ABOUT THE POSITION
In 1998,
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife,
began a partnership with several Soil and Water Conservation
District offices, by providing funding to hire personnel for the
Wildlife Specialist position. Initially, the Division of Wildlife
granted requests from twelve Districts having an interest in the
Wildlife Specialist position.
Currently,
there are 21 Wildlife Specialists with most of the positions located
in the southeastern part of the state. The northern counties that
currently have a Wildlife Specialist employed by their Soil and
Water Conservation District's include Seneca, Ottawa/Sandusky, and
Erie.
Though the roles vary from county to county, the main objective of
the Wildlife Specialist is to assist the Division of Wildlife in
working with landowners and others in their respective county,
specifically to address wildlife issues and concerns. Some of the
duties of a Wildlife Specialist include:
-
Assistance to FSA, NRCS, and ODNR
w/Farm Bill programs (CREP, WHIP, CRP, WRP, etc.)
-
Build effective partnerships
w/various nonprofit conservation organizations (Pheasants
Forever, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, etc.)
-
Coordinate/participate in
education, workshop, and field day events
-
Provide wildlife habitat
information to the public through media venues
-
Assist the Wildlife Officer with
crop damage/animal nuisance complaints
The ODNR
Division of Soil and Water Conservation views all of the Wildlife
Specialist positions as great opportunities to forge a strong and
effective partnership with the Division of Wildlife in the effort to
assist all landowners with their wildlife management objectives and
concerns. It is this joint venture that will help to ensure that
Ohio's wild and natural heritage remains strong. Please contact us
if we can be of assistance.
