Wildlifers gather to celebrate Aldo Leopold award winner

The Aldo Leopold Memorial Award, named after the pioneer conservation, is the highest honor a TWS member can achieve.

On Monday evening at this year’s Aldo Leopold Reception at the TWS 23^rd Annual Conference, TWS conference attendees and previous recipients of the award celebrated and honored the new Aldo Leopold Memorial Award winner Dale McCullough. “I especially appreciate this award because of my past connection with the Leopold family,” said McCullough, who studied under Starker Leopold, Aldo’s oldest son. “Having that exposure from the start was very important to my career.”

Attendees at the event praised McCullough.

Rocky Gutierrez, professor and Gordon Gullion Endowed Chair, Emeritus University of Minnesota

“This is special to me because I have a long relationship with Dale McCullough,” Gutierrez said. “I’ve known him for over 30 years now. It’s nice to see one of your colleagues be honored. He definitely deserves it.”

Gary White, 2000 Aldo Leopold Award Recipient

“I’ve known Dale a long time,” White said. White recalls that one time McCullough was so engrossed in discussing his work with his colleagues that he missed his flight at the airport. “After three days of arguing, we were sitting in the airport and he was so fired up, he missed his flight.”

Ken Burnham, 2011 Aldo Leopold Award Recipient

“I’m impressed with all of the different species and issues he’s worked on,” Burnham said. “It’s quite impressive.”

Bruce Thompson, TWS President-Elect

“McCullough is the next installment in our recognition of fabulous accomplishments in the field of wildlife,” Thompson said.