Interactions of Elk and Residential Development: Planning, Design, and Attitudinal Considerations

Abstract

An expanding residential community and increased elk (Cervus elaphus) numbers in the Estes Valley, Colorado, are resulting in more frequent interactions between human and elk populations. The type and extent of those interactions are studied with emphasis on elk visitation to residential areas, resident attitudes towards the elk, and existing and potential problems and solutions. Through interviews and a questionnaire, it was found that elk are commonly seen close to most residences, except for houses within the very center of town. Residents generally value the presence of the elk, but a small number of people who have experienced landscape damage respond negatively. Planning, design, and educational policies which could be implemented to resolve existing and potential problems are presented and evaluated within the context of alternative management scenarios. This integrated approach is a model for management decision-making and for human/nature interaction studies.