds as biological indicators of ocean conditions and effects of climate change.

Figure 4. States with Cooperative 

Fish and Wildlife Research Units with 

2016 research projects focusing on the 

science themes of Invasive Species and 

Wildlife Health and Disease.

Northern ground squirrel image from 

the USFWS.

Figure 5. States with Cooperative 

Fish and Wildlife Research Units with 

2016 research projects focusing on the 

science theme of Energy.

Golden eagle with GPS backpack.

Figure 6. States with Cooperative 

Fish and Wildlife Research Units with 

2016 research projects focusing on 

the science themes of Advanced 

Technologies and Decision Science.

Leach’s Storm Petrel from the 

Crossley ID Guide Britain and 

Ireland.

Licensed under Creative 

Commons Attribution-Share Alike 

3.0 Unported.
Education and Youth

In addition to Unit graduate students, university staff and 

undergraduate students benefit from real-world, experiential 

learning opportunities that result in attaining a valued professional skillset. All participants emerge from the program 

uniquely prepared to be effective members of the natural 

resource workforce. The success of the CRU program’s integrated educational approach is evident by the large number of 

CRU students who now hold important leadership positions in 

nearly every State and Federal conservation agency.

The CRU program has a unique opportunity within the USGS 

to recruit individuals from underrepresented segments of society 

into the fish and wildlife profession. The opportunity to actively 

participate in research field work often plays an important role 

in recruiting undergraduates from all ethnic groups to pursue 

graduate degrees in fish and wildlife programs. CRU reimbursable research funding annually supports a large number of university-based positions, including more than 600 graduate and 

postgraduate positions (M.S. and Ph.D. students and postdocs) 

and more than 300 university staff (administrative positions and 

lab and field technicians). Each year, 80 to 100 graduate students 

earn advanced (M.S. and Ph.D.) degrees and benefit through 

direct interactions with funding agency biologists and managers during the course of their research program. In addition, the 

CRU program continues to develop youth initiatives to create 

pathways for training, recruitment, and mentoring of underrepresented youth so that future fish and wildlife managers and 

scientists will be more representative of the public they serve. A

new initiative, started in FY 2017, is a pilot partnership program 

with the USFWS that allows underrepresented CRU graduate 

and undergraduate students to conduct research on National 

Wildlife Refuges. Students may participate in research projects 

designed to provide science-based management decisions that 

integrate multiple objectives typical of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System, such as landscape connectivity, fish and wildlife 

health, human uses, and wildlife population management.

Doris Duke scholars.

Economic Significance 

CRU research is, and always has been, very applied in nature, 

as it is typically targeted at harvested, at-risk, or commercially 

important species managed by the program’s State and Federal 

agency partners. The applied nature of CRU research fits within 

the USGS strategic goal of “Science to Manage and Sustain 

Resources for Thriving Economies and Healthy Ecosystems,” 

as annual expenditures in recent years associated with fish and 

wildlife resources exceeded $100 billion dollars annually in the 

38 States with Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units. 

For the 38 States with Cooperative Fish and Wildlife 

Research Units, the annual numbers of and expenditures by 

participants convey the substantial economic, social, and cultural 

significance of the fish and wildlife resources that the CRU program’s research helps to support and manage (U.S. Department 

of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, 2014):

$109.8 billion was expended by the participants

$41.4 billion was expended

by wildlife watchers

$68.4 billion was expended

by hunters and anglers

85.8 million citizens participated in hunting, 

fishing, or wildlife watching activities

$161.4 million total funding

$80.2 million in State funding

$81.2 million in Federal funding 

(includes $37.2 million reimbursable 

funding from USGS)

Research funding received over fiscal years 2011–2015.

Reference Cited

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

and U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, 

2014, 2011 national survey of fishing, hunting, and wildlifeassociated recreation: U.S. Department of the Interior, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of 

Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau report FHW/11–NAT (RV), 

161 p., accessed February 1, 2017, at https://www.census.gov/

prod/www/fishing.html.

By Donald E. Dennerline and Dawn E. Childs

For additional information, contact:

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program 

U.S. Geological Survey 

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive 

Reston, VA 20192 

http://www.coopunits.org/

ISSN 2327-6916 (print)

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20173022

Publishing support provided by:

Reston and Rolla Publishing Service Centers