Fish and Wildlife Technician (Optional Co-op) (BO)

Fish and wildlife management is an important aspect of modern society as it helps to conserve and maintain healthy populations of fish and wildlife, their habitats, and biodiversity. Effective management practices ensure the long-term sustainability of these resources and help mitigate the impacts of human activities such as overfishing, hunting, and habitat destruction. By understanding the interrelationships between species, habitats, and human activities, wildlife managers can make informed decisions about how to conserve and manage these resources. This is especially important as the world's growing human population continues to put increasing pressure on wildlife and their habitats. Through fish and wildlife management, we can protect important ecosystem services, conserve biodiversity, and ensure that future generations have the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from these resources. 

• The theory and skills required by fish and wildlife professionals are taught through applied learning activities with a significant amount of time doing hands-on work in the lab and field.
• Third-semester students spend five weeks in field school, focusing on the topics of fisheries, wildlife, terrestrial habitats, wetlands, and freshwater ecology. These field schools introduce new skills such as: boat handling, GPS navigation, fish netting, sampling and tagging, electrofishing, habitat assessment, wetland classification, bird banding, and use of wildlife monitoring technologies. Through these activities, students will work together to collect, analyze and present the data over the remainder of the technician-level education and training.
• During field excursions you will learn about the logistics involved in the design and implementation of field projects.
• You will also spend considerable time in the outdoors learning mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish and plant identification skills, tracking animals and conducting wildlife surveys.

* Students starting in January are required to attend classes over the summer semester.