Wascally Wabbits Memo 2
sydraeniel
Rabbitscasetext.docxWasscally Wabbits in Eastport, Oregon
Teaching case developed for Introduction to Public Administration courses
Dr. Keith P. Baker
Associate Professor
Department of Public Administration
SUNY Brockport, State University of New York
Brockport Downtown
161 Chestnut St
Rochester, NY 14604
Dr. Ellen V. Rubin
Associate Professor
Department of Public Administration and Policy
University at Albany, State University of New York
135 Western Ave, Milne Hall 101
Albany, NY 12222
Date: January 2024
ALL INFORMATION IN THIS EXERCISE IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SIMULATION ONLY. THE CASE IS FICTIONAL.
The City of Eastport, Oregon
Eastport is a small city on a tributary of the Columbia River, near the top of the Willamette valley. Eastport has a resident population of about 45,000 people within the city limits and is part of Lewis County. The city occupies about 1.7 square miles and has authority over area equal in size to 19.63 square miles
Eastport city government is overseen by an elected Mayor and a City Council. There are 6 elected Councilors and the Mayor serves as the Chair of the Council. Decisions regarding the deployment of municipal resources must be approved by a majority vote amongst the City Council.
Eastport was once home to an extensive logging industry and many of the privately owned hillsides around Eastport have been largely denuded due to clear cutting. A significant percentage of the cleared land and untouched forest is now owned by Lewis County, Oregon State University, or the US Government. . Eastport also includes undeveloped federal lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The federal land has not been clear cut and this creates a patchwork of forested and unforested areas. Many of the clear-cut areas have become overgrown with grasses and are home to sizeable and growing European rabbit populations. European rabbits are not native to this region and are considered an invasive species. Up until now, the residents of Eastport have largely ignored the rabbits. However, the rabbits are causing significant damage to roads, sidewalks, city parks, and trails which can no longer be ignored.
Eastport is relatively easy drive to Portland and the city has become a popular jumping off point for outdoor leisure activities in the Cascade region and the Columbia River valley. Due to Oregon’s relatively mild climate, outdoor recreation is a year-round activity and tourism plays a significant role in Eastport’s economy. Many people heading into the Oregon High Plains and travelling around Oregon use Eastport as a stopping point and park their Recreational Vehicles (RVs) at the local Walmart and other large ‘big box’ stores. Tourists often hire distinctive Cruise America vehicles. Although tourist numbers fell significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic but are now beginning to recover.
There is a degree of social tension between some Eastport residents. These tensions exist between the so called ‘townies’ – people who have lived in Eastport for many years – and newcomers from the Portland metro area. The average income and education levels of the new residents is substantially greater than long time residents and this has driven up house prices and produced a change in the nature of the shops in the city
Oregon does not have a sales tax and property tax rates are comparatively high. Oregon requires that any increases in taxation be voted on by the local municipality or the state depending on who is levying the tax. Around 75% of Eastport’s budget is raised from local property taxes.
19
The Politics of Eastport
Eastport is politically divided. Older residents and citizens from the rural areas surrounding Eastport tend to vote Republican but newcomers to the city and younger residents’ trend Democratic. This has produced a 3-3 partisan split in the City Council. Eastport’s Councilors are elected for 4-year terms and at each election, two seats are voted upon. The last election was held last year when one Democratic and one Republican candidate were elected. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term. Some information about the electoral demographics of Eastport is show below:
|
District |
Date of last election |
Victor |
Turnout |
|
1 |
Three years ago |
D |
40% |
|
2 |
Three years ago |
D |
37% |
|
3 |
Two years ago |
R |
29% |
|
4 |
Two years ago |
R |
29% |
|
5 |
Last year |
D |
35% |
|
6 |
Last year |
R |
20% |
|
Mayoral |
Two years ago |
R |
35% |
Eastport’s Republican party was historically a classic conservative party that was suspicious of government intervention in the economy and very sensitive to infringement of property rights and personal privacy. As many Republican voters fish and hunt, the Eastport Republicans were historically supportive of firearm ownership and environmental protection efforts to manage game animals or preserve water courses. In recent years, the party has changed and many younger Republicans are far more zealous in defense of the 2nd Amendment, often exercise their concealed carry rights, and generally regard the environment as something that is for their immediate and exclusive enjoyment. The Eastport Republican party has also become increasingly distrustful of government at all levels and it is not uncommon to hear Republican Councilors rail against bureaucrats and city officials. The Eastport Republican party generally considers spending on environmental matters wasteful unless they benefit commercial interests. In addition, many Eastport Republican’s believe that the state of Oregon should take a greater responsibility for Eastport’s problems – the city government of Portland is regarded as a particular source of problems.
The city Mayor, Valerie Phillips, is a Republican, and a former city councilor. She has a track record of bipartisanship and is a strong advocate of environmental conservation and sustainable economic growth. Some tensions exist between the two most recently elected Republicans (both men) and Mayor Phillips over a number of policy matters. The Republican party is increasingly in lock-step with the national party on many issues. However Mayor Philips is generally supported by younger voters due to her record of environmental conservation and support to addressing climate change.
The Eastport Democratic party politics have historically placed great emphasis on environmental protection and personal liberty. At the same time, the local Democratic party has become increasingly strident on matters of social justice and has argued strongly that the Lee-Jackson King park should be renamed. In recent years, an influx of highly educated voters into Eastport has transformed the party. Increasingly Eastport Democrats seek to cast their policy preference in terms of wider national and international issues, including the need to address climate change and entrenched economic inequality.
The rabbit infestation is a point of serious political controversy. Many of Eastport’s long-time residents believe European rabbits to be an invasive, nuisance species. This belief is shared by some of the newer residents – particularly those with college degrees who feel the rabbits are damaging the environment. However, a significant number of residents argue that the rabbits are attracting visitors and representatives of the hospitality industry have lobbied against aggressive control measures. At council meetings, the damage caused by rabbits has been repeatedly raised by increasingly irate citizens. Following a particularly contentious meeting, one councilman declared he would fetch his rifle “…from his truck…” and would deal with the rabbits himself if “…the government didn’t take action.”
The origins of the European rabbit population in the Eastport area are unclear. There are several competing explanations. The rabbits may originate from escaped or abandoned pets, they may have escaped from an organic butcher who was breeding them for the restaurant trade in Portland, or they may have escaped from a local hotel that released rabbits as part of Easter celebrations in the early 1990s.
The Homelessness in Eastport
Like many cities in Oregon, Eastport has a significant homeless population. Homelessness has many causes and these range from income insufficiency compared to home prices or rental costs, mental health problems, drug addition, or felony convictions. Owing to its relatively mild climate, Oregon does tend to attract significant numbers of homeless people. As Eastport has a significant tourist industry, it also attracts homeless people who are seeking seasonal work.
An underappreciated aspect of homelessness is that many people who are homeless are not without shelter and live in their cars, trucks, or camper vans. These vehicles are often scrupulously well maintained and clean. Individuals who live in their vehicles due to homelessness are often in work (albeit precariously) and may park their vehicles in municipal lots or shopping centre car parks during the night. Eastport prohibits parking in municipal lots over night (between 12:00am and 6:00am) but the police do not routinely enforce these checks around the various trails. Enforcement focuses on the municipal lots around the waterfront area, shopping district, and the schools. The local Walmart and several large stores allow people to park recreational vehicles in their lots but do not allow homeless people to park there.
Eastport has a ‘move-on’ system in which the police will issue a verbal warning for a first violation and an order for a second violation. The move on ‘order’ is enforceable on the issue of a second order and a fine can be issued. Approximately 50 fines are issued a year and some $10,000 is raised from enforcement of the move on orders. The move on order is very unpopular with residents who believe that the fines are too low, the police do not enforce the ordinance with sufficient vigor, and the presence of people living in vehicles is disruptive. People using the trails have complained about the presence of large numbers of ‘lived-in’ vehicles and RVs in the daytime as these block parking spacing around the trails. However, there have been several cases of wealthy tourists been fined by the city and in these cases, the ticket was voided by the local traffic court. The local judge expressed his reservations about the ticketing of recreational vehicles, noting that the use of RVs was a popular hobby, that a parked vehicle is not causing a disruption in an otherwise empty parking lot.
A more serious problem is the wooded areas around the trails. As the trails are often wooded and there are sheltered areas not visible from the road or easily accessible, many unsheltered homeless people have built makeshift shelters or hide their tents in these areas. Some of these shelters are quite elaborate and provide solid protection from the wind and rain. In some areas ad-hoc communities have developed and several of these ‘communities’ are made up of military veterans. It is estimated that there are about 8 or 9 such communities around the trails. More information about veteran homelessness can be obtained via the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) or the other sources listed in the footnote[footnoteRef:1]. There is a significant problem with drug addiction and mental illness amongst homeless people and it is eliminated that some 50% of homeless people had a mental health or co-occurring substance abuse problem. There is a significant opioid problem in Oregon and the risks of a unsheltered homeless person suffering an opioid overdose are around 1.8% compared to 0.3% for sheltered people[footnoteRef:2]. Many homeless people own dogs and there have been incidents involving fights between local dogs (walked off leash) and dogs owned by homeless women in particular. Homeless women and young people are far more likely to own dogs for protection. [1: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/Veteran_Homelessness_Fact_Sheet.asp https://www.npr.org/homelessness-affordable-housing-crisis-rent-assistance America’s Homelessness Crisis Is Getting Worse - The New York Times (nytimes.com) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/why-its-so-hard-to-end-homelessness-in-america/ar-BB1hgsVZ] [2: Yamamoto, A., Needleman, J., Gelberg, L., Kominski, G., Shoptaw, S., & Tsugawa, Y. (2019). Association between homelessness and opioid overdose and opioid-related hospital admissions/emergency department visits. Social science & medicine, 242, 112585. ]
Eastport’s rabbit population has caught the attention of homeless people. The rabbits provide a source of revenue: skinned rabbit fur can be sold to local craft stores, and the meat can be sold to local restaurants (illegally). Rabbit fur hats and ruffs are popular items. However, the trapping of rabbits often involves snares – which have injured local dogs. Many of Eastport’s citizens allow their dogs to roam off-leash on the trails. In addition, the processing of rabbits has attracted protests by local people who have claimed that there is a considerable smell and health hazard. The local environmental protection officials have reported that significant amounts of rabbit offal have been dumped in the river and many trash can around the trails have been filled with bags full of rabbit offal and human waste. This has attracted complaints from residents.
The local police, city officials, and politicians have become increasingly exasperated and several ideas are floated.
Proposal 1 is a campaign of zero tolerance enforcement of all environmental codes and anti-homeless ordinances. In particular, city officials and many politicians (both Republican and Democrat) believe banning people with no permanent address from owing dogs would permit the rapid seizure and eventual euthanizing of dogs. This would drive out homeless people. A similar strategy was pursued in Eugene, OR to great effect[footnoteRef:3]. The zero tolerance strategy would involve the destruction of homeless encampments and the seizure or ticketing of vehicles[footnoteRef:4] but the campaign will require a great deal of police time, may require support from the Portland Police Bureau, and will have to be repeated several times over. It is also likely that younger voters would be opposed to the policy. [3: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/eugene-oregon-dog-ban-homeless] [4: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/despite-protestors-crews-clearing-large-portland-homeless-encampment/ar-AA1mm5pA https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-06-21/portland-liberal-support-lags-homeless-services-drugs https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/portland-rv-homeless-campers-move/283-07c1c684-df4f-4f02-82e7-eb41dd508f7e]
Proposal 2 is to increase shelter beds from 100 to 300 and the Department of Health and Human Services has identified a building that could be used this purpose. The existing shelter system is running at 40% capacity. The proposal also suggests attempting to work with nearby cities to secure extra shelter beds and busing some homeless people into Portland. Critics suggests that this will act as a pull factor and will actually increase the number of homeless people The Federal Department of Veteran’s Affairs can provide additional resources as need to support securing shelter for Homeless veterans – the VA would prefer Veterans be rehoused into apartments and low income housing.
Proposal 3 suggests removing the rabbits to deal the offal and smell problems. Environmental protection officials at the local and state level believe removing the offal pollution would be beneficial.
Proposal 4 is a targeting campaign aimed at identifying the most vulnerable homeless people (criteria would have to be determined) and using existing resource to assist these people into shelter. This may require some expansion of the shelter bed program (up to 100 new beds) buyt the Department of Health and Human Services
Proposal 5 is a policy that the Mayor’s policy advisor (you) is working on but may or may not be ready within the Mayor’s time scale and the Mayor’s policy advisor (you) has indicated that they may end up supporting one of the other policies.
The Economy of Eastport
Historically, Eastport’s economy was dependent on the farming and logging industries. The old-growth forests in the region were extensively logged and the fertile river valley was used for farming. Eastport was used by the timber industry to load barges that travelled down the Columbia River.
It is estimated that Eastport attracts about 300,000 visitors a year. Many of these visitors use Eastport as a stopping point on longer journeys, either on the way to Mount Hood or to the Cascades region. The majority of visitors spend a half day in the town. However, an increasing proportion are staying overnight. Due to Oregon’s mild climate, tourism is year-round but the vast majority of visitors arrive in the summer.
A number of hikers traversing the Pacific Crest Trail[footnoteRef:5] use Eastport as a convenient resupply point or a break from the trail. In addition, Eastport has become a popular tourist destination. The rabbit population has attracted considerable tourism and many visitors. International visitors are especially interested to see Eastport’s rabbits as a result of successful media campaigns organized by the Visitors Bureau. [5: A west coast version of the Appalachian Trail]
The growing popularity of Eastport has resulted in new coffee shops and restaurants opening in the waterfront area and along the state highway, which are home to the main business areas in Eastport. The new Waterfront Business Development District (WBDD) represents many of these new businesses, and its members are becoming increasingly vocal in local politics. The new businesses are providing young people in Eastport with much needed job opportunities. In addition, small, locally-owned hotels and bed and breakfasts have seen a growth in bookings. Recently a major hotel chain has discussed building a new 200 bed hotel in Eastport. Several restaurants have made the rabbits a key part of their advertising - ‘bunny burgers’ or other wild rabbit dishes (free range and organic of course) are key features of the menu. This form of natural harvest is popular with many of the new residents in Eastport and trapping rabbits is a valuable source of supplemental income and/or food for low-income residents.
The growth of the waterfront area, Eastport’s proximity to Portland, and the high percentage of income that is spent on rent has attracted property developers and asset management companies. Following the financial crises of the 1990s and 2008, Asset Management and private equity companies began to buy up significant amounts of Eastport’s housing stock, this is in common with many cities across the United States.[footnoteRef:6] In particular, over leveraged rental complexes and underwater mortgages were acquired and this has resulted in a shortage of low income housing in Eastport. Although some new apartments have been built, these apartments tend to be targeted at higher income commuters who work in Portland metro area and high income immigrants from neighboring Washington state – who are seeking to take advantage of lower house prices in Oregon. Eastport has 1% vacancy rate in its rental market and most single family homes sell within 3 days of their listing.. [6: Christophers, B (2023) Our Lives in Their Portfolios: Why Asset Managers Own the World. New York Verso]
Rabbits in Eastport
The western brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) is a cottontail rabbit native to Oregon. The major predators of the brush rabbit are coyotes, bob cats, feral cats, foxes, weasels and raptors. Brush rabbits are amongst the less fertile rabbit species and produce only 15 young a year. A closely related species – the America Pika is found in Oregon.
Cottontail rabbits (of all types) are increasing hybridizing with or been pushed out of their territories by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). European rabbits are generally considered to be nuisance wildlife. European rabbits are prolific breeders; they have a gestation period of about 30 days, can produce litters of 10 kits, and are able to begin breeding once they are three months old. In the mild climate of Oregon European rabbits can breed year-round.
European rabbits live in polygamous groups or warrens. An average warren hosts up to 30 individuals, including up to 10 breeding females. The very largest warrens may consist of over 60 individuals and 30 breeding females. To ensure genetic diversity, juvenile rabbits will scatter and join other warrens. European rabbits rarely live more than 1 year in the wild. The major predators of rabbit are coyotes, bob cats, feral cats, foxes, weasels, dogs, and raptors. Foxes and coyotes are attracted into areas where European rabbits are plentiful. Rabbits will forage widely and can cover considerable distances.
European rabbits are a burrowing rabbit whereas native cottontails do not dig their own burrows. The burrows of European rabbits (sometimes referred to as warrens) are quite extensive. A large warren can occupy ½ acre of land and the average warren occupies about ¼ acre.
|
|
|
|
A European Rabbit[footnoteRef:7] [7: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/)] |
A Pika[footnoteRef:8] [8: Frédéric Dulude-de Broin (2016)]
|
|
|
|
|
A Brush Rabbit[footnoteRef:9] [9: © 2006 Walter Siegmund (2006)]
|
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit |
The Impact of Rabbits in Eastport
Rabbits are having a dramatic effect in Eastport. Free-ranging rabbits have entered into people’s yards and tunneled under fencing. Local homeowners have increasingly used unlicensed methods of rabbit control such as poisons purchased over the internet. In addition, hunters see the rabbits as valuable for target practice. Last year, Oregon State Troopers, Fish and Wildlife Division issued 5 citations to hunters who shooting at rabbits from the trails and a further 5 citations to hunters who trespassed onto private property (ORS 105.700 and 498.120).
Eastport Police have been called to several incidents where disputes have broken out between neighbors. In the majority of these incidents, unsupervised dogs have pursued rabbits into neighboring gardens, destroyed vegetable patches, and otherwise proven to be a nuisance by defecating on other people’s property. In one notable incident, a local man was arrested for pelting his neighbor’s house with vegetables after rabbits – which had established a warren on the neighbor’s property – broke into his vegetable garden and destroyed a prize-winning crop. Recently, Eastport Police, Lewis County Sherriff, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided an Eastport home after a local teenager purchased considerable quantities of lethal chemicals from the internet. The teenager had posted on Facebook that he wished to “kill the vermin infesting his school…” The family dog was shot and injured by a Sheriff’s deputy during the no-knock raid. The incident has led to an increase in anti-government sentiment in Eastport and police officers report harassment by local teenagers who have taken to barking “woof-woof…”at them.
Rabbit activity has also begun to undermine the sidewalks and roadways in and around Eastport. Destruction of roads and sidewalks caused by the burrowing rabbits has become so significant that ‘simply’ repaving will not fix the problem. Repaving may hide the cracks for one or two years before they reemerge.
The City Engineer recently issued a report indicating that rabbit burrows have undermined the foundation of the state highway along a two-mile stretch at the north end of the main business district. This area is the older business area in town and many of the businesses have well-established plants and bushes in the front and back of their buildings. These areas with broad ground coverings are perfect places for rabbits to begin their burrows, and being close to the businesses also provides an easy source of food. The City Engineer’s report also identified rabbit burrows have compromised the foundation in small sections of at least four different residential streets:
1/10 of a mile of Jefferson St
½ of a mile of Grant St
1/10 of a mile of Monroe St
¼ of a mile of Harrison St
These streets are located near the river waterfront and the state forest. Jefferson, Grant, and Monroe St are in neighborhoods with middle class homeowners, most of whom are registered voters and are located in districts 1 and 2. The fourth damaged residential street, Harrison St, hosts a number of Inns and Bed and Breakfasts where tourists frequently stay. Grant St runs along a steep hill that leads directly down to the river. The homeowners there are growing increasingly concerned that the damaged road will collapse and slide into the river in heavy rain or flooding.
Local high school seniors in an engineering course recently completed a semester-long project studying the city’s sidewalks to evaluate their overall quality and accessibility for senior citizens and residents who are disabled. The high school teacher is an Iraq war veteran and a member of the local veterans group, which has been very concerned about the deteriorating sidewalks.
An ongoing citizen-science initiative, the Rabbit Population Survey, is being implemented by the local Girl Scout Troop #422 for the third year in a row, focusing on the presence of rabbits in the local parks and along park trails. Researchers from the Oregon State University Extension Service developed a methodology for use by Girl Scout troops around the state as part of a new badge that encourages the girls to learn about environmental protection and climate change.
The high school engineering students and the local Girl Scouts delivered a multi-media presentation of their findings to the city council three months ago, complete with maps and photos. When paired with the City Engineer’s report, the destruction caused by the rabbits is clear: 1) the sidewalks that are most in need of repair are in the same areas where the road foundations have been compromised, and 2) damages to parks and trails are an increasing safety threat. The local paper reported on the students’ presentations and it has since received multiple Letters to the Editor calling for the sidewalks, roads, parks, and trails to be repaired.
The following table summarizes the number of warrens found by the Girl Scout Rabbit Population Survey along the compromised roads identified in the City Engineer report, combining information presented in the City Council meeting:
Table 1: Warrens Along Damaged Roads
|
Road |
Warrens Found |
Length of Road Damaged |
|
State Highway |
10 |
2 miles |
|
Jefferson St |
2 |
1/10 of a mile |
|
Grant St |
5 |
1/2 a mile |
|
Monroe St |
2 |
1/10 of a mile |
|
Harrison St. |
4 |
1/4 of a mile |
Unfortunately there is no clear estimate on the number of warrens on privately-owned residential and business property. The Girl Scouts did not climb through people’s yards - rightly so given the levels of gun ownership and concerns about privacy. Researchers from the Oregon State University Extension Service, who developed the research methodology for the Girl Scouts, also developed an estimate of the number of warrens on private property based on the size of the city, vegetation, and known warrens on public and easily-accessible business property. They estimate an additional 10-50 warrens in the city. However the researchers told the local paper an official survey of homeowners would be more reliable.
The cost of dealing with the rabbits is not the only expense facing the city. To repair any stretch of state highway, the state will match dollar for dollar, so the city would need to provide half the cost of the highway replacement. However, to repair local residential roads, the state will only contribute 20 percent of the cost. The state does not provide any matching funding for constructing, repairing, or replacing residential sidewalks.
Trails and Parks in Eastport
In Eastport, the Parks Director reports directly to the Mayor. Parks and trails have historically been treated as long-term investments by the city as they increase the value of the land. The parks and trails are a significant draw for tourists and are one reason why the city is rated highly on livability surveys of Oregon cities.
The city manages the following trails and parks:
· Riverside Trail: This trail is a popular riverside walk. The popularity of the walk, especially with families with children, is attracting new businesses to the waterfront area. The new Waterfront Business Development District (WBDD) is increasingly vocal about conducting repairs.
· Mountain Side Trail: The Mountain Side Trail is a mixed-use loop. City engineers have become increasingly concerned with a section of trail at the half waypoint due to rabbit activity on nearby private land that has undermined the clear-cut slope. The city’s chief engineer has calculated that heavy spring snow melt may cause a major landslide in the future, which would pose a significant risk to life and would require significant repair work to the trail.
· Forest Trail: This is the oldest trail in the Eastport area. It goes through an area previously owned by the timber industry that has gradually been reforested.
· Tough Mudder: This trail is designed and optimized for bike use.
· Roundabout Trail: This is the most recently completed trail in Eastport. The Roundabout Trail was opened three years ago and was designed to be fully accessible to individuals in wheelchairs. The trail starts and finishes in the Lee-Jackson-King Memorial Park.
· Columbia View: This is the second oldest trail in Eastport. The trail rises in elevation nearly 400 feet and this allows for stunning views of the Cascades and the Columbia River valley. The Girl Scouts found evidence of a Pika colony at the highest point of the trail.
· The Lee-Jackson-King Memorial Park: This is the largest public park in Eastport. It was originally created in 1926 as the Lee-Jackson Park, but was renamed to Lee-Jackson-King Park in 2002. [footnoteRef:10] The park is especially popular with dog walkers. Several dogs have caught and killed rabbits in front of small children. The Parks Department has fielded complaints from parents and the parents have made complaints at city council meetings. [10: For a brief history of race and law in Oregon please see https://www.invw.org/2017/02/07/race-and-justice-in-oregon-a-timeline/ and also https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/exclusion_laws/#.XizREndFyEW]
· Avery-Benton Park: Avery-Benton Park is a small park near the northern end of Eastport and includes a small, fenced off-leash dog park.
Unfortunately, the parks and trails have been hard hit by destruction from the rabbits. The Girl Scout Rabbit Population Survey reported the following number of warrens in each of the city’s parks and trails, while the City Engineer reported the following amount of damage in their recent presentations to the city council:
Table 2: Warrens in Damaged Parks
|
Park/Trail |
Warrens Found |
Area Damaged |
Length of Trail or Size of Park |
|
Riverside Trail |
6 |
7/10 of a mile |
3.25 miles |
|
Mountainside Trail |
3 |
2/5 of a mile |
4 miles |
|
Forest Trail |
1 large |
1/10 of a mile |
4.75 miles |
|
Tough Mudder |
2 |
½ mile |
4 miles |
|
Roundabout Trail |
7 |
0 |
2 miles |
|
Columbia View Trail |
0 |
0 |
7 miles |
|
Lee-Jackson-King Memorial Park |
5 |
1/5 acre |
18.5 acres |
|
Avery-Benton Park |
2 |
1/10 of an acre |
2 acres |
There is a high amount of public interest in repairing the parks and trails. The Waterfront Business Development District (WBDD) sent members to speak at the most recent public meeting held by the Parks District, and the WBDD President is on the Parks advisory board. The local veterans group is also very vocal about the need for repairs. They have provided volunteer assistance for repairing trails in the past, they often meet as a group at the trails, and they were the driving force behind the creation of the Roundabout Trail. Furthermore the local Visitors Bureau, which advertises local recreation venues to increase tourism, is becoming increasingly concerned that the deteriorating state of the trails will start to decrease visitors coming from outside the area.
Rabbit Control Methods
Due to their high rate of reproduction and burrowing, rabbit control is extremely difficult and elimination of an infestation takes several months. The major methods of control are gas, poison, fumigation, trapping, or biological control methods (including predation and diseases). Shooting is ineffective. Once live rabbits are eliminated from a warren, the burrows must be destroyed (ripped) to prevent future infestation.
Fumigation and Poison
Rabbits may be gassed or fumigated in their burrows. This method of control involves sealing entrances and pumping lethal gases into the burrow system. Hydrogen Cyanide (AC) and Phosphine (P) are typically used as lethal in relatively low doses. Hydrogen Cyanide can contaminate soil at high doses but pest control does not require strong formulations. If either AC or P are used, the local fire department will require level A protective equipment to be available. The Eastport Fire Department has the majority of this equipment but will require new fully encapsulated vapor protection suits to be purchased at a cost $2000 per suit. Hydrogen Cyanide and Phosphine require highly trained crews and NIOSH approved Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE). It costs $5000 to train a person in the use of AC or P gases and PPE equipment costs $200 per person. However, the respirators must be replaced every 3 months if Hydrogen Cyanide is used and every 2 months if Phosphine is used at a cost of $100 per person.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) may also be used to suffocate the rabbits but this requires considerably more gas and is more expensive. However, CO2is much safer for work crews to use and does not require protective equipment.
Gassing eliminates about 85% of rabbits at a time in a burrow but it must be carried out repeatedly over a period of several days to ensure that the warren is completely destroyed and not reoccupied
Poisoning involves the placing of rodenticides around the burrows. This method will eliminate 90% of rabbits in a warren within a 1 month period. However, poisons are often harmful to birds, dogs, other predatory species, and non-target species. Poisons may also attract predators as rabbits may receive a less than lethal dose and become easy prey as a result. Best practices suggest fencing a warren off but this increases the costs dramatically. Poisoning a single warren in this way incurs a one-off cost for 50 yards of fencing at a cost of $3000.
The costs of the different control methods are show below:
Fumigation (CO2): $300 per use per burrow system.
Fumigation (HCN): $150 per use per burrow system.
Fumigation (P): $125 per use per burrow system.
Poison: $20 per acre of territory to be covered.
Trapping
Trapping may be carried out through live trapping or snares. Snares are considered harmful to non target species and in Oregon may only be used in an area that has been fenced off. Over a 1 month period, snares will eliminate 50% of all rabbits in a burrow system. Snares costs some $50 per acre but require a daily inspection of a $10 per acre per day. Snares will also attract predators into the area and dead rabbits are unsightly. Local high school students are concerned that the use of snares is cruel. The deployment of live traps will have a similar impact to snares and will not attract predators. Live traps are less controversial but the cost of live trapping is nearly $300 per acre.
Biological Control
The introduction of diseases intended to kill the rabbits can be very effective in the short term but is politically controversial and requires permission from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture. It is estimated that obtaining the necessary permits will cost $45,000 although Oregon State University has although conducted some studies that suggest biological control would be effective. One such disease is Myxomatosis.
Myxomatosis is caused by the Myxoma virus (a poxvirus in the genus Leporipoxvirus). In Oregon, the California strain of the Myxoma virus is present. The California strain is extremely virulent and has a 95%+ fatality rate in European rabbits. Myxomatosis is nearly 100% fatal to Pikas. Myxomatosis is spread by mosquitos, fleas, black flies, and other biting insects. The disease may also be spread by physical contact between rabbits. Dogs and people cannot catch Myxomatosis but may transmit the disease. Rabbits infected with Myxomatosis act oddly, show little fear of people and dogs, and wander far from their warrens.
Ferrets can be used to destroy rabbit warrens. A burrow system is netted off and trained ferrets are released. The ferrets will chase out adult and juvenile rabbits, which are then clubbed to death. A skilled ferret handler will dispatch rabbits quickly but the animal will struggle frantically in the netting until dispatched and it may take a few minutes for a handler to locate and kill each animal. Animal rights activists occasionally video the process and post graphic videos on the internet and such videos often cause considerable political controversy amongst school children. In an instructive case in Australia, local school children formed a human chain to protect the rabbits and local police made several arrests. Eastport police have indicated that they cannot prevent people from filming the clubbing of rabbits. Ferrets will kill adult rabbits and eat rabbit kittens. Ferreting is highly skilled task and the costs of hiring a ferret handler run to $2000 per day. A skilled ferret handler and a team of ferrets can destroy a warren in its entirety in a 10 hour period. Rabbits cannot escape a netted warrant However, due to animal welfare standards, ferrets can only be driven for 6 hours in every 24 hour period. There are only 5 licensed ferret teams in Oregon.
Ripping
A burrow system is removed by ripping. This involves the use of earth moving equipment to destroy the low-lying tunnels and entrances, and bury any rabbits that have survived initial pest removal by retreating to deep chambers or tunnels. In very hilly terrain, small explosive charges may be used to collapse tunnels but this requires licensed demolition engineers to carry out the blasting. In most situations, the use of a back-hoe or excavator is sufficient.
Ripping can be performed on inhabited burrows and research[footnoteRef:11] indicates that there is a 98% reduction of rabbits in an area that has been ripped. However, ripping a warren is extremely destructive to the surrounding area and it takes nearly 6 months for plant life to recover. A ripped area is unsightly and prone to erosion in the winter rains. Moreover, many consider ripping a warren where rabbits have not been killed by other methods to be cruel as the rabbits are either buried alive or die of shock. [11: Berman, D., Brennan, M., & Elsworth, P. (2011). How can warren destruction by ripping control European wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on large properties in the Australian arid zone?. Wildlife Research, 38(1), 77-88.]
The costs of warren ripping are estimated to be $100 per acre if machinery is used and $1500 is explosives are used. This is due to the costs of labor and equipment.
Rabbits as a Disease Vector
Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is caused by the Myxoma virus (a poxvirus in the genus Leporipoxvirus). In Oregon, the California strain of the Myxoma virus is present. The California strain is extremely virulent and has a 95%+ fatality rate in European rabbits. Myxomatosis is nearly 100% fatal to Pikas. Myxomatosis is spread by mosquitos, fleas, black flies, and other biting insects. The disease may also be spread by physical contact between rabbits. Dogs and people cannot catch Myxomatosis but may transmit the disease. Rabbits infected with Myxomatosis act oddly, show little fear of people and dogs, and wander far from their warrens.
Median House Prices
Median house price $1000s (OR) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 200 210 225 224 240 250 270 280 190 195 190 200 225 280 300 350 356 356 350 400 420 480 491 Median house price $1000s (Eastport) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 125 130 140 150 200 210 215 230 130 132 140 150 155 200 250 290 300 320 325 360 380 400 420
Median household income
Median household income (OR) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 66309 68157 70104 69838 67772 63841 63741 63617 65103 64955 68586 72455 73202 74000 75600 77602 78900 76632 Median household income (Eastport) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 53047.200000000004 54525.600000000006 56083.200000000004 55870.400000000001 54217.600000000006 51072.800000000003 50992.800000000003 50893.600000000006 52082.400000000001 51964 54868.800000000003 57964 58561.600000000006 59200 60480 62081.600000000006 63120 61305.600000000006
Rental and Income Data
Rental Cost Growth 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 -1.0158013544018058E-2 -4.5610034207525657E-3 5.8419243986254296E-2 9.74025974025974E-3 -2.2508038585209004E-2 -5.4824561403508769E-3 1.1025358324145534E-2 1.8538713195201745E-2 4.4967880085653104E-2 2.4590163934426229E-2 6.3E-2 4.7036688617121354E-2 3.324348607367475E-2 3.9130434782608699E-2 -1.8410041841004185E-2 9.2924126172208008E-2 0 Income growth 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2.786951997466398E-2 2.8566398168933606E-2 -3.794362661189181E-3 -2.958274864686844E-2 -5.8003305199787546E-2 -1.566391503892483E-3 -1.9453726800645894E-3 2.264286691242616E-2 3.7120141342756187E-2 3.0629801877310438E-2 3.3124514454784378E-2 5.2765467257571634E-2 1.5212534763909363E-2 -1.4520523337624622E-3 2.9233190915223745E-3 4.6382660687593426E-2 -2.1141951059240317E-2 Rent as % of Gross monthly income 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 0.19838935891055512 0.1921299352964479 0.19770626497774732 0.20039233655030211 0.20185327273800385 0.21310756410457229 0.21579517108297638 0.22022415392112168 0.22487442974978111 0.23092910476483722 0.23248184760738341 0.23041888068456284 0.23564929919947539 0.24222972972972975 0.23273809523809524 0.2478028916780495 0.24372623574144486
