Extension Senior Wildlife Outreach Specialist

211 Russell Labs
1630 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Phone:  608-265-8264
E-mail:  jlnack@wisc.edu

Expertise

Wildlife management on private lands, youth education, wildlife damage management, and general backyard wildlife

Education

Professional Experience

Honors and Awards

Certified Wildlife Biologist, The Wildlife Society – November 2007
Professional Development Certificate, The Wildlife Society – April 2012
2012 John S. Donald Farm and Industry Short Course Excellence in Teaching Award
2011 Donald R. Peterson Farm Technology Transfer Award for the “Wildlife on the Farm” exhibit at Farm Technology Days
2007 Donald R. Peterson Farm Technology Transfer Award for the “Wildlife on the Farm” exhibit at Farm Technology Days

Society/Professional Memberships

The Wildlife Society, North-Central Section of The Wildlife Society, Wildlife Damage Management Working Group, Wisconsin Chapter of The Wildlife Society (2007 President-Elect, 2008 President, 2009 Past-President)

Programming Areas

Workshops and seminars for private landowners interested in increasing the abundance and diversity of wildlife on their land.

• Coordinator for the Wisconsin Coverts Project, a 3-day, woodland wildlife management program for private landowners.
• Wisconsin Garden Expo, staff an exhibit at the 3-day expo and provide seminars on attracting wildlife to “your” backyard and dealing with nuisance wildlife.
• Staff the “Wildlife on the Farm” exhibit for the annual Wisconsin Farm Technology Days and answer questions regarding wildlife identification, management, and control.

Youth educational programs with an emphasis on wildlife ecology and management.

• Grandparents University – an award-winning, two-day program for children (ages 7-14) and their grandparents to come together and learn from each other in a dynamic atmosphere on the UW campus. GPU is a program of the Wisconsin Alumni Association.  Serve as “Dean” for the Wildlife Ecology major.
• Other programs provided upon request for various groups (e.g. 4-H clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts, elementary schools).

Regular guest on Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Larry Meiller Show, an hour and a half call-in show about wildlife-related topics.

Hunting awarness for natural resource majors and agency professionals.

• Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow – a professional development program designed for student and professional leaders within the natural resource sciences. CLfT focuses on hunting awareness and conservation education among academic programs and government agencies across the country. CLfT consists of 4-day workshops that blend interactive classroom discussion with field experiences. Workshop participants engage with leading natural resource professionals and conservationists in a highly interactive educational setting. National instructor and Advisory Committee member.

Special courses in Wildlife Ecology for graduate and undergraduate students.

• FWE 675: Professional Development in Forest & Wildlife Ecology
  • Campus-based Conservation Leaders for Tomorrrow – a 1 credit course for non-hunting, wildlife ecology majors which focuses on hunting awarness and conservation education.  Instructor and mentor.
  • Furbearer Ecology and Management  – a 1 credit furbearer education program for wildlife ecology students. Participants learn about furbearer management, trapping regulations and ethics, basic trapping techniques, proper pelt preparation, and marketing through presentations and hands-on experience. Instructor.
• FWE 424: Wildlife Ecology Summer Field Practicum (2 credits) – a 2-week, hands-on experience for undergraduate students held at Kemp Natural Resources Station in Woodruff, WI. Students live, work, and study in northern Wisconsin and gain valuable experience collecting data, learning new research techniques, and studying northern forest ecology. Coordinator, instructor, and group leader.
• FWE 101: Orientation to Wildlife Ecology (1 credit) – a fall semester course for students new to the major.  Introduction to the Wildlife Ecology major and the profession of wildlife management/conservation.  Emphasis on preparing students for a successful career.

Provide technical assistance over the phone, via e-mail, or through presentations for individuals and groups (e.g. Master Gardeners) on topics of nuisance wildlife and wildlife damage management.

General inquires from the public about backyard wildlife (i.e. identification, ecology).

Note: Contact me if you are interested in a specific program or just have a backyard wildlife question.

Publications

Drake, D., S. Craven, J. Nack.  2010.  Birding in the Badger State and Beyond: How to Get Started.  University of Wisconsin – Extension.

Nack, J. 2009. Celebrating 15 Years of Woodland Wildlife Education: The Wisconsin Coverts Program. The Ruffed Grouse Society magazine. Vol. 21, Issue 1.

Craven, S., D. Drake, and J. Nack. 2008. Bird feeding: tips for beginners and veterans. University of Wisconsin – Extension.

Nack, J. L. October 2006. Nest-Wrecking Cows Caught on Tape. Birder’s World, pp. 15.

Craven, S. R. and J. L. Nack. June 2005. Deadly Crossing. Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, pp. 4-7.

Nack, J. L. and C. A. Ribic. 2005. Apparent predation by cattle at grassland bird nests. Wilson Bulletin 117:56-62.

Renfrew, R. B., C. A. Ribic, and J. L. Nack. 2005. Edge avoidance by nesting grassland birds: a futile strategy in a fragmented landscape. Auk 122:618-636.

Nack, J. L. 2002. Effects of predators and cattle on ground-nesting grassland birds in southwestern Wisconsin pastures. Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.