 Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commissioner John D. Groendyke, WAFWA's Lifetime Achievement Award winner for 2018, stands with Wildlife Department Director J.D. Strong at the organization's annual conference in Eugene, Ore. (Photo Provided by J.D. Strong/ODWC)
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WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER JOHN D. GROENDYKE GETS WAFWA'S PRESTIGIOUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONOR
Oklahoma's efforts in wildlife conservation were recognized on an international scale, as the state amassed fully half of the major awards at a recent conference of western wildlife associations.
Longtime Oklahoma
Wildlife Conservation Commissioner John D. Groendyke of Enid has been honored with
the Phillip W. Schneider Lifetime Achievement Award, the most prestigious award
given by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA).
Additionally, four
employees of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, along with the
McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, were honored with major WAFWA awards
commending their work to conserve fish and wildlife resources. The awards were
announced July 16 at WAFWA's annual conference in Eugene, Ore.
"All of these awards are an incredible endorsement for what's going on in Oklahoma for our wildlife and natural resources," said Wildlife Department Director J.D. Strong. "It’s another reminder of how blessed we are to have the best and brightest Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation staff and Commissioners, not to mention conservation partners."
Groendyke was honored
for his more than four decades of leadership on the Oklahoma Wildlife
Conservation Commission. Since his first appointment to the Commission in 1976,
Groendyke has demonstrated an incredible commitment to fish and wildlife
resources and has participated in nearly every major conservation decision or
initiative in Oklahoma during that time.
Oklahoma Gov. Mary
Fallin reappointed Groendyke to the Commission for a historic fifth term in
2012 and stated how remarkable it is that he has continuously served under
seven governors from both the Republican and Democratic parties.
The award Groendyke
received is named for Phillip W. Schneider of Oregon, whose legendary
commitment to fish and wildlife resources spanned more than 40 years in a
career in which he served as director of that state’s game and fish agency, and
later as a commissioner and commissioner emeritus of Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife
Commission.
Oklahoma Wildlife
Department fisheries biologist Jason Schooley was among two people honored with
WAFWA’s 2018 Professional of the Year Award for his contributions in managing
Oklahoma’s paddlefish resource based on sound scientific data, population
modeling and angler input. He’s been widely published, and shares information
with anglers around the world via websites. He regularly speaks to angling
groups to share his knowledge of paddlefish and general fisheries biology and
ecology.
Because of Schooley’s
efforts, the Oklahoma Paddlefish Research Center is known to anglers and
scientists worldwide as a valuable asset to science-based paddlefish
management.
Tony Rodger and Matt
Skoog of the Oklahoma Wildlife Department’s Fisheries Division received a
Special Achievement Award for their work to implement a new streams management
program in Oklahoma. In the past few years, they have drafted a detailed
five-year management plan, a comprehensive stream sampling plan, and located
and secured permission at more than 100 stream access sites, all to more effectively
steward Oklahoma’s natural resources.
Wildlife biologist Jeff
Tibbits of the Oklahoma Wildlife Department received a WAFWA 2018 Special
Recognition Award. He was honored for his efforts to kick-start and manage the
Oklahoma Land Access Program, which provides public access for hunting, fishing
and other wildlife-related recreation on private lands.
WAFWA honors the
conservation efforts of federal partners with the Federal Conservation Partner
of the Year Award. This year’s recipient was the McAlester Army Ammunition
Plant in Oklahoma, which was honored for its commitment to natural resource
conservation. The facility covers 45,000 acres, encompassing timberland,
grasslands, brush land and aquatic habitat and wetlands.
While meeting its
military mission, the ammunition plant does an exemplary job of stewarding the
natural resources within the facility boundaries. Quality deer management,
agricultural leases, invasive species control and pest management, threatened
and endangered species, wetlands rehabilitation, and public outreach are the
major components of the program.
Since 1922, WAFWA has
advanced conservation in western North America. Representing 24 western states
and Canadian provinces, WAFWA’s reach encompasses more than 40 percent of North
America, including two-thirds of the United States. Drawing on the knowledge of
scientists across the West, WAFWA is recognized as the expert source for
information and analysis about western wildlife. WAFWA supports sound resource
management and building partnerships at all levels to conserve wildlife for the
use and benefit of all citizens, now and in the future.
(This news release was
compiled from WAFWA and ODWC sources.)
The Oklahoma delegation attending the WAFWA 2018 annual conference, some holding their awards, include, front row from left: Wildlife Commissioner Leigh Gaddis, Fisheries Biologist Jason Schooley, Wildlife Commissioner John D. Groendyke, Virginia Groendyke, Ryan Toby (MCAAP land management chief), Col. Joseph Blanding (MCAAP commander), Wildlife Commissioner James V. Barwick, Wildlife Commissioner Bill Brewster; back row: Department Assistant Director Wade Free, Fisheries Chief Barry Bolton, Department Director J.D. Strong, Wildlife Biologist Jeff Tibbits, Fisheries Supervisor Ryan Ryswyk, Wildlife Assistant Chief Bill Dinkines. (Photo Provided by J.D. Strong)
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