Special election to choose new Northeast representative

A special election is scheduled to elect a new Northeast representative to TWS Council. TWS members Duane Diefenbach and Tim Green are running for the seat, which is being vacated by Valorie Titus, who has moved out of the district.

Electronic voting begins Sept. 11 and runs through Oct. 10, with results validated by Oct. 18. Paper ballots will be sent to members in the voting district without an email address. The council member-elect will attend a special council meeting from Oct. 24-25 and will be installed at the virtual 28^th Annual Conference Oct. 31-Nov. 5.

The candidates’ statements expressing their vision for The Wildlife Society and their interest in running for this council position are below.

Nominees for Northeast Section Representative

Duane Diefenbach

Wildlife and wild places need a voice that speaks to science and can advocate for actions that are most likely to meet society’s goals and objectives. The Wildlife Society plays a critical role in conservation because it is a professional organization that can advocate for wildlife. Many of our members inform policy through their research and management activities and rely on TWS to make sure that the best available science is shared with policy makers. To be successful TWS needs to anticipate the needs of its members and the issues facing wildlife while recognizing that it will only persist while it is relevant to society. TWS has been an important part of my career and as a member of Council I would appreciate the opportunity to contribute to its future through the support of current and future wildlife professionals.

See complete biographical sketch here.

Tim Green

As an active member of The Wildlife Society since 1995, I’ve watched as the Society has continued to change, becoming more inclusive and broadening its reach. The growing breadth and diversity of members strengthens the Society and keeps it both vibrant and relevant. Wildlife conservation is experiencing unprecedented challenges resulting from human’s impact on the global ecosystem. Working to understand and mitigate the continued impacts of climate change; a new resurgence of interest in the out-of-doors resulting from more than a year of COVID isolation and the added stress of more people; the realization that when humans are out of the picture for even a short while wildlife thrive; and a host of other human-wildlife-ecosystem issues are all important for us to address. Coming from the Renewable Energy Working Group, the growing emphasis on renewables alone will create the need for better understanding of renewable-wildlife interactions as the landmass needed for renewables is expansive if it is to meet the energy needs of a nation and world. Encouraging and welcoming the diversity within our membership will serve to foster the needed ideas to combat all these challenges.

I’ve always approached membership in any organization as an active participant and to not just be a member. Taking on responsibilities is important to support the organization. I’ve worked within TWS mostly in the Northeast participating on the executive committees of the NY Chapter and the NE Section and the Renewable Energy Working Group. Serving as the NE Section Representative would be an honor.

See complete biographical sketch here.