Academic Background

Peter is a graduate of Texas Tech University (TTU). He earned a B.S. in Physical Geography with a minor in biology in 1992 and a M.S. in Biology with a minor in geographic information systems in 1997. Peter’s research interests focused on the relationship between disturbance and productivity gradients and plant community structure in short-grass prairies of the western U.S. Peter pursued further studies as part of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s BBIRD Project (BBIRD). The Breeding Biology Research and Monitoring Database (BBIRD) program is a national cooperative program that uses standardized field methodologies for studies of nesting success and habitat requirements of breeding birds. Peter was part of the research team that documented the effects of cowbird parasitism on interior forest songbirds in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of northeastern New Mexico. Peter also worked with Site-Specific Technologies (SST) in conjunction with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service as part of a cooperative effort to develop innovative applications for GPS and GIS technologies in precision agriculture. In addition, Peter is an Army Corps of Engineers trained wetland delineator. Since arriving at Garrett College in 2000, Peter has worked closely with State and Federal agencies to preserve and restore critical wetlands in the upper reaches of the North Branch of the Potomac. In addition, Peter has worked both in Mexico (2001) and Costa Rica (2003) with the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) to develop an undergraduate biological research program for tropical environments.

Current Research Interests

Wetland restoration ecology, GIS and GPS technology, acid mine drainage remediation, amphibians, mammals, birds, plant ecology

Courses Taught

Environmental Science, Geographic Information Systems, Natural History, Biology, Chemistry and Quantitative Methods, Physical Geography, Physical Geology

Recent Research Grants and Projects

1. Maryland Department of Natural Resources Kempton Mine Complex Acid Mine Drainage Grant: a $250,000 five-year grant (2001-05) from the Maryland Environmental Trust Fund to monitor and restore critical wetlands in the headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac. This project is on-going.

2. Veracruz GIS Institute: a multidisciplinary effort to develop a GIS for La Florida, an ecological preserve in the southern Sierra Madre Oriental near Cordoba, Mexico. The Veracruz GIS Institute was funded by NSF and administered by NCSR. Date of Institute: December, 2001

3. Green Ridge State Forest GIS Development Project: a $2,000 grant to develop a GIS for inventory and management of Maryland's Green Ridge State Forest. Project completed: October, 2002.

4. La Cruces Research Station Experimental Forest Research Project: This research is funded by the Organization for Tropical Studies, a global consortium of 65 universities, and the government of Costa Rica. The project is based at the University of North Carolina and is designed to promote educational and research opportunities for students and educators. The purpose of the team's work is to develop an experimental forest GIS that can be used as both a research tool and as an educational matrix. This project is on-going. Date of Project: January 2–23, 2003.

5. Potomac-Garrett State Forest GIS Development Project: a $2,500 grant to develop a GIS for inventory and management of Maryland's Potomac-Garrett State Forest. Project completed: July, 2003.

6. Hoyes Run DNR-Fisheries Monitoring Project: a $6,000 Maryland DNR Fisheries grant to monitor water chemistry and flow for Hoyes Run, a small stream heavily impacted by quarry activities and other land uses. The duration of the project is expected to be 12-18 months and began in May, 2003. The project is on-going.

7. Winding Ridge-Frazee Mine Reclamation Project: a $3,000 grant from Maryland's Bureau of Mines to monitor flow and water chemistry in the reclaimed Frazee Mine Complex. The duration of the project is expected to be 2-3 years and began in May, 2003. The project is on-going.

8. Siege of Acre Acid Mine Drainage Monitoring Project: a $4,000 grant from Maryland's Bureau of Mines to monitor flow and water chemistry in the reclaimed Siege of Acre Mine Complex. The duration of the project is expected to be 2-3 years and began in May, 2003. The project is on-going.

9. Marsh Hill GIS Project: a $10,000 grant for a pilot project to determine the efficacy of developing a GIS for infrastructure management and projected development of the Wisp Ski Area and adjacent land development projects. If this project is determined to be cost effective, then the Deep Creek Development Corporation will provide an additional $50,000 for complete coverage of the area. The project is on-going.

10. DNR Amish Road/North Branch of the Casselman River Wetlands Project: a $30,000 Bureau of Mines grant to assess the ecological integrity of the habitat of an abandoned high wall coal mine that has been reclaimed. Assessment will include quantifying the effects of acid drainage from the reclaimed area on the aquatic habitat of the Casselman River. Two rare and endangered species, the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) and the stonecat (Noturus flavus), are of special concern in the area. The project is on-going and is expected to last at least two years.

11. DNR Ruffed Grouse GIS Project: a $2,000 grant to develop a GIS to monitor and assess habitat and populations of ruffed grouse in Garrett County. The project is on-going.

12. DNR Forestry Division Pocomoke State Forest GIS Project: a $1500 grant to develop a data management GIS for tracking forestry practices and harvest information in the 15,000 acre Pocomoke State Forest. The project is on-going.

13. DNR Garrett County Bear Biology Database Project: a collaborative effort to create a GIS for both historical and current bear data in Garrett County. Eventually, this database will be used as the primary analysis tool for developing management plans for bears in Garrett County. Currently, the project is not funded, but several funding sources are being pursued.