2023 Annual Meeting
Virginia Chapter of
The Wildlife Society
February 15-17, 2023
Quality Inn
Martinsville, Virginia
Embedded Files
The 2023 VATWS meeting will be held February 15 -17 with both virtual and in-person options. We adopted this approach in order to accommodate the greatest number of member’s needs to the best of our ability. Talks will be held at the New College Institute, with a special evening social and visit to the Virginia Museum of Natural History!
We appreciate the support from our sponsors
We appreciate the support from our sponsors
Gold Level
Gold Level
Registration for the meeting is open. You can also renew your VATWS membership, sign up for workshops, or sponsor the meeting using this link to Eventbrite. Register by February 3rd at 5:00 pm.
Lodging Information
Lodging Information
Lodging is available at the Quality Inn in Martinsville (1895 Virginia ave.). Rates are $89 + tax. There is a room block reserved, so please mention that you are booking for the 2023 Virginia Chapter of The Wildlife Society meeting. Call 276-666-6835 to reserve your room.
Click on the link above for a more detailed schedule.
Wednesday, February 15 - Workshops and Museum Tours
1:00 – 4:00 Workshops (New College Institute)
3:00 – 4:00 Behind The Scenes Museum Tour (VA Museum Natural History, Must Sign Up in Advance)
Thursday, February 16 - Plenary, Presentations, Posters, Awards, Social, and Dinner (New College Institute)
8:00 – 8:30 Registration
8:30 – 9:00 Welcome & Logistics
9:00 - Noon Special Session: Virginia’s Changing Natural History Landscape – Pleistocene to the Present
10:20 - 10:40 Break
Noon – 1:00 Lunch (provided on-site)
1:00 -2:30 Student Presentation Session #1
2:30 – 3:15 Break & Poster Session
3:15 – 4:15 Student Presentation Session #2
5:00 - 8:00 Night At The Museum – Virginia Museum of Natural History
Friday, February 17 - Business meeting and Presentations(New College Institute)
8:30 – 10:00 Chapter Business Meeting & Awards
10:00 – 10:30 Break
10:30 – Noon Presentation Session #3
Noon Adjourn
2:00 -3:00 Behind The Scenes Museum Tours (VA Museum Natural History, Must Sign Up in Advance)
The Virginia Chapter of The Wildlife Society's Annual Meeting follows the conduct policy of The Wildlife Society, which can be viewed here.
The Virginia Chapter of The Wildlife Society's Annual Meeting follows the conduct policy of The Wildlife Society, which can be viewed here.
Special Session:
Special Session:
Virginia’s Changing Natural History Landscape – Pleistocene to the Present
Virginia’s Changing Natural History Landscape – Pleistocene to the Present
A Climate and Ecological Baseline for Pleistocene Ecosystems in the Southeastern U.S. – Dr. Chris Widga
A Climate and Ecological Baseline for Pleistocene Ecosystems in the Southeastern U.S. – Dr. Chris Widga
The southeastern U.S. is home to a dazzling diversity of landscapes. During the last Ice Age, unique plant and animal communities were scattered throughout the region. This talk will review what we know about these important ecosystems, explore how Pleistocene communities evolved into subsequent Holocene systems, and review recent evidence for human-megafaunal interactions.
Saltville, Caves, and Ice Age Fauna of the Southern Appalachians – Dr. Blaine Schubert
Saltville, Caves, and Ice Age Fauna of the Southern Appalachians – Dr. Blaine Schubert
Virginia is well-known for its Ice Age animal remains, with records of discovery going back to at least the 1700s. The two most prolific natural repositories for such fossils in this region are caves and valley deposits, such as Saltville. This presentation will highlight some of the significant faunal discoveries from Saltville and cave deposits in the Southern Appalachians and place these discoveries in the context of climate and environmental changes that occurred in the recent past.
White-tailed Deer and the Native American Deerskin Trade (16th-18th Centuries) – Dr. Michael Barber
White-tailed Deer and the Native American Deerskin Trade (16th-18th Centuries) – Dr. Michael Barber
Although white-tailed deer are often equated only with the harvesting of biomass, Native Americans in Virginia engaged in the hide exchange systems during the Late Prehistoric and European Contact periods. Such focused harvesting strategies had long term effects on both deer and human populations.
Wildlife Extinctions in Virginia During the Post-Colonial Period – Mike Fies
Wildlife Extinctions in Virginia During the Post-Colonial Period – Mike Fies
When the first Europeans arrived in Virginia during the 1600’s, they were met with an abundant and diverse landscape of wildlife fauna. During the next several centuries following settlement, populations of some wildlife species declined precipitously, while other species disappeared completely. Species like the mountain lion, wolf, bison, elk, beaver, and passenger pigeon are examples of animals that were extirpated in Virginia during the past several hundred years. This presentation will discuss the history of occurrence and demise of these recently extirpated species in Virginia.
Recent Changes in Species Composition of Virginia's Land Mammals – Dr. Nancy Moncrief
Recent Changes in Species Composition of Virginia's Land Mammals – Dr. Nancy Moncrief
Since the 1970s, at least four species of mammals (fisher, North American porcupine, coyote, and nine-banded armadillo) have expanded their ranges into, or back into, Virginia. Two species were extirpated before 1900 and have “returned home” to Virginia’s mountains. Another appeared in Virginia for the first time in the 1970s, and it now occurs statewide. The fourth is a very recent addition, with the first free-ranging individuals appearing in 2019. Evidence for the presence of these four species in Virginia will be reviewed, along with possible factors that promoted range expansion.
Business Meeting
Business Meeting
We elect officers and conduct other chapter business as part of the Annual Meeting. If you have any agenda items for consideration, or other topics of discussion, please contact President Scott Klopfer no later than January 20th, 2023.
Meet your officers!
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