Hall Sawyer named recipient of Excellence In Wildlife Conservation Award
by Wyoming Game & Fish
September 19, 2011
CHEYENNE, WYOMING – Hall Sawyer, research biologist for Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. (commonly referred to as WEST, Inc.) has been named recipient of the Excellence in Wildlife Conservation Award given annually by the Wildlife Division of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The Award is designed to recognize government and nongovernment agencies and individuals for exceptional efforts in conservation of Wyoming wildlife and wildlife habitats. Sawyer was recognized for his outstanding contributions to wildlife research and monitoring throughout Wyoming.
Over the past 15 years, Sawyer has led big game research and monitoring projects throughout the state. His work has greatly enhanced the Game and Fish Department’s ability to manage big game on a changing landscape. He was the first research biologist to conduct a long-term study evaluating potential impacts of natural gas development on mule deer in the Pinedale Anticline project area. In addition, the department’s statewide ability to assess impacts to big game from energy development, urban development, and highway mortality has been based, in large part, on Sawyer’s research on migration corridors, population dynamics, and habitat selection.
Sawyer has also been instrumental in leading research projects or assisting with research projects throughout Wyoming including elk research in Grand Teton National Park, migration routes of pronghorn that summer in Jackson Hole, and a study of recently transplanted bighorn sheep in the Laramie Range. He has also worked on mule deer research on the Atlantic Rim to assess movements of the Baggs mule deer herd and monitoring of mule deer migration along U.S. Highway 30 in Nugget Canyon near Kemmerer. In addition, he has recently begun an assessment of elk and mule deer habitat use in the Steamboat elk and deer herd units north of Rock Springs in response to proposed increases in oil and gas and wind energy developments.
WGFD’s wildlife division commended Sawyer for his commitment to Wyoming’s wildlife. "His analysis on animal survival and movement is often used by the Game and Fish when formulating management recommendations for herd units," the Department said.
|
