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Stacy A. McNulty
Research Associate

Adirondack Ecological Center
SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
6312 State Route 28N
Newcomb, NY 12852

(518) 582-4551 ext. 102 -office
(518) 582-2181 - fax
smcnulty@esf.edu

Teaching

Courses Taught at Adirondack Ecological Center

EFB 498 Issues in Global Conservation Research Problems in Environmental and Forest Biology (1-3 credits) Undergraduates in Biology or other natural resource fields conduct an independent research project. Students collect new or use existing data, organize and analyze the information, write a report, and present the information via a web site, poster, presentation, or other means. Project topics, duration and credit hours depend on a variety of factors and typically last 8-12 weeks during summer but can be arranged during the school year.

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Research Interests and Educational Philosophy

My research interests are based in northeastern temperate ecosystems, specifically on the Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. My research focus includes the disciplines of forest ecology, landscape ecology, and the study of impacts of human land use on wildlife habitat. I am fascinated by the complex relationship between public and private land management in the Adirondack Park and the crossroads between science and policy. I believe that research is highly effective when coupled with an applied component and powerful tools such as a Geographic Information System. GIS provides a framework within which investigations of ecological integrity and wildlife-human interactions can be conducted at multiple scales. In combination with field explorations and ground-based data collection, GIS is useful for exploring conservation of biodiversity and impacts of recreation, development, and forest management in the Northern Forest.

I am an advocate of student involvement in research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I believe it is critically important to expose students and visitors to the Adirondack Ecological Center at Huntington Wildlife Forest to the breadth and depth of connections between humans and their environment, not as an abstract concept, but as an ongoing effort to both protect the myriad natural resources and maintain a vibrant human community in the Park. I mentor and work with graduate and undergraduate students who gain proficiency with field biology, computer analysis, project management, communication and leadership. An NSF-supported program Integrating Science and Stewardship in the Adirondacks is one opportunity for students to get hands-on experience with current issues facing the human and natural systems of the Northern Forest (UMEB program; see page 8 of the Summer 2006 Spruce Moose newsletter).

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Research and Applied Projects

Adirondack All-Taxa Biological Inventory: Inventory and Monitoring of the Natural Resources of the Adirondack Park
Adirondack Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Program (ALTEMP). Responsibilities include surveys of:
- Terrestrial salamanders
- Vernal pool-amphibian reproduction
- Boreal bird population trends, distribution, and habitat association
- Breeding songbirds
- Beaver activity
- White-tailed deer demographics, movement, migration, and social behavior
- Habitat inventory (floristics, structure and composition, and habitat components) and forest change
- Phenology
- Tree seed production
Ecological Land Unit and Ecosystem Mapping for the Adirondack Region - a higher-resolution landform/landcover map (in progress)
Effects of topography, weather, and other factors on radiotelemetry accuracy
Impact to the forest from disturbance and nonnative invasives such as Beech Bark Disease
Using GIS to Assist the Inventory Portion of the Adirondack Forest Preserve Unit Management Planning Process

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Curriculum Vita

Professional Experience

Research Associate, Adirondack Ecological Center, Newcomb, NY (2004-present)
Instructional Support Technician, Adirondack Ecological Center, Newcomb, NY (2000-2004)
Conservation Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy (2000)
Research Associate, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1997-2000)
Graduate Research Assistant, Adirondack Ecological Center, Newcomb, NY (1994-1997)

Education

State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY (1994-1997); Master of Science in Environmental and Forest Biology

State University of New York at Geneseo, Geneseo, NY (1990-1994); Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies

Courses Taught

Water Quality in the Adirondacks, Spring 2006 (ESF Newcomb Campus) A graduate-level seminar exploring hydrology, chemistry, human use, pollution, and management influences on water quality in the Adirondack Mountains.

Issues in Global Conservation, Spring 2005 (ESF Newcomb Campus) A graduate-level seminar on various topics designed to explore current issues in conservation, such as climate change, air and water pollution, and land use.

Intro to GIS, 1999 (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University) A series of training courses for faculty.

Vegetation Survey using Aerial Videography, 1999 (USFWS National Conservation Training Center). Application of the technique.

Service

Reviewer for Journal of Wildlife Management and Wildlife Society Bulletin
Council on Geospatial Modeling and Analysis (interdepartmental GIS group at ESF)
Coordinator, Huntington Lecture Series, a weekly presentation arena during July-August
Editor, Remotely Wild, newsletter of The Wildlife Society’s (TWS) GIS, Remote Sensing, and Telemetry Working Group (1999-2006)
Administrator for several e-mail listservers, including TWS-L (1998-2000)

Publications

McNulty, S.A., S. Droege, and R.D. Masters. 2008. Long-term trends in breeding birds in an old-growth Adirondack forest and the surrounding region. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120:153–158.

McNulty, S. 2006. The Adirondack Ecological Center at Huntington Wildlife Forest, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Ecological Society of America Bulletin 87:59-65.

McNulty, S., C. Milewski, D. Spada, and R. Curran. 2005. The Adirondack All-Taxa Biological Inventory: Surveying Life in the Park. Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies 12:4-7.

McNulty, S. A. and R. D. Masters. 2005. Changes to the Adirondack forest: Implications of beech bark disease on forest structure and seed production. USDA Forest Service Beech Bark Disease Symposium Proceedings, Paul Smiths, NY.

Jakubas, W. J., C. R. McLaughlin, P. G. Jensen, and S. A. McNulty. 2005. Alternate year beechnut production and its influence on bear and marten populations. USDA Forest Service Beech Bark Disease Symposium Proceedings, Paul Smiths, NY.

Nyland, R. D. and McNulty, S.A. 2004. Interpretation of silvicultural terminology in wildlife research and management: The example of Webb et al. (1977). Journal of Wildlife Management 68:1159-1160.

McNulty, S. A. 2004. Stitching Together the Patchwork Quilt: Using GIS to Assist the Inventory Portion of the Adirondack Forest Preserve Unit Management Planning Process. Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies Vol. 11:5-9.

Haulton, S. McNulty, B. A. Rudolph, and W. F. Porter. 2001. Evaluating 4 methods to capture white-tailed deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:255-264.

McNulty, S. A., W. F. Porter, N. E. Mathews, and J. A. Hill. 1997. Localized management for reducing white-tailed deer populations. Wildlife Society Bulletin 25:265-271.

McNulty, S. A. 1997. Influence of logging disturbance on recruitment and social organization of white-tailed deer in the central Adirondacks. M. S. Thesis, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, N.Y. 90pp.

Stacy A. McNulty Research Associate