About

Officers

Chair: Angie Larsen, angelallarsen@gmail.com
Past Chair: Annika Keeley, annika.keeley@yahoo.com
Chair-elect: Greg Smith, gsmith62@kent.edu
Secretary: Mary Hiney, mary.k.hiney@gmail.com
Treasurer: Joe Drake, drakej@vt.edu
Board Member: Mark Nelson, mark.d.nelson@usda.gov
Board Member: Eric Stitt, estitt@ecorpconsulting.com

Mission

The Mission of the Biological Diversity Working Group is to improve conservation of biological diversity as an integral part of ecosystem management and sustainable development and use of natural resources. This is accomplished by facilitating study and transfer of information within and outside of The Wildlife Society relative to maintenance and enhancement of the variety and variability of native living organisms, and the ecological complexes in which they occur. Of necessity, the Working Group’s scope encompasses genetic, species, community, and ecosystem/landscape scales.

Goals

• Develop and promote fundamental understanding of the biological diversity concept, the causes and consequences of its degradation, and the positive and negative links between biological diversity and economic development.
• Promote the conservation of biological diversity both within the wildlife profession and outside to other professions whose activities have impacts at the regional, national, or international level.
• Promote conservation of biological diversity as a responsibility of professional wildlife biologists and articulate their role in management and enhancement of biological diversity.
• Promote partnership among international, federal, state, and local agencies, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and other interested parties for the conservation of biological diversity.