9
Native Peoples Wildlife Management Working Group Hello Everyone, This past year has been a busy one for our working group. After a one-year hiatus, we sent seven students as part of the Native Student Professional Development Program to the TWS Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA. This conference was one of the more enjoyable, albeit incredibly busy, ones I have had the pleasure of attending with great events, talks, and friends. This conference also saw the first co-sponsored workshop by our working group and the Ethnic and Gender Diversity Working Group titled Human diversity and changing professional identities in wildlife professions.This was a star-studded symposium that included three current or past TWS Presidents, our own Serra Hoagland (Sec. Treas.), and a host of other speakers presenting current information and fostering discussion on the implications of changing demographics on our profession. See inside for more information! We are excited to announce that TWS and the U.S. Forest Service has initiated a program designed at advancing and training Native students for careers in natural resource and conservation related fields. Our working group assisted with reviewing research proposals from USFS Research and Development scientists and selecting students to fill those project (See more at: http://news.wildlife.org/native- american-program-assistantship). In more exciting news, our working group has been asked to help develop a chapter on “Managing wildlife on Tribal lands” that will be included in the 8 th Edition of the Wildlife Techniques Manual. This will be the first time that tribal wildlife issues will be highlighted in the manual in the 55 year history of the publication. Looking into the future, we will be hosting our next round of elections in October, so if you are interested in getting more involved, stay tuned. Letter from the Chair We have submitted a proposal for a symposium focused on “Indigenous peoples involved in wildlife managementfor next year’s annual meeting and we are anxiously awaiting the conference committee’s decision. Last, but not least, we are looking forward to sending another cohort of Professional Development Program recipients to Winnipeg, so keep an eye out for an announcement in the coming months (and help us spread the word!). With that, I would like to first say a big THANK YOU to Heather as she puts together this last newsletter, before handing the reins over to Molly O’Grady. As I approach the end of my term, I would also like to say thank you to everyone on our board, and to you as members who continue to support our Working Group and our mission. I encourage you to run for a board position this fall if you would like become further involved in our group. In regards to elections, or any other questions you may have, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Philámayaye (Thank you) Michel Kohl Chair, Native Peoples’ Wildlife Management Working Group Announcing new Communications Coordinator/Newsletter Editor Molly O’Grady Climate Change Opportunities Working Group Activities TWS/USFS Native Student Partnership Inside this issue: Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015

Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    4

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Native Peoples

Wildlife Management

Working Group

Hello Everyone,

This past year has been a busy one for our working group.

After a one-year hiatus, we sent seven students as part of

the Native Student Professional Development Program to

the TWS Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA. This

conference was one of the more enjoyable, albeit

incredibly busy, ones I have had the pleasure of attending

with great events, talks, and friends. This conference also

saw the first co-sponsored workshop by our working group

and the Ethnic and Gender Diversity Working Group titled

“Human diversity and changing professional identities in

wildlife professions.” This was a star-studded symposium

that included three current or past TWS Presidents, our

own Serra Hoagland (Sec. Treas.), and a host of other

speakers presenting current information and fostering

discussion on the implications of changing demographics

on our profession. See inside for more information!

We are excited to announce that TWS and the U.S. Forest

Service has initiated a program designed at advancing and

training Native students for careers in natural resource and

conservation related fields. Our working group assisted

with reviewing research proposals from USFS Research

and Development scientists and selecting students to fill

those project (See more at: http://news.wildlife.org/native-

american-program-assistantship).

In more exciting news, our working group has been asked

to help develop a chapter on “Managing wildlife on Tribal

lands” that will be included in the 8th Edition of the

Wildlife Techniques Manual. This will be the first time

that tribal wildlife issues will be highlighted in the manual

in the 55 year history of the publication.

Looking into the future, we will be hosting our next round

of elections in October, so if you are interested in getting

more involved, stay tuned.

Letter from the Chair

We have submitted a proposal for a symposium focused

on “Indigenous peoples involved in wildlife management”

for next year’s annual meeting and we are anxiously

awaiting the conference committee’s decision.

Last, but not least, we are looking forward to sending

another cohort of Professional Development Program

recipients to Winnipeg, so keep an eye out for an

announcement in the coming months (and help us spread

the word!).

With that, I would like to first say a big THANK YOU to

Heather as she puts together this last newsletter, before

handing the reins over to Molly O’Grady. As I approach

the end of my term, I would also like to say thank you to

everyone on our board, and to you as members who

continue to support our Working Group and our mission.

I encourage you to run for a board position this fall if you

would like become further involved in our group. In

regards to elections, or any other questions you may have,

please feel free to contact me at

[email protected].

Philámayaye (Thank you)

Michel Kohl

Chair,

Native Peoples’ Wildlife

Management Working Group

Announcing new Communications

Coordinator/Newsletter Editor Molly O’Grady

Climate Change Opportunities

Working Group Activities

TWS/USFS Native Student Partnership

Inside this issue:

Inside this issue:

Volume 7, Issue 1

Spring 2015

Page 2: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

- NPWM Working Group has submitted a proposal for 2015 symposium in Winnipeg - T-shirts!! Do you want to help design the next NPWMWG t-shirt? If so, please contact [email protected]

with your ideas by June 1st. Thanks!

Announcements

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 2

Announcing the new NPWM Working Group

Communications Coordinator and Newsletter Editor

-submitted by Heather Stricker Orlovsky

With my upcoming position as Chair of the NPWM Working

Group, I realized it was time to pass the torch as

Communications Coordinator and Newsletter Editor. It is

with some sadness that I do this, as I have held this position

since 2007 (8 years already!), but I also do it without

trepidation, as I know our incoming Editor will do great!

With that, I would like to introduce Molly O’Grady, who will

take the position of newsletter and communication for the

Working Group this summer!

Molly grew up on the South Side of Chicago for most of her

childhood. The rich cultural diversity of the city and the lack

of environmental awareness lead her to pursue a career in

natural resources with an interest in working with diverse

cultural backgrounds. She completed her Associates in

Science at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL before

attending the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

(UWSP) in the Fall of 2012. Since her arrival at UWSP, she

has conducted research along-side professors and fellow

students covering topics on southern flying squirrels, fisher,

greater prairie chicken, nest detection probability methods,

and South African wildlife ecology. She graduates with her

Bachelors of Science in May 2015 with a major in Wildlife

Ecology: Research and Management.

From the Chair-Elect Submission Request for Newsletters

Calling all Working Group members!! We want to know

what is going on where you are! As a national (and now

international!) working group, it is difficult to always keep

up on what members in other parts of the country and other

reaches of the world. Keep members of our group

informed on issues and announcements pertinent to

wildlife management and conservation in Indian Country.

Please feel free to submit any of the following for

inclusion in the newsletter:

Job and internship openings

Scholarship opportunities

Research and management on indigenous lands

Policy regarding wildlife management as it

pertains to Tribes

Any other announcement or information you’d like to get

out to your colleagues in Tribal wildlife management.

Please submit to Molly O’Grady, NPWM Communications

Coordinator, at: [email protected] . Submissions

are accepted on a rolling basis.

The Native Peoples' Wildlife Management Working Group

promotes improved relationships between

state/provincial/federal wildlife managers and tribal

wildlife managers through improved communications. The

Working Group provides a forum for Tribal and agency

wildlife professionals to discuss wildlife management on

reservations and aboriginal lands and to share viewpoints

on proposed policies affecting wildlife management in

Indian Country. The Working Group works to enhance

wildlife management on and off reservations through joint

activities.

Mission

With this degree, Molly

hopes to work directly

with various cultural

backgrounds to

understand their

relationships and

traditional methods of

working with wildlife

and the land in order to

conserve and protect our

natural resources.

Molly O’Grady

Page 3: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 3

Native Student Professional Development

program continues to be a success!

- By Serra Hoagland

In fall 2014 seven outstanding students were selected for

the Native Student Professional Development Program

(PD Program) and traveled to the Wildlife Society

Annual Meeting in Pittsburg. Selected students had a

number of requirements to fulfill as part of their

attendance at the meeting. Prior to the conference

students participated in several Skype meetings with

other grant recipients to prepare them for their

experience, introduce them to their cohorts and answer

any questions related to the conference events. Upon

arrival, students attended the Student and the New

Member’s Receptions where they met with other students

from other universities and fellow new attendees.

Students attended two working group meetings, were

introduced to several Student Conservation Association

(SCA) opportunities, and various organizations,

companies and agencies at the trade show exhibit booths.

Professional Development grant recipients also

participated in the Student-professional Mixer where they

interacted with hundreds of professionals that work

throughout North America. Students also had the

opportunity to meet and network with members of TWS

Council on Wednesday October 29th and actively

participated in the Diversity symposium co-sponsored by

the Native Peoples Wildlife Management Working

Group. During the Native Peoples Wildlife Management

Working Group (NPWMWG) annual meeting, several

PD students volunteered to help organize for the 2015

NPWMWG sponsored symposium. It is apparent that

students who have participated in this program are

interested in remaining active in The Wildlife Society,

our NPWMWG, advancing their professions, and sharing

their experiences with their communities.

We’re actively looking for additional funds to support the

2015 Native Student Professional Development program

cohort. If you are interested in donating towards this

effort please contact Serra Hoagland

([email protected])

Professional Development Program

2014 Native Student Professional

Development program grant recipients

Raymond Gutierrez, Wuksachi-Mono

Tribe, CA, is a graduate student at SUNY-

ESF, Syracuse, NY. Raymond is studying

forest ecology.

Riley Smith, Shoshoni, is a biology

student at Northern Arizona University in

Flagstaff. She is looking at reclaimed

water quality, examining endocrine

changes using fish and amphibians as

indicator species.

Brandon Frederick, Iowa Tribe of Kansas

and Nebraska, is a Master’s student

studying entomology at the University of

Nebraska-Lincoln. He has a special interest

in invasive species.

Serina Ki’ili, a Native Hawaiian, is

pursuing a B.S. degree in Marine Science

at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, looking

at coral reef health.

Kate Galbreath, is from Alaska and is a

Koyukon Athabascan. She is a PhD

student at Utah State University. She is

focused on the development and fitness

consequences of increased onshore

behavior of Polar bears in the Southern

Beaufort Sea of Alaska.

Freya Hately, a Native Alaskan, Yupik, is

an undergraduate student at Alaska Pacific

University, studying Marine Biology. She

is currently looking at Pacific Razor Clam

recruitment on and around the coastline of

Ninilchik, Alaska.

Jacob Naranjo, is from the Santa Clara

Pueblo, is an undergraduate student at New

Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

He is currently working on a Golden Eagle

project in southern New Mexico.

Page 4: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 4

BIA Announces New Tribal Cooperative

Landscape Conservation Program

In February 2015, the Department of Interior’s Bureau

of Indian Affairs (BIA) announced a new Tribal

Cooperative Landscape Conservation Program, which

will provide support and up to $8 million in funding to

support tribal projects that address climate change

adaptation and ocean and coastal management

planning.

It is important to note that this funding is available to

all Federally Recognized Tribes, not just those in

coastal areas, with half of the funding to go towards

climate change adaptation planning. Awards will be

made to projects that address climate change impacts

through vulnerability analysis, adaptation planning,

and increased monitoring cycles for climate adaptation

management. Coastal projects include those that are in

the Great Lakes area as well as ocean communities,

and will fund projects that address coastal resource

health, resiliency, community safety, and economic

security. Categories for funding include: Trainings and

Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean and

Coastal Management Planning, and travel support to

attend meetings, workshops, and trainings.

The proposal deadline is April 24.

For application package and questions, contact your

Regional Climate Change BIA representative or Ms.

Helen Riggs, Deputy Bureau Director, Office of Trust

Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, at:

[email protected] or by calling (202) 208-5770.

More information can also be found at:

www.bia.WhoWeAre/BIA/climatechange/index.htm.

Climate Change Funding and Training Opportunities

Course on Climate Change

Adaptation Planning

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals is

offering a course on June 16-18 in Bishop, CA. that

will provide an introduction into planning for climate

change impacts, highlighting the work of several tribes.

The course is intended for tribal environmental and

natural resource professionals who expect to be

involved in climate change adaptation planning.

Topics include:

Climate change in the Great Basin

Process of developing climate change

adaptation plans

Climate change impacts, vulnerabilities, and

adaptation strategies

Tools and resources for the planning process

This course employs a variety of instructional methods

such as presentations including tribal case studies,

large- and small-group discussions, and a ½ day field

trip. Participants will need to complete a pre-course

assignment prior to attending. Registration deadline is

April 27, 2015 for priority consideration. Applications

received after that date will be reviewed on a case-by-

case basis.

For more information and a registration form, contact:

Sue Wotkyns

Climate Change Program Manager

Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 928-523-1488

Page 5: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 5

Pittsburgh Symposium

Ethnic and Gender Diversity WG and

Native Peoples WG come together to

support symposium at 2014 TWS meeting

-submitted by Michel Kohl and Serra Hoagland

During the 2014 TWS National Conference in

Pittsburgh, the Native Peoples Wildlife Management

Working Group co-sponsored a symposium entitled:

“Human diversity and changing professional identities

in wildlife professions”.

This event marked the first time that the Ethnic and

Gender Diversity WG (EGWG) and Native Peoples’

Wildlife Management Working Group have

collaborated on a symposium together, and it proved

incredibly rewarding for conference attendees. This

symposium was developed with the objective of

addressing challenges the diverse array of people in the

wildlife profession may face today. We were

specifically interested in identifying strategies for

recruiting and retaining individuals from diverse

backgrounds and cultural understandings.

Standout speakers included Dr. Wini Kessler and Dr.

Rick Baydack. Our speakers highlight challenges faced

by a diverse array of groups in our profession including

ethnic minorities, women in the profession, and

members of the LBGT community. By the conclusion

of the symposium, I can honestly say there is still a

great deal of work to do, but looking back through the

views of some of our speakers, I am also proud to say

that we have come a long ways, particularly in relation

to females in our profession. If you were unable to

attend, I hope you will take some time to listen to some

of the talks given at this symposium, and hopefully you

will be as moved as we were. You can listen to the

talks online here: http://tws.sclivelearningcenter.com/.

Employment Opportunities

The Summit Lake Paiute Tribe is currently accepting

applications for Natural Resources Technician -

Fisheries Project to assist with fisheries management

and research, and a Creel Census Taker to monitor fish

harvest and issue transportation permits on the Summit

Lake Indian Reservation. These positions are open

until filled.

Additionally, the Summit Lake Paiute Tribe is

currently accepting applications from Native

Americans for several noxious weed technicians to

assist with noxious weed management on the Summit

Lake Indian Reservation.

For more information and how to apply:

http://summitlaketribe.org/Employment_Opportunities.

html

***

The Yurok Tribe of Klamath, CA. is currently

accepting applications for Natural Resources Division

Director. This position will oversee the planning,

directing and coordinating of divisional activities

relating to Fisheries, Forestry, Tribal Environment

Protection, and Watershed. This position offers a

unique opportunity for creative leadership in advancing

sustainability initiatives within the tribe including to

develop land acquisition and landscape management

programs. The NRD Director will coordinate and

implement division policies, budgets, and programs

across all NR-related departments and will work to

ensure operational and administrative continuity and

coordination among sections and work units. For more

information and how to apply:

http://www.yuroktribe.org/departments/personnel/anno

uncements.htm

Page 6: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 6

USFS, TWS Launch Program for Native

American Students

TWS Headquarters - The U.S. Forest Service and The

Wildlife Society are excited to launch a Native

American Professional Development Program, which

will provide valuable knowledge to Native American

students who are interested in becoming wildlife

biologists. The program will allow students to learn

and gain beneficial hand-on experience while working

with a wildlife professional on the approved project.

The USFS has worked closely with TWS to develop

mentoring opportunities for Native American students

to work as research assistants with USFS Research &

Development (R&D) scientists. R&D funding will be

used to provide living stipends for upper-level

undergraduate (juniors or seniors) and graduate

students during their mentorship, while TWS will

provide administrative support and coordination.

Four students have been selected for research

assistantships, which will last for approximately 14

weeks, beginning in late spring of 2015 and running

through late summer of 2015.

Raymond Gutteriez, a graduate student at SUNY-ESF,

and Jessica Lackey, a graduate student at the

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, will be

mentored by Jonathan Long, Research Ecologist at the

Pacific Southwest Research Station. Their project topic

will be “Restoring California black oak to support

tribal values and wildlife habitat in the Sierra Nevada.”

Alayna Johnson, a student at the University of

Minnesota – Morris, has been paired with mentor

Deahn Donner, Research Ecologist and Project Leader

at USFS Northern Research Station, and will be

working on “Tracking post-emergence movements of

Myotis spp. to uncover habitat preferences and

potential migratory routes.

Jacob Naranjo, a student at New Mexico State

University, will be working on the “Kings River Fisher

Project – Ecology and Habitat Requirements” and will

be mentored by Kathryn Purcell.

New Partnership between TWS and USFS

The Professional Development Program will facilitate

mentoring opportunities and promote student

advancement and training for careers in natural

resource and conservation-related fields. After

completing the assistantship, students will submit a

report to the USFS and TWS detailing their learning

experience.

“We are excited about supporting the TWS Native

American Professional Development Program through

these experiential opportunities for wildlife biology

students,” said Monica Tomosy, National Wildlife

Research Program Leader in the USDA Forest Service.

“The four students come with impressive backgrounds

and the opportunity to work with our agency’s

professional research scientists will help them develop

the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in

wildlife and natural resource stewardship

The USDA Forest Service is keen to integrate Native

American managers, biologists, and scientists, because

their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) combined

with modern science holds promises for us as we

broaden our understanding of sustainable ecosystem

function.

Because these student/scientist relationships are based

in natural resource questions relevant to Native

American communities as well as to public trust

managers, the relationships built here can open many

doors for knowledge exchange, resource management,

and the students’ career development.”

Full article can be found at: http://wildlife.org/usfs-

tws-launch-program-for-native-american-students/

Page 7: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 7

Research Highlight

Implementing Wildlife Research on the Navajo Nation

By Chase Voirin

Mule deer are both a culturally and economically important natural resource species to the Navajo tribe. They have

been a culturally significant species for centuries and this is evident in Navajo origin stories and cultural practices.

Their economic importance lies in the sale of both tribal and non-tribal mule deer hunting permits, and like most state

game and fish departments, the revenue generated through these hunting permits is cycled back into the conservation

and management of both game and non-game species. Another tangible benefit of mule deer to the Navajo people is

that they provide sustenance in the form of meat. One of the challenges surrounding the conservation and

management of mule deer on the Navajo Reservation is that there are still knowledge gaps regarding baseline

biological data, including data on their diet.

Biologists have often used microhistology (i.e. the recognition of plant morphology under a microscope) to investigate

diets of mule deer populations via scat analyses. However, the accuracy of microhistology in determining diet

richness at a fine level of taxonomic resolution has been questioned. Therefore, we decided to use a novel, genetics

technique to assess deer diet by using next-generation sequencing (NGS) (i.e. the recognition of plant DNA sequences

through a genetics platform) via scat analyses. NGS has only been used in a handful of studies to assess ungulate diet,

and even fewer studies have compared microhistology and NGS to assess herbivore diet. Our research involves using

microhistology and next-generation sequencing to assess diet richness and dietary taxonomic resolution for mule deer

populations inhabiting the Navajo Nation. In this sense, we were able to design a research project that would both

provide the NNDFW with useful biological data, as well as make an interesting contribution to the general wildlife

scientific community.

As with most collaborative research studies, it is important to keep all cooperators’ interests in mind. This is no different

when collaborating with a tribe on a wildlife research project. Over the years, I’ve been able to build a healthy relationship

with my tribe’s fish and wildlife department through multiple positive employment experiences. This relationship

Tribal natural resource agencies face similar challenges that all natural

resource agencies often face: low funding, staff shortages, public and

political obstacles, and a lack of resources to effectively extrapolate

biological information. These are challenges that the Navajo Nation

Department of Fish and Wildlife (NNDFW) face every year. As a

Navajo tribal member, a former employee of my tribal fish and wildlife

department, and a graduate student pursuing a Masters degree in wildlife

management and conservation, I decided I wanted to try and mitigate at

least one of those challenges.

I started graduate school at the University of Arizona in 2012 with the

mindset that I was going to collaborate with my tribe to help them gain

biological knowledge regarding a big-game species. This proved more

challenging than I had initially anticipated considering there was no

research funding available and we had to formulate a project that would

be feasible and effective with the time period of my graduate career.

Navajo grad student Chase Voirin, working in

the field.

Page 8: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 8

An avid outdoorsman, Mark was a member of Ducks Unlimited where he volunteered numerous hours assisting with all

aspects of the organization. He enjoyed fishing, skiing, hiking, camping, fly tying, and duck hunting. Mark was an excellent

friend to many and enjoyed spending time with his family and teaching his young sons about the outdoors.

He was a 1992 graduate of Homestead High School, Fort Wayne, IN and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife

Conservation from Northern Michigan University. On Sept. 23, 2000, Mark married Jennifer Ann McWilliams at the

Portage Point Inn in Onekama, MI. Mark and Jennifer had 2 sons and 3 hunting dogs all of whom accompanied him during

his many outdoor adventures. Mark was an incredible asset to the wildlife community and will be greatly missed.

In Memoriam

It is with heavy hearts we honor the life of our friend,

colleague, and passionate wildlife conservationist, Mark

Knee, who passed away on March 29 due to injuries

sustained from a skiing accident in Michigan. Mark was

a passionate outdoorsman and biologist, who spent

several years as a wildlife biologist for the Little River

Band of Ottawa Indians in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

Most recently, Mark was employed with the Michigan

Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife technician.

Mark was also a fishing guide for Schmidt Outfitters in

Wellston, Michigan and enjoyed spending much of his

time teaching novice anglers the art of fishing.

Continued from Page 7

has allowed me to gain a level of appreciated trust to carry out this research study. One of the best ways I’ve kept

that trust is through constant communication regarding the goals we, as collaborators, decided to accomplish and the

continued progress of this research project. While much of our data are forthcoming, we have made significant

progress in generating results that will not only prove useful in completing this research study, but will hopefully aid

my tribal fish and wildlife department in future conservation and management efforts for mule deer populations. We

have also been able to successfully implement several collaborative efforts through fieldwork, sample collections,

and sample identification. With declining mule deer populations across the western half of the U.S. there is a concern

among NNDFW personnel regarding the fate of their mule deer herds.

As a Navajo tribal member pursuing a degree in higher education, I’ve taken pride in knowing that I am helping tribal

efforts to effectively extrapolate biological information regarding an important natural resource, as well as using

cutting-edge technology to possibly advance wildlife conservation. It could be debated that the strength of this

project not only lies in the hard data obtained through research, but through the symbolic nature that it is truly

possible to collaborate with tribal natural resource agencies. My tribe’s fish and wildlife department has been

incredibly supportive of my endeavors, and this demonstrates their concern regarding the health of their wildlife

populations. I’ve come to appreciate the strength and resiliency of the NNDFW in the multiple aforementioned

challenges they face, and perhaps, this research project can be used as a guide for future research between tribal

agencies and wildlife biologists.

Research Highlight, Cont’d.

Page 9: Letter from the Chair - THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYwildlife.org/.../2015/12/Spring15Newsletter_NPWM.pdf · This course employs a variety of in Workshops, Climate Adaptation Planning, Ocean

April 21-22, 2015

Tribal Wetland Working Group workshop

Hosted by Suquamish Tribe, WA.

Contact Tom Curley: [email protected]

or Rudy Salakory: [email protected]

May 12-14, 2015

National (Climate Change) Adaptation Forum

St. Louis Union Station Hotel

St. Louis, MO.

http://nationaladaptationforum.org/

May 20-22, 2015

33rd

Annual National Conference

Native American Fish and Wildlife Society

Centennial Hall

Juneau, Alaska

www.nafws.org

July 26-30, 2015

5th

International Wildlife Management Conference

Sapporo, Japan

http://iwmc2015.org/

August 11-13, 2015

29th

Annual NAFWS Southwest

Regional Conference

Silver Legacy Resort Casino

Reno, Nevada

http://www.nafws.org/events/regional-events

October 17-21, 2015

2015 Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society

RBC Convention Centre

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

www.wildlife.org/2015conference

Calendar of Events

Working Group Officers

Chair: Michel Kohl

([email protected])

Chair-Elect: Heather Stricker Orlovsky

([email protected])

Past-Chair: Paige Schmidt

([email protected])

Secretary-Treasurer: Serra Hoagland

([email protected])

Communications Coordinator/Newsletter Editor:

Molly O’Grady ([email protected])

Board Members: Nathan Svoboda, Joseph Hnatiuk, Rob

McCoy, Aurelia DeNasha, Barry Stieglitz

Volume 7, Issue 1 Spring 2015 Page 9

How to Join NPWM Working Group

If anyone is interested in joining the NPWM Working

Group, please visit your TWS login website (through

wildlife.org) and select the “Add Subunits/Publications to

Active Membership” button. To be eligible for a

membership in a working group, interested individuals

must be a current member of The Wildlife Society. It is

not required to be affiliated with a Tribe to participate.

Student dues are waived by the working group. If you

have any questions concerning working group dues or how

to join, contact the membership coordinator at (301) 897-

9770 or by E-mail at [email protected].