Professor of CE
Email: rabaldwin@ucdavis.edu
Office: 1069 Academic Surge
Lab: 1327 Academic Surge
Phone: (530) 752-4551
Personal Professional Website:
http://baldwin.ucdavis.edu
Research:
My research interests broadly apply to the realm of wildlife management with a particular focus on resolving human wildlife conflicts. Expanding human populations have led to increasing interaction with a variety of wildlife species including rodents, birds, and predators. In many situations, conflict occurs. Many options can exist for mitigating this conflict depending on each specific situation. It is my goal to develop strategies to effectively reduce this conflict while having the least impact on human and wildlife populations. Past and current research projects that relate to human-wildlife conflict resolution include developing an integrated pest management program for reducing California vole damage to artichokes, identifying effective strategies for managing pocket gophers in wine grapes and alfalfa, and developing a much needed monitoring and management program for black bears in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. I also have broader interests in other aspects of wildlife management. Examples of such past studies include population monitoring and habitat assessments of a variety of predator and ungulate species including American martens, black bears, raccoons, Virginia opossums, striped skunks, and elk.
Education and Experience:
- B.S. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS; 1995–2000 (Wildlife Biology with secondary major in Natural Resource and Environmental Science)
- M.S. The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN; 2000–2003 (Biology with an emphasis in Vertebrate Zoology)
- Ph.D. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM; 2003–2008 (Wildlife Science/Range Science)
- Assistant/Associate Cooperative Extension Advisor, University of California, Parlier, CA; 2008–2013 (Wildlife Pest Management)
- Assistant/Associate Cooperative Extension Specialist, University of California, Davis; 2013–Present (Human-Wildlife Conflict)
Current Projects:
- Assessing potential utility of barn owls for managing rodents.
- Relative use of feral horses, livestock, and wildlife at spring locations.
- Assessing the impact of three rodenticide application strategies on residual diphacinone levels in California ground squirrels
Future Projects:
- Estimating rangeland forage loss from California ground squirrels
- As assessment of secondary impacts of anticoagulant rodenticides on predators
- Development of best management practices to manage urban rats, protect public health, and reduce rodenticide use
Campus Memberships:
- Graduate Group in Ecology