Council of Scientists
Terry Z. Riley, PhD, NAGP Director of Policy
Dr. Riley is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, hunter, angler, private pilot, and amateur vintner. Terry served in the U.S. Air Force right out of high school, including a year in Vietnam. He is semi-retired, but his wife Nancy, also a wildlife biologist, and he own a consulting business and he collaborates with scientists at Colorado State University on research projects. Previous work includes coordinator for the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, vice-president of policy for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, board member of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and the North American Grouse Partnership, conservation director and Midwest field representative for the Wildlife Management Institute, upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and wildlife biologist for the U.S. Forest Service. Terry has a Bachelor’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Biology from Kansas State University, a Master’s degreein Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University (where he studied the ecology of lesser prairie-chickens), and a Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Zoology from The Ohio State University, where he studied the ecology of wetland invertebrates and waterfowl. Terry and Nancy live in Fort Collins, CO with their horses and dogs. They have 3 children; Jason is an assistant professor of business at Sam Houston State University, Samantha is a visiting assistant professor in business writing at Pennsylvania State University and Anna lives and works with an event center in Bozeman, MT.
Pertinent Publications
Riley, T. Z., E. M. Bayne, B. C. Dale, D. E. Naugle, J. A. Rodgers, and S. C. Torbit. 2012. Impacts of Crude Oil and Natural Gas Developments on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat in the Rocky Mountain Region. The Wildlife Society Technical Review 12-02. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Wildlife.org/publications/technical-reviews
Riley, T.Z. 2004. Private-land habitat opportunities for prairie grouse through federal conservation programs. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 32(1):83-91.
Hagen, C.A., B.E. Jamison, K.M. Giesen, and T.Z. Riley. 2004. Guidelines for managing lesser prairie chicken populations and their habitats. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 32(1):69-82.
Riley, T.Z. 2004. A Review of Energy Development in the West. A report to the National Commission on Energy Policy by the Izaak Walton League of America, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited, and the Wildlife Management Institute. Washington, D.C. 38 pages.
Riley, T.Z., C.A. Davis, and R.A. Smith. 1993. Autumn-winter habitat use of lesser prairie- chickens. Great Basin Naturalist 53:409-411.
Riley, T.Z., and C.A. Davis. 1993. Vegetative characteristics of lesser prairie-chicken brood foraging sites. Prairie Naturalist 25:243-248.
Riley, T.Z., C.A. Davis, and R.A. Smith. 1993. Autumn and winter foods of the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) (Galliformes: Tetraonidae). Great Basin Naturalist 53:186-189.
<li>Riley, T.Z., C.A. Davis, M. Ortiz, and M.J. Wisdom. 1992. Vegetative characteristics of successful and unsuccessful nests of lesser prairie chickens. Journal of Wildlife Management 56:381-385.
Cameron Aldridge
Brian Cade, PhD
Dr. Cade is a research statistician with the USGS Fort Collins Science Center, where he has provided statistical and ecological expertise on a variety of studies of organism/environmental relationships for the past 29 years. The focus of Brian’s statistical research is on procedures that require minimal assumptions, yet maximize information obtained from heterogeneous data distributions. He has B.S. (1977) and M.S. (1985) degrees in Wildlife Biology and a PhD (2003) in Ecology from Colorado State University. His formative years of ecological research were spent investigating peregrine falcons in Alaska and ruffed and blue grouse habitat selection in Idaho and Colorado. His M.S. thesis conducted in collaboration with the Colorado Division of Wildlife investigated winter habitat selection and seasonal migration of blue grouse. Brian is an avid fly fisherman, bird hunter, backpacker, and mountain climber, always willing to push a little more to see what’s over the next ridge. He is married to Amy and they have two grown children, Jessica and Sam.</p>
Pertinent Publications
Hoffman, R. W., and B. S. Cade. 1982. Occurrence of sage grouse above treeline. Colorado Field Ornithology Journal 16: 22-31.
Cade, B. S., and P. J. Sousa. 1985. Habitat suitability index models: Ruffed grouse. U. S. Fish Wildlife Service Biological Report 82(10.86). 31 pp.
Cade, B. S., and R. W. Hoffman. 1990. Winter use of Douglas-fir forests by blue grouse in Colorado. Journal of Wildlife Management 54: 471-479.
Cade, B. S., and R. W. Hoffman. 1993. Differential migration of blue grouse in Colorado. Auk 110: 70-77.
Allen, A. W., B. S. Cade, and M. W. Vandever. 2001. Effects of emergency haying on vegetative characteristics within selected conservation reserve program fields in the northern Great Plains. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 56: 120-125.
Prose, B. L., B. S. Cade, and D. Hein. 2002. Nesting habitat of sharp-tailed grouse in the Nebraska Sandhills. The Prairie Naturalist 34(3/4): 85-105.
Cade, B.S., M. W. Vandever, A. W. Allen, and J.W. Terrell. 2005. Vegetation changes over 12 years in ungrazed and grazed Conservation Reserve Program grasslands in the Central and Southern Plains. Pages 106-119 in Allen, A.W., and Vandever, M.W., eds., The Conservation Reserve Program - Planting for the Future: Proceedings of a National Conference, June 6-9, 2004, Fort Collins, CO. U. S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Discipline, Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5145, 248pp.
Aldridge, C.L., S.E. Hanser, S.E. Nielsen, M. Leu, B.S. Cade, D.J. Saher, and S.T. Knick. 2011. Detectability adjusted count models of songbird abundance. Pp 141-220 in Hanser, S.E., M. Leu, S.T. Knick, and C.L. Aldridge (editors). Sagebrush ecosystem conservation and management: Ecoregional assessment tools and models for the Wyoming Basins. Allen Press, Lawrence, KS.
Leu, M., S.E. Hanser, C.L. Aldridge, S. E. Nielsen, B.S. Cade, and S.T. Knick. 2011. A sampling and analytical approach to develop spatial distribution models for sagebrush-associated species. Pp 88-111 in Hanser, S.E., M. Leu, S.T. Knick, and C.L. Aldridge (editors). Sagebrush ecosystem conservation and management: Ecoregional assessment tools and models for the Wyoming Basins. Allen Press, Lawrence, KS.
Cade, B. S., and P. R. Johnson. 2011. Quantile equivalence to evaluate compliance with habitat management objectives. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 2(2):169-182.
Richard Kenith Baydack, PhD
Rick has over 30 years of research, teaching, and consulting experience in ecosystem management and wildlife biology and conservation. He has been on faculty with the University of Manitoba since 1979. Dr. Baydack is currently Professor and Chair of Environmental Science and Studies in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. He holds Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Zoology and Master of Natural Resources Management degrees from the University of Manitoba, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University. Dr. Baydack’s research is in the areas of ecosystem management applications, conservation of biological diversity, adaptive resource management (ARM), and enhanced policy and decision-making strategies. He has experience with prairie grouse research and conservation efforts across North America, and has received the Hamerstrom Award from the Prairie Grouse Technical Council. He served as President of the North American Grouse Partnership from 2005-2012. He was recently elected Vice-President of The Wildlife Society, and will ascend to TWS President in October 2014.
Dawn Davis
Dawn is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and currently the sage-grouse conservation coordinator for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Dawn has dedicated over 15 years to upland game bird management and conservation efforts, with a focus on lesser prairie-chicken and greater sage-grouse ecology. In addition, Dawn has worked as a private lands biologist where she assisted private landownersdevelop upland game bird habitat on their property and promoted wildlife-related recreational opportunities through access agreements on private lands. Her education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno, a Master’s degree in Wildlife from Oregon State University (where she studied breeding season habitat use of a greater sage-grouse population in northern Nevada), and a Ph.D. at the University of Idaho (where she assessed the population structure of a declining, peripheral population of greater sage-grouse in northeastern California). Dawn lives in southeastern Oregon.
Matt Holloran
Matt Holloran was raised on a cattle and hay ranch in western Colorado. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from The Colorado College, and his Masters and PhD in zoology and physiology from the University of Wyoming. He has been studying sage-grouse since 1996 and focuses much of his research on investigating the response of sage-grouse to energy development and the activities implemented to counteract negative consequences of that development (e.g., mitigation). Matt currently is co-owner of a small wildlife consulting firm and chief scientist for a non-profit research organization. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife and 2 daughters.
Dan Keppie
Dan is recently retired after many years as Professor, Department of Biology and Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada. He retains a position with the school as Honorary Research Professor, and now resides in Prospect Kentucky. While at UNB, he taught courses in ecology, evolution, wildlife habitat and scale, population analyses, ethology, and science and research philosophy. He holds a B.Sc. degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (Conservation/Biology), a M.Sc. degree from Oregon State University (Wildlife Ecology and Statistics; band-tailed pigeons), and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Alberta (Zoology; spruce grouse). His early interest in grouse was mentored by much work with the Hamerstrom’s, in combination with the encouragement from Fred Baumgartner, Ray Anderson, George Becker, and Howard Wight, for a life-long love of field ecology with all species and the philosophies that underpin our research. Principal studies over the years have centered on population and habitat structure questions with American woodcock, band-tailed pigeons, and grouse, notably spruce and ruffed. Dan has benefited also from considerable time since 1994 on invited third-party audits of forest management operations by industrial companies in their attempts to achieve certification according to criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.</p>
Pertinent Publications
Williamson, S.J., D. Keppie, R. Davison, D. Budeau, S. Carrière, D. Rabe and M. Schroeder. 2008. Spruce Grouse Continental Conservation Plan. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Washington, DC. 60 pages.
Keppie, D.M. 2006. Context, emergence, and research approach. Wildlife Society Bulletin 34:242-246.
Keppie, D.M. 2004. Autumn dispersal and winter residency do not confer reproductive advantage for juvenile female spruce grouse. Condor
106:897-905.
Keppie, D.M., and Kierstead, J.M. 2003. The need to improve our attention to scale of resolution in grouse research. Wildlife Biology 9:319-325.
Keppie, D.M., and Braun, C.E. 2000. Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata). In The Birds of North America, No. 530 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
Hewitt, D.G., Keppie, D.M., and Stauffer, D.F. 2000. Predation effects on forest grouse recruitment. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:16-23.
Keppie, D.M. 2000. Spruce grouse: a non-gregarious and sparsely distributed forest bird, shows synchronous nesting. Oecologia 123:490-496.
Stephanie Manes
Stephanie holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in Wildlife Ecology and Management and Rangeland Ecology from Oklahoma State University (1999), and has been a professional member of The Wildlife Society and Society for Range Management for 20 years.
Between 1999 and 2007, she was employed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as the lead biologist overseeing the national status of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken. In that capacity, Stephanie coordinated multi-state and local recovery efforts for multiple grassland species under the Service’s High Plains Partnership Initiative. She has extensive experience negotiating and delivering financial incentives to private ranchers to implement grazing management and prescribed burning plans, and has delivered habitat restoration plans for over 30,000 acres in Oklahoma and Kansas. In addition to co-authoring and collaborating on research papers on eastern wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, wood stork, wolverine, and prairie-chicken, Stephanie has been a key player of the North American Grouse Partnership for many years. Stephanie has been employed by the Ranchland Trust of Kansas, Inc. as the coordinator of the first Prairie Chicken voluntary conservation offset project for a wind energy facility in the nation. This 26,000-acre project, funded by EDP Renewables (formerly Horizon Wind Energy), is located in the Smoky Hills of Central Kansas. Stephanie resides in rural Wamego, Kansas with her husband, son and daughter.
Angelena Ross, PhD
Angelena is a wildlife biologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Her research focuses on spruce grouse population viability, population genetics, and monitoring results of experimental habitat management and population supplementation. Other research interests include the conservation of threatened and endangered species such as the spruce grouse, Blanding’s and wood turtles, boreal chorus frogs, wintering raptors, and other Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Angelena serves on both the Northern New York Audubon and the Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation steering committees. She is the New York State representative to the Blanding’s turtle, wood turtle, and spotted turtle working groups. Angelena has co-authored New York’s spruce grouse recovery plan and has focused on conservation of the species in New York since 2002. Angelena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Geology from the State University of New York at Potsdam, and she earned a Master’s degree in Conservation Biology from the New York State College of Environmental Science and Forestry, focusing on spruce grouse habitat associations. She earned a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology at Clarkson University, focusing on spruce grouse conservation and population recovery. Angelena lives in Potsdam, New York.
Pertinent Publications
· Ross, A.M., G. Johnson, and J.P. Gibbs. 2016. Spruce Grouse Decline in Maturing Lowland Boreal Forests of New York. Forest Ecology and Management 359: 118-125.
· Ross, A. M., and G. Johnson. 2012. Recovery plan for New York State populations of the spruce grouse (Falcipennis canadensis). New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York.
· Johnson, G. and A. Ross. 2008. In New York State Breeding Bird Atlas (K. McGowan and K. Corwin, eds). Species Account: Spruce grouse. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
· Ross, A.M. 2008. Spruce Grouse Distribution, Movements and Habitat: A Mid-successional Species in an Aging Forested Landscape. M.S. Thesis, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York.
· Ross, A.M., and G. Johnson. 2008. Spruce grouse in lowland boreal forests of New York State: distribution, movements and habitat. Final Report AMO5122, Grant T-2-1. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York.
Alan Sands
Alan Sands is a wildlife biologist and president of Sage Wildlife Consulting Services. Formerly he was a habitat biologist for BLM for 22 years and an ecologist with The Nature Conservancy for 15 years. For most of his career he has been actively engaged in the conservation of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and Greater sage-grouse. While at the senior career level, he was instrumental in significantly increasing and directing funding for inventory, research, acquisition, and restoration to benefit these species. With a habitat orientation, he gained extensive experience in shrub steppe habitat restoration. He holds a M.S. degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University. Alan lives in Idaho.
Michael A. Schroeder, PhD
Dr. Schroeder is a Certified Wildlife Biologist who has pursued research and management of grouse since 1981. He joined the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in 1992 and has continued to focus his activities on the biology and management of grouse. His research has included studies of: (1) population dynamics and behavioral ecology of greater sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse; (2) greater sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse translocations; (3) effects of wind power on greater sage-grouse; (4) conservation genetics of grouse; (5) effects of farm programs on greater sage-grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, and other species of shrubsteppe wildlife; and (6) the importance of connected landscapes on the management of grouse. Mike is also developing a monitoring and evaluation program for WDFW wildlife areas. He has worked with graduate students from Washington State University, University of Idaho, and Eastern Washington University to address specific management issues related to grouse. He received his Ph.D. degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University, his M.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Alberta, and his B.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology from Texas A&M University. Mike is married with 2 kids living in Bridgeport, Washington, within 1.5 hours drive of 7 species of grouse. His WDFW webpage is http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/research/staff/schroeder_michael.html
Pertinent Publications
Lyons, E. K., M. A. Schroeder, and L. A. Robb. 2012. Criteria for determining sex and age of birds and mammals. Chapter 8 in N. J. Silvy, Ed. The wildlife techniques manual. Volume 1. Seventh Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.
Connelly, J. W., C. A. Hagen, and M. A. Schroeder. 2011. Characteristics and dynamics of greater sage-grouse populations. Chapter 3 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly, eds. Greater sage-grouse: Ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
Garton, E. O., J. W. Connelly, J. S. Horne, C. A. Hagen, A. Moser, and M. A. Schroeder. 2011. Greater sage-grouse population dynamics and probability of persistence. Chapter 15 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly, eds. Greater sage-grouse: Ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
Wisdom, M. J., C. W. Meinke, S. T. Knick, and M. A. Schroeder. 2011. Factors associated with extirpation of sage grouse. Chapter 18 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly, eds. Greater sage-grouse: Ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
Schroeder, M. A., and M. Vander Haegen. 2011. Response of greater sage-grouse to the Conservation Reserve Program in Washington State. Chapter 22 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly, eds. Greater sage-grouse: Ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
Connelly, J. W., S. T. Knick, C. E. Braun, W. L. Baker, E. A. Beever, T. J. Christiansen, K. E. Doherty, E. O. Garton, S. E. Hanser, D. H. Johnson, M. Leu, R. F. Miller, D. E. Naugle, S. J. Oyler-McCance, D. A. Pyke, K. P. Reese, M. A. Schroeder, S. J. Stiver, B. L. Walker, and M. J. Wisdom. 2011. Greater sage-grouse: Ecology and conservation of a landscape species and its habitats. Chapter 24 in S. T. Knick and J. W. Connelly, eds. Ecology and conservation of greater sage-grouse: a landscape species and its habitats. Studies in Avian Biology. Volume 38.
Aldridge, C. L., S. E. Nielsen, H. L. Beyer, M. S. Boyce, J. W. Connelly, S. T. Knick, and M. A. Schroeder. 2008. Range-wide patterns of greater sage-grouse persistence. Diversity and Distributions. 19:983-994.
Connelly, J. W., and M. A. Schroeder. 2007. Historical and current approaches to monitoring to monitoring greater sage-grouse. Pages 3-9 in K. P. Reese and R. T. Bowyer, editors. Monitoring populations of sage-grouse. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA.
Johnson, D. H., C. E. Braun, and M. A. Schroeder. 2007. The bounded-count method for analysis of lek counts. Pages 25-30 in K. P. Reese and R. T. Bowyer, editors. Monitoring populations of sage-grouse. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA.
Hagen, C. A., J. W. Connelly, and M. A. Schroeder. 2007. A meta-analysis of greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus nesting and brood-rearing habitats. Wildlife Biology 13:42-50.
Spaulding, A. W., K. E. Mock, M. A. Schroeder, and K. I. Warheit. 2006. Recency, range expansion, and unsorted lineages: implications for interpreting neutral genetic variation in the sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus). Molecular Ecology 15:2317-2332.
Braun, C. E., J. W. Connelly, and M. A. Schroeder. 2005. Seasonal habitat requirements for sage-grouse: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Pages 38-42 in N. L. Shaw, S. B. Monsen, M. Pellant, editors. Sage-grouse habitat restoration symposium proceedings: 2001 June 4-7; Boise, ID. RMRS-P-38. Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Schroeder, M. A., C. L. Aldridge, A. D. Apa, J. R. Bohne, C. E. Braun, S. D. Bunnell, J. W. Connelly, P. A. Deibert, S. C. Gardner, M. A. Hilliard, G. D. Kobriger, S. M. McAdam, C. W. McCarthy, J. J. McCarthy, D. L. Mitchell, E. V. Rickerson, and S. J. Stiver. 2004. Distribution of sage-grouse in North America. The Condor 106:363-376.
Connelly, J. W., S. T. Knick, M. A. Schroeder, and S. J. Stiver. 2004. Conservation assessment of greater sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats. Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Report. Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Crawford, J. A., R. A. Olson, N. E. West, J. C. Mosley, M. A. Schroeder, T. D. Whitson, R. F. Miller, M. A. Gregg, and C. S. Boyd. 2004. Ecology and management of sage-grouse and sage-grouse habitats. Journal of Range Management 57:2-19.
Stinson, D. W., D. W. Hays, M. A. Schroeder. 2004. Washington state recovery plan for the greater sage-grouse. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Olympia, Washington.
Connelly, J. W., K. P. Reese, and M. A. Schroeder. 2003. Monitoring of greater sage-grouse habitats and populations. Station Bulletin 80. College of Natural Resources Experiment Station, Moscow, Idaho.
Knick, S. T., D. S. Dobkin, J. T. Rotenberry, M. A. Schroeder, W. M. Vander Haegen, and C. Van Riper III. 2003. Teetering on the edge or too late? Conservation and research issues for avifauna of sagebrush habitats. The Condor 105:611-634.
Zwickel, F. C., and M. A. Schroeder. 2003. Grouse of the Lewis and Clark expedition, 1803-1806. Northwestern Naturalist 84:1-19.
Bunting, S. C., J. L. Kingery, M. A. Hemstrom, M. A. Schroeder, R. A. Gravenmier, and W. J. Hann. 2002. Altered rangeland ecosystems in the interior Columbia Basin. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-553. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR.
Schroeder, M. A., and R. K. Baydack. 2001. Predation and the management of prairie grouse. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:24-32.
Schroeder, M. A., D. W. Hays, M. A. Murphy, and D. J. Pierce. 2000. Changes in the distribution and abundance of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in Washington. Northwest Naturalist 81:95-103.
Schroeder, M. A., D. W. Hays, M. F. Livingston, L. E. Stream, J. E. Jacobson, and D. J. Pierce. 2000. Changes in the distribution and abundance of sage grouse in Washington. Northwest Naturalist 81:104-112.
Connelly, J. W., M. A. Schroeder, A. R. Sands, and C. E. Braun. 2000. Guidelines for management of sage grouse populations and habitat. Wildlife Society Bulletin 28:967-985.
Schroeder, M. A., J. R. Young, and C. E. Braun. 1999. Sage grouse. In The birds of North America, No. 425 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Schroeder, M. A. 1997. Unusually high reproductive effort by sage grouse in a fragmented habitat in north-central Washington. The Condor 99:933-941.
Boag, D. A., and M. A. Schroeder. 1992. Spruce grouse. In The birds of North America, No. 5 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.
William L. Vodehnal
Bill is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, hunter, golfer, gardener, jogger, home brewer, and prairie grouse enthusiast. He has been a wildlife biologist for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) since 1982 focusing on prairie grouse management and research, habitat development on private and public lands, liaison between NGPC and US Forest Service, farm bill implementation, and outreach. He received his Master of Science degree in Fisheries Science with minors in biology and statistics from South Dakota State University in 1982 and his Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Management with a Wildlife Management Option from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1978. Bill is best known for coordinating “A Grassland Conservation Plan for Prairie Grouse” which addresses the threats and conservation strategies to conserve grassland habitat for lesser and greater prairie-chickens and sharp-tailed grouse in the Great Plains. Bill doubts he will ever leave the Sandhills of Nebraska and his dog, Clyde, constantly reminds him he needs to do something other than work.
Pertinent Publications
Vodehnal, W.L., and J.B. Haufler, Editors. 2008. A grassland conservation plan for prairie grouse. North American Grouse Partnership. Fruita, CO.
Vodehnal, W.L. 1999. Status and management of the greater prairie chicken in Nebraska. Pages 81-98 in W.D. Svedarsky, R.H. Hier, and N.J. Silvy, editors. The greater prairie chicken; a national look. Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Vodehnal, W.L. 1987. Surveys and management of prairie grouse. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission P-R Report E-87. 24 p. (also P-R Reports for years 1981-1986)