A list of potential tasks for the Urban Wildlife Working Group developed
by the Urban Wildlife Committee of TWS in the 1980's and early 1990's:
Evaluate the "Guidelines for Implementing Urban Wildlife Programs
Under State Conservation Agency Administration".
Determine urban fish and wildlife research needs as perceived by state
wildlife agencies and municipalities. Make this information available to university and
other researchers. Investigate alternative funding sources for such research.
Explore permanent liaisons with planning, architectural, and citizens’
groups by the committee.
Collaborate with TWS’s Conservation Education Committee. (However, one
member felt that other than a TWS statement on urban wildlife which delineates a policy
position, advocacy [relative to information and education] should be in the hands of
individuals and external agencies). Perhaps assist with evaluation and any revision/update
of Project Wild.
Consider broadening the next symposium to "National Symposium on Urban
Fish and Wildlife," with both TWS and AFS as co-sponsors. There may be enough
interest and activity to hold such a meeting every 2-3 years. Consider scheduling it in
mid-October.
Consider publishing a collection of "Readings in Urban Fish and
Wildlife Management."
Consider implementing an awards program for particularly successful
wildlife management activities in an urban context.
Determine who handles nuisance wildlife calls withing states. Do we need to
develop standards for wildlife damage control agents as we do for pest control operators?
Consider ways of integrating urban wildlife information into landscape
architectural courses. Perhaps this could be done by working with ASLA.
Carry notices of urban wildlife meetings in TWS chapter and section
newsletters.
Conduct "open exchange" urban wildlife meeting at TWS section
meetings.
Develop a list of plants that have characteristics desirable from the
standpoint of aesthetics and landscape architecture and at the same time valuable for
wildlife food and/or cover at different seasons and for different regions of the U.S.
Work with university wildlife and landscape architecture departments to
determine the feasibility of incorporating enough of the opposite (other) discipline in
this training program to at least acquaint students with opportunities for cooperation.
Encourage development of joint participation of wildlife students and
landscape architecture students on habitat development prospects, under supervision of
professors.