Nicholas J Van Lanen, PhD
Nick Van Lanen is a Biologist with the US Geological Survey, based at the Fort Collins Science Center. Nick’s research focuses on the study of populations and habitat associations to guide management in the recovery of declining or at-risk wildlife.
My career focus has been in conservation biology and wildlife management. I received a B.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and M.S. degree from Colorado State University in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. Following my M.S. I served as an Avian Ecologist for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies for 10 years where I oversaw avian monitoring and adaptive management efforts throughout Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. I completed my PhD research in Ecology at Colorado State University in the fall of 2022. As a researcher within the U.S. Geological Survey, I am building upon my PhD research which involved population modeling, trend estimation, habitat relationship identification, and optimization procedures to help inform songbird management within pinyon-juniper and sagebrush ecosystems.
Professional Experience
US Geological Survey, Student Services Contractor, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO; 2020 – 2022
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Avian Ecologist, Fort Collins, CO, 2010 – 2020
Education and Certifications
PhD, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University; 2016 – 2022
M.S., Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University; 2008 – 2010
B.S., Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1998 – 2002
Affiliations and Memberships*
Natural Areas Journal, Associate Editor, 2012 - Present
Wyoming Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Member, 2012 - Present
Wyoming Golden Eagle Working Group, Member, 2016 - Present
Pinyon Jay Working Group, Member, 2017 - Present
American Ornithological Society, Member, 2022 – Present
Honors and Awards
US Geological Survey, Star Award, 2022
Colorado State University, Sustainability Leadership Fellow, 2018 - 2019
Cooper Ornithological Society, Mewaldt-King Student Research Award, 2009
Colorado State University, Oscar & Isabel Anderson Graduate Fellowship, 2009
Science and Products
Living on the edge: Predicting songbird response to management and environmental changes across an ecotone
A multi-ecosystem prioritization framework to balance competing habitat conservation needs of multiple species in decline
A hidden cost of single species management: Habitat-relationships reveal potential negative effects of conifer removal on a non-target species
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of sagebrush ecosystems in northwestern Colorado
Prioritizing sagebrush protection and restoration within the upper Colorado River Basin
Prioritizing conifer removal for multi-species outcomes
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystems for wildlife and sagebrush connectivity
Modeling Songbird Density-Habitat Relationships to Predict Population Responses to Environmental Change Within Pinyon-juniper and Sagebrush Ecosystems
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
What Will Grassland Bird Communities Look Like Under a Changing Climate?
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET): A USGS-facilitated Decision-support Tool for Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration Actions
Optimization of Management Actions for Restoration Success and Wildlife Populations
Data and analytical code assessing eleven songbird species' responses to environmental change during summertime (2008 - 2020) in the InterMountain West, USA
Predicted 2020 densities for 11 songbird species across the western United States
Prioritized sites for conifer removal within the Utah portion of Bird Conservation Region 16, 2020
Predicted Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) densities across the western United States, 2008-2020
Co-occurrence and Occupancy Dynamics of Mourning Doves and Eurasian Collared-Doves
Science and Products
Living on the edge: Predicting songbird response to management and environmental changes across an ecotone
A multi-ecosystem prioritization framework to balance competing habitat conservation needs of multiple species in decline
A hidden cost of single species management: Habitat-relationships reveal potential negative effects of conifer removal on a non-target species
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Gunnison Sage-grouse Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET)
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of sagebrush ecosystems in northwestern Colorado
Prioritizing sagebrush protection and restoration within the upper Colorado River Basin
Prioritizing conifer removal for multi-species outcomes
Prioritizing restoration and conservation of Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystems for wildlife and sagebrush connectivity
Modeling Songbird Density-Habitat Relationships to Predict Population Responses to Environmental Change Within Pinyon-juniper and Sagebrush Ecosystems
Mapping Grassland Bird Community Distribution under a Changing Climate
What Will Grassland Bird Communities Look Like Under a Changing Climate?
Prioritizing Restoration of Sagebrush Ecosystems Tool (PReSET): A USGS-facilitated Decision-support Tool for Sagebrush Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration Actions
Optimization of Management Actions for Restoration Success and Wildlife Populations
Data and analytical code assessing eleven songbird species' responses to environmental change during summertime (2008 - 2020) in the InterMountain West, USA
Predicted 2020 densities for 11 songbird species across the western United States
Prioritized sites for conifer removal within the Utah portion of Bird Conservation Region 16, 2020
Predicted Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) densities across the western United States, 2008-2020
Co-occurrence and Occupancy Dynamics of Mourning Doves and Eurasian Collared-Doves
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government