TWS Member Retires After 31 Years of Conservation Work

Gael Bissell, a member of The Wildlife Society since 1983, retired recently after a 31-year career as a wildlife biologist in Montana. Originally from Delaware, Bissell received a master’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Montana and began working for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. During her tenure, she was responsible for nearly 250,000 acres of wildlife habitat conservation. In addition to preserving habitat, one of Bissell’s passions was protecting the common loon (Gavia immer), which she helped to have listed as a species of special concern in the state. One of her strongest skills, according to regional wildlife mitigation coordinator Alan Wood, was her ability to pool together people and organizations for the greater good of conservation.

Read more about Bissell’s storied career as a wildlife biologist and leader in wildlife habitat conservation at the Daily Inter Lake.