See our latest letter of support for the Natural Heritage Conservation Act dated February 17, 2010. Click on the tab to the left labeled "Resolutions and Statements".
The Wildlife Society mourns the loss of Sam Hamilton, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who died on Saturday, February 20, after suffering chest pains while skiing in Colorado. Hamilton was 54. Installed as director of FWS in September 2009, Hamilton was a lifelong advocate for wildlife conservation. “He was a consummate and hard-working professional who was taking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the right directions,” says TWS Executive Director/CEO Michael Hutchins. “He was a great friend to The Wildlife Society, to wildlife professionals, and to wildlife conservation, and he will be greatly missed.” Please visit the Society website for updates.
The New Mexico Chapter is an active affiliate of The Wildlife Society that is dedicated to promoting sound management and conservation of New Mexico's wildlife resources.
Membership is open to all professionals, students and laypersons interested in wildlife research, management, education and administration.
Our chapter works to maintain communication among wildlife professionals, encourages communication between those professionals and the general public, supports continuing education through grants, workshops and regional meetings, encourages student involvement in the wildlife profession, and actively participates in shaping management and conservation policy through letters, public statements and resolutions.
New Board for 2010, finalized at the Joint Annual Meeting February 4, 2010
The 2010 Board for the New Mexico Chapter are
President Leland Pierce President Elect Vacant Secretary & Past President Renae Held Treasurer Elise Goldstein Board Member Kathy Granillo Board Member Esther Nelson Board Member Brian Hanson
For bios and contact information, see the Board tab to the left.
To get more information on the Joint Annual meeting February 4-6, 2010, go to
President 2009 Message, Renae Held, January 2010 In this time of recession it’s getting harder and harder for us to donate to causes that are dear to us, but there is something other than money that we can donate: our time. As budgets get tight many organizations are looking to volunteers to help keep their projects afloat. Volunteer hours help organizations fill positions they can’t fund and also supply invaluable matching time for grants. Wildlife organizations need your help more now than ever. Volunteer opportunities are a great way to get involved in your community, meet people, and diversify your resume.
National Volunteer Week is April 18-24, 2010. I urge you to look up your favorite national or local wildlife organization and see what volunteer opportunities they have.
Speaking of volunteer work, my time as NM TWS President is soon coming to an end. At the upcoming Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) in Flagstaff AZ, Feb 4-6, 2010 I will be passing the torch to Leland Pierce, NM Department of Game and Fish. I would like to thank the Board for all the work they've put into the Chapter’s activities over the past year. You can hear all about our activities and future plans at the upcoming membership meeting February 4 at 5:00 at JAM. I will still be a member of the Board as Past-President and look forward to continuing my work with NM TWS for another year. JAM promises to be a great meeting this year. From what I hear the sessions are packed with oral and poster presentations. I’ll send out more info about the meeting as it becomes available. There is still time to register (see page 11). Thanks for a great year and I wish you all the best in 2010! - Renae Held, New Mexico TWS President
To get the latest Chapter news, click on the newsletter tab on the left side of this page.