CWD program receives Conservation Education Award

The Chronic Wasting Disease Ambassadors program has received The Wildlife Society’s 2024 Conservation Education Award.

The award recognizes those that are involved in a long-term effort to support conservation education. Since inception of the Chronic Wasting Disease Ambassadors in 2021, a collaborative effort among Iowa State University (ISU) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), it has continuously provided invaluable information about the deadly wildlife ailment.

Led by Adam Janke of Iowa State University, Tyler Harms and Rachel Ruden of IDNR, along with support and instruction from various faculty and staff from IDNR and ISU, the program helps community leaders and resources managers effectively communicate about the management and mitigation of CWD. Thus far, over 120 people have completed the voluntary educational program. While most who “graduate” are community leaders, the ambassadorship is open to the public, inviting hunters or landowners that have an interest in deer management to learn more about CWD.

“The CWD Ambassadors program stands out as a beacon of proactive engagement and education on this issue, equipping hunters, landowners, and concerned citizens with the knowledge and tools to effectively communicate the importance of CWD management within their communities” said Todd Bishop, head of Wildlife Bureau at IDNR, in a nomination letter for the award. “By fostering dialogue and a sense of collective responsibility, the program empowers local communities to become active partners and take meaningful action to protect Iowa’s deer populations.”

With a combination of in-person and online study sessions, the program makes a difficult subject accessible and enjoyable for participants. In addition to opportunities for networking with wildlife biologists, participants learn about the ecology of the disease and get hands-on experience sampling deer for CWD testing.

“The facilitation team brought innovative ideas to help explain the complicated disease,” said Debra Kahler, an office manager at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office in a nomination letter. “I never expected so much laughter and joy coming from a classroom of a program about a deer disease.”   

Program facilitators continue to engage with graduates of the program in order to support their outreach and education efforts, and to keep them up-to-date with changing CWD knowledge and conditions throughout the state.

“Chronic wasting disease is a terrible disease and not something the average public wants to talk about,” said Brad Mormann, director of the Jones County Conservation Board, in a nomination letter. “This program gave us the tools necessary to further understand the disease and effectively communicate its management and mitigation.”

Janke, and the other program leaders, will be recognized at TWS 2024 Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.