MSU FW Club Blog

Polar Plunge

2012-02-09T13:33:00.008-05:00

It is that time of year again. The time when the waters of Michigan are icy cold and the undeniable urge to jump head first into them is eating away at all of us. For those who aren't sure what I'm referring to it is the 2012 POLAR PLUNGE!!!

Each year, the Special Olympics, through partnership with local law enforcement raise funds by enlisting members of the community to take the plunge. For those individuals with the right amount of crazy and the ability to secure the $75 in donations required, a deep icy blue body of water is presented for their plunging enjoyment. All proceeds raised by "jumpers" benefit the hundreds of Special Olympics events and activities taking place in the coming year.

So here are the logistics:

Register on the website to raise funds via internet, or raise the funds on your own and register the day of the event.
For $75 you can jump at Eagle Eye Golf Course in East Lansing at 11:00am Sunday 2/26
With your $75 you have not only bought yourself a jump, but a Polar Plunge T-shirt
Costumes are encouraged and an after party will be help post-jump
Non-jumping (i.e. sane) attendees can enter the Post-Plunge Party for $10 donation

If you're one of those people who prefers something more exciting than snowshoeing in the heart of winter, and you want nothing more than to dive into the icy cold depths, here is a link to the website and online registration.

http://www.somi.org/x183.xml

http://www.firstgiving.com/polarplunge - Online Registration

Fenner Nature Center Night Walk

2012-02-07T19:22:00.003-05:00

Mark your calendars for Friday,February 10th fora nature walk at Fenner Nature Center!It’s a guided hike that explores astronomy, survival skills, nocturnal animalsenses, owls, and storytelling. After the hike is a campfire with hot chocolateand/or cider. The cost is $5 and it goesfrom 6-8pm. Click the link https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvXLNM-aCV2HdGRxdFl5TVR6SzZOQ212VmZKb3dhM3c sign up and let us know if you can drive! Sign up by Wednesday, February 8thso that I can assign drivers and passengers. We’ll be meeting in the parkinglot of Nature Resources to car pool that evening at 5:25pm.

2012-02-07T19:22:00.002-05:00

Wood Duck Box Cleaning at Rose Lake

2012-01-20T11:08:00.004-05:00

Hello All! The DNR has contacted our club with an opportunity to clean out wood duck boxes at their Rose Lake station. Initially, it was planned to have a work day this upcoming Saturday 1/21. Due to thin ice at the lake, the event has been postponed with an alternate date of Saturday 1/28. With the erratic weather we've had, this too will depend on ice conditions. Phil at Rose Lake will notify the club by next Thursday as to whether we will move forward with the cleaning on 1/28. Please keep your ears open for announcements. If you have signed up to participate, you will be notified via text or e-mail as updates become available.

Pheasants Forever Fundraising Opportunity

2012-01-17T21:42:00.004-05:00

Pheasants Forever of Lansing has invited our club to volunteer at an upcoming event. On March 2nd, the PF Chapter in Lansing will be hosting a dinner event for which they need volunteers to assist with set-up. This would include moving tables, putting up signs, etc. This event requires 12-15 people and would earn the club $250!!! This is a huge opportunity for the club to make money, and a great chance for you to get involved with one of the largest Pheasants Forever chapters in the country! Here are the details, please sign up at a weekly meeting, or email msufwclub@gmail.com if interested.

Date: March 2nd

Time: 8:00am-2:00pm

Location: Eagle Eye Golf Course, Lansing, MI

Lunch is provided

Additionally, volunteers would be invited to stay for the dinner event...a great opportunity to connect with professionals! Note: This is the Friday before Spring Break, however keep in mind that this both helps the club with funding for activities like Camping Trips and Conclave, and also helps you with applications for attending conferences. We hope you can participate!!

Here is a link to the event page, and to the Pheasants Forever Michigan Chapter website:

http://www.pf467.org/2012-banquet/

http://www.pf467.org/

Eboard Elections

2011-11-29T17:18:00.009-05:00

There are 9 positions that are up for election on December 8th. Most of the current Eboard is graduating and are not eligible for re-election. Position terms are from January 2012 - December 2012.

If you want have something on your resume that makes you stand out from the rest, this is something you should strongly consider. It also provides opportunities to network with professors, graduate students, and professionals. You will gain invaluable experience organizing people, planning events, communicating ideas, facilitating meetings, etc. There are certain expectations for the Eboard, but the point of being on the Board is to learn to be leaders. You aren't expected to already know how to do everything.

Election procedures:

We will open up nominations starting now. If you'd like to nominate yourself or another person for any position listed below, please email the Club email address (msufwclub@gmail.com) by 12:00am December 8th. Please indicate any and all positions you'd like to be considered for. Come the meeting, we will go down the list of positions in this order: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Chair, Committee Chairs. Each person will get 1-2 minutes to say something about why they should be voted in. During this time, all other nominees are required to step out into the hall. After everyone speaks for that position we will take written ballots and tally them. If you are elected to a position, your name will be removed from subsequent nominations.

All Eboard positions are expected to:

Meet every other week, attend both the Facilitating workshop and Leadership workshop when scheduled, help with the planning of Club meetings and events, represent the Club in a professional manner, communicate well with other members of the Executive Board.

Eboard Positions Descriptions

President:

Facilitate weekly Club meetings and Eboard meetings, responsible for scheduling at least one Eboard meeting every other week with the advisor Jim Schneider, will have general supervision of Club leaders, shall represent the Club at GSO meetings, shall keep in communication with the GSO President and Chair of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and schedule a Facilitators workshop and Leadership Workshop within the first month of office. It is generally the President's responsibility to facilitate new initiatives for the well-being of the whole Club (more big picture things), also to make sure meetings are planned out (in advance) with the rest of the Eboard.

Vice-President:

Shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence, help facilitate weekly Club meetings, shall oversee the operations of all the Committees and subcommittees (i.e. Red Cedar River Cleanup) and shall be in charge of getting reports from Committee Chairs, shall be responsible for securing speakers when decided upon, reserving rooms for scheduled Club meetings, registering the Club with Student Services at the beginning of each semester, in charge of organizing the sending of members to Conferences (i.e. TWS, AFS, Midwest, Conclave).

Secretary:

Will be responsible for the files and records of the Club, including keeping the dues paying member list up-to-date, keeping list of people who have helped with fundraising, taking minutes at Eboard meetings. The Secretary is also responsible for the publication of the weekly newsletter and sending other reminders out when needed, notifying The Societies of any official action taken (e.g. elections), submitting any official chapter report required by The Societies and updating presentation slides to display announcements at meetings.

Treasurer:

The duties of the Treasurer will be the collection of Club dues and receipts, reimbursing members when needed, creating and updating the Club budget, turning in tax information to The Societies at the end of the school year, securing Fundraising opportunities (e.g. football parking, apparel sales)

Social Chair:

In charge of facilitating up social events, about 1 per month is the expectation, including dinners, IM Sports teams, camping trips, hiking opportunities, movie nights, etc. Facilitate social interactions between GSO members and Club members, at least 1 event per semester is expected. Also, is responsible for creating social activities within Club meetings (i.e. ice-breakers, games). Facilitate the planning of the annual Harvesters' Banquet in the fall.

Wildlife Research Committee Chair:

Facilitate the operations of the Committee, including Committee meetings and projects. Help initiate opportunities for Club members to experience Wildlife Research, be the point contact person for these opportunities, encourage connections between students and the professionals as they relate to Wildlife Research, attendance at the 3 scheduled Committee meetings each semester, appoint someone to take minutes at all Committee meetings (and make sure those notes get distributed to any on the committee through the Committee list serve), communicates with faculty advisor and graduate student advisor (if applicable)Reports to the Vice-President.

Fisheries Research Committee Chair:

Facilitate the operations of the Committee, including Committee meetings and projects. Help initiate opportunities for Club members to experience Fisheries Research, be the point contact person for these opportunities, encourage connections between students and the professionals as they relate to Fisheries Research, attendance at the 3 scheduled Committee meetings each semester, appoint someone to take minutes at all Committee meetings (and make sure those notes get distributed to any on the committee through the Committee list serve), communicates with faculty advisor and graduate student advisor (if applicable). Reports to the Vice-President.

Outreach Committee Chair:

Facilitate the operations of the Committee, including Committee meetings and projects. Help initiate opportunities for Club members to experience Natural Resources Outreach, be the point contact person for these opportunities, encourage connections between students and the professionals as they relate to Outreach/Education, attendance at the 3 scheduled Committee meetings each semester, appoint someone to take minutes at all Committee meetings (and make sure those notes get distributed to any on the committee through the Committee list serve), communicates with faculty advisor and graduate student advisor (if applicable). Also, is the overseer of both the Policy Chair and Sustainability Chair. Reports to the Vice-President.

Habitat Management Committee Chair:

Facilitate the operations of the Committee, including Committee meetings and projects. Help initiate opportunities for Club members to experience Habitat Management, be the point contact person for these opportunities, encourage connections between students and the professionals as they relate to Habitat Management, in charge of the upkeep of the Club's Management Area by following the Management Plan, attendance at the 3 scheduled Committee meetings each semester, appoint someone to take minutes at all Committee meetings (and make sure those notes get distributed to any on the committee through the Committee list serve), communicates with faculty advisor and graduate student advisor (if applicable). Reports to the Vice-President.

GSO Photo Contest!

2011-10-18T22:38:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone,

This semester, as one of FW GSO's fund raising events, we are going to have a photo contest. Each winner of the contest will receive an award and have their photo(s) published in a 2012 calendar that will be for sale near the end of 2011. Yes, you may be the next "Mr. October" or "Ms. March." Details are as follows:

This contest is open to all faculty, staff, and students (both undergrad and grad).

There are 4 categories.
1) Wildlife
2) Scenery
3) Fieldwork
4) Humor (in relation to one or more of the above 3 categories)

Each photo entered requires a $2 entry fee, but wait! You can enter more than one photo in the contest and will receive a discount for multiple entries: 3 photos for $5 or 8 photos for $10.

You can submit photo(s) and pay fees to anyone on the FW GSO fund raising committee (see below), but you must pay the fee to the person you submit the photo.

**For initial submission, we will take electronic copies of your photos in .jpg format no larger than 150 K. The voting will take place via survey monkey which has a maximum size limit for .jpg files. If indeed your photo makes it into the calendar, we will ask you for a higher resolution more suitable for printing.

Photos and entry fees are due by October 31st, after which we will send out a survey for the department to vote for their favorites.

The top 2 in each category will receive monetary awards. The amount of each award will depend upon the number of entries into the contest. Third place in each category will receive some awesome FW paraphernalia.

The top 3 favorite photos from each category will make it into the FW GSO 2012 calendar.

The winners will also be highlighted in the twice yearly GSO newsletter.

Get to snapping!

Yours truly,
The FW GSO fund raising committee

Brian Langseth
Carson Prichard
Corey Higley
Andrea Bowling (abowling@msu.edu)

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Workday!

2011-10-11T12:52:00.002-04:00

What: Building bird enclosures and helping give medication checks to birds of prey!

When: This Sunday 10/16. We'll leave campus at 10 and be back between 4:30 and 5pm.

Where: Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, near Kalamazoo. It's part of MSU's Kellogg Biological Station.

http://www.kbs.msu.edu/visit/birdsanctuary

We've gone there the past two years and have had a really fun time helping out! So, come get some great hands on experience, build some skills, and get free pizza for lunch!! Bring waders if you have them!

We'll be signing up at our meeting this Thursday, but email us if you want to go and can't make it the meeting! msufwclub@gmail.com.

We need drivers as well. We can reimburse those who drive for gas money!

Weekend Events!

2011-10-05T18:03:00.007-04:00

Sat 10/8 9:30am: Fall stream monitoring from the Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council.

Where: Munn Park on Jolly road.

Event Description:

"Come join the Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council for a fun day out in the streams. Meet at Munn Park (near the Jolly / Aurelius intersection in Lansing) at 9:30am for a short training session, then we will head out into the streams and collect some bugs! The bugs we collect tell a story of the health of the stream at each of our 6 sites. Complementary snacks, refreshments, and a light lunch will be provided. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Dress to have fun, and help us take care of the Red Cedar watershed. Monitoring will end in the early afternoon. Waders provided, but feel free to bring your own."

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=248800841826549

*Meet at 9:00am behind the NR Building for rides.

Sat 10/8 4:30pm: Crane Fest in Bellevue!

*Meet behind the NR Building at 4:30pm for rides!

Event Description:

"Imagine a cool crisp afternoon amidst the splendor of autumn colors. The stillness is interrupted by the eerie prehistoric cry of the cranes. As the Sandhill Cranes glide into view, you are thrilled by the majestic beauty of Michigan’s largest bird.

The Festival was started to raise awareness and appreciation of our natural heritage, and to support ongoing educational and conservation projects of the Michigan Audubon Society and Baker Sanctuary. CraneFest is a jointly-sponsored event between the Kiwanis Club of Battle Creek and Michigan Audubon; the festival site is the Kiwanis Youth Area, overlooking Big Marsh Lake.

A major attraction will be watching thousands of Sandhill Cranes return to the adjoining Baker Sanctuary. The “Fly-In” typically begins slowing around 4 PM with best viewing of large numbers of cranes between 5 PM and dusk. Admission is free and parking is $3.

More than 6,000 cranes are expected to greet more than 5,000 CraneFest visitors again this year. With autumn color predicted to be near its peak the same weekend, everyone should consider making CraneFest 2010 part of their fall color tour.

Sandhill Cranes are believed to be the oldest living bird species, having existed for more than 9 million years in their present form. The cranes are Michigan’s largest bird measuring up to five feet tall with wings spanning an impressive six to seven feet. Thousands of these majestic birds return annually to roost at Big Marsh Lake in Baker Sanctuary before completing their autumn migration to Florida. With more than 9,400 Sandhill Cranes counted last October, Baker Sanctuary set a new single day state record for crane numbers. Saved from the brink of extinction, cranes have become a Michigan environmental success story."

Festival includes nature walks, food, merchandise stands, falconers, talks, and most importantly the sandhill cranes flying in. It's a relaxed social kind of event.

Plan on getting there between 4:30-5:30 and staying til about 7:00is.

http://cranefest.org

U.P. Camping Trip

2011-09-19T20:37:00.003-04:00

Well as most of you know the Fisheries and Wildlife Club is going on a grand adventure to Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula on September 30th, 2011. This will be a camping excursion located in the Picture Rocks National Lake Shore area. There are marvels in store beyond belief and a fun time is always a guarantee.

So here are few more details of what you need:
-The trip fee is $30 (you must pay before you go)
-Tent (if you have one!)
-Sleeping bag/pad
-Outdoor gear (hiking shoes, rain clothes, and warm clothes)
-Binoculars and Field Guides
-Extra spending money (souvenirs and spontaneous meals out(this almost always happens))
-And this is a carpooling event so if you can drive please let us know!

And an itinerary you might ask?
Friday September 30th
-8am Depart East Lansing
-12(noon) Lunch (this may be on the road)
-2pm Arrive at Big Springs
-3:30pm Arrive at Seney N.W.R.
-6pm Setup camp and make dinner

Saturday October 1st
-8am Breakfast at campsite
-9am Depart for waterfall(s)
-10:30am Pictured Rocks National Lake shore
-12(noon) Lunch (we are brown baggin' it)
-2pm Recreational opportunities (hiking, fishing, naturalist identification, or just a relaxing afternoon)
-6pm Dinner

Sunday October 2nd
-8am/10:30am Breakfast and pack-out
-10:30am Exploration or fun (or maybe both)
-12(noon) Lunch
-6pm/8pm arrive back in East Lansing

*Any question contact Matt Ocko (ockomatt@msu.edu) or just leave a comment on the blog. I would like this to serve as a way for others to communicate about the trip as well in reference to camping supplies one might need!*

Event: FW Club vs. GSO Soccer Challenge!

2011-04-07T22:14:00.003-04:00

This Saturday (4/9) @ 4pm the Fisheries and Wildlife Club will be taking on the Graduate Student Organization in a game of soccer! This game is for sport, friendship, and ultimately bragging rights! It will be held at the Veterinary Medical Field, this field is located to the eastern side of the vet med building! Come out and support your club and gain the right to claim SUPREMACY!

FENNER OUTREACH EVENT

2011-04-07T20:47:00.013-04:00

Join the FW Club for some fantastic Earth Day fun on Sunday, April 17th, from 12:00pm-4:00pm at Fenner Nature Center just south of campus! This event is a great opportunity for students to get the chance to get kids excited about wildlife and the natural world! We will be holding three different walks, as well as making crafts, and having informational talks inside the center. The schedule for Sunday is as follows:

12:00-4:00pm - Crafts (Native Plants, Earth Chain), One-on-one animal exhibit tours, Animal taxidermy explanations, Story time
1:00pm - Macro invertebrate/Pond Life Walk
2:00pm - Forest Floor/Leaf Litter Walk
3:00pm - Bird/Tree Walk

So, whether you can stay for the whole shebang or only stop on by for a few minutes, we would love to see you there!

FW Grad Student Symposium

2011-02-20T11:17:00.004-05:00

~The FW Graduate Student Symposium. We've mentioned this for the last few meetings, but it is strongly encouraged that you go. This provides an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with the different projects graduate students in the department are working on. We've attached the schedule, so you can pick out the talks that are of interest to you. You can attend as much of it as you'd like. More information can be found at http://fw.msu.edu/gsosymp/. Even if you are thinking about going, the G.S.O. asks that you go to this website and take a minute to sign up for FREE.

-Friday February 25th.
- 8:00am - 8:30pm
- The Union, 2nd Floor

Schedule: http://fw.msu.edu/gsosymp/2011schedule.xlsx

GPS/GIS Workshop

2011-02-15T01:19:00.003-05:00

Come get a crash course in GPS use and simple GIS use! We will be meeting in the Polar Bear Room at the Natural Resources Building and then heading out behind the building to the FW Club’s Management Area to play with some GPS units! We will then head inside to the computer lab to play around with some GIS tools.

-Lead by Graduate Student Daniel Wieferi

*Cost is FREE for dues paying FW Club members and $5 for non-members!

There is limited space, so if you would like to attend, please email us with your name at
msufwclub@gmail.com.

Wood Duck Box Cleanout

2011-02-11T16:43:00.003-05:00

Come have a fun couple of hours hiking around in the snow and helping the DNR collect data from wood duck boxes! We will use GPS to locate the boxes and collect data on how many egg shells are there, other animal activity, etc.

WHEN: Saturday 2/12
9am - 12pm

WHERE: Rose Lake DNR Research Center

**We will all meet behind the Natural Resources Building at 8:45am to give everyone a ride.

Make sure to bring warm clothes and boots if you have them!

TWS CONCLAVE 2011 !!!

2010-12-27T00:34:00.005-05:00

The University of Missouri-Columbia Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society would like to invite everyone to the 2011 TWS North Central Student Conclave for one of the biggest events of the year!!!

WHEN: March 25-27, 2011
WHERE: Camp Lakewood, Potosi, Missouri

What is Conclave?!?!

The Wildlife Society Student Conclave is an epic weekend filled with social events, field trips, presentations, hands-on workshops and quiz bowl! Every year student chapters from the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society come together for a great time, to learn and network with other schools. We took a large group down to Purdue last year and we hosted it the year before that. It is always one of the highlights of the year for everyone and we hope that you decide to come too! There isn't a certain level of knowledge or prior participation you have to have in order to attend and sometimes is all the better if you don't! You'll have a great time getting to know other FW Club members as well as learn more about the wildlife profession. There will be many schools there from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. The cool thing about going to these types of conferences is you meet people and make friends from different parts of the country and continue to see them at future conferences and into your professional career. This is also a great thing to put on your resume!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, WE NEED YOU TO EMAIL THE CLUB (msufwclub@gmail.com) BY THIS FRIDAY DECEMBER 31ST WITH A COMMITMENT TO PAY THE $50 WHEN WE GET BACK FROM BREAK. Our VP Marie is going to pay the costs up front for everyone that signs up, and you will be required to find a replacement or pay the $50, if you decide later that you are unable to go. (Please include your name, t-shirt size, emergency contact info, and any food requirements/allergies you may have in the email)

We really hope you decide to join us in March! Sorry for the rushed call for attendees - the lodge that MU is reserving has to know the number of people very early on and the money we send must be postmarked by January 1st..

Tentative Schedule
Friday 3:00-5:00 Check-in
5:00-6:30 Reception, Dinner, Door Prizes
7:00-8:00 Rifle, Archery, Alpine Tower/Zip line
9:00-? Social/bonfire
Saturday 6:00-8:00 Bioblitz
8:00-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-12:30 Field Trips
12:30-1:30 Lunch
1:30-3:00 Speakers
3:00-5:30 Competitions
5:30-6:00 Chapter President’s Roundtable Discussion
6:00-7:00 Dinner
7:00-9:00 Quiz Bowl
9:00-? Bonfire
Sunday 7:00-8:00 Workshop
8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-11:00 Workshops
11:00-12:00 Awards, Send-off
12:00-1:00 Lunch

Updated T-Shirt Design!

2010-12-06T21:34:00.002-05:00

Here is the updated version of the t-shirt! It will be a white design on green.
We plan on getting t-shirts and crewneck sweatshirts (no hood, vintage look!)

Give us any last minute thoughts you have! The 'Fisheries and Wildlife Club' text was just randomly chosen. We're going to ask the people at the t-shirt place if they can pick a nice font style.

New T-Shirt Designs!

2010-11-03T18:35:00.012-04:00

Design 1

We would at least have to think of a way to add 'Club' and 'MSU' to this design.

Design 2

Growling Bear - another idea that was recently submitted. an idea was to maybe incorporate this 'more viscous' version of the bear into the first design. lol FW Club is intense after all..

3rd Pic

This is a design based on the 'Pabst Blue Ribbon' can. Maybe a bar crawl T?

Alright, here are the designs that people submitted on 10/28. We have had the same design for the past few years and are looking for a new idea! For now, please make comments and suggestions on the above designs!!! You are welcome to comment as 'anonymous' . If you'd like to submit another design, please email us a picture of it at msufwclub@gmail.com. We hope to have this decided by the end of the month!

Red Cedar River Cleanup Photos!

2010-11-02T16:22:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the ~60 people who came out to help! Among other things, we pulled about 40 bikes from the river! Unfortunately, this is probably a new record. Thanks to Ruth Kline-Robach from MSU's Institute of Water Research and the CARRS Department for donating the shirts!

If you are interested in getting more information/getting involved in the Club's Red Cedar River Awareness Campaign, click on 'Outreach Committee' at the right. More info to come soon.

Thanks!

Camping this Weekend @ Sleeping Bear Dunes

2010-10-19T17:17:00.000-04:00

Dear extremely awesome people of the world,

(people that have committed to going - see below for details)

Sign up to go camping this weekend near Sleeping Bear Dunes! Seriously though, you should come.. We have 18 people signed up already (mostly new faces), so it's gonna be a ton of fun! We will be staying at some property that a friends family owns about 20 minutes from the Dunes. They are doing us a huge favor, but letting us stay there for free! You will still be expected to help pay for food and gas. We also have access to the cabin, so if the weather gets nasty or if people prefer to sleep indoors, we have that option as well. Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of Michigan's must-see natural places, especially if you haven't been before! It is about 3 hours away and is right on the shores of Lake Michigan. I know we'll go hiking and the usual camping activities, but will look for other suggestions from you guys! We plan on leaving Friday afternoon and coming back mid-Sunday. It'll be a great time to get to hang out in a cool place and enjoy a nice break from school! It's really on these kinds of activities where you get to know fellow members, so don't miss out!

If you can drive, please let us know how many you can take! We need to know if you are going by Wednesday at 8:00pm. We need a head count for rides and buying food.

IMPORTANT: The Eboard decided last week that in order to attend this event you must be a dues paying member ($15/year). We feel that because this is an awesome opportunity, we want to take people who are becoming invested in the Club. However, if you can't pay by next Thursday, it's not the end of the world. We just ask that you do pay within the next few weeks.

Details:

-We will assign people to the cars that are going on Thursday.

-We are leaving campus between 4:30 and 5:30. Depending on who can leave when.

-We will be stopping somewhere to eat on the way there

-It's supposed to be kind of cold at night all weekend - *make sure to bring extra layers and blankets to keep warm! lol okay mom!

-Bring cards or other games to play!

-We will be hiking some of the dunes on Saturday, maybe going into Glenn Arbor, which is a nearby town. They have some cool shops.

-A couple of us will go buy food before the weekend for Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday breakfast. S'mores too!

-My friend Kathleen has extra sleeping bags and blankets at the house if needed

-try to bring a water bottle

-Some stuff you might need to bring: sleeping bag, sleeping pad (or at least cushioning to put between you and the floor), warm clothes (depending on the temperature), shoes to hike in, rain coat.

*If we're missing anything, or you have other questions, please reply to this message.

Adams field map - Ultimate Frisbee!

2010-10-06T15:20:00.005-04:00

Meet on Adams field (near the Music Building side) at 6:30pm. We have a light-up frisbee, so we don't need to stop when the sun goes down! Even if you've never tossed a frisbee, come out for a great time!

EVENT: Volunteering at Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

2010-09-25T14:45:00.003-04:00

We'll be sending out a reminder about this for the next few days. We really need to get a rough estimate of how many people want to attend. So, if you know you can go, let us know! (rhyming was planned)

Event: Volunteering at Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Kalamazoo! The Club will be working with swans, taking down cages and working on some of the other enclosures. This event was a lot of fun last spring and is a great thing to do for the Sanctuary. It's a good volunteer experience to put on your resume as well. If you don't know, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is part of the Kellogg Biological Station, which is owned by MSU (website). You don't have to have any prior experience and you don't have to be a dues paying member to attend.

When: Saturday, October 2nd from 9-2pm. Lunch will be provided! As with most other events, we will meet in the parking lot of the Natural Resources Building at 7:30am and figure out carpooling from there. We want to get people back in time to go to/watch the football game (3:30).

Please RSVP to this event ASAP if you want to go. The lady at KBS is trying to get a rough head count for projects. We need drivers! If you can drive please include that in your RSVP, along with how many people you can take! RSVP to msufwclub@gmail.com Don't miss out on this great volunteer opportunity! Click here to see some pictures from our visit in the spring!

Map.

IM SOCCER TEAM!

2010-09-17T00:26:00.004-04:00

If you are at all interested in playing on the MSU FW Club soccer team aka 'The Polar Bears', please email us! You don't have to be "skilled", or have to play every week either. Games will be about once a week and are only 20 minute halves (x2). We will be needing subs!!

Even if you didn't get a chance to sign up at the meeting, let us know if you can make it to a game! If you did sign up, please let us know if you cannot make it to a game.

Our first game is this Sunday 9/19 at 10:00 pm. The games will be played on the Munn fields just south of the Breslin Center (where Sparticipation was held).

Here is a link to the schedule.

Important: Bring your MSU ID's to the game !!! The team listed first on the schedule wears dark shirts. (any black, blue, red etc. shirt that you can find) and the second wears white!

EVENT: Bird Mist Netting!

2010-09-17T00:02:00.002-04:00

Emily Johnston (a PhD student in the FW Department), will be taking the club mist netting this Saturday at Rose Lake. We will be meeting behind the Natural Resources Building at 6:30am and head back to campus around 10/11am.

The goal for this event is to demonstrate wild bird capture and handling techniques used in research. You will learn bird extraction techniques, identification, proper holds, measurements, sexing, aging, tick-plucking and more! This is a great thing to put on your resume and is always a lot of fun!

If you would like to go, but need a ride, everyone will be meeting at 6:30am behind Natural Resources to drive. Rose lake is about 15 minutes northeast of campus.

IMPORTANT: THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN ON SATURDAY, IN WHICH CASE, WE WILL CANCEL BY FRIDAY NIGHT AND TRY AGAIN ON SUNDAY. CHECK YOUR EMAIL ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOR A CANCELATION!

Here is a map for drivers:

View Larger Map

HELP HERPTILES AT MARSHALL OIL SPILL!!

2010-09-16T23:11:00.002-04:00

Don't miss out on this great opportunity to help wildlife at the Marshall Oil Spill. This has been a real tragedy, but you can help clean up the mess! Here is the information that was announced at our Club meeting tonight:

"Currently, I am involved with helping clean up oiled herps at the Marshall oil spill and we are in desperate need of some more volunteers. We just hit turtle #1000, a week ago Thursday, from the contaminated river in need of cleaning and had 81 more come in on Friday. Volunteers typically help with husbandry duties, such as setting up habitats, cleaning, feeding, and checking water levels, as well as with the tedious and time-consuming process of cleaning the oil off of the turtles.

Prior to volunteering, a mandatory 4-hour HAZWOPR training session must be completed. This course is currently offered on Sundays at 1:00 in Marshall, but it is possible to schedule a different time if there is demand for it. I would be willing to drive anyone for regular volunteering on the weekends or maybe a day of the week as well depending on schedule. This Sunday, September 19^th, a group will be going down for the training and we welcome anyone would wants to help out! Additionally, if there is anyone willing to drive, that would be greatly appreciated too.

1I think that this would be a great service opportunity for anyone interested in wildlife/herps in general. Plus, in the past month that I have been helping out there, there have been many wildlife professionals, as well as people from zoos across the country (Toledo, Detroit, Potter Park, Binder Park, Ft. Wayne, etc.) that are coming to help clean, and they can be really interesting and insightful to talk to."

There is already a group of people signed up to go help. Email Alex Prediger (predige1@msu.edu) if you are interested in helping out!

Volunteer Experience with Grad Student!!!

2010-09-14T15:51:00.003-04:00

Don't miss out on this opportunity! These kinds of experiences can lead to paying positions and other opportunities.

Here's the announcement from Kara Stevens, who is a 2nd year PhD student in FW:

"I am looking for a volunteer to help me with data entry from some research I did over the summer. I am doing fisheries research in Nicaragua in the Pearl Lagoon estuary and I have lots of sheets of data on fishermen catch, gear type, location and whether the fish ended up in the market or was consumed locally, what was thrown back, etc.. People there are mainly catching snook, weakfish, catfish, croaker and smaller amounts of lots of other species. The hours are flexible. I am looking for someone to start immediately, and the work would probably take until the end of this semester to complete. I am looking for someone who is responsible, professional and is interested in fisheries."

Contact Kara Stevens at stevenskara@yahoo.com. Her room is 32 Natural Resources and she can be reached there as well.

First Meeting of the Year!

2010-09-02T19:54:00.003-04:00

Hi all,

Hope everyone had a fantastic summer! Just wanted to let people know that our first meeting of the year will be next Thursday September 9th at 6:30 in either room 221 or 222 Natural Resources. We will be giving a short introduction to the club and doing doing some sort of activity. So, come say hi to everyone! Seriously, think about it..

Red Cedar River Cleanup Video

2010-05-16T23:22:00.002-04:00

The Turtleman

2010-04-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

Preview: "Meet A Grad" video series!

2010-04-21T15:29:00.006-04:00

Check out a preview of the "Meet A Grad" video series, coming this Fall
Presented by the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club

The purpose of this series is to expose undergraduates in Fisheries and Wildlife to the wide range of work that graduate students in the department are doing right now. The series will be released on our website in the fall, but we wanted to give you a preview of our first finished video. In this first episode, we sat down to talk to Emily Johnston about her research in the Avian Health and Disease Ecology lab.

EVENT: Bird Mist Netting!

2010-04-21T00:53:00.003-04:00

Sarah Hamer (a graduate student in the FW Department), will be taking the club mist netting this Sunday at Rose Lake. If you want to help set up nets, we will be meeting there at 6:30. If not, you can stop by between 7 and 10am. (unless there is a lot of rain)

The goal for this event is to demonstrate wild bird capture and handling techniques used in research. You will learn bird extraction techniques, identification, proper holds, measurements, tick-plucking and more! This is a great thing to put on your resume and is always a lot of fun!

If you would like to go, but need a ride, people will be meeting at 7am behind Natural Resources to drive. Rose lake is about 15 minutes northeast of campus. Here is a map for drivers:

View Larger Map

EVENT: Red Cedar River Cleanup!

2010-04-19T00:50:00.006-04:00

EVENT: Fenner Nature Center Outreach Activity

2010-04-16T14:49:00.005-04:00

Outreach Experience: Giving short talks and demonstrations to the public that come by the center.

When: This Sunday April 18th from 12-4

Where: Fenner Nature Center (just down the road from MSU)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=131+Natural+Resources,+East+Lansing,+MI+48824-1222+(Michigan+State+University:+Parks+%26+Recreation+Resources)&daddr=2020+E+Mt+Hope+Ave,+Lansing,+MI+48910&hl=en&geocode=FZPjiwIdfPT2-iFs4zHmE1ZWIA%3BFT-7iwIdIEj2-ilFq1ibisEiiDHcdj32zaviag&mra=ls&sll=42.71693,-84.50094&sspn=0.050323,0.087547&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=14

There are 4 activities listed below and you can participate in as many as you would like! Supplies will be provided at the center. People that are already signed up are here as well.

12:30 Aquatic Sampling: We will be in waders, sampling for fish and macro-invertebrates. This is just demonstrating to people some sampling techniques and showing them what creatures we find! People signed up already:

Allyson Hughes
Ali David
Kristen Thelen

2:00 Herps: We will be taking a walk with people and looking for herps! People signed up already:
Marie Stevenson
Craig Sherwood
Dan Myers
Colleen Bumford

2:30 Tree IDing: Taking a walk with people and showing them how to identify some trees! People Signed Up:

Alyson Pierce (from the Forestry Club!)
Dan Myers

3:00 Birding - Helping people identify birds! People already signed up:

Angie Lane
Kristen Thelen
Marco Sanchez

**If you aren't signed up or don't feel too confident in leading anything above, please come out anyways!!! You can learn a thing or two yourself! (hah, none of us are experts anyways..) If you are going to need a ride, please contact Marco at 517-648-3087 or at our email at msufwclub@gmail.com. We will be traveling back and forth to pick up/drop off anyone who needs it!

EVENT: Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Volunteering

2010-04-16T12:12:00.005-04:00

Hey gang, this Saturday we'll be helping out some people at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary with some maintenance of the center.

When: This Saturday April 17th from 9:30 - 3:30ish.
*We will meet at 8:00 am behind the NR Building for rides.

Where: Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Augusta, MI near Kalamazoo.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=131+Natural+Resources,+East+Lansing,+MI+48824-1222+(Michigan+State+University:+Parks+%26+Recreation+Resources)&daddr=42.4047,+-85.401192&geocode=FZPjiwIdfPT2-iFs4zHmE1ZWIA%3BFVwLhwIdmOHo-g&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=42.498585,-84.940035&sspn=4.705836,1.296387&ie=UTF8&ll=42.496403,-87.022705&spn=4.705836,5.482178&t=h&z=7

What to Bring: We will be outside doing some dirty work, so bring some grungy clothes. They will probably be providing us lunch at the center as well!

CI Blog: Protecting Distant Forests Can Save Local Jobs..

2010-04-06T15:49:00.002-04:00

Hey all, here's an interesting video addressing deforestation and climate change. The video is an interesting argument to this issue..

"Today, CI and the Avoided Deforestation Partners launched a campaign to raise awareness about the protection of tropical rain forests, and the important role U.S. leadership must play.

The protection of tropical forests is critical to protect species, food, medicines, and fresh water supplies. It is also a central plank of any smart plan to fight climate change.

This campaign highlights those facts, as well as an important piece of less well-known information: protecting these same tropical rain forests directly helps protect U.S. jobs."

Michigan's Only Known Wolverine Died of Natural Causes

2010-04-06T15:36:00.002-04:00

-----Original Message-----
From: Department of Natural Resources publications list [mailto:DNRWIRE@LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV] On Behalf Of Mary Dettloff
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2010 9:13 AM
To: DNRWIRE@LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV
Subject: Michigan's Only Known Wolverine Died of Natural Causes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2010

Contacts: Tom Cooley 517-336-3050 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

Michigan’s Only Known Wolverine Died of Natural Causes

Michigan’s only known wolverine apparently died of natural causes,
the Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced today.

A necropsy performed at the DNRE’s Wildlife Diagnostic Laboratory and
microscopic examinations at Michigan State University showed some heart
degeneration and some liver congestion, but no sign of infection or
trauma. The wolverine was in fair body condition with small deposits of
fat. Metal and pesticide screenings were negative.

The female wolverine, first discovered by coyote hunters near Bad Axe
in the Thumb on Feb. 24, 2004, was approximately 9 years old, said DNRE
pathologist Tom Cooley. Previous DNA analysis indicated the animal’s
genetic origin was from a vast area of Ontario and Manitoba.

The dead wolverine, was found semi-submerged on the downstream side of
a beaver dam by hikers Morgan Graham and Todd Rann in the Minden City
State Game Area in mid March. The animal was last known to be alive on
Feb. 17, 2010.

The carcass was taken to a taxidermist by DNRE personnel. It will be
made into a full-body mount to be displayed at the Saginaw Bay Visitor
Center at Bay City State Recreational Area.

The animal was first wolverine ever authenticated in Michigan.

The DNRE is committed to the conservation, protection, management and
accessible use of the state’s environment, natural resources and
related economic interests for current and future generations.

Follow up to Planet Earth - Tonight at 8pm!

2010-03-21T01:59:00.008-04:00

Don't miss the follow up series to Planet Earth called 'LIFE' starting on the Discovery Channel Tonight at 8:oopm!!!

EU countries block bluefin tuna ban

2010-03-21T01:40:00.005-04:00

This is an saddening bit of news..especially considering the information that was presented in "The End of the Line".

Malta, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, France, and Greece block ban at Brussels meeting despite support from 21 EU governments.
The "Club Med" of southern European Union countries came under attack from environmentalists today for defying the campaign to ban trade in bluefin tuna, Japan's highly prized sushi fish, whose stocks are dwindling dangerously low.

A fortnight ago the European commission agreed, after weeks of argument, to back a proposal from Monaco to ban trade in bluefin tuna. If the EU had voted for the ban at an international forum next March, fishing for bluefin tuna would have been effectively outlawed, at least temporarily.

Despite optimism that the ban, supported by 21 EU governments, would go ahead, the move was blocked at a Brussels meeting late yesterday by Malta, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, France, and Greece.

"Deplorable," said Xavier Pastor, head of the Oceana fisheries conservation lobby group in Europe. "They are pushing tuna to the point of no return."

"Enough is enough," said Aaron McLoughlin, head of the WWF European marine programme. "It is once again large-scale Mediterranean fishing interests trying to gang up against the long-term survival of Atlantic bluefin tuna."

Article continues: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/22/eu-bluefin-tuna-ban-blocked

Food Film Festival This Saturday at MSU!!!

2010-03-16T00:58:00.002-04:00

FOOD FILM FESTIVAL ON THE MSU CAMPUS –Free to all students!
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 20, 2010

A Food Film Festival will be shown on Saturday, March 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the theatre on the basement level of Snyder Hall on the Michigan State University campus. Popcorn and pop will be served. This festival is part on an ongoing conversation at MSU on food, sustainability and the environment. Students, faculty, staff and members of the greater Lansing community are invited to attend. There will be brief discussions following the showing of each film. The films are very diverse and include one nominated for an Academy Award in 2010 (Food, Inc.), a Chinese film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ang Lee (Eat, Drink, Man, Woman), a humorous movie about being a vegetarian in Alaska (Eating Alaska), a documentary about the rise of young farmers in America (The Greenhorns) and a film about growing asparagus in Michigan (Asparagus: Stalking the Good Life). The public is invited to attend.

This event is being organized by students and faculty at the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism in the MSU School of Journalism, the Residential College, the RISE program and the Department of Community Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies (CARRS).

Scheduled showing times:

Eat, Drink, Man, Woman – 9:30-11:35 a.m.

Eating Alaska 12:00-12:57 p.m.

The Greenhorns - - 1:30-1:50 p.m.

Food, Inc - 2:30- 4:03 p.m.

Asparagus: Stalking the American life - 4:30- 5:23 p.m.

About the movies:

Eat Drink Man Woman

Central Motion Picture Corp., Good Machine, 1994). Written by Ang Lee, James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang. Directed by Ang Lee. In Mandarin with English subtitles. A widower and master chef (Sihung Lung) losing his sense of taste tries to keep family food traditions alive as his three grown and distinctly different daughters struggle to assert their independence. The dinner table becomes the site of conflict as well as of familial healing and growth, and the cinematography is finely tuned to present the Chinese delicacies in the most nurturing light. It's a sweet and scrumptious film, remade with less success as Tortilla Soup (Samuel Goldwyn Films, Starz! Encore Entertainment, 2001). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111797/

Eating Alaska
A documentary about a vegetarian who moves to Alaska and is forced to confront a lot of the ethical issues she thought she had already settled on. The film chronicles her experience and the dilemmas she faces. Humorous and relatable to anyone who has ever pondered over the ethical questions of being a vegetarian or a carnivore. http://www.eatingalaska.com/

The Greenhorns

A documentary about the rise of young farmers throughout America. The film chronicles several families and individuals have started to grow their own food and their experiences with the process. Beautiful stories of real people. http://www.thegreenhorns.net/

Food Inc

This Academy Award-nominated film discusses the mechanization and industrialization of the United States food system and how food is shaping our economy and our lives.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Asparagus
Based in Asparagus capital Oceana County Michigan, this award-winning movie discusses the hardships faced by the community in the wake of the U.S. War on Drugs, Free Trade and a Fast Food Nation. http://www.asparagusthemovie.com/

Here kitty-kitty...

2010-03-16T00:37:00.004-04:00

This was forwarded to us by our very own member Callie Gesmundo. This is insane!!!!

from Callie Gesmundo
to msufwclub@gmail.com
date Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 3:55 PM
subject Fwd: FW: Honey would you start the car for me this morning?
mailed-by gmail.com
signed-by gmail.com

"Brooklyn is by the Irish Hills where Michigan International Speedway is.......getting close. Here kitty-kitty!!!

Michigan

This gives new meaning to the phrase "Honey would you go outside and warm up the car for me.”

These were taken in Brooklyn, Michigan off Sharon Hollow Road IN THE Lower Peninsula."

REAL OR FAKE??

TWS Blog - The Realities of Nature

2010-03-16T00:30:00.002-04:00

Orcas in Action!

Youtube - Orcas Attack Seal

Conservation International: Team Earth Magazine

2010-03-05T00:02:00.008-05:00

Hey guys, check out this free interactive magazine from Conservation International! It has some pretty amazing imagery in it and some really cool articles. It's also a really interesting way to read a magazine! (and they save the treeeez by not printing it)

TWS Blog: Alberta Considers Grizzly Bear Hunt

2010-03-04T23:49:00.000-05:00

"The Canadian Province of Alberta is contemplating a revival of its grizzly bear hunting season according to a recent story in the Calgary Sun. Alberta’s bear population is growing, leading to increases in human-bear conflicts. Not surprisingly, some “wildlife conservation” groups are not happy with that prospect, arguing that there are still not enough bears. However, the population in Alberta is not distributed evenly; in some locations there are as many as 18 bears per 1,000 square kilometers. As I have pointed out in previous blogs, as wildlife conservation efforts become more successful for large predators...." (Read More)

Pheasants Forever Banquet Help!

2010-03-03T22:26:00.004-05:00

Info on helping set up:

When: This Friday at 8:15am - early afternoon.

Where: Eagle Eye Golf/ Banquet Facility. It's on Abbot road about 10 minutes north of campus.Google Map

Kent Ballard has also invited anyone who is interested to stay for the dinner as well. I believe it will start between 4 and 6.

IMPORTANT: I need people to commit to come. We are representing the FW Club and the Department, so it will look really bad if people bail at the last minute..

Conclave Information:

2010-03-03T18:07:00.010-05:00

This year's annual Midwest Wildlife Society Student Conclave is a weekend of epic proportions! Join a us and a bunch of other school's Wildlife Society's in our region for a mini-conference filled with guest speakers, workshops and a whole lot of fun! This is a great way to meet wildlife students from other areas and network! You'll see many of these faces at similar events throughout your careers! Ask anyone and they'll tell you that this is definitely worth going to!

Description:

"The Purdue Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society will be hosting the 2010 Midwest Student Conclave, March 26th-28th, 2010.

The topic of the weekend will be "Managing in the Matrix: Wildlife Management on a Changing Landscape." Modern pressures for increased agricultural production, more space to house a growing population, and an overall disconnect between an increasingly urban population and our natural resources necessitate that today's wildlife biologists be able to conserve our wildlife resources in a highly fragmented environment.

These environments are becoming more common throughout the Midwest and with that growth, human-wildlife interactions are increasing exponentially. It is today's wildlife professional who is charged with the task to conserve our valuable natural resources and optimize human interactions with wildlife.

This year's conclave will focus on this broad topic and equip Midwestern students with additional tools to Manage in the Matrix."

Activities

Information Sheet

Itinerary

***Registration is $60. Now this may seem like a lot, but this fee includes all meals (Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast), lodging, a shirt and all activities. Make checks payable to 'Purdue Wildlife Society' if you are mailing this yourself or to 'MSU Fisheries and Wildlife', if you would like to send it along with everyone else's. These kind of events are really important for your career! Comment, on this blog post if you have any other questions!

The rest of the flyer with more detailed information: DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM! They can be sent to:

Purdue Wildlife Society
C/O John Dunning
715 W. State Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907

Potluck Tomorrow!

2010-03-03T18:05:00.001-05:00

FUN EVENT this weekend:

2010-03-03T17:52:00.003-05:00

The rest of the flyer with more detailed information: Flyer

Let me know if you would like to join me on Saturday! ~Marco

Study: Lakes in the Great Lakes region healthier than those in the rest of the nation

2010-03-02T21:36:00.000-05:00

Study: Lakes in the Great Lakes region healthier than those in the rest of the nation

EVENT: GPS/GIS Workshop

2010-02-27T21:02:00.003-05:00

Event: You neeeed these skillzz!

Tomorrow: GPS/GIS Introductory Workshop. A recent FW graduate student Dan Wieferich will give us an introduction to using GPS units and then GIS to use the data we collect.

Where: We will be collecting data in our Management Area which is right behind the Natural Resources Building. We will actually be using this information in our upcoming management plan for the area!

When: Meet at 9:30am behind the NR Building. This event will last between 3 and 4 hours.

Wood Duck Box Clean Out Pictures

2010-02-25T22:12:00.000-05:00

Ice Fishing/ Snow Shelter Building Pictures

2010-02-25T22:02:00.001-05:00

Guns legal in national parks

2010-02-21T12:22:00.000-05:00

Guns legal in national parks

EVENT: WOOD DUCK BOX CLEANOUTS WITH DNR!

2010-02-18T15:15:00.008-05:00

Field Experience: Cleaning Out Wood Duck Boxes with DNR at Rose Lake.

WHEN: This Sunday February 21 at the DNR office at Rose Lake.
9:00am~12:30pm
*We will meet at 8:15 behind the Natural Resources Building to sort out rides*

WHAT: We will be helping the DNR clean out the wood duck boxes they have around Rose Lake. The boxes are usually out on the water, so we need the ice to access them. We will be replacing the bedding, repairing the boxes if necessary and recording the number of egg shells. We will also be using GPS units to map out the locations of the boxes. This is another great volunteer activity to put on your resumes, while having a blast outside! We will most likely be provided lunch as well!

WHAT TO BRING: Warm clothes, boots

Note: We would prefer that people coming to this be dues paying members or become members soon.. Dues are only $10 for a lifetime of knowledge!

Map to Rose Lake

The End Of The Line Trailer

2010-02-17T19:36:00.005-05:00

FREE SHOWING: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 23! B104 WELLS HALL! 7-8:30! Sponsored by us and the Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Organization.

FACEBOOK EVENT: End of the Line - East Lansing

Extinct Toad on Exhibit at WCS’s Bronx Zoo

2010-02-17T19:23:00.002-05:00

The Kihansi spray toad, which has hopped into oblivion in its native home of Tanzania, has found a safe haven at WCS's Bronx Zoo. A new exhibit features an "assurance colony" of the small, mustard-colored toads, a species now listed as extinct in the wild.

When the spray toad's waterfall habitat dried up, WCS scientists stepped in.

The chirps of these toads once filled a verdant, five-acre swath of the Kihansi Gorge, where they lived in the mist created by the waterfalls. It was their only habitat in the world. But when construction of a hydroelectric dam at the falls began in the late 1990s, diverting the water flow out of the gorge, the mist zone dried up.

The new exhibit is a window into the efforts of a team of WCS herpetologists to ensure the toad does not disappear from the planet altogether. In 2001, following an agreement with the government of Tanzania, WCS scientists helped collect 499 spray toads from the gorge and flew them back to New York. In the years since, they have worked to propagate the species behind the scenes. Breeding a colony of toads that have so many unique requirements–a special insect diet, a steady spray of mist, filtered water, and more–has been a true feat.

Within the next year, WCS will send a small population to a facility at the University of Dar es Salaam. Eventually, in collaboration with Tanzanian partners who have already installed a system of sprinklers at the gorge to replicate the toad's habitat, they hope to return the species to the wild.

Read more...

The Story of Stuff

2010-02-17T19:14:00.002-05:00

This is the video that we watched last week at our meeting! We also had somewhat of a discussion afterwards, but please post any lingering thoughts you might have on it!

"From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever."

EVENT: SNOW SHELTER BUILDING!

2010-02-11T21:20:00.004-05:00

Intensely Fun Event: Snow Shelter Building

WHEN: This Sunday February 14th at the Natural Resources Building. 9:00am-12:30pm.
**Meet at 9:00am behind the Natural Resources Building (We will make sure someone is there to open the door)**

WHAT: A Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student, Bob Montgomery, will use his survival skills learned through his upbringings in a family of Polar Bears in the Arctic to show us the ways of Snow Cave Construction. Prepare for an expedition that will test every part of your body and soul!
Schedule: -1 hour to build snow mound - 1-2 hours to wait for it to settle - 1 hour to dig it out and finish it off.
During the wait time, we will head back inside to have some eats and watch 'Touching the Void' which is a film about two mountaineers who have a near fatal experience attempting to climb the 20,813 ft Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.

*WHAT TO BRING: 1) Warm Clothes 2) A Lunch 3) A shovel if you have one

Note: You don't have to be a dues paying member to participate! Should be a good time!

EVENT: 'Merdian Tackles Ice Fishing'

2010-02-09T17:09:00.005-05:00

OUTREACH EVENT: 'Meridian Tackles Ice Fishing'

WHEN: This Saturday February 13 at the pond in the Meridian Historical Village. It will last from 8:30am ~ 12:00 p.m.
**We will meet behind the Natural Resources Building at 8:00a.m to figure out rides. Bring a vehicle if you have one.**

WHAT: This is a free fishing weekend in Michigan (don't have to have a license) so, we will be helping kids learn how to ice fish (teaching,helping,drilling,measuring,fixing poles) If you have never gone fishing/ice fishing yourself, this will also be a great opportunity for you to learn! Even if you don't wish to fish yourself, it will be a nice opportunity to get hands on experience with outreach. (which is obviously a very important aspect to our field)

WHAT TO BRING: Just warm clothes and your happy faces! (fishing gear if you'd like)

Note: You don't have to be a dues paying member to participate!

Map: Meridian Historical Village - Pond

T-Shirt Designs

2010-02-09T15:53:00.005-05:00

These are some ideas for t-shirts that Ali David presented at the meeting the other day. Tell us what you think about these. We also have our current design that we can keep. Another option we talked with Alli about, is to print these ideas as small posters to put up in the building. Let us know what you think below!

CONSERVATION ISSUE - NO MORE GRIZZLIES CAMPAIGN!!!

2010-02-06T17:34:00.002-05:00

Visit nomoregrizzlies.com to find out more about this horrible conservation threat!

Detecting Asian Carp in the Great Lakes | Cool Green Science: The Conservation Blog of The Nature Conservancy

2010-02-06T17:26:00.002-05:00

Detecting Asian Carp in the Great Lakes | Cool Green Science: The Conservation Blog of The Nature Conservancy

Posted using ShareThis

Conservation International Blog - Polinators In Peril

2010-02-06T17:24:00.005-05:00

POLINATORS IN PERIL!!

Posted using ShareThis

Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow: Introducing Wildlife Students to Hunting

2010-02-06T17:23:00.001-05:00

Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow: Introducing Wildlife Students to Hunting

This is a great opportunity for MSU students to participate in as well. This past fall we took 4 students to the workshop (Colleen Bumford, Lydia Vanderbilt, Marco Sanchez, Robyn Bailey). Be sure to ask Jim Schneider about it!

TWS Blog - Keeping Black Bears Wild

2010-02-06T17:03:00.001-05:00

Keeping Black Bears Wild

WELCOME TO OUR NEW WEBSITE!

2010-01-26T22:42:00.004-05:00

Picture of the Week

2010-01-25T20:07:00.003-05:00

RAWWWWRRR!

David Attenborough - Human Mammal, Human Hunter

2010-01-23T00:24:00.004-05:00

Check out this clip from one of David Attenborough's BBC series. Casey showed this to me. It's a really interesting video about a very ancient hunting technique. The 'persistence' hunt. Crazy stuff..

New Facebook Page

2010-01-21T19:04:00.008-05:00

Make sure to become a fan of our new facebook page for more updates!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Lansing-MI/MSU-Fisheries-and-Wildlife-Club/211581336962?v=wall

Welcome to our new Blog!

2010-01-21T15:45:00.002-05:00

This is a new way to communicate to with our members. Please post comments and if you have any questions on how this works, feel free to email us at msufwclub@gmail.com.