ABSTRACT
An abstract of the thesis of Laura Briana Nobel for the Master of Science in Leadership in Ecology, Culture and Learning program of Educational Policy, Foundations and Administration Department in the School of Education presented May 6, 2005.
Title: The Nature of People's Perceptions of Wolves
Once regarded as the "devil in disguise" (Lopez, 1978:140) by European immigrants to the New World, the way we see wolves has broadened as we include knowledge of these animals learned from other cultures and from our own growing scientific body of knowledge. Culturally, our perceptions of wolves have become more complicated and nuanced as our collective awareness of the environment in which we live also gathers complexity. I examine these things in this study which follows on the heels of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's efforts to develop a wolf management plan for the state in 2004. Wolves are returning to Oregon. Since the arrival of wolf B-45 in Oregon, more wolves are expected to cross the border as young sub-adults disperse from Idaho as their population grows from the federal reintroduction effort begun in 1996-7.
This study explores our perceptions of wolves through an empirical, qualitative study. Running in parallel with this main goal, I sought to understand also how these perceptions relate on a larger scale to the ways we understand nature. In exploring these questions qualitatively, I sought to answer the following questions: 1) What ways can story play a role in defining people's perceptions? 2) What lessons can be learned to inform future ecological educators' work to communicate on this or other similarly complex topics? 3) What is the collective story that we can tell each other on the eve before wolves' presence in the Oregon landscape becomes an acknowledged reality once again? 4) Finally, how can what was learned inform future ecological educational programs regarding wolves in the state?
This study explores the above questions. In considering people's perceptions, I attempted to examine whether the desires to exterminate wolves are really gone or if they may lie just below the surface, in an untapped region of our brains. Perhaps, as we learn more about the complex way that wolves interact in the landscape and the various ways that humans react to the idea of them, there now grows a greater complexity in the way we as a whole must inter-relate with them.
THE NATURE OF PEOPLE'S PERCEPTIONS OF WOLVES
by
LAURA BRIANA NOBEL
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ART
in
EDUCATIONAL POLICY, FOUNDATIONS, and ADMINISTRATION
DEDICATION
Despite the fact that I myself was the one who physically embarked upon this journey, it was made possible by many amazing individuals only some of whom I am able to acknowledge on the next page, all of whom supported me in crucial moments with their kindness, energy, persistent good will, humor, and excellent patience. This work I dedicate in honor of these people, and most especially with the interview participants themselves, for all the time, good will, laughter, shared stories and insights, without which the possibility to make many connections would never have occurred. I hope only that I have done justice to words shared between us well enough to pass on the depth of my learning from each of you to others in a new, yet still recognizable form.
Additionally I would like to dedicate this to all members of my ecological communities, for all the innumerable ways we teach each other, whether we like it or not, about the dance. For those who participate daily in the giveaway, it is my hope that we may learn to give something reciprocally in return.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To my parents and grandparents whom gave me this life, brought me into this world and have had continued faith in my journey
Rachel Leah who called me at all hours and reminded me of the beauty that can be found in death, in life, in moments like that
Zachariah for when we saw the sun rise together and seal stories
Gaston for his patience, good humor, raincoat and kisses through this process, also for the drive across the country to get me there on time
Kristin for reading and discussing the threads in the outline
Many Friends' support (Ariana, Rebekah, Jay, Allegra, June, Britta, etc!)
Tim and Brian who by the grace of God shared their family with me and Tim again for all the help packing and loading of boxes
all the members of the Wolf Advisory Committee and its supporting staff who put in hours of their time to create the "Wolf Management Plan" of good worth that it may speak to the greater whole for years to come
Charlie for the jump-start
Craig for making me feel welcome
Ramin and Christine for their support by asking excellent questions
Mary for her vivacity and crackling laughter over the phone
Gayatri for tending to my soul's care and nourishment
Judy for a walk in the garden
Ann for stories of bluebird boxes
Clare for the gift of a wolf book she found, also for faith and patience
Jason for hearing me out at Common Grounds
the man in Wyoming who gave me insight while on the 70 mile tow
Max and Thomas for the dinner and also for the Two Wolves story
the LECL crew, new and old, also most especially Dilafruz and Pramod
my Thesis Committee: Rolla, Lisa and Mitch for your critique questions
Lola for her unsolicited and utterly valuable advice
Ameer for laughter and gaining perspective in midst of packing
Tony and Jamie for calling me on my birthday and blueberry pancakes
Steve, Amanda, Liliane, Sunshine, Jennifer and their new babies for thoughts towards the next generation, Bob and my grandparents for thoughts of the previous ones
Sean for the wonder full visit and helping start a fire at sunset
Milt for the space, quiet and outlook of a new yet old dynamic process
Us Eatons for dinners, lunches and conversations in October
Susan for the time she gave in discussion of wolves and of story before going on to tell them herself
Garth and Chad and the people of PPG who give me hope for the future in fashioning new ways to work with the land
Harvey for his endless patience, love, for calling me to come outside in the moonlight, teaching me to listen in a different language
the cats whose purrs kept rhythm on my lap in the dawning hours
All the other four-legged, winged or scaled ones who taught me much
Plants I Have Known: for the air I breathe, and for the lessons - that things take time to grow; we all harbor a resiliency within ourselves
and to
My Interview Participants who for logistical, bureaucratic[1] reasons must go un-named, yet in my heart I long to give you that honor, for your time, good will, laughter, shared stories and insights. - Thank You
A. Seeds: Starting Points
B. On Nature
C. Language and Relevancy to the Larger World
D. Tuning the Instrument, Origins of the Researcher
IX. Ch. 3 Methodology ….………………………………………………….1
A. Qualitative Research
B. Participants
C. Questions
D. Interviews
E. Strategies to Gather Data
F. Strategies to Analyze Data
G. Strategies to Synthesize and Interpret Data
H. Framing The Study
X. Ch. 4 The Journey: Crossing The Terrain (Autoethnography II)..1
A. Setting Out, November 20, 2003
B. WAC Meetings Attended in 2004
C. Land of the Unknown
D. The Columbia Plateau
E. Into The Blue Mountains and Out Again
F. Interview Journey
XII. Ch. 5 Ideas of Ecosystems and Ecology……..1
A. Definition of An Ecosystem
B. Ecology in the Literature
XIII. Ch. 6 Seeing Wolves: Perceptions…………………….…………………….1
A. The Basics: What People Knew
B. Ambiguities & Discrepancies
C. A Discussion of Perception Data & Literature
XIV. Ch. 7 Towards Future Directions ………………..1
A. Other Perspectives/Hearing the Questions
B. Potential Aspects for Educators
1. In Oregon
2. Anywhere
C. Considering Change in the System
XV. Ch. 8 Synthesis - Considering Change In the System
A. An Ecological Viewpoint Reconsidered
B. Economics
C. Adaptive Management
D. Streams of Thought
XIX. List of References……………………………………………………………1
XX. Appendices………………………………………………………………………1
A. Definition of Terms…..……………………………………1
B. Question Guide
LIST OF TABLES
7.2 Wolf Advisory Committee Meetings Attended in 2004……………iii
7.1 Interview Journey…………………………….i
11.1 Education Dispersal, Reproduction (Salient Points, Audience)
LIST OF FIGURES
Wolves, Humans…………………………….i
Wolves, Perceive, Humans, Perceive…………………………….i
The Encounter, This is the WHY…………………………….i
Ecosystem Decision Tree…….
People Think About Wolves II (Positionality)
People Think About Wolves III (Axial Relations)
Wolf Perception: From The Wolf Eyes
Why Revisited
Questions For The Future (Sheep Sketch)
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
1) ODFW: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
2) WAC: Wolf Advisory Committee
3) OWMP: Oregon Wolf Management Plan
4) USFWS: United States Fish and Wildlife Services
5) Ag land: land used for agricultural purposes
6) USFS: United States Forest Service
7) NP: National Park
8) ESA: Endangered Species Act
9) USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
10) ADC: Animal Damage Control
11) APHIS: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
12) "The Little Elephants": Our 4 young male neighbors that tromp across their floor, our ceiling, mostly at night, with distinct loud thuds.
13) I1F: 1st interview participant, name initial "F."
14) I2K: 2nd interview participant, name initial "K."
15) I3J: 3rd interview participant, name initial "J."
16) I4S: 4th interview participant, name initial "S."
17) I5M: 5th interview participant, name initial "M."
18) I6Y: 6th interview participant, name initial "Y."
20) I7DF:7th interview participant, female, name initial "D."
21) I7DM:7th interview participant, male, name initial "D."
22) I8C: 8th interview participant, name initial "C."
23) I9GF:9th interview participant, female, name initial "G."
24) I9RM:9th interview participant, male, name initial "R."
25) I10VF:10th interview participant, female, name initial "V."
26) I10NM:10th interview participant, male, name initial "N."
27) I11R: 11th interview participant, name initial "R."
28) I12I: 12th interview participant, name initial "I."
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PROLOGUE
In the beginning it is about the story. The story guides us. It stands on four legs outside the light cast by the shadow at the center of the circle where the fire burns crackling and hot. Barking "Attention!" not much but just enough the story asks to come in. The story asks for us to listen. Reaching deep within us the eyes that stare back at us are wild and unpredictable. They weave a thread of connection from lines we did not know we shared. They pull at our gut and we feel our stomach lurch and our heart leap up, padding along behind singing softly "But that is not what I meant…" but the words have meaning and grow feathers, wings that fly far beyond our wildest dreams. They fly to lands unknown and ears that cock their heads to listen, tune to the cadence in a different sort of way than we would ever imagine. Always the story is running along the paths from here to there, pacing, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden from sight by bushes, trees or shadows. It feeds on the soft meals when people's stomachs lurch in recognition guiding their hearts like a rudder on a massive ship that must turn the course and open the eyes of the humans "above" to see that this, this what is said, this story, these words offered, now for you to digest, they hold truth trapped in the bonds of what makes food sustenance, a life-giving force. Something to chew on, we contemplate now our actions, our perceptions. Will we give back when next we feel our stomach lurch? The story watches us know, now, it wonders. Will we give back gifts ourselves in reciprocity? Hungry, the story wonders if it will feed this night. Hidden it wonders how much crackling splendor it needs to throw off its coat to dazzle the eyes while integral the words jump like jewels given as gifts weaving the many-colored threads of connection that they take from our hands, threads that reach deep inside of us pulling at our gut, calling forth memories of another time, space or landscape. The heart feels the pull of shuttle in the weave between warp and weft. And when the story weaving begins, each of us singing softly stops to listen. Slowly, instead of singing lonely, softly our tune changes, our ears tuning and now we hear a humming collected in the rhythm of the story. Padding on four legs just outside the circle from the fire, barking not much but just enough; the story asks to come in. The story asks for us to listen.
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WOLF TRAVELING, CROSSING BORDERS
~~~<*>~~~
February 18, 1999: An endangered gray wolf spent Valentine's Day coursing across snow-capped mountains in northeast Oregon and looking for love in all the wrong places. State and federal biologists say B-45, a yearling female, appears to have crossed the Snake River from Idaho and made her way more than 100 miles into the headwaters of the John Day River, apparently in search of a mate. "She presents a somewhat odd situation for us, because Oregon is not part of the wolf recovery effort," said Mark Henjum, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in La Grande. (Monroe 1999:D8)