Awards
Awards
The Western Section recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond to make contributions toward the Western Section’s goals. Five awards are presented at the Western Section’s Annual Meeting awards banquet and officers on the executive board are recognized for volunteering their time and efforts to sustain and strengthen the Western Section.
How to make your nominations:
Please support your nomination with a summary of the nominee’s professional history, a narrative of the special program(s) for which the nomination is being made, and any other pertinent supportive materials (letters of recommendation, C.V., etc.). Mail or email (preferred) your nomination with supporting materials by December 31 to:
Richard Burg
email: awards@tws-west.org
Expect to receive a confirmation that your nomination has been received. Please let me know if you do not receive a confirmation.
Please see below for details about these awards.
- Raymond F. Dasmann Award
- Conservationist of the Year
- James D. Yoakum Award
- Chapter of the Year
- Barrett A. Garrison “Outstanding Mentor Award”
- TWS Distinguished Service Award
Annual Awards
- 2024 Award Recipients
- 2023 Award Recipients
- 2022 Award Recipients
- 2021 Award Recipients
- 2020 Award Recipients
- 2019 Award Recipients
- 2018 Award Recipients
- 2017 Award Recipients
- 2016 Award Recipients
- 2015 Award Recipients
- 2014 Award Recipients
- 2013 Award Recipients
- 2012 Award Recipients
- 2011 Award Recipients
Raymond F. Dasmann Award for the Professional of the Year
The “Dasmann Award” is presented by the Western Section to Professionals who have made an outstanding contribution to wildlife resources management and understanding in California, Nevada, Hawaii or Guam.
Qualifications of Nominee: The nominee can be any member(s) of the Wildlife Society-Western Section, who develops, applies, administers or completes an especially significant program of management, education, research or communications that results in an outstanding contribution to wildlife resources in the Western Section geographic area.
The Conservationist of the Year Award
The Conservationist of the Year Award is presented by the Western Section to a person or group, engaged in wildlife conservation either as a profession or as an avocation, who has made an outstanding contribution to wildlife conservation in California, Nevada, Hawaii or Guam.
Qualifications of Nominee: The nominee can be any individual or group who has demonstrated an active concern for wildlife conservation by accomplishing projects or programs that have significantly enhanced wildlife resource conservation within the Western Section geographical area.
The James D. Yoakum Award for Outstanding Service and Commitment to The Western Section of The Wildlife Society
The “James D. Yoakum Award” is intended to recognize individuals who have provided outstanding, long-term service, support, and commitment to the Western Section of The Wildlife Society.
Qualifications of Nominee: The nominee must be a member of The Wildlife Society and of The Western Section and must have dedicated a substantial amount of time, energy, and personal sacrifice to furthering the Section’s goals and facilitating its programs and operations. The Award recognizes service to the organization rather than contributions to wildlife management and conservation, which are recognized by the Section’s two other major awards, the “Raymond F. Dasmann Award for Professional of the Year” and the “Conservationist of the Year Award.”
The Chapter of the Year Award
The Chapter of the Year Award is awarded to the Chapter and its members that achieved the most toward promoting wildlife conservation and responsible wildlife management in the Western Section region.
Qualifications of Nominee: The nominee must be a Chapter of The Western Section whose members as a whole contributed towards achieving the goals of The Western Section. This can include hosting wildlife training workshops to promote professional development, supporting wildlife students, or initiating and supporting conservation projects.
Barrett A. Garrison “Outstanding Mentor Award”
The “Barrett A. Garrison Outstanding Mentor Award” is bestowed to a professional within California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Guam who has contributed to our profession by assisting the continued development of students and/or young professionals. Qualifications of Nominee: The responsibility of a mentor is extraordinary. A mentor helps to shape and promote a young career. The nominee can be any member(s) of the Wildlife Society-Western Section, who is responsible for mentoring young professionals over their career in the Western Section geographic area.
TWS Distinguished Service Award
TWS Distinguished Service is designed to recognize TWS members who have made a long-term commitment to the Society based on membership longevity and TWS service. The member is someone who is/was “always there” and could be counted on to serve the chapter, section, or international organization. The award recognizes individuals who have worked throughout their careers in a variety of ways to further the mission of the Society.
Past Award Winners
James D Yoakum Award for Outstanding Service
| 2024 | Dr. Jeff Lincer |
| 2023 | Janine Payne |
| 2022 | Dr. Marshall White and Dr. Reginald Barrett |
| 2021 | Kent Smith |
| 2020 | John McNerney |
| 2019 | Richard Burg and Cynthia Perrine |
| 2017 | Don Armentrout |
| 2016 | Kenneth E. Mayer |
| 2015 | Rhys M. Evans |
| 2014 | Donald A. Klebenow |
| 2013 | Not Presented |
| 2012 | Don Yasuda |
| 2011 | Not Presented |
| 2010 | Not Presented |
| 2009 | Bill Standley |
| 2008 | Marti Kie |
| 2007 | Not Presented |
| 2006 | Michael T. Chapel |
| 2005 | Brad Valentine |
| 2004 | Not Presented |
| 2003 | Not Presented |
| 2002 | Not Presented |
| 2001 | Not Presented |
| 2000 | Rick Williams |
| 1999 | Bill Clark |
| 1998 | Jim Yoakum |
Raymond F. Dasmann Professional of the Year
| 2024 | Tiana Williams-Clausen |
| 2023 | Kathryn Purcell |
| 2022 | Dr. Kelley Stewart |
| 2021 | Dr. Geoffrey Geupel |
| 2020 | Dr. Deanna Clifford |
| 2019 | David J. Germano |
| 2018 | Kevin Hunting |
| 2017 | Dr. Richard T. Golightly |
| 2016 | Dr. Ralph “Rocky” Gutierrez |
| 2015 | Howard O. Clark |
| 2014 | Shawn Espinosa |
| 2013 | Dr. Brian Cypher |
| 2012 | Dr. Scott Osborn |
| 2011 | Dr. Philip Leitner |
| 2010 | Esther Burkett |
| 2009 | Dr. Richard Botzler |
| 2008 | Dr. Bill Zielinski |
| 2007 | Daniel Pearson |
| 2006 | Dr. Archie S. Mossman |
| 2005 | Peter H. Bloom |
| 2004 | C. John Ralph, Robert C. Stebbins |
| 2003 | Jared Verner |
| 2002 | Jon Hooper |
| 2001 | Ron Jurek |
| 2000 | Richard Anderson |
| 1999 | Ken Mayer |
| 1998 | Brad Valentine |
| 1997 | Walter Howard |
| 1996 | Don Delong |
| 1995 | Larry Saslaw |
| 1994 | John J. Kie |
| 1993 | Gordon I. Gould, Jr. |
| 1992 | Ronald D. Rempel |
| 1991 | William F. Laudenslayer, Jr. |
| 1990 | Michael T. Chapel, Terry M. Mansfield |
| 1989 | Reginald H. Barrett |
| 1988 | David Woodhouse |
| 1987 | James Jeffres |
| 1986 | James Yoakum |
| 1985 | Vernon C. Bleich |
| 1984 | Not Presented |
| 1983 | Richard A. Weaver |
| 1982 | William Longhurst |
| 1981 | Richard Teague |
| 1980 | Eldridge G. Hunt |
| 1979 | Robert Nelson |
Conservationist of the Year
| 2024 | California Bumble Bee Atlas |
| 2023 | Beth Pratt |
| 2022 | Ducks Unlimited-Western Region |
| 2021 | Biologists Without Borders |
| 2020 | Save The Redwoods League |
| 2019 | Yosemite Conservancy |
| 2018 | Endangered Species Recovery Program (ESRP) |
| 2017 | Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) |
| 2016 | The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy |
| 2015 | The Nature Conservancy |
| 2014 | California Nevada Bighorn Unlimited |
| 2013 | California Wildlife Conservation Board |
| 2012 | The Trust for Public Land |
| 2011 | Mojave Desert Land Trust |
| 2010 | Point Reyes Bird Observatory |
| 2009 | Dixie Pierson, Bill Rainey, Pat Brown, Bill Berry |
| 2008 | Conservation Biology Institute |
| 2007 | Yolo Basin Foundation |
| 2006 | California Waterfowl Association |
| 2005 | David F. DeSante |
| 2004 | Desert Tortoise Council |
| 2003 | Riparian Brush Rabbit Recovery Team |
| 2002 | John R. Mount |
| 2001 | Daniel Williams |
| 2000 | Center for Natural Lands Management |
| 1999 | Stephen Gaddes |
| 1998 | Elsie Dupree |
| 1997 | John Anderson |
| 1996 | Larry Johnson |
| 1995 | Amigos De Bolsa Chica |
| 1994 | Fern Duvall, Gary Sprinkle |
| 1993 | Rick Hewett |
| 1992 | Susan Baughman |
| 1991 | Brian Walton |
| 1990 | Felix Smith, Dan Chapin |
| 1989 | William Grenfell |
| 1988 | Kelvin Taketa |
| 1987 | Hank Doddridge |
| 1986 | Marvin Wood |
| 1985 | William McIntyre |
| 1984 | Not Presented |
| 1983 | Roy and Marion Conway |
| 1982 | David Gaines |
| 1981 | Glenn W. Sudmeier |
| 1980 | David Chapin |
| 1979 | Vern Smith |
Barrett A. Garrison “Mentor of the Year”
| 2024 | Ivan Parr |
| 2023 | Dr. Melissa Price |
| 2022 | Wendell Gilgert |
| 2021 | Jeff Lincer |
| 2020 | Jeffrey Wilcox |
| 2018 | Dr. Benjamin Sacks |
| 2017 | Barbara Peters |
| 2014 | Dr. Jim Sedinger |
| 2013 | Dr. Mark Colwell |
| 2012 | Dave Wyatt |
| 2011 | Jeff Alvarez |
| 2010 | Dr. Lowell Diller |
| 2009 | Lee Fitzhugh |
| 2008 | Barrett A. Garrison |
Outstanding Contributions to Wildlife
| 1978 | Robert Nelson, Vern Smith |
| 1977 | Peg Frankel |
| 1976 | Dan Anderson, Edwin Z’Berg |
| 1975 | Not Presented |
| 1974 | A. Starker Leopold |
| 1973 | Unknown |
| 1972 | Howard Leach |
| 1971 | Gene Kridler |
| 1970 | Pauline Davis |
| 1969 | William Dasmann |
| 1968 | Jim Yoakum |
| 1967 | Walter Putnam |
| 1966 | J. Harold Severaid |
| 1965 | Raymond Dassmann, Eugene McAteer |
| 1956 | Seth Gordon |
| 1955 | F.P. Cronemiller |