Welcome! My name is Nathan ("Nate") Hooven and I'm an ecologist who studies the relationships between terrestrial wildlife species and their habitats - the physical and environmental spaces encompassing the resources and conditions necessary for survival and reproduction. So far in my career, I've been lucky enough to assist in wildlife conservation, management, and research efforts across the United States, working in a variety of environments on an array of beautiful and important species. 

I developed a strong fascination for wildlife-habitat relationships and linking animal behavior to landscape patterns through my master's work on wapiti at the University of Kentucky with Dr. Matt Springer and Dr. John Cox. Since then, I've continued to expand and refine my focus on applying current ecological theory, rigorous field data collection, and modern statistical methods to the conservation of wildlife habitat while expanding our collective knowledge of how animals interact with their environments. 

Currently, I'm a PhD candidate in Dr. Dan Thornton's Mammal Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab at Washington State University, studying snowshoe hare responses to intensive silviculture in dense, regenerating conifer stands. This project integrates field capture, radio and GPS telemetry, and camera trapping techniques with several statistical modeling approaches to build a robust picture of the effects of thinning on hare ecology. I also have the privilege of a fascinating glimpse into the world of the hare at their latitudinal range edge, where habitat alteration, climate change, and diverse wildlife communities complicate their relationships in the forest food web. 

Thank you for visiting my site, and please reach out with any questions or inquiries!