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| Sponsored by the Wake County Wildlife Club |
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Welcome to the Wildlife Conservation and
Education website.
UPDATE: Dec. 8, 2011
No Wildlife Conservation Through Education Committee (WCtEC) workshops for 2012. In lieu of workshops on March 1, 2012, members of the Wildlife Conservation through Education Committee (WCtEC) will continue their other related programs held at the NC Wildlife Resources Commissions Centennial Campus and as well as single topic, 45 minute to one hour, programs brought to individual schools.
The 2011 workshops were the best ever. However, attendance was much lower than expected. With no charge for the workshops, free parking, security, top name educators, wildlife exhibits, and a nationally known motivational speaker, the low attendance was hard to explain.
2012 Dixie Deer Classic seminars, programs available. There will, however be several educational seminars available at the 2012 Dixie Deer Classic (www.dixiedeerclassic.org) as well as a youth scavenger hunt. The Classic will be held March 2, 3, 4, 2012 at the NC state fairgrounds in Raleigh, NC.
Although admission is free for those under 13, there is a charge for those over 13 and over. However, the regular admission price of $10 is cut in half on Friday for students 13 through 17 along with active military, women, and seniors 65 and older.
2013 WCtEC workshops, a possibility. In 2011-2011, the WCtEC is reaching out to schools with single topic programs. These programs are geared to an individual class or grade. Teachers and administrators will get to know us better in the school settings. And, we can better explain the nature and value of the WCtEC workshops. If sufficient interest is shown, we hope to offer the WCtEC workshops prior to the 2013 Dixie Deer Classic.
Please contact me to schedule workshops and for answers to your questions.
Allen Basala
Chairman, WCtEC
919-643-0124
2011 Wildlife Conservation through Education Committee Event Results
The Wake County Wildlife Club and its Dixie Deer Classic were privileged to be the prime sponsor and work with four outstanding conservation partners in 2011. The partners included the NC Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, NCSU Fisheries and Wildlife Program, NRA Youth Programs Committee, and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. It was a busy time as many events were delivered during the 31st annual Dixie Deer Classic and earlier at the Kerr Scott Building on the NC Fairgrounds in Raleigh, NC.
 For the youngsters, there was safety instruction and a supervised b-b gun shoot, turkey box call making, and a wildlife scavenger hunt. There were also interactive classes/workshops for middle and high school students. For adults and youngsters, there were a series of seminars on a variety of outdoor activities and skills. For leaders of conservation groups, there was an educational seminar on wildlife and the farm bill-provisions and applications. Here are the highlights
B-B Gun Shoot.
After a short lesson on sight alignment and sight picture, 4 youngsters at a time put on safety glasses and aimed at their target. The shoot was supervised by those with hunter education instructor certification. Estimates from Wake County Wildlife Club members Larry, Ozza, and Buck Tysor along with Dave Modlin reveal that more than 1500 youngsters participated in this event. The best shooter in each of more than 500 four person groups was awarded a blaze orange hat.
Outdoor Lore.
Henry Taylor of the Wake County Wildlife Club put together an outstanding slate of speakers and topics appealing to young and old, veterans of the outdoors and newcomers. Some of the highlights included Frank Newell’s live grey and timber wolves and the invasive nutria. Given the growing concerns with coyote numbers, Jimmy Pierce’s seminar on coyote trapping was well attend as were the sessions on decoy carving and venison processing. Henry Taylor estimates about 700 youngsters and adults attended the seminars and demonstrations.
Other Seminars.
There were other seminars including those by Wake County Wildlife Club members on snakes (Dave Woodward and Ed Bruner) and retriever training (Stacy Miller). There were also seminars on birds of prey (NC Falconers’ Guild), goose hunting strategies (Joe Finney), and much more etc.
Turkey Box Call Making and Demonstration.
Bryan Perry, President of the NC Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, estimates that the participating youngsters made 1200 turkey calls and 300 crow calls. Youngsters learned the different species of wild turkeys, their calls, their habitats, and how to make calls. Such information would enable the youngsters to interact with (talk with) this majestic bird. Bryan along with Larry and Martha Smith, Bill Williams, and other NWTF members were kept busy working with the youngsters. Their rewards were nearly 1500 smiling faces and yelps from the youngsters’ box calls.
Wildlife Conservation through Education Workshops.
Although the Dixie Deer Classic opened the gates on Friday, March, 4, 2011, over 250 middle and high school students arrived early. These students and their teachers showed up at 9:00a.m., March 2-3, 2011 to go to school at Dixie Deer Classic’s satellite venue, the Kerr Scott Building, NC Fairgrounds. The price was right as there was no charge for those attending up to 5 different classes a day. Students and teachers from charter, home, private, and public schools enjoyed the motivational talk by former All-Pro defensive tackle Dave Butz of the Washington Redskins and Chairman of the NRA Youth Programs Committee as well as many workshops organized by Beth Gunn of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Steve Bennett of Envirothon and Judy Gardner of QDMA handled recruiting. Ed Richardson and his team handled check-in. Attending teachers selected 2-5 different workshops a day, including those on birds of prey, reptiles, history and ecology of the wild turkey, North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, fisheries and aquatic biology, and others. All workshops met standard course of study objectives in science and/or biology. In addition, the Wake County Wildlife Club (WCWC) had exhibits of many wildlife artifacts including black bear, fox squirrel and bobcat mounts along with skulls and several carvings of song, upland, and water birds. Between workshops, WCWC members Jerry Wagoner, Andy Ammons, Jim Hudson, Chuck Henline, and Dwight Wadford answered questions and provided students and teachers with literature on wildlife identification, conservation, economics, and outdoor ethics.
Wildlife and the Farm Bill Seminar.
Many corporate and private landowners know the intricacies of the Farm Bill including the cost share programs designed to help property owners, the environment, and wildlife. NCWRC staff led by Supervisory Biologist, Mark Jones described the features of the Farm Bill and the variations in its implementation across and within various regions of the country. The staff also described the value of working with landowners and opportunities for input during the grant selection and implementation process. About 25 representatives of 12 conservation groups attended.
Wildlife Scavenger Hunt.
The wildlife conservation leaders of tomorrow are often found within the ranks of fisheries and wildlife program students at colleges and universities. The Leopold Wildlife Club at NCSU led by Mary Talley designed and implemented a wildlife scavenger hunt aimed at pre-school and elementary school students. Mary’s enthusiasm and that of her team meant a lot to the youngsters and their parents. Nearly 300 youngsters participated!! Armed with exams, clip boards, pencils, and a goody bags, the youngsters and their parents or guardians went through the Jim Graham and Expo Center Buildings at the Dixie Deer Classic, stopping at conservation partner booths. There, the youngsters received an item for their goody bags as well as answers to their questions. Participants needed to answer only 5 of 6 questions correctly to be entered into a drawing for some special prizes. However, more than half of the participants tried and succeeded in answering all 10 questions correctly. Those youngsters were awarded with a Dixie Deer Classic hat, an NRA sports camp pin, or a poster from USFWS, NCFS, or NCWRC. All successful participants received a certificate signed by a Leopold Wildlife Club volunteer as well as two members of the NRA’s board of directors: NRA Youth Programs Committee Chairman and former All-Pro Washington Redskin, Dave Butz and former NC State university rifle team coach and NRA Youth Programs Committee member, Edie Fleeman. Both were there to lend support to the NCSU Leopold Wildlife Club and other students who volunteered. Drawing winners included:
- Trinity M., age 11 of Durham, NC: Personalized (she chose the words Dixie Deer Classic) Lifetime Youth Sportsman & Coastal Recreational Fishing License provided by the Wake County Wildlife Club;
- Marc W., age 8 of Elm City, NC: Youth Parker Bow including quiver and sight provided by Parker Compound Bows;
- Rachel L., age 11 of Macclesfield, NC: Henry Mini-Bolt 0.22 cal. rifle provided by the NRA Youth Programs Committee and registered to her parents for safekeeping;
- Skylar Y., age 3.5 of Willow Spring, NC: Henry Mini-Bolt 0.22 cal. Rifle provided by the NRA Youth Programs Committee and registered to her parents for safekeeping.
- Mary L., age 8 of Roxboro, NC: 3 year subscription Wildlife in NC provided by the Wake County Wildlife Club;
- Joshua K., age 7 of Pikeville, NC: 3 year subscription to Wildlife in NC provided by the Wake County Wildlife Club;
- Leighanna W., age 8 of Ramseur, NC: blue bird box provided by the Wake County Wildlife Club; and,
- Hailie W., age 7 of Roper, NC: blue bird box provided by the Wake County Wildlife Club.
Thank you to all who participated in these events. Participants and their parents and friends helped us to recruit, nurture, and hopefully retain a cadre of ethical outdoorsmen and women. Many will become ethical hunters and anglers, continuing the practice of current and past generations as good stewards of our wildlife resources paying for wildlife conservation via license fees, excise taxes, wildlife stamp purchases, and donations of their time, other treasures, and talents to wildlife conservation projects.
Over the next few months, the Wake County Wildlife Club and wildlife conservation partners will be reviewing each event and examining participant feedback. Refinements will be made in view of discussions amongst volunteers, instructors, and committee members.
On behalf of my colleagues from the NCSU Fisheries and Wildlife Program, NC Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and the Wake County Wildlife Club, thank you for allowing us to serve you in 2011. We look forward to greeting you, your family, and friends at the 2012 Dixie Deer Classic and at one or more of the Wildlife Conservation through Education Committee and Wake County Wildlife Club events.
Sincerely,
Allen C. Basala, Chairman
Wildlife Conservation through Education Committee
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 The Wildlife Conservation through Education Committee -
Who are we?
We are a group of volunteers and wildlife professionals.
Most of us on the Committee have training in physical and/or social sciences and an appreciation of "the stocks and flows from" aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Some of us like to bird watch while others like to fish, hike, hunt, and/or take pictures. Some of us like to do it all. Some of us are from educational institutions, others from government agencies, and still others from non-governmental organizations.
All of us believe in a positive outdoor ethic. As Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife management said, "doing what is right when no one else is looking."
All of us believe that objective education can provide a strong foundation on which individuals can nurture understanding, formulate their own ideas, and choose to support specific policies and programs.
What are our views?
 Our view is that there are many functions of ecological systems (including, provision of oxygen, filtered water, and reduced soil erosion) including many recreational services. Some ecological systems are in our own backyards. While other systems are in wetlands, lakes, streams, fields, and forests. We believe that habitats and ecosystems are dynamic. We distinguish early successional habitats, but also recognize old growth forests.
In addition, many of us are concerned with the decline in outdoor recreation activities including the decline &/or risk of decline of revenues from user supported excise taxes, fish and game stamps, license fees and non-game income tax check in programs. Those revenues provide much of the funding for research, habitat acquisition, conservation education, and enforcement of regulations.
Folks not on our committee are also concerned. Richard Louv's best seller, "Last Child in the Woods" spoke of a malady affecting our youth: Nature Deficit Disorder. The Wildlife Conservation through Education Committee wants to improve the understanding of nature through objective education.
There are many spillovers from engaging in specific types of ethical outdoor recreation. But, without an understanding of the physical and social sciences undergirding aquatic and wildlife management, individuals will act in their own backyards, vote in the leisure time activity market place and the public policy voting box as ill-informed consumers.
 But, why should anyone care about the woods or streams? Well, wildlife and its habitat can serve as environmental barometers. Here is an example, of a result from a melding of physical and social science knowledge. Being informed on the connections amongst habitat quantity and quality and costs, New York City residents chose to take financial steps to maintain the quality of the upstate watershed. Why? ...So that drinking water could be provided to New York City at lower cost. Adopting such a policy, would also enhance recreational opportunities for bird watchers, hikers, hunters, and outdoor photographers.
In our view, wildlife conservation policy guided by ignorance and fears is divisive and will not generate an enduring commitment to restoration and maintenance of wildlife habitat and conservation of ecosystem functions and services. Too often wildlife conservation is fraught with heartfelt vigorous and sometimes violent advocacy with minimal understanding of the facts. Wildlife conservation policy guided by emotion alone will not generate an effective and enduring conservation ethic.
Questions?
Feel free to send us an e-mail or give us a call! Phone: (919) 467-4584 (evenings)
E-mail: anj1basala@earthlink.net
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