Linda Leeman Abstract:  Numerous environmental laws were passed in the US from the late 1960s to early 1980s. In a broad sense, the purpose of these laws is to protect human health and the environment, and they reflect society’s value of the natural world. Since enactment of these laws, careers for wildlife biologists have expanded from management of game species for consumptive use to a myriad of other options, including conservation biologist, restoration ecologist, regulatory specialist, environmental consultant, academic researcher, policy advocate, and more. Potential employers include federal, state, or local governments, universities, nonprofit organizations, zoos and museums, and private companies. Regardless of career track or employer, environmental laws shape the wildlife biology profession. Therefore, understanding the laws is essential to a successful career, and yet, most academic programs do not provide adequate course material on the topic. While environmental laws are not perfectly written or implemented, they are one of the most important tools to achieving conservation outcomes. The presentation will explore the different roles for biologists in implementation of environmental laws and compliance and the importance of collaboration between professionals to achieve successful wildlife conservation.

Eric C. Hansen Abstract: Traditional pathways in wildlife research often are associated with institutional platforms such as agencies, academia, and NGOs, yet vital information is produced in the private sector that can contribute significantly to the body of knowledge required for successful resource management and conservation. Unfortunately, this information frequently is relegated to gray literature unavailable to the public or else is limited in scope due to project constraints. While core research through the private sector is perhaps less common, the ability to specialize in particular areas of expertise, to understand the regulatory nuances to conservation in a particular system, access to institutional knowledge held by other involved in the system, and relationships with other private sector specialists provide an excellent foundation for developing research questions and programs that contribute to regulatory and resource decision making. This presentation will address the importance of collaboration and potential pathways to developing, funding, and publishing research in the private sector and how the knowledge gained through this experience can be passed on to students in developing careers.

Linda Leeman:  Linda leads the Natural Resources Practice at Ascent, an environmental consulting firm based in Sacramento. She started as a field biologist for a variety of state and federal agencies. She also ran an ornithology lab for a small, nonprofit. Ultimately, the opportunities for growth, creativity, and leadership led her to environmental consulting, where she works on a variety multi-disciplinary projects related to CEQA review, ESA compliance, and natural resources planning.

Eric Hansen: Eric Hansen is a herpetologist specializing in threatened and endangered reptiles and amphibians of the Central Valley, working as an independent consultant and researcher since 1998. With interests centering on conservation ecology, his independent and collaborative projects have covered a range of interests, including population genetics, contaminants and toxicology, demography, and spatial ecology. He also has worked as an instructor in the Field Ecology Certificate Program at Sacramento City College since 2017. Mr. Hansen’s professional affiliations include the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, the Wildlife Society, and the Herpetologists League.