By: Gracie Triplett, Brooklyn Higginbotham, and Gaven Sanders
The Tarleton Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society is closing out the spring semester on a high note. As the season brings new life to the natural world, the Chapter has been just as active in hosting a range of events that educate and connect members and the community with the world around them including the society’s largest outreach event, Tarleton Outdoors! This month also marked an exciting transition for the student chapter as elections were held, and new officers were welcomed into their roles for the next academic year.
Camping Trip at Lake O.H. Ivie
On April 11-13, four society members, led by Secretary Kaylee Halfmann, participated in a camping trip at Lake O.H. Ivie. Halfmann arranged for Lynn Wright, San Angelo District Fisheries Supervisor for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, to visit their campground, speak about his position and answer questions about the Inland Fisheries Division. These camping trips provide an opportunity for the student members to build friendships and learn camping, fishing, and species identification skills. The student members also participated in the iNaturalist- BioBlitz hosted by The Wildlife Society’s Student Development Working Group by identifying and documenting species in the area.
Wing Ding
On April 19th, members of the Tarleton Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society volunteered at the chapter’s booth during the annual WingDing event at Dinosaur Valley State Park. This event brought together a wide range of organizations and community members to celebrate the natural world and promote conservation awareness. Their booth offered a mix of fun, hands-on activities and engaging educational materials for visitors of all ages. Guests were educated on all things bats with an informational poster, tested their knowledge with a “Match the Beak to the Bird” game and got creative with two interactive crafts: Make Your Own Bat Hat and DIY Bird Feeders. These activities not only entertained, but also encouraged participants to think about the role each species plays in the ecosystem.
Tarleton Outdoors
On April 26th, Tarleton’s Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society had their biggest event of the semester, Tarleton Outdoors. There were many fun activities like face painting, interactive games and booths from various organizations! We thank Delta Waterfowl, Native Prairies Association of Texas, Texas A&M Forest Service, Ducks Unlimited, Mule Deer Foundation, Texas Grazing Land Coalition, Prairie Oaks Texas Master Naturalist, Meridian State Park, Lake Brownwood State Park, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Fort Cavazos Natural Resources, Boy Scouts of America, Fossil Rim, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Tarleton State student organizations, such as the Environmental Society, Entomology Society, and Bass Club. The booths had many various educational information, interactive activities, and informational flyers. The goal of Tarleton Outdoors is to encourage the community to get involved in the outdoors and learn about the world around them. It was a great day for fun and learning.
To stay up to date on events happening with the Society, follow them on Instagram , Facebook, and YouTube.
Instagram: @tsuwildlife
Facebook: Tarleton State University Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Youtube: TarletonTWS
For more information on how to join or ways to get involved, please contact: gracie.triplett@go.tarleton.edu or brooklyn.higginbotham@go.tarleton.edu.