Past News & Events
TWS sends letters of support for natural resource professionals to governors
3/9/2010
The Wildlife Society recently sent letters to the governors of all 50 states, as well as the corresponding heads of the departments housing fish and wildlife conservation and forestry. The letters were sent on behalf of the Coalition of Natural Resource Societies of which TWS is a member. The letters stress the importance of natural resource professionals, the resources they protect, and how these resources provide substantial economic benefits for the state. Click here to see the letter that was sent to Governor Crist.
2010 Florida Wildlife Habitat Management Calendar
2/12/2010
Do you know any landowners who might like a free 2010 calendar? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) partnered with other agencies and organizations to produce the 2010 Wildlife Habitat Management Calendar. This effort was coordinated by the FWC’s Landowner Assistance Program.
2009 Jay Watch Report is now available!
2/12/2010
The number of Florida scrub-jays—the only bird species that lives only in Florida—continued an apparent decline in 2009, according to The Nature Conservancy’s 2009 Jay Watch report. [Read More]
The Florida Chapter of The Nature Conservancy's 2009 Annual Report is now available.
The National Wildlife Federation's2009 Longleaf Pine Report is now available. [Click here to view]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - November 16 - A federal judge in Tallahassee today approved a historic consent decree which requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set legal limits for the widespread nutrient poisoning that triggers harmful algae blooms in Florida waters. [Read More]
Dr. Ron Labisky, Florida Chapter Member, receives Aldo Leopold Award
Dr. Ron Labisky, long-time active member of the Florida Chapter TWS (FLTWS), recipient of FLTWS’s Herbert W. Kale, II Award, and Professor Emeritus in the University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation was awarded the Aldo Leopold Award at The Wildlife Society 16th Annual Conference, in Monterey CA. The award is named in honor of Aldo Leopold, the visionary biologist whose work early in the 20th century formed the foundation for modern conservation science. The award is made "for distinguished service to wildlife conservation," and it is the highest honor bestowed by The Wildlife Society. We are proud to have one of our own receive such well-deserved recognition, and are grateful for his many contributions to wildlife conservation and the profession at the state, national, and international levels.
To view the video of the awards ceremony, click here Note: You will need Windows Media Player installed to view video. If it is not installed, you will prompted to download the player.
Grand Opening of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
10/6/2009
The Grand Opening of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge will be Saturday, October 17, 2009 in Boynton Beach, Florida. The opening ceremony will begin at 9:00 am and events will run until 3:00 PM. Events will include children's games, canoe trips, guided walks, and weather permitting a small prescribed burn. For additional event information and directions, please visit www.fws.gov/loxahatchee
Audubon Assembly - The Dialogue on Climate Chance and Coastal Conservation
10/6/2009
Be part of a lively discussion on climate change adaptation strategies and ways to maintain our coasts as places where people and wildlife can thrive. The Dialogue on Climate Change and Coastal Conservation will explore what we must do to prepare for the challenges of a changing coastline. The Dialogue will build on and increase cooperation for protecting natural resources and the economy in response to the effects of global warming. The Dialogue is free but seating is limited. Please share the additional details on the attached flyer with your friends and colleagues, and register today at http://audubonoffloridanews.org/?page_id=2904!
Come Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week at Ten Thousand Islands Refuge!
9/17/2009
The Marsh Trail Grand Opening will be held on October 10 from 7 am to 1pm! The Refuge will host a ceremony and free activities for the community. Activities will include a guided bird walk starting at 7:15am, guided kayak tours leaving at 8 and 11am, and a guided hiking tour along Marsh Trail at 11am. A fly fishing demo will be provided by the Backcountry Fly Fishers, and a food vendor will be available for food and non-alcoholic drinks. [Read More]
9/4/2009
The Bob Graham Center at UF is currently putting on a few lectures and events that might be of interest to FLTWS members. They are hosting events which feature Drs. Noll and Tegeder's new book on the Florida Barge Canal, Joe Browder's comments on the history of saving the Everglades, and Michael Grunwald's discussion of his book, The Swamp. For more information, visit Bob Graham Center.
Saving gopher tortoises, small step at a time
May 21, 2009
A new state policy that provides incentives for creating gopher tortoise habitats hit the ground crawling Tuesday. [Read More]
Songbird migration tracked for the first time
February 25, 2009
For the first time scientists have tracked songbirds like wood thrushes and purple martins during their epic migrations from North to South America and back again. [Read More]
FWC records high counts during statewide manatee survey
January 28, 2009
A team of scientists counted an all-time-high number of manatees during the annual manatee synoptic survey conducted the week of Jan. 19. [Read More]
UFTWS Beast Feast! Saturday February 28, 2009 at 5pm
Beast Feast, The UF Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society's annual wild game dinner is just around the corner. It is the largest fundraiser they have, which supports educational outreach programs, community service, and expenses for conclave (our national competition). [Read More]
Cat control lead to eco disaster on World Heritage island
January 23 ,2009
Efforts to remove cats from Macquarie Island, a sub-Antarctic island and World Heritage Site, have indirectly led to environmental devastation, according to a report published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. [Read More]
TWS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
January 12, 2009
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. [Read More]
Endangered woodpecker thrives in Blackwater River State Forest
January 7, 2009
Volunteers needed to monitor birds. Officials with the Florida Division of Forestry report a very productive 2008 nesting season for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker population at Blackwater River State Forest, Florida's largest state forest. [Read More]
Wood storks return to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
December 26, 2008
Rains mean more fish to whet birds’ appetite. As cold air blasted through the open window of the Cessna 172 Tuesday, Jason Lauritsen photographed seemingly insignificant white spots in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary’s bald cypress forest 1,000 feet below. [Read More]
Wildlife Policy Priorities for 2009
Each year, TWS Council approves a list of wildlife policy priorities for the coming year. In Miami, Council approved these priorities for 2009. If there are issues you believe TWS should be addressing in the coming year that aren't included, please contact Laura Bies. In addition, feedback about the proposed actions on the listed issues would also be helpful. Please share your comments with Laura Bies (laura@wildlife.org) by COB Monday, Dec. 22.
A draft position statement on Lead in Ammunition and Fishing Tackle is now available for member review and comment. The comment period ends Feb. 15.
Specialty license tags a holiday gift idea
December 1, 2008
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, in conjunction with The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is offering gift certificates for any specialty tag in Florida. [Read More]
Huge Land Tract, Hatchineha Ranch, Now Protected
November 24, 2008
LAKE WALES | Hatchineha Ranch, a 5,134-acre tract proposed for a city-sized development at Polk's eastern border, will instead be preserved under a deal brokered by The Nature Conservancy. [Read More]
Wildlife 2060: What's at stake for Florida?
November 3, 2008
Florida's natural lands and waters are at the core of our state's prosperity, bringing billions of dollars in economic benefits to our state every year. Our forests, rivers and creeks, and coastal waters are invaluable to fish and wildlife and to our own quality of life. [Read More]
FWC will not release non-migratory Whooping Cranes in the future
November 7, 2008
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will discontinue the release of whooping cranes into Florida's non-migratory flock. The FWC accepted the recent recommendation from the multi-agency International Whooping Crane Recovery Team. [Read More]
Experts: Climate change threatens Florida species
October 2, 2008
ORLANDO -- Climate change threatens to kill off up to a third of the planet's species by the end of the century if urgent action isn't taken to restore fragile ecosystems, protect endangered animals and manage growth, scientists warned Wednesday as a wildlife summit opened. [ Read More ]
Heritage Shotgun Donated For TWS Membership Recruitment
9/2/2008
Aldo Leopold Award Winner and Past TWS President, James E. Miller, will be donating one rifle and two shotguns of historic significance to The Wildlife Society to raise funds to grow TWS' membership. These guns were previously owned by valued colleagues [ Read More ]
Dave Maehr
6/24/2008
Dr. David S. Maehr, 52, Professor of Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Kentucky, Department of Forestry, died tragically in a single-engine plane accident in Lake Placid, Florida on Friday, June 20 while monitoring radio-collared [ Read More ]