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2000 North Central Section of The Wildlife SocietyLast Updated: Thursday, May 02, 2002 by Stephanie Powell & John Loegering
Contact John Loegering, jloegeri@umn.edu, webmaster for more info.
History
4.1 TITLE: HISTORY OF THE SECTION In 1961, The Wildlife Society's North Central Region had the largest regional membership in the United States not already organized into a formal "section" of TWS. To evaluate options, a Steering Committee conducted an organizational meeting in conjunction with the 23rd Midwest Wildlife Conference at Lincoln, Nebraska, 4-6 December 1961. Eight States within the region were represented - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Besides a large regional TWS membership (695), there were other reasons that justified organizing a new section:
(1) There were no formal means for instructing the Regional Representative about members' wishes; (2) A section might encourage formation of additional state chapters (only 5 of the region's 8 states had chapters in 1961); (3) Members needed more opportunity for direct participation in Society affairs; (4) Section activities might strengthen relationships between state, federal, university, and private interests; and (5) Future section committees might be able to improve upon promotion of members' interests in local, state, and regional problems.
The first organizational meeting at Lincoln was not without controversy. The very active Minnesota Section (as the chapter was then known) was concerned about how its work might be affected by the reorganization. The conferees accepted, however, that aside from a name change from "section" to "chapter", Minnesota's fine work would otherwise continue as it had. Another group concern was the potential for the proposed section to assume organization and planning of the annual Midwest conference, a task thought best left to the host state. This fear was also dispelled through discussion. A motion was then made and seconded to proceed with organizing a section, and no further opposition was voiced. Nominated by the Steering committee for initial officers were Harvey K. Nelson for President and Frank H. King for Vice-President. These individuals were unanimously elected. David B. Vesall agreed to serve as Secretary-Treasurer for the first year.
Approval of the North Central Section organization was sought and received at The Wildlife Society's annual meeting held 11 March 1962, prior to the North American Wildlife Conference at Denver, Colorado.
BYLAWS The Section's bylaws were originally established in accordance with those of the parent Society. Over the years these bylaws have undergone several changes, generally directed toward making them more compatible with those of The Wildlife Society. Some of the more important changes included the following:
1972 - Voted to allow annual election of a Secretary-Treasurer and a President-Elect (who would replace the old position of Vice-President). The latter official would succeed to the office of President. 1974 - Established a special committee to handle publication and financial aspects of symposia sponsored by the Section. 1981 - Separated the office of Secretary-Treasurer into 2 positions beginning in 1981 (and actually implemented in 1983); formed a standing committee to replace the special committee on symposia and publications; formed an Audit Committee; permanently added 2 student representatives to the Section Executive Board and detailed the method of appointment; and provided a mechanism for the President and Executive Board to issue resolutions or public statements whenever quick action was necessary.
2000 - Completed a major revision of the Operations Manual and began discussion of Bylaws changes.
MEMBERSHIP Parent Society members of all categories (honorary, life, regular, and student) residing within the Section boundaries are eligible for North Central Section membership. In the early years of the organization, NCS membership generally ranged between 350 and 500. Through the late 1960s and early 1970s it fluctuated widely, ranging from 164 to a record high of 756. Membership stabilized at just over 400 beginning in 1975. Eligible members of the Society residing within the Section ranged from 695 in 1961 to about 1,200 during the late 1900s. Section membership in the late 1990s fluctuated between 690 and 840.
Two new student chapters were added in 2001: St. Cloud State University and Missouri Western State College.
ACTION PROGRAMS The North Central Section has been involved in a variety of action programs over the years. Perhaps most notable among the Section's achievements has been biennial sponsorship of symposia on various wildlife management and research topics. These symposia are usually held every other year in conjunction with the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, and are sometimes cosponsored by state chapters of the Society. Proceedings are normally published and sold by the Section in years following each symposium. Symposia sponsored or cosponsored by the NCS and the years held were:
1965 - Wood Duck Symposium 1967 - Canada Goose Management: Current Continental Problems and Programs 1969 - Predator Ecology and Management 1970 - Wild Turkey Management - Current Problems and Programs 1973 - Biology and Management of Pheasant Populations in North America 1977 - Waterfowl and Wetlands - An Integrated Review 1979 - White-tailed Deer Management in the North Central State 1981 - Midwest Furbearer Management 1983 - Ruffed Grouse Management: State of the Art in the Early 1980's 1985 - Management of Non game Wildlife in the Midwest - A Developing Art 1987 - Pheasants: Symptoms of Wildlife Problems on Agricultural Lands 1989 - Management of Dynamic Ecosystems 1991 - 2020 Vision: Meeting the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Challenges of the 21st Century 1993 - Urban Deer - A Manageable Resource? 1995 - Management of Midwestern Landscapes for the Conservation of Neotropical Migratory Birds 1997 - Double-crested Cormorant: Population Status and Management Issues in the Midwest 1999 - None 2001 - Public Trust in Wildlife Conservation Symposium at the Midwest
The first activity ever sponsored by the Section was "Operation - Natural Feature Preservation", in 1964. In 1966, the Section sought to establish a speaker register. In 1983, a new conservation affairs procedure was established to increase the effectiveness and frequency of activity on conservation issues. It was hoped this might facilitate communications on high priority items with members, chapters, and the Society.
In 1984, a continuing education program was established to be held in alternating years with Section-sponsored symposia. The program was designed to provide advanced educational training for wildlife biologists. Our first topic was "Waterfowl and Wetland Management."
Another program involves providing financial contributions to student chapters for assistance with "wildlife conclaves" held at various universities in the region. Financial assistance is also provided for other worthwhile endeavors. In 1987, encouragement and monetary support was provided for the conference "Women in Natural Resources: Moving Toward the 90's."
Resolutions and public statements have also constituted a part of the Section's action programs. Among the more notable efforts were the Section's strong resolutions to urge the Secretary of Defense to evaluate biological effects of "Project Sanguine" in 1969, and statements of support in 1982 for continued funding of the Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Units. The Section also strongly supported the Dingell-Johnson expansion bill and commented on legislation pertaining to agricultural land retirement programs, nontoxic shot, diversion of Pittman-Robertson funds, transfer of animal damage control responsibility, USFS and BLM land exchange, the Indiana bat/Meramec River project, the Lock and Dam 26 project, and recognition of Aldo Leopold.
SECTION OFFICERS Many well-known and hard-working wildlife professionals have served the Section's various offices.
PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY-TREASURER 1962 Harvey K. Nelson Frank H. King David B. Vesall USFWS Wisconsin Minnesota 1963 Harvey K. Nelson Thomas R. Evans William H. Marshall USFWS Illinois Minnesota 1964 Arnold O. Haugen Bill T. Crawford Willard D. Klimstra Iowa Missouri Illinois 1965 Bill T. Crawford David H. Jenkins Kenneth R. Russell Missouri Michigan Ohio 1966 Willard Klimstra Forest W. Stearns Leroy J. Korschgen Illinois Wisconsin Missouri 1967 Laurence R. Jahn J. Henry Sather Kenneth C. Sadler Wisconsin Illinois Missouri 1968 Glen C. Sanderson Milton W. Weller Glenn D. Chambers Illinois Iowa Missouri 1969 James B. Hale L. Dan Frenzel, Jr. John B. Lewis Wisconsin Minnesota Missouri 1970 Glenn D. Chambers Paul D. Kline Ronald F. Labisky Missouri Iowa Illinois 1971 C. T. Black Theodore Bookhout Eugene D. Klonglan Michigan Ohio Iowa 1972 Theodore Bookhout Kenneth C. Sadler Daniel O. Trainer Ohio Missouri Wisconsin 1973 David Arnold Dean A. Murphy Keith R. McCaffery Michigan Missouri Wisconsin 1974 Dean A. Murphy Kenneth C. Sadler Alfred Berner Missouri Missouri Minnesota 1975 Kenneth C. Sadler John E. Warnock Robert B. Dahlgren Missouri Illinois Iowa 1976 John E. Warnock David D. Kennedy Charles E. Friley, Jr. Illinois Illinois Michigan 1977 David D. Kennedy Charley M. White Franklin J. Svoboda Illinois Wisconsin Minnesota 1978 Charley M. White Allen L. Farris Franklin J. Svoboda Wisconsin Iowa Minnesota 1979 Allen L. Farris Oliver Torgerson Gerald F. Martz Iowa Missouri Michigan 1980 Oliver Torgerson James R. March Gerald F. Martz Missouri Wisconsin Michigan 1981 James R. March Russell R. Hyer Wayne R. Porath Wisconsin Indiana Missouri 1982 Russell R. Hyer David W. Erickson Kenneth M. Reynolds Indiana Missouri IndianaPRESIDENT PRESIDENT-ELECT SECRETARY TREASURER1983 David Erickson Lee Gladfelter Daniel Svedarsky Steve P. Havera Missouri Iowa Minnesota Illinois 1984 Lee Gladfelter Donald H. Rusch Douglas C. Harr James Kienzler Iowa Wisconsin Iowa Iowa 1985 Donald H. Rusch Charles M. Pils Harmon Weeks, Jr. William E. Berg Wisconsin Wisconsin Indiana Minnesota 1986 Charles M. Pils Robert T. Dumke George Hubert, Jr. P. Decker Major Wisconsin Wisconsin Illinois Indiana 1987 Robert T. Dumke Wayne R. Porath Stephen R. Brady Edward Boggess Wisconsin Missouri Illinois Minnesota 1988 Wayne R. Porath Harmon P. Weeks David Howell Lyle E. Naumann Missouri Indiana Indiana Wisconsin 1989 Harmon P. Weeks Daniel Svedarsky William Fannucchi Lonnie Hansen Indiana Minnesota Wisconsin Missouri 1990 Daniel Svedarksy Erik K. Fritzell Doris Rusch North Giessman Minnesota Missouri Wisconsin Missouri 1991 Erik K. Fritzell Alan Crossley Larry M. David David Risley Missouri Wisconsin Illinois Ohio 1992 Alan Crossley Scott Craven DeWaine Jackson Stan Etter Wisconsin Wisconsin Iowa Illinois 1993 Scott Craven Dave Case John Kubisiak Rique Campa Wisconsin Indiana Wisconsin Michigan 1994 Dave Case Gary Potts Terry Riley Dave Hamilton Indiana Illinois Iowa Missouri 1995 Gary Potts Richard Clawson Jim Bergens Jeff Kiefer Illinois Missouri Indiana Indiana 1996 Richard Clawson Patrick Brown Rick Young Jeff Greene Missouri Illinois Wisconsin Michigan 1997 Patrick Brown Norb Giessman Barbara Ver Steeg Eric Kurzejeski Illinois Missouri Illinois Missouri 1998 Norb Giessman Jeff Ver Steeg Linda Parker Jon Gilbert Missouri Illinois Wisconsin Wisconsin 1999 Jeff Ver Steeg DeeCee Darrow Robert Rolley Dave Swanson Illinois Missouri Wisconsin Ohio 2000 DeeCee Darrow Steve Havera Stanley Gehrt Scott Winterstein Missouri Illinois Illinois Michigan 2001 Steve Havera Scott Johnson Jaime Edwards Scott Winterstein Illinois Indiana Minnesota Michigan 2002 Scott Johnson Bill Hohman Kelly Millenbah James Hardin Indiana Iowa Michigan Wisconsin
SECTION REPRESENTATIVE 1962-1967 Tony J. Peterle (Region III Representative) Ohio 1968-1972 C.D. Besadny (Region III Representative) Wisconsin 1973-1976 L. David Frenzel, Jr. Minnesota 1977-1982 Robert B. Dahlgren Iowa 1983-1985 Oliver Torgerson Missouri 1985-1988 Erik K. Fritzell Missouri 1989-1994 Donald H. Rusch Wisconsin 1995-1997 Diana Hallett Missouri 1998-2001 Dan Svedarsky Minnesota 2002- Gary Potts Illinois
AWARDS In 1978, the North Central Section initiated an awards program to recognize the best paper and best presentation given at the annual Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. In 1983, another award for the best poster paper at the Midwest was added. The NCS established a new Professional Award of Merit in 1984. The Award of Merit is bestowed upon society members residing within the NCS in recognition of outstanding professional accomplishments in wildlife conservation.
BEST PRESENTATION BEST PAPER
1978 William M. Heally & Richard O. Kimmel Erica Nol & Ronald J. Brooks
1979 Randall S. Arndt & Thomas W. Townsend Vernon G. Thomas
1980 Mark R. Ryan Robert M. Jackson
1981 William Eddleman William Eddleman
1982 Rex R. Johnson & James J. Dinsmore Robert B. Frederick, William R. Clark, & Erwin E. Klass
1983 Robert M. Jackson Mickey E. Heitmeyer
1984 John H. Hart, Henry Campa III,& Jonathan B. Haufler John H. Hart, Henry Campa III,& Jonathan B. Hauffler
1985 Larry Vangilder David Westmoreland & Louis B. Best
1986 David Urich, John Graham, Robert Miller, & Edward Gaskins Eric Kurzejeski & Larry Vangilder
1987 Tonie E. Rocke, Thomas M. Yuill, & Beth Fritz Scott Craven
1988 Frank R. Thompson, III Susan M. Haig, Jonathon D. Ballou, & Scott Derrickson
1989 Frederic A. Reid, Mark S. Kaiser, & Leigh H. Fredrickson Loren W. Burger, David P Hones, Mark R. Ryan & Alice Wywialowski
1990 Cynthia J. Wong & R. Ben Peyten William H. Lane & Thomas Nicholls
BEST PRESENTATION CONTINUED
1991 Brenda S. Clark, David M. Leslie,Jr.& Tracy S. Carter
1992 Guy A. Baldassarre & Chris Dwyer
1993 David L. Urich & Robert J. Robel
1994 Loren W. Burger,Jr., Thomas V. Dailey, Eric W. Kurzejeski
1995 Therese M. Donovan, Douglas A. Clark, Robert W. Howe,& B.J. Danielson
1996 Tim A. Nigh
1997 Douglas Siegel-Causey
1998 Not Judged
BEST POSTER
1983 John T. Brady
1984 Theresa W. Shuman & James W. Bennett
1985 Stephen M. Schmitt, Thomas M. Cooley, Robert Strong, & George Burgoyne, Jr.
and (tie) Glenn Y. Belyea, Harold Prince, & Pete Squibb
1986 Charles Dieter & Thomas McCabe
1987 James D. Garner, Joyce E. Hoffman, & Elizabeth A. Cook
1991 Kimberly K. Kessler & Ron J. Johnson
1992 M. Isabell Bellocq & S.M. Smith
1993 Nicholas A. Stathis
1994 Jo Salyers, Catherine Kolkmeier, Karen Tyrell, and Virgil Brack, Jr.
1995 George F. Hubert, Jr., David J. Case, Robert D. Bluett, and Mark D. Duda
1996 No Award
1997 No Award
1998 Not Judged
BEST STUDENT PRESENTATION 1991 Brenda S. Clark, David M. Leslie, Jr.& Tracy S. Carter 1992 Matthew J. Lovallo & Eric Anderson 1993 David S. Klute & David E. Anderson 1994 Jamie Lafferty & John O. Whitaker, Jr. 1995 Meg Clark, Delia Raymer, Allison Gormley, Scott R. Winterstien, & Henry Campa, III 1996 D. Todd Farand, Alan Woolf, & Richard S. Halbrook 1997 David Unger, Eric Anderson, & Bruce Kohn 1998 Laura M. Myers, N.E. Mathews, & J.M. Kozma 1999 Brent E. Jamison
BEST STUDENT POSTER 1999 Lori Corteville
BEST STUDENT PAPER 1990 Cynthia J. Wong & R. Ben Peyten
PROFESSIONAL AWARD OF MERIT RECIPIENTS 1985 Thomas S. Baskett 1986 Glen C. Sanderson 1987 Harvey K. Nelson 1988 L. David Mech 1989 Louis J. Verme 1990 Gordon W. Gullion 1991 Leigh H. Fredrickson 1992 George V. Burger 1993 Tony J. Peterle 1994 Edward Langenau, Jr. 1995 Ted Bookhout 1996 John Roseberry 1997 Not Awarded 1998 Not Awarded 1999 Charles M. Nixon 2000 Al Berner 2001 David J. Case
Materials for History of the Section were prepared originally by Douglas C. Harr and H. Lee Gladfelter and were adapted and enhanced for a NCS handout. Much of the information was extracted from file notes and correspondence; some information was drawn from memory. They apologize for any errors that may have crept into the document. Corrections and additions are invited. Please respond to the current President of the North Central Section. The Section Secretary is responsible for updating this information annually.
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2000 North Central Section of The Wildlife Society Last Updated: Thursday, May 02, 2002 by Stephanie Powell & John Loegering Contact John Loegering, jloegeri@umn.edu, webmaster for more info. |