"REACHING OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS THROUGH OUR NETWORK OF OVER 350 WEB SITES"
Conserve Now! - News from SCIF Conservation Department
May 24 2007
| Written By - SCI first for hunters - 05/24/2007 | |
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Link to Original Article here |
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First held in 1936, the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference has grown into one of the most important meetings for conservation organizations and government agencies to discuss wildlife management issues. The Predator/Prey Workshop was the NAWC\'\'s first major effort to focus on the complex interactions between a variety of larger predators and their prey species.
Gifford Pinchot, a highly regarded authority amongst conservation leaders, advised that the management of natural resources should follow the simple motto: "the greatest good, for the greatest number, for the longest time." This is easier said than done considering the influence of politics, economics and stakeholder values within wildlife agencies.
With drastic changes in public values, predator populations have been subjected to extremes in management; from extermination and extirpation to reintroduction and preservation. In place of management extremes, SCI supports a balance in populations and opinions which can be achieved if wildlife managers are legally and politically able to manage both predators and their prey. The SCIF predator/prey workshop successfully conveyed this message to more than 250 professional wildlife managers, researchers and policy developers.
The workshop also provided an impartial view of predators and how management goals can differ between geographic locations. In addition, the topics discussed pinpointed the importance of scientific research and the value of SCIF\'\'s contributions that support similar research projects. The technical papers presented at the workshop will be compiled and distributed among members of the scientific community by January 2008.
The integrated management of predators and their prey is one of the core programs of SCIF\'\'s North American conservation program.
Several of SCIF supported research efforts were featured at the workshop but many new programs and partnership opportunities are expected to develop as a result of the workshop.
All in all, SCI\'\'s Predator/Prey Workshop is considered a very fruitful endeavor for all involved.
