We are excited to announce the formation of a new working group within the Wildlife Society, spearheaded by our very own Environmental Scientist Joanne Theriault, CWS, AWB®, and Senior Environmental Scientist Melinda Squillace, CWB®. Hoyle Tanner’s support of this initiative underscores our commitment to incorporating the best available science associated with environmental stewardship and wildlife conservation in our projects, particularly in the context of transportation infrastructure.
About The Wildlife Society
The Wildlife Society (TWS) is an international organization dedicated to promoting and educating professionals in the wildlife field. It offers peer-reviewed scientific research publications, certifications for wildlife biologists, and various working groups focused on specific topics. Joanne and Melinda are active members, with Melinda being a Certified Wildlife Biologist and Joanne an Associate Wildlife Biologist. Melinda also serves as an active Board Member-at-Large of the Renewable Energy Working Group of TWS.
Formation of the Working Group
Joanne and Melinda have collaborated with other colleagues to create a working group focused on unifying the professional and scientific community within TWS to collectively promote a higher understanding of how to balance the importance of our transportation infrastructure with the needs of wildlife navigating the surrounding landscape.
Specifically, this group aims to address issues such as habitat connectivity and the fragmenting effects created by roads and railways, as well as the economic and ecological impacts of wildlife-vehicle collisions. They have gathered a core group of eight members from different firms and public agencies, drafted a mission statement, and successfully got approval.
Dissemination of Information
The working group will serve as a platform for sharing the latest research and best practices in transportation ecology. Other working groups within TWS boast professional membership in the hundreds and engage with other interest groups nationwide, and Joanne and Melinda are committed to ensuring that this working group creates the same level of impact. In fact, they are already working on exploring collaboration with the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation at which Melinda is presenting in May. Through work such as this, members will bring back valuable insights to their respective firms and agencies, ultimately benefiting our clients by providing informed and sustainable solutions that are backed by scientific consensus.
Next Steps
The group held its first meeting in early April, at which time Joanne was approved as the interim secretary and treasurer of the board, and Melinda was approved as the interim vice chair. During this meeting, the group also discussed possibilities for promoting membership and providing educational opportunities to TWS membership. At a recent All Working Groups meeting of TWS, the CEO of TWS Ed Arnett personally welcomed the newly formed working group and expressly stated that he plans to call on the group for assistance with TWS’s intent to advocate for the permanence of the FHWA Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. TWS requires an annual meeting, which will often coincide with their annual conference. This year’s conference will be held in Edmonton, AB.
Join Us in Our Efforts
We are proud to be contributing to the field of transportation ecology. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to develop and grow this working group. In the meantime, reach out to Melinda or Joanne if you have questions about wildlife enhancements into your transportation projects!
