Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of The Wildlife Society.
The Wildlife Society (TWS), founded in 1937, is an international non-profit scientific and educational association dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of wildlife professionals to conserve diversity, sustain productivity, and ensure responsible use of wildlife resources for the benefit of society.
The Chapter’s area of organization includes the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and San Francisco.
President’s Message
Doug Bell
It is a pleasure to introduce myself and offer my heartfelt greetings to you as your new president of the San Francisco Bay Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Allow me to provide some background as to how I became President. While traveling to Sacramento to attend the Western Section’s annual meeting, I was feeling a bit anxious because unexpected work commitments had prevented me from attending the meeting as planned. I calmed myself down by reflecting on the fact that every Wildlife Society meeting I attend, no matter how short, resulted in some delightful outcome – whether through reestablishing an old contact or developing new ones – something good and special always happened. This time was no exception as I found out after arriving at the meetings that I had been nominated for Chapter President! My propulsion to the top position in the San Francisco Bay Chapter leaves me somewhat humbled as I know there are many more experienced members out there who have been intimately involved with the Chapter’s inner workings over the years and who have contributed so much to the organization, not the least of which includes our Past President, Ron Duke, President– elect, Christine Gaber, Secretary/Treasurer Dana Ostfeld, Chapter Representative Natasha Dvorak and Newsletter Editor Brian Pittman. To them I offer my thanks for their past efforts and also look forward to their assistance in making this next year a success for the San Francisco Bay Chapter. To this end I also request all Chapter members to become involved in our Society in any way they can. There is no shortage of opportunities. The National Chapter is looking for volunteers to assist in all aspects of the National Meeting to be held in Monterey, CA, Sept. 20-24th, 2009. Please contact the National Chapter and offer your expertise to make this a very successful meeting.
On a more local level, please plan on attending our Chapter’s first kick-off meeting beginning at 6:30 pm, May 13, 2009 at the East Bay Regional Park District’s Trudeau Training Center in Oakland. Yours truly will be showcasing the District’s grassland management efforts and research into reducing wind turbine-raptor impacts in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area. Food and light refreshments will be provided. This meeting will serve as a great opportunity to get to know each other and to brainstorm new ideas about where you want your chapter to go from here. We are also planning a camp-out the weekend of June 6-7, at the District’s Camp Ohlone site located in the heart of the Alameda Creek watershed. This event will provide opportunities to observe fledging raptors and, if there is still water in the creek, possibly wood ducklings and rare amphibians.
A research group from San Diego State University that is on site is engaged in studying rattlesnake/ground squirrel interactions. If we tread lightly around their study area we may be introduced to some of their focal organisms rather than surprised by them!
Aside from fun events, high on our list of goals is increasing student involvement. At our Board meeting on April 14th we approved reducing student chapter fees to $5.00. This combined with our pursuing student membership sponsorships from companies and organizations in the community may really help boost student membership. We are also entertaining a pilot student/mentor program. Please get the word out to your friends and associates that we are reaching out to increase student involvement in the chapter specifically and wildlife in general. I believe it is safe to say that we want to highlight opportunities available to young people, both in terms of career choices in wildlife as well as life-style choices! In sum, we have many challenges ahead of us, but I look forward to working with all of you and hearing of your ideas and suggestions to make it a successful year.
Thank you,
Doug Bell
The Wildlife Society | 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 200 | Bethesda MD 20814-2144| Phone: (301) 897-9770 | Fax: (301) 530-2471
