Commissioner of the Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources Testifies before House Subcommittee on White-Nose Syndrome and Bats

Dr. Jon Gassett, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, testified on June 24, 2011 before a House Natural Resources Subcommittee concerning the incidence and spread of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bat species, and the development and implementation of a federal-state national response plan.

WNS has devastated populations of several species of hibernating bats since it was first identified in the United States in 2006. State and federal agencies are mobilizing efforts to monitor the disease and hopefully bring it under control.

"During the last several years, my personal involvement with WNS has grown from watching its advance--moving southward and westward--to bearing responsibility in my own state upon confirming WNS in Kentucky this spring," said Gassett. "I am encouraged at the the amount of dedication and commitment by a community of individuals who care deeply about our bat resources. At the same time, I am concerned at the rate of spread, the high suspect ability of certain species and the lack of available treatment options."

Dr. Gassett is the Vice President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Chair of AFWA's WNS Working Group.

Read Dr. Jon Gassett's full testimony >

AFWA Names New Vice Chair and Adds Three Members to its Executive Committee

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ Executive Committee named Dan Forster, Director of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, as the new Vice Chair of its Executive Committee. Forster’s appointment is one of several Executive Committee actions that took place last week at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Forster previously served as an Executive Committee member.

Upon the recommendations of AFWA’s Nominating Committee, the Executive Committee named Carter Smith, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and Nick Wiley, Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee, as voting members. The Executive Committee also re-elected Ken Mayer, Acting Director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, to the committee.

AFWA Officers & Executive Committee

OFFICERS
President: Curtis Taylor, WV DNR
Vice President: Jon Gassett, KY DFWR
Secretary/Treasurer: Dave Chanda, NJ DFW
Past President: John Frampton, SC DNR

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair: Jeff Vonk, SD GFPD
Vice Chair: Dan Forster, GA WRD

MEMBERS
Wayne MacCallum, MA DFW
Ken Mayer, NV DOW
Paul Peditto, MD DNR
Carter Smith, TX PWD
Larry Voyles, AZ GFD
Nick Wiley, FL FWCC

EX-OFFICIO & REGIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Canada: Mike Sullivan, NB DNRE
Midwest: Patricia Boddy, IA DNR
Northeast: Glenn Normandeau, NH GFD
Southeast: Bob Duncan, VA DGIF
Western: Joe Maurier, MT DFWP