National wildlife show to spotlight GVSU professor

A Grand Valley professor’s research with the Manistee National Forest marten population will be featured in an upcoming episode of the Emmy-nominated show “The Wildlife Docs,” hosted by Grand Rapids native Rachel Reenstra.

The program, featuring Paul Keenlance, assistant professor of natural resources management, will air Saturday, October 31, at 10:30 a.m. on local ABC affiliates, including WZZM 13 and WOTV4.

For the episode, the show’s crew traveled to northern Michigan to spotlight the American marten, a member of the weasel family. Together with the U.S. Forest Service, Detroit Zoo, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and Busch Gardens, Keenlance is currently examining survival and reproduction, habitat selection and the genetic health of the marten population in the Manistee National Forest.

“The population of martens in the lower peninsula has not expanded geographically or numerically as was expected when they were reintroduced in the mid-1980s,” Keenlance said. “We have documented that the population is inbred, but no one is really sure how close the population is to becoming extinct.”

Keenlance added that his team is developing management recommendations for the U.S. Forest Service based on the results of their research. “These recommendations will allow the U.S. Forest Service to more effectively manage habitats for martens and support a population that is viable for the long term,” he said.

Keenlance has also been assisted by three graduate and six undergraduate Grand Valley students throughout the course of his research project. Their involvement has ranged from conducting their masters thesis projects on marten ecology to volunteering to gain field experience.

For more information, contact Keenlance at (616) 331-8579 or [email protected].