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Richard Berl, PhD

Richard Berl is a Research Social Scientist with the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, WI, colocated at the Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, MD.

Richard is a conservation social scientist with a background in evolutionary theory, behavior, and culture change, who uses integrative quantitative and qualitative approaches to address the management challenges that arise from the complex interactions within rapidly changing social-ecological systems, particularly those related to wildlife health and the impacts of chronic wasting disease.

Professional Experience

  • 2024 – Present: Research Social Scientist at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center

  • 2021 – 2024: Research Social Scientist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge

  • 2019 – 2021: Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University (2019)

  • Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics, Colorado State University (2017)

  • M.S. Zoology, Washington State University (2015)

  • B.A. Biological Sciences, University of Delaware (2009)

  • B.A. Anthropology, University of Delaware (2009) 

Science and Products

Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management

The successful conservation and management of North American waterfowl relies upon an adaptive harvest management framework that accounts for changes in the system state and critical uncertainties related to the dynamics of waterfowl populations and habitats. Increasing recognition of the importance of the human dimensions of the harvest process, particularly those related to hunters...
Authors
Richard Berl, Patrick Devers, G. Boomer, Michael Runge
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Species nativeness as a cultural paradigm in conservation Species nativeness as a cultural paradigm in conservation

Conservation entails cultural practices shaped by our worldviews, values, beliefs, and priorities for our interactions with nature. These inform how we categorize which species we want to occur in which landscapes. In Western conservation organizations, conceptualizations of species ‘belonging’ typically align with a dichotomy of native versus introduced species. This is a cultural...
Authors
Lily van Eeden, Jeff Martin, Jonathan Fisk, Lisa Lehnen, Erle C Ellis, Michael Gavin, Adam Landon, Lincoln R. Larson, Kirsten Leong, Wayne Linklater, Christopher A. Williams, Richard Berl
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Public support for puma reintroduction in the eastern United States Public support for puma reintroduction in the eastern United States

Pumas (Puma concolor) are among the species identified as having the potential to enhance ecosystem function. Previous research highlights sufficient ecological habitat to support pumas in the eastern United States; however, their reintroduction requires social and institutional support as well. To this end, we conducted research to assess attitudes about puma reintroduction among key...
Authors
L. Elbroch, Jazmin Murphy, Shelby Carlson, John Vucetich, Richard Berl, Lexi Galiardi, Shelby Perry, Tom Butler, Neil H. Carter, Joseph Hinton, Axel Moehrenschlager, Emily Carrollo, Rana Bayrakcismith, Jeremy Bruskotter
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Cultivating reciprocity and supporting Indigenous lifeways through the cultural transformation of natural resource management in North America Cultivating reciprocity and supporting Indigenous lifeways through the cultural transformation of natural resource management in North America

Recent decades have seen increasing calls for implementing Indigenous Knowledges (IK) in natural resource management (NRM). However, efforts have been limited by the cultural incommensurabilities between (1) NRM institutions, which are rooted in worldviews that prioritize extraction for dominant cultures and assume dominance over nature and (2) Indigenous worldviews that prioritize...
Authors
Jonathan Fisk, Richard Berl, Jonathan Long, Jacobs. Lara, Lily van Eeden, Melinda Adams, Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares, Jazmin Murphy, Michael Gavin, Chris K Williams, Jonathan Salerno, Bas Verschuuren, Nathan Bennett, Rodrigue Idohou, Alexander Mawyer
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Bridging social and ecological science to create spatially-explicit models of human-caused mortality of carnivores Bridging social and ecological science to create spatially-explicit models of human-caused mortality of carnivores

Research indicates that human-caused mortality (HCM) is a key factor limiting numerous large carnivore populations. However, efforts to represent HCM in spatially explicit models have generally been limited in scope—often relying on proxies, such as road or human density. Yet such efforts fail to distinguish different sources of HCM, which can arise from different antecedent processes...
Authors
Jeremy Bruskotter, Neil Carter, Richard Berl, Joseph Hinton, Jazmin Murphy, L. Elbroch, John Vucetich
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

A partnership between the USGS and the Klamath Tribes to apply structured decision making for chronic wasting disease management A partnership between the USGS and the Klamath Tribes to apply structured decision making for chronic wasting disease management

Project Overview: The Klamath Tribes (TKT) are the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin Paiute peoples, and are the first peoples of the land, having lived in ancestral lands of Oregon and California since time immemorial. Members of TKT have rights to hunt, fish, trap, and gather, including the harvest of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) within the 1.19...
Authors
Margaret C. McEachran, Katie M. Guntly-Yancey, Richard Berl, Donald Gentry, Michael Runge, Carl White, Jonathan Cook
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Evolving wildlife management cultures of governance through Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives Evolving wildlife management cultures of governance through Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives

Within governance agencies, academia, and communities alike, there are increasing calls to recognize the value and importance of culture within social-ecological systems and to better implement Indigenous sciences in research, policy, and management. Efforts thus far have raised questions about the best ethical practices to do so. Engaging with plural worldviews and perspectives on their...
Authors
Jonathan Fisk, Kirsten Leong, Richard Berl, Jonathan Long, Adam Landon, Melinda Adams, Don Hankins, Christopher J. Williams, Frank Lake, Jonathan Salerno
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Berl, R.E.W., Manfredo, M.J., Gasta, M., Smith, D., Sullivan, L., Jacobson, C.A., Bishop, C., Camuso, J., Eason, T., Hayes, J.P., Jacobson, R., Melcher, C., Newmark, J., Novotny, P., Pauley, S.P., Smith, C., Sparks, C., Stoner, K., Strong, J.D., Ver Steeg, J. (2022). Building a systems framework to facilitate adaptive organizational change in state fish and wildlife agencies. Conservation Science and Practice, 4(2), e591. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.591
Berl, R.E.W., Sekar, S., Markevich, A., Camara, C., & Niemiec, R. (2022). Assessing the impacts of normative and efficacy‐based messaging on the social diffusion of conservation science. Conservation Science and Practice 4(4), e12647. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12647
Niemiec, R.M., Berl, R.E.W., Gonzalez, M., Teel, T., Salerno, J., Breck, S., Camara, C., Collins, M., Schultz, C., Hoag, D., & Crooks, K. (2022). Rapid changes in public perception toward a conservation initiative. Conservation Science and Practice, e12632. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12632

**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.

Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management: Software release Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management: Software release

R code and Stan models to simulate sample data set, perform parameter estimation, project future scenarios, and produce plots for accompanying publication examining the integrated dynamics of waterfowl and hunter populations through harvest.
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center
White-tailed deer in snow with forest in background and dried grass in foreground.

Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Ventana Systems, Inc., and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) are applying a systems approach to map and model the complex relationships among ecological, epidemiological, social, and political processes affecting CWD. Through a participatory modeling process, we gathered subject matter...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease

Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Ventana Systems, Inc., and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) are applying a systems approach to map and model the complex relationships among ecological, epidemiological, social, and political processes affecting CWD. Through a participatory modeling process, we gathered subject matter...
Learn More

Science and Products

Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management

The successful conservation and management of North American waterfowl relies upon an adaptive harvest management framework that accounts for changes in the system state and critical uncertainties related to the dynamics of waterfowl populations and habitats. Increasing recognition of the importance of the human dimensions of the harvest process, particularly those related to hunters...
Authors
Richard Berl, Patrick Devers, G. Boomer, Michael Runge
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Species nativeness as a cultural paradigm in conservation Species nativeness as a cultural paradigm in conservation

Conservation entails cultural practices shaped by our worldviews, values, beliefs, and priorities for our interactions with nature. These inform how we categorize which species we want to occur in which landscapes. In Western conservation organizations, conceptualizations of species ‘belonging’ typically align with a dichotomy of native versus introduced species. This is a cultural...
Authors
Lily van Eeden, Jeff Martin, Jonathan Fisk, Lisa Lehnen, Erle C Ellis, Michael Gavin, Adam Landon, Lincoln R. Larson, Kirsten Leong, Wayne Linklater, Christopher A. Williams, Richard Berl
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Public support for puma reintroduction in the eastern United States Public support for puma reintroduction in the eastern United States

Pumas (Puma concolor) are among the species identified as having the potential to enhance ecosystem function. Previous research highlights sufficient ecological habitat to support pumas in the eastern United States; however, their reintroduction requires social and institutional support as well. To this end, we conducted research to assess attitudes about puma reintroduction among key...
Authors
L. Elbroch, Jazmin Murphy, Shelby Carlson, John Vucetich, Richard Berl, Lexi Galiardi, Shelby Perry, Tom Butler, Neil H. Carter, Joseph Hinton, Axel Moehrenschlager, Emily Carrollo, Rana Bayrakcismith, Jeremy Bruskotter
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Cultivating reciprocity and supporting Indigenous lifeways through the cultural transformation of natural resource management in North America Cultivating reciprocity and supporting Indigenous lifeways through the cultural transformation of natural resource management in North America

Recent decades have seen increasing calls for implementing Indigenous Knowledges (IK) in natural resource management (NRM). However, efforts have been limited by the cultural incommensurabilities between (1) NRM institutions, which are rooted in worldviews that prioritize extraction for dominant cultures and assume dominance over nature and (2) Indigenous worldviews that prioritize...
Authors
Jonathan Fisk, Richard Berl, Jonathan Long, Jacobs. Lara, Lily van Eeden, Melinda Adams, Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares, Jazmin Murphy, Michael Gavin, Chris K Williams, Jonathan Salerno, Bas Verschuuren, Nathan Bennett, Rodrigue Idohou, Alexander Mawyer
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Bridging social and ecological science to create spatially-explicit models of human-caused mortality of carnivores Bridging social and ecological science to create spatially-explicit models of human-caused mortality of carnivores

Research indicates that human-caused mortality (HCM) is a key factor limiting numerous large carnivore populations. However, efforts to represent HCM in spatially explicit models have generally been limited in scope—often relying on proxies, such as road or human density. Yet such efforts fail to distinguish different sources of HCM, which can arise from different antecedent processes...
Authors
Jeremy Bruskotter, Neil Carter, Richard Berl, Joseph Hinton, Jazmin Murphy, L. Elbroch, John Vucetich
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

A partnership between the USGS and the Klamath Tribes to apply structured decision making for chronic wasting disease management A partnership between the USGS and the Klamath Tribes to apply structured decision making for chronic wasting disease management

Project Overview: The Klamath Tribes (TKT) are the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin Paiute peoples, and are the first peoples of the land, having lived in ancestral lands of Oregon and California since time immemorial. Members of TKT have rights to hunt, fish, trap, and gather, including the harvest of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) within the 1.19...
Authors
Margaret C. McEachran, Katie M. Guntly-Yancey, Richard Berl, Donald Gentry, Michael Runge, Carl White, Jonathan Cook
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Evolving wildlife management cultures of governance through Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives Evolving wildlife management cultures of governance through Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives

Within governance agencies, academia, and communities alike, there are increasing calls to recognize the value and importance of culture within social-ecological systems and to better implement Indigenous sciences in research, policy, and management. Efforts thus far have raised questions about the best ethical practices to do so. Engaging with plural worldviews and perspectives on their...
Authors
Jonathan Fisk, Kirsten Leong, Richard Berl, Jonathan Long, Adam Landon, Melinda Adams, Don Hankins, Christopher J. Williams, Frank Lake, Jonathan Salerno
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Berl, R.E.W., Manfredo, M.J., Gasta, M., Smith, D., Sullivan, L., Jacobson, C.A., Bishop, C., Camuso, J., Eason, T., Hayes, J.P., Jacobson, R., Melcher, C., Newmark, J., Novotny, P., Pauley, S.P., Smith, C., Sparks, C., Stoner, K., Strong, J.D., Ver Steeg, J. (2022). Building a systems framework to facilitate adaptive organizational change in state fish and wildlife agencies. Conservation Science and Practice, 4(2), e591. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.591
Berl, R.E.W., Sekar, S., Markevich, A., Camara, C., & Niemiec, R. (2022). Assessing the impacts of normative and efficacy‐based messaging on the social diffusion of conservation science. Conservation Science and Practice 4(4), e12647. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12647
Niemiec, R.M., Berl, R.E.W., Gonzalez, M., Teel, T., Salerno, J., Breck, S., Camara, C., Collins, M., Schultz, C., Hoag, D., & Crooks, K. (2022). Rapid changes in public perception toward a conservation initiative. Conservation Science and Practice, e12632. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12632

**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.

Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management: Software release Integrating hunter dynamics and waterfowl dynamics to inform harvest management: Software release

R code and Stan models to simulate sample data set, perform parameter estimation, project future scenarios, and produce plots for accompanying publication examining the integrated dynamics of waterfowl and hunter populations through harvest.
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center
White-tailed deer in snow with forest in background and dried grass in foreground.

Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Ventana Systems, Inc., and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) are applying a systems approach to map and model the complex relationships among ecological, epidemiological, social, and political processes affecting CWD. Through a participatory modeling process, we gathered subject matter...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease

Application of a systems approach for management of chronic wasting disease

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Ventana Systems, Inc., and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) are applying a systems approach to map and model the complex relationships among ecological, epidemiological, social, and political processes affecting CWD. Through a participatory modeling process, we gathered subject matter...
Learn More
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