The UNL Wildlife Club hosted one of five regional student conclaves of The Wildlife Society, an organization committed to a world where humans and wildlife coexist. The annual conclaves give college students networking opportunities and hands-on training in wildlife management and conservation.
"In order to host this event, the club had to campaign for it at last year's conclave at the University of Wyoming," said Kyle Schumacher, a junior fisheries & wildlife and grassland ecology & management major. "We presented our pitch to host at the closing banquet there and when it came to a vote, we came out on top. Then the work began."
The club hosted the Western Student Conclave, which took place from March 14-17 throughout various Nebraska locations with home base set up at Mahoney State Park near Ashland. More than 130 students from ten schools in eight states were in attendance.
Schools represented included Humboldt State University, Washington State University, University of Idaho, New Mexico State University, University of Wyoming, Colorado State University, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Chadron State College, University of Nebraska Kearney and UNL.
Schumacher, who serves as UNL Wildlife Club president, said that one of the challenges of planning such a large event was making sure it was cohesive and structured.
"One of our main challenges was tying the weekend together," he said. "We were able to overcome this right before the weekend began and about 12 hours before we were to start, everything fell into place."
During the four-day event, attendees viewed the sandhill crane migration at the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area, visited the Glacier Creek Preserve in Bennington, got a behind-the-scenes tour of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and participated in various other activities.
The event closed with a banquet featuring Michael Forsberg, photographer and assistant professor of practice, as the keynote speaker.
"As I stated at the conclusion of the banquet, our goal of the weekend was to show people our wild Nebraska," Schumacher said. "From looking through the countless pictures that were full of smiles and wonder, I can honestly say we completely accomplished that in every student's four-day stay in the state."
— Mekita Rivas, Natural Resources
More details at: http://www.wildlife.org/professional-development/student-conclaves