Out in the Field initiative wins TWS Group Achievement Award

The Wildlife Society’s Out in the Field initiative’s efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for LGBTQIA+ wildlifers have earned them the 2024 TWS Group Achievement Award. This award recognizes organizations and groups whose achievements benefit both wildlife and the mission of TWS.

Four LGBTQIA+ members started the Out in the Field (OiTF) in 2019 at the joint TWS and American Fisheries Society conference. Their goal was simple—to make LGBTQIA+ TWS members more visible and to build a supportive environment among wildlife professionals.

The room for the first lunch social to introduce members to the initiative was only intended to hold 40 people but ended up being standing room-only, with over 150 conference-goers in attendance. This turnout highlighted members’ wants and needs for a group such as this one.

“TWS has come a long way in a short time due to the efforts of OiTF,” said TWS Past President Carol Chambers in a nomination letter for the award, which will be presented in October at TWS’ 2024 Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. “We have more often focused on wildlife populations and habitats, our science and management, and OiTF helps us realize the importance of empowering and enabling all wildlife professionals to do this important work. “

Among the group’s many steps to create a safe and understanding community of LGBTQIA+ TWS members, OiTF has assisted Colorado State University researchers with inclusivity research in the wildlife profession. The group holds regular virtual socials to bring together members throughout the country and has presented at multiple conferences, including the TWS annual conference, the Southwestern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual conference and the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual conference.   

“I have so enjoyed getting to know other members of the group and have found a real home and safe landing zone for myself through OiTF’s ardent support and presence, not only in person at TWS meetings but also through its group initiatives and online outreach it provides for members,” Daliee Metts, research associate with the University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture, wrote in an award nomination support letter.

OiTF receives no dedicated funding from TWS, meaning the initiative’s organizers take it upon themselves, and their supporters, to fundraise for outreach items like their coveted rainbow TWS pin and to apply for grants to assist members with conference-related travel. Often, donations pour in from other TWS sections, state chapters and working groups.

“My rainbow TWS pin is one of my most prized possessions, and I wear it with pride at every conference and wildlife event I attend,” Metts wrote. “I do this not only because of my appreciation of the group, but also in the hopes that someone like my undergraduate self can see it and know that they have a place within wildlife.”

There is no formal membership to be part of the initiative. Those interested can find out how to get involved with OiTF, along with news and resources, on the TWS website.