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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until August 24, 2025

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U.S. Military Land Management and Endangered Species Conservation

Rabung, Emily A
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7582-8801
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595240047775966

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Despite a reputation for destruction, militaries across the world host many endangered and rare species on lands used for soldier training. In the United States, Department of Defense lands have a considerably higher density of threatened and endangered species than the other federal land management agencies. The study presented here was designed to explore the relationship between the U.S. military and the endangered species it hosts by considering potential alignment between military training and species conservation goals as expressed through land management practices. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with environmental and training land management personnel at six Army and National Guard installations in the U.S. In the interviews, both wildlife managers (charged with managing for threatened and endangered species among other wildlife species) and training land managers (charged with managing the land for the purpose of military training) described many projects that contributed to both endangered species and training goals. Despite prioritizing training goals, management practices such as prescribed fire, vegetation thinning, native plantings, rotating locations where training occurs, and erosion control not only contributed to maintaining an effective training environment but also aligned with efforts to develop and maintain wildlife habitat. These findings provide evidence of the conservation potential of military lands at least in cases where species needs align well with military training objectives. The alignment between military and conservation goals is tied to underlying beliefs of the land managers about conditions that make up the ideal training landscape. To managers, creation of realistic training conditions often meant an emphasis on providing “natural” areas that were free of man-made influences but with variable and difficult conditions that are also similar to the ecosystems represented in war areas. Management practices implemented to bring about this ideal landscape contribute to achieving conservation objectives and promoting endangered species.
Eric Toman, PhD (Advisor)
Kerry Ard, PhD (Committee Member)
Jeremy Bruskotter, PhD (Committee Member)
79 p.
Military Studies; Natural Resource Management; Wildlife Conservation
Department of Defense; Military Land; Land Management; Military Training Landscape; Militarized Landscapes; Endangered Species; Biodiversity Conservation;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rabung, E. A. (2020). U.S. Military Land Management and Endangered Species Conservation [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595240047775966

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rabung, Emily. U.S. Military Land Management and Endangered Species Conservation. 2020. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595240047775966.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rabung, Emily. "U.S. Military Land Management and Endangered Species Conservation." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595240047775966

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1595240047775966
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.