North Dakota Chapter History

Chapter History Break Down

Created in 1963, the Chapter started with 43 members, all men. Most were employed by NDGFD or USFWS, except for one lone SCS guy. What was happening? The FWS Small Wetland Acquisition Program, having started in 1959, was in its infancy. The FWS had 63 National Wildlife Refuges in ND, the most of any State. The Garrison Diversion Unit, soon to be the most controversial issue in natural resource management in ND history, was authorized in 1964. In the 1960-70s, the three “W”s were the big issues for the Chapter; wetlands, water projects, and western lands (USFS National Grasslands).

In 1981, the Chapter held its first fund-raiser/auction to raise money for lawsuits on illegal drainage projects. 1982 – The Chapter sued the Bottineau County Water Resource District over drainage projects along the Souris River. In 1984, the Chapter, working with the Congressional delegation got legislation passed that allowed the exchange of mineral rights between the USFS and Meridian Oil to consolidate tracts of federal surface ownership with federal minerals. The Chapter also initiated a college scholarship program and started the enforcement “Case of the Year” award to recognize the importance of fish and wildlife law enforcement in the management of our natural resources.

In 1994, the North Dakota Chapter was named The Wildlife Society’s Chapter of the Year. The Chapter has sponsored or co-sponsored 17 regional or national conferences, including the Canvasback workshop in 1976, Perdix I (1977), the Mallard Symposium in 1985, Perdix IV in 1986, the Cattail Management workshop in 1993, and the 4th Duck Symposium in 2006. In 2002, the Chapter hosted some 1,400 attendees at The Wildlife Society’s 9th Annual Conference in Bismarck. The Chapter has also hosted six annual meetings with neighboring Chapters or organizations; Manitoba (1990), Minnesota (1992, 1998, and 2012), and the American Fisheries Society (1983 and 2003). In 2007, the Chapter started the Dakota Prairie Legacy (DPL) to raise funds to support an Executive Director position.

Women in Wildlife: In 1964 there were no women members of the Chapter. In 1981, Chapter President Rich Crawford appointed one of his grad students, Karen Kreil, as Sec.-Treasurer of the Chapter. She later became President in the 1995-97 cycle. Pam Soine, later Pam Dryer, was the first elected female Chapter Board member in 1988, and served in the President cycle, 1990-92. Patsy Crook became Sec.-Treasurer in 1985, and President in 2019. Karen Smith was elected to the Council in 1989-90, and became the first female North Dakota Award recipient in 1997. Darla Lenz (2001-03), Jane Austin (2010-12) Jessica Johnson (2020-22), and Rachel Bush (2021-23) have all served in the Presidential cycle.