Why All the Fuss Over Free-ranging Cats and Wildlife?
By Stanley Temple, Beers-Bascom Professor Emeritus in Conservation
Populations of free-ranging and feral domestic cats have exploded recently, along with the demonstrable harm they do to native wildlife. Controversy has arisen about what to about the many problems free-ranging cats create, often pitting those who care about the welfare of both wildlife and cats against those who advocate for maintaining free- ranging cat populations through misguided programs such as “trap-neuter-return.” Professor Stan Temple, who has done pioneering research on cats and wildlife, will review the controversy, show where common ground exists and suggest solutions.
Stanley (Stan) Temple is the Beers-Bascom Professor Emeritus in Conservation in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology and former Chairman of the Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development Program in the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW–Madison. For 32 years he held the academic position once occupied by Aldo Leopold. He is currently a Senior Fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation. He has received major conservation awards from the Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society and the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. Among other recognition of his achievements, he is a Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Explorers Club, Wildlife Conservation Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. He has been President of the Society for Conservation Biology and Chairman of the Board of The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin.
The program is scheduled on February 26 at 7 pm at the Lions Field House in Williams Bay and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served before and after the meeting.
Directions The Lions Field House is located 0.4 miles north of Geneva Street in Williams Bay on Highway 67. Turn on Stark Road on the west side of Highway 67, across from Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy. Turn right at the next intersection to go to the parking lot.
Great Backyard bird Count website
Bird Monitors
We’re looking for individuals with a moderate to advanced knowledge of bird ID to help our wildlife biologist monitor priority grassland bird species. Volunteers must be able to confidently identify or learn 10-15 grassland bird species by sight and sound. This involves off-trail hiking to specific monitoring points along pre-defined routes from May through August. Routes are available at multiple sites throughout the county. Orientation will be provided (details TBA), but volunteers will be expected to provide their own binoculars. Please contact Jackie Bero by email or call: (815) 678-4532 for additional information.
