Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Awards and Scholarships
The E. Sydney Stephens Award is the highest honor presented by the Missouri Chapter of TWS to one of its members. It is annually presented to a voting member of the Missouri Chapter who has developed, applied, administered, or completed an especially significant program of management, education, research, or communication that results in an outstanding contribution to the wildlife resources of Missouri. The purpose of the award is to define outstanding professional contributions to wildlife resource management in Missouri, and to demonstrate the Chapter's recognition and appreciation for such efforts.
The G. Andy Runge Award is presented to individuals, groups, or organizations whose actions, decisions, or programs positively and significantly impact wildlife conservation in Missouri. Consideration is especially given to far-reaching impacts or contributions that go above and beyond the needs of the moment. This award recognizes original thinking, innovation, and creativity in solving a problem with wildlife conservation implications. The purpose of the award is to recognize significant contributions to the field of wildlife conservation by individuals, groups, or organizations not necessarily affiliated with the Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society, and to provide a means by which the Chapter may recognize non-professionals and professionals whose accomplishment(s) may be one-time, short-term, or long-term.
The Farmer/Wildlife Award is presented to a farmer(s) who gives the majority of his/her time to the management of a farming operation and who has made an outstanding contribution to wildlife management conservation in Missouri.
The Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society established the Farmer/Wildlife Award in 1976 to recognize farmers who have made outstanding contributions to wildlife management. However, due to problems in locating qualified farm operators to receive this award, the Executive Board of the Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society at its August 18, 2004, meeting established a replacement award with more liberal definitions of who would qualify. The new Farmer Conservationist Award is meant to recognize and promote sound wildlife management programs on farms, because the vast majority of wildlife habitat is located within Missouri's rural landscape.
Several definitions are necessary to limit recognition to individuals that are at substantial risk from their farming operation and commit to the management for wildlife as an integral part of their farm plan and at scale sufficient to provide at least local benefit to wildlife populations.
Farm Operators: Individuals who actively manage their "working farms" and derive a substantial amount or portion of their income from the farm operation.
Working Farm: A farm where a substantial portion is manipulated by farm practices annually (not one mostly in long-term set aside).
Farm Operation: An agricultural business of sufficient size that it is clearly recognized in the community as a farming operation.
Scale: Farms must be at least 100 acres, because few farms could be operated on a smaller tract and still have substantial resources available for wildlife management.
Wildlife Management: Any manipulation or improvement of resources which clearly illustrates planning and having a long-term desirable effect toward habitat improvement and wildlife numbers. This would include preservation of unique areas providing habitat for uncommon wildlife or wildlife communities.
Annually the Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society awards a fellowship to an outstanding graduate student who is a member of The Wildlife Society and is enrolled in the Fisheries and Wildlife graduate program at the University of Missouri - Columbia conducting research which pertains to some aspect of wildlife biology and/or management in Missouri. The purpose of the fellowship is to further professional educational opportunities for students interested in obtaining graduate degrees in wildlife management in Missouri, and to promote student involvement in the Missouri Chapter of the Wildlife Society and to enhance student/Chapter relationships. Recipients are selected based on their resume, research study proposal and academic performance.
The James D. Chambers Memorial Scholarship, initiated in 1996, is awarded annually to a Missouri graduate or senior undergraduate student majoring in wildlife ecology or natural resources conservation. The scholarship is designed to recognize excellence in academics, leadership, and conservation education. Recipients are selected based on an essay (2 pages or less) outlining the student's research or special project involvement and describing how their work will or has benefited natural resource conservation; a resume; and 2 letters of recommendation from natural resource professionals.
last updated 07/18/2007 tgk