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Bruce Leopold

I have no doubt that past Presidents of TWS have addressed the topic of membership. I debated whether to cover the topic again, and thought about it for many hours. Given some of the dialogue on our listserve, however, I feel I need to discuss this important issue.

I have witnessed a phenomenal change regarding our Society during the past seven years. I was a part of that change, first as the Southeastern Section Representative to Council, then as an Executive Officer. I can say with confidence that the overriding impetus for changes that Council made was to better serve our membership! Yes, our professional Society needed an overhaul, our budget was in the red, membership was crashing, members had no idea as to what headquarters did for them, and there were minimal services to our chapters and sections.

Consequently, we made significant changes to headquarters, physically, financially, and administratively. Our Executive Director and our staff received their marching orders: Bethesda needs to be a place where our members are comfortable calling and are pleased with the interaction when they hang up the phone or close their email. Well, the staff has exceeded our expectations! We completely overhauled our website to make it more “member-friendly.” We launched a true member magazine, which, despite some negative initial comments, has become a resounding success with a large majority of our members. We launched our Wildlife Career Center and hired Shannon Pederson to serve as our field liaison to our Chapters and Sections, again to better serve and support our members. I could go on and on here with more things Council did, such as create our very successful Leadership Institute, but I need to get to my point. 

• TWS Backs Suspension of LA TNR
• TWS Supports Amphibian Petitions
• Update: Giant Constrictor Snakes
• Take Action: America’s Wildlife Heritage Act

Sharpen Your Wildlife Leadership Skills!

APPLY NOW for The Wildlife Society 2010 Leadership Institute

 The goal of the Institute is to facilitate the development of new leaders within The Wildlife Society and the wildlife profession as a whole. The Institute will recruit 10-15 promising early-career professionals for a series of intensive activities and mentoring relationships, exposing the participants to the inner workings of TWS and increasing the ranks of active leaders in TWS and the wildlife profession. There is no tuition cost for the program and participants receive free registration for the conference, as well as a travel grant to cover expenses. See More Details

The Abstract Submission Site for the 2010 Wildlife Society Conference in Snowbird, UT is now available. Submit your abstract online

Win a 2010 Wyoming Game & Fish Commissioner’s License
February 6th, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm at Convention Center Ballroom, Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Silver Legacy Resort
Courtesy of Wyoming Game & Fish Commissioner Dr. Fred Lindzey, to assist the mission and purpose of North America’s principal organization of wildlife professionals, The Wildlife Society (TWS) is pleased to offer this 2010 license for auction, through the Wild Sheep Foundation. The purchaser of this Commissioner’s license must first elect to hunt elk, or deer, or pronghorn, then select a particular hunt area and license type. Commissioner’s licenses are valid in any open hunting area, with exception of Grand Teton National Park and National Elk Refuge (Elk Hunt Areas 75, 77 & 79). Purchaser is responsible for applicable license fees. For further information, please contact Wyoming Game & Fish Department’s This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (307-332-2688 ) or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (307-527-9375)

Seeking collaboration to analyze/publish small mammal data
Bill Tietje, an Extension Wildlife Specialist, UC Berkeley, stationed in San Luis Obispo, CA, is exploring a collaboration to analyze data and publish papers. Since the fall of 1993, he has live-trapped small mammals in October and May (33 sampling sessions) on 22 1.1-ha study plots in oak woodland in central-coastal California. The data set comprises approximately 200,000 trap nights and 60,000 captures of 6+ small mammal species, of which approximately 50% are dusky-footed woodrats. If you feel that you would benefit professionally and that you would fund a student/data analyst for 2-3 years to assist with the analyses contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone: 805-781-5938; fax: 805-781-4316.

Call for Papers: Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council, 17th Biennial Symposium
June 7–11, 2010 at the Hood River Inn, Hood River, Oregon
Abstract Submission Deadline: April 15, 2010
Bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat managers, researchers and scientists are invited to submit an abstract for oral presentation or poster presentation at the 17th Biennial Symposium of the Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council. Held under the auspices of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Hosted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the organizing committee is accepting abstracts reporting on scientific investigations of bighorn sheep, thin-horn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goats. Papers and posters will be selected based on their relevance to research and management of wild sheep and mountain goats and their habitats. Information about submission guidelines and about the symposium is avilable online.

Oslo IPY Science Conference Session T5-1: New Frontiers and Directions in Biology, Ecology and Biodiversity
June 8-12, 2010 in Oslo, Norway.
The goal of this session is to combine the vast variety of challenges polar research is facing now and will face in the near future, especially in an interdisciplinary context. This session will cover the many facets of biological research conducted in the Arctic and Antarctic during IPY and beyond. Where possible comparisons between the two polar regions will be drawn. New molecular and telemetric techniques have been widely used during IPY and insights gained into speciation and habitat utilisation will be discussed. See more information on Theme 5 in general “New frontiers, data practices and directions in polar research”

Course: Botanical Illustration Of Native Desert Flora
April 9, 7 pm - April 11, 3 pm.  at the Desert Studies Center, Mojave National Preserve, Zzyzx, CA.
Instructor: Donald Davidson
At the height of the desert blooming period, participants can look forward some very exciting plein-aire drawing and watercolor painting. The course will cover basics of line control, proportion, color, focusing/perception skills as they relate to plant identification, as well as detailed dissection work in a well-equipped lab. This field study is based at the Desert Studies Center of California State University located within the Preserve at Soda Springs (Zzyzx), about a three-hour drive from Riverside. The course fee includes two nights lodging at the Center, and meals starting with breakfast Saturday through lunch on Sunday. Upon enrollment, participants will be sent information about the Center and what to bring with them. For registration go to: twww.extension.ucr.edu or call 951-827-4105.

Workshop: Transformation of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies: Challenges and Opportunities for Leaders
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at The 75th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Speakers: Keith Aune, Wildlife Conservation Society; David Goad, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Rebecca Humphries, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; John Organ, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Daniel Decker, Cornell University; and Cynthia Jacobson, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
This workshop will offer a framework for enabling change in SFWAs, examining factors that have led to success in some cases and barriers that have impeded progress in others. The workshop will: (1) help leaders understand organizational transformation and how to lead it; (2) offer agency and organizational leaders’ perspectives regarding ways to overcome impediments and facilitate change; (3) explore key elements of the state wildlife management institution of the future; and (4) provide opportunity for participants to discuss strategies to initiate transformation by building on their agencies’ strengths. More information: here