The student chapter of Western’s Wildlife Society has recently been honored as the student chapter of the year for the North Central Section of the Wildlife Society.
Mike Voltz, president of the Wildlife Society, said that traditionally, a certificate is presented to the representatives of the student chapter at the North Central Section of the Wildlife Society business meeting, which took place this year in Madison, Wis.
“Winners also receive up to $1,000 for travel to the business meeting,” Voltz said.
This award required several standards that Western’s student chapter met exclusively.
There were five goals, according to the application, that each group was required to meet. These goals were: to develop and maintain professional standards for wildlife research and management, enhance knowledge and technical capabilities of wildlife students, advance professional stewardship of wildlife resources and their habitats, advocate use of sound, biological information for wildlife policy and management decisions and increase public awareness and appreciation of wildlife management.
Examples of accomplishing these goals included efforts such as increasing membership participation in student chapter activities and meetings, involving wildlife students in professional activities, conducting and participating in workshops, symposia, conferences and conclaves; developing and sponsoring public awareness materials and participating in habitat management and resource conservation projects.
A reception was held in their honor on Wednesday, March 19, in the conference room of the Missouri Dept. of Conservation building, where the chapter gave a short presentation on their various activities.
These activities included:
• Dove Wing Survey at Pony Express Conservation area working with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC)
• Prairie Restoration work day at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge (SCNWR) working with The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
• Deer Population Survey at SCNWR working with the FWS
• Deer Aging Survey with MDC
• Invasive Species removal work days at SCNWR working with FWS
• Hunter Education Instructor Training with MDC
• Federal Wildland Fire Training with the Burrow of Indian Affairs
• Chainsaw and Brush cutter workshop with FWS
• Missouri Western Campus Dump sites location
• Entering into Grants with SCNWR for work on invasive species
Voltz was very pleased to receive such an award, and was glad to see that all of their hard work paid off.
“To have received two in the last three times that we have applied is such an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment,” Voltz said. “This accomplishment truly shows that our young student chapter of The Wildlife Society is headed in the right direction as a society.”