The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) recognized five members of The Wildlife Society for their dedication to advancing fish and wildlife conservation.
Shane Mahoney received the association’s Lifetime Achievement Award; Embere Hall received the Ernest Thompson Seton Award; Ann Forstchen received the Stephen Kellert Award; and Dwayne Etter and Todd Bogenschultz received the Special Recognition Award.
“These long-time TWS members and conservation leaders are well deserving of their awards from AFWA,” said TWS CEO Ed Arnett. “Their achievements and dedication to wildlife have helped pave the path for the future, and we’re proud they are part of our community.”
Mahoney, president and CEO of Conservation Visions, Inc., won AFWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his thoughtful leadership and advocacy integrating wildlife into the One Health policy framework. This award recognizes those who have supported AFWA and helped advance its policy agenda.
Hall, supervisor of the Science, Research and Analytical Support Unit at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, earned the Ernest Thompson Seton Award for her leadership in public outreach and raising awareness of wildlife management in the state. The award specifically honors the work of a state agency and its leaders to raise public awareness of wildlife management.
Forstchen, who recently retired from her role as relevancy specialist at the Wildlife Management Institute, took home the Stephen Kellert Award for her work with state agencies to help them share the value of conservation throughout society and extend their reach to new audiences. The award recognizes those who have worked tirelessly to advance connections between humans and the natural world.
Both Etter and Bogenschutz received Special Recognition Awards, honoring their accomplishments within the conservation community. Etter of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources was recognized for his more than 30 years of work shaping conservation policy and practice across the Midwest. Bogenschutz, of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, was honored for his work on Farm Bill conservation programs and for conserving upland habitats.
