Matt Johnson, Professor of Wildlife Habitat Ecology in the Department of Wildlife at Cal Poly Humboldt, and his students study how animals interact with their habitats, with a particular focus on wildlife in agricultural areas. Matt's lab seeks to investigate how farming and wildlife can not only coexist, but mutually benefit each other. One such win-win scenario involves farming practices that attract wildlife that might help control pests. These practices range from conserving uncultivated habitats such as native trees, forests, and riparian habitats important for songbirds that may help control insect pests, to the use of wooden nesting boxes for rodent-eating barn owls and other raptors. Matt is also passionate about diversifying the scientific workforce, and donations to Matt's lab help fund tuition and stipends for a diverse team of graduate and undergraduate students to get hands-on experience with applied research aimed at incorporating the needs of wildlife and people in working landscapes.
Follow the Cal Poly Humboldt Barn Owls project on Facebook or Instagram and watch this video on YouTube.
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