People

Current Research Associates

Ryan D. Meinerz 

Staff Research Associate II

rmeinerz@ucdavis.edu

Biography

I was born and raised in Wisconsin.  After graduating high school, I attended the University of Colorado-Boulder for three years before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to finish my B.A. with a double major in Conservation and Environmental Science and Classical Civilizations.  While attending UW-Milwaukee, I assisted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on a statewide small mammal survey by providing both trapping assistance and data on Southern Red-backed Voles. Additionally, while attending UW-Milwaukee, I spent a summer working with the Sierra Club in Yellowstone National Park discussing various wildlife managment issues with park visitors. While attending graduate school at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, I focused my work on Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management.  Specifically, work focused on how the presence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) impacted gun deer hunter effort in Wisconsin's CWD, Disease Management Zone (DEZ).  Also while attending Stevens Point, I participated in black bear studies in the Clam Lake area of Wisconsin as well as lead field trips for visitors to the Buena Vista Grasslands to witness mating rituals of greater prairie chickens.

Post graduation, I spent several years as an Ecologist/Wildlife Manager and leader of the Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) team at private airports and Air Force bases in both Texas and Florida focusing on human/wildlife conflicts.  I used a highly integrated approach at each site combining habitat modifications, aircraft flight schedule modification, and removal and harassment techniques.

Additional professional experiance includes working with endangered Snail Kites throughout the state of Florida.

While working as a Staff Research Associate through UC-Davis, research projects I have been involved with have focused on wildlife pest issues as they pertain to agriculture and natural areas with a special focus on integrated methods for controlling these pests. Past and current studies I have been involved with at Davis include:

Comparing the efficacy of a rodenticide using various dispersal methods.

Comparing the efficacy of gopher trapping devices

Determining the impact of various attractants on overall gopher trapping success

Education

B.A. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

M.S. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Specialty

Human Dimensions of Wildlife Managment

Aircraft/Avian Conflict