Welcome to the Wildlife Society

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The Wildlife Society is an international, non-profit, scientific and educational organization comprised of professionals serving the resource management fields, especially wildlife ecology and management.  The principle objectives of the Society are to develop and promote responsible stewardship of wildlife resources and the environments upon which wildlife and humans depend; undertake an active role in preventing human-induced environmental degradation; increase awareness and appreciation of wildlife values; and seek the highest standards of professionalism in all activities.

Our Student Chapter

The University of Montana Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society (TWS) strives to be an active club providing many great opportunities to our members, while having fun along the way.  At our meetings, students get a chance to connect with current wildlife professionals and learn about their research.  We also provide several opportunities throughout the year where students can practice skills they will use in the field and gain valuable experience for their resume.  Students can also use TWS as an opportunity to get involved in the surrounding community through our education outreach program.  In addition, participating in the club is a great way to gain leadership skills and meet new people in a positive social atmosphere.

Our goal is to encourage participation in activities and create an environment where all are welcome to share ideas and experiences.  Through involvement in the club, students will get the skills and experience they need for jobs and, most importantly, they will make many friends along the way.

How to Join

Our student chapter welcomes all majors and membership is open year-round.  To join, attend a bi-weekly meeting and speak to an officer.  We meet at 6:00pm every other Tuesday, beginning with September 19th, in Forestry 106l. See you there!

Officers

President:  Mattie Budine
Vice President:  Brandon Quamme
Secretary:  Eric Ray
Treasurer:  Garrett Heath
Education & Outreach:  Kevin Niehaus
Section 13:  Vincent Gugliotti
Board Member / Undergraduate Mentor:  Addie Wichman

Section 13

Section 13 is a 640-acre area of Lubrecht Experimental Forest managed by College of Forestry and Conservation (CFC) students. The Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society collaborates with the other CFC clubs to make decisions on the management of Section 13. Section 13 is open to all students for recreation and biology/ecology projects. It is a great resource for education and job skills. We are open to any ideas or projects that students may have in mind. The Section 13 manager's job is to assist students in projects and to be a liaison between Lubrecht Forest and student groups. 

Education Outreach Program

The student chapter of The Wildlife Society at the University of Montana is a scientific and educational organization which seeks to promote responsible stewardship of wildlife resources, prevent environmental degradation, and increase awareness and appreciation of wildlife values. The Wildlife Society's education outreach program achieves these goals by providing free presentations and workshops to schools and organizations throughout Missoula.

Presentations

If you are interested in hosting a presentation, our members have a broad range of passions and experiences. We can create an individual program that complements your curriculum, assist with an ongoing project, or you can choose from several existing presentations, including “Be Bear Aware,” a national campaign dedicated to promoting safe and responsible stewardship of wildlife treasures, especially bears, in order to reduce the growing number of human/wildlife confrontations. We also have slides, full pelts, skulls, antlers, and paw prints available as teaching aids.

Activities

The University of Montana’s Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society is an active club with over 50 members. At weekly meetings, students connect with wildlife professionals and learn about their research or work. Outside of meetings, members are given the opportunity to build job skills, network with professionals, and positively impact the community through service and outreach. This fall semester’s activities (Aug. 25 through Dec. 12, 2014) have included the following:  

Professional Development

  • 10 members assisted FWP conduct a two-day mountain goat survey
  • 14 members created non-invasive, traps for a FWP Northern Bog Lemmings survey
  • 27 members received hands-on small mammal trapping training
  • 10 members received telemetry and orienteering lessons
  • Three members assisted crew members conduct telemetry on snowshoe hares and collect vegetation data in the Blackfoot valley over the course of three weekends.
  • All six officers attended the national conference of The Wildlife Society. Officers attended lectures, participated in events and quiz bowl, and shared their activities and vision with other student officers at a student leadership breakfast.
  • Three undergraduate members were given the opportunity to present their summer field work and/or senior thesis projects to members at a Tuesday meeting.
  • Seven members assisted MPG and Raptor View Research Institute band captured bald and golden eagles and observe the capture process.

Education Outreach

  • “Be Bear Aware” presentations: A total of 21 members taught children and adults how to be safe in bear country by giving six Be Bear Aware presentations to classrooms, after-school programs, Girl Scouts and at community events. Together, members reached over 131 children and 50 adults.
  • “Wild Jobs” presentations: Nine members shared their past jobs in wildlife and encouraged students towards the biological sciences by giving Wild Jobs presentations to a 5th grade classroom and a high school after-school program. Together, members reached 44 students and three adults.
  • Four members guided an educational hike to Morell Falls for 15 visiting International students from Japan and one adult.
  • Seven members assisted the TWS Montana State Chapter table the two-day MEA-MFT Educator’s Conference. Members encouraged educators to promote wildlife education in their classrooms and take advantage of services offered by both the state and student chapter.
  • Five members taught 80 Girl Scouts and 15 adults about wildlife tracking and outdoor safety at the scout’s “Outdoor Survival Day.”
  • Four female officers joined the committee of UM faculty and professionals planning the 2nd annual Expanding Your Horizons conference aimed at encouraging middle school girls toward a career in STEM (science technology engineering and math).

Community Service

  • 42 TWS members joined forces with Backcountry Horsemen of Missoula and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to remove over 3.25 miles of barbed wire fence from Blackfoot Clearwater Wildlife Management Area to prevent wildlife from being injured or killed by getting entangled in the fencing. This is the chapters fourth year participating in the event.
  • Three members spent a total of 37 hours assisting the Be Bear Aware campaign with grant writing, organization, communications and presentation development.
  • 14 members assisted The Great Bear Foundation by gleaning over 200 lbs of fruit from a property recently visited by bears.
  • Six members removed eight garbage bags worth of houndstongue seeds from Missoula lands.
  • The student chapter adopted and purchased gifts for a family of five and one veteran for the holidays.

Student rolling wire fence
Club members participated in their third annual barbed wire fence removal project at a local game range this year, removing more than three miles of wildlife-unfriendly fencing. 

two student learning telemetry
Students learned telemetry and other field skills on campus during a TWS club meeting.

Wildlife student showing local school kids how to unpack camping gear in bear country.
Wildlife student showing local school kids how to unpack camping gear in bear country. 

group photo with presents 
Student chapter of The Wildlife Society members with holiday gifts they donated to a local family and a veteran. 

Presenting to a group of 1st graders
Wildlife Society officer Jenah Mead making a presentation on grizzly bears to a local first grade class.