2020 Executive:
President-elect – Tyler Muhly
Secretary-Treasurer – Larry Davis
Directors – Alexia Constantinou & Julie Kanya
Returning 2020 BCTWS Executive Officers:
President – Bill Harrower
Past President – Scott Yaeger
Student Liaison Director – Agnès Pelletier
President-elect – Tyler Muhly
Secretary-Treasurer – Larry Davis
Directors – Alexia Constantinou & Julie Kanya
Returning 2020 BCTWS Executive Officers:
President – Bill Harrower
Past President – Scott Yaeger
Student Liaison Director – Agnès Pelletier
Bill Harrower
President
Bill has been conducting applied research of wildlife in British Columbia in British Columbia for 20+ years. Each project focused on how to improve conservation and management of rare species or ecosystems typically of carnivores. He has helped run major field projects on wolverine in northern BC, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the US, and helped run field projects for Fisher in Dawson Creek. Bill also played a major role in research on Northern Goshawks in the East Kootenays and worked in close collaboration with other project in northern BC and coastal BC. These projects provided key data supporting two major management documents outlining Best Management Practices for northern goshawks. Bill recently completed a long-term experimental study on trophic cascades in grasslands including collecting extensive data sets on songbirds, small mammals, plants and insects, and continues to work to conserve wildlife habitat and preserve hunting, fishing, and trapping opportunities in British Columbia and beyond. His current projects include ecology and conservation of sockeye impacted by hydroelectric dams, wolverine diet and population genetics with the Yukon and BC Governments, population genetics of fisher, grazing impacts of restored bison populations in the Yukon and new long-term projects on landscape connectivity for lynx in northern BC.
President
Bill has been conducting applied research of wildlife in British Columbia in British Columbia for 20+ years. Each project focused on how to improve conservation and management of rare species or ecosystems typically of carnivores. He has helped run major field projects on wolverine in northern BC, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the US, and helped run field projects for Fisher in Dawson Creek. Bill also played a major role in research on Northern Goshawks in the East Kootenays and worked in close collaboration with other project in northern BC and coastal BC. These projects provided key data supporting two major management documents outlining Best Management Practices for northern goshawks. Bill recently completed a long-term experimental study on trophic cascades in grasslands including collecting extensive data sets on songbirds, small mammals, plants and insects, and continues to work to conserve wildlife habitat and preserve hunting, fishing, and trapping opportunities in British Columbia and beyond. His current projects include ecology and conservation of sockeye impacted by hydroelectric dams, wolverine diet and population genetics with the Yukon and BC Governments, population genetics of fisher, grazing impacts of restored bison populations in the Yukon and new long-term projects on landscape connectivity for lynx in northern BC.
Tyler Muhley
President-Elect
Past - Secretary, Treasurer & Conservation Affairs Chair
Tyler has over 15 years of experience as a wildlife biologist. He grew up in Hinton, Alberta where he spent a lot of time outdoors and developed a passion for wildlife. He has a PhD and Masters degree in wildlife ecology and management from the University of Calgary. For the last two years he has been working for the provincial government in the Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch. He spent one year as a Director of the Alberta Chapter of the Wildlife Society before he moved to British Columbia. He is excited about the opportunity to grow the British Columbia Chapter of the Wildlife Society and to continue to get to know members of British Columbia’s community of wildlife professionals.
President-Elect
Past - Secretary, Treasurer & Conservation Affairs Chair
Tyler has over 15 years of experience as a wildlife biologist. He grew up in Hinton, Alberta where he spent a lot of time outdoors and developed a passion for wildlife. He has a PhD and Masters degree in wildlife ecology and management from the University of Calgary. For the last two years he has been working for the provincial government in the Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch. He spent one year as a Director of the Alberta Chapter of the Wildlife Society before he moved to British Columbia. He is excited about the opportunity to grow the British Columbia Chapter of the Wildlife Society and to continue to get to know members of British Columbia’s community of wildlife professionals.
Agnes Pelletier
Student Liaison Director
Agnès has been involved with TWS since 2010. She facilitated the creation of two student Chapters, one at Trent University (Ontario), and one at the University of Winnipeg. She has formed strong bonds with other Leadership Institute alumni, and considers that many of her professional successes are tied to people she has met through TWS. She strives to provide mentoring and networking opportunities to current Student Chapter members so that they can reach their goals in the wildlife field.
Agnès is originally from France, where she conducted her M.Sc. on migratory patterns of humpback whales and “divorce” in alpine marmots. She had a keen interest for science-based wildlife management and conservation of large mammals, so she moved to Canada to pursue a Ph.D. on gene flow patterns of American black bears at Trent University. After teaching university biology courses and developing an environmental consulting business in Winnipeg, she is now working as a wildlife biologist for the provincial government in Northeast BC.
Student Liaison Director
Agnès has been involved with TWS since 2010. She facilitated the creation of two student Chapters, one at Trent University (Ontario), and one at the University of Winnipeg. She has formed strong bonds with other Leadership Institute alumni, and considers that many of her professional successes are tied to people she has met through TWS. She strives to provide mentoring and networking opportunities to current Student Chapter members so that they can reach their goals in the wildlife field.
Agnès is originally from France, where she conducted her M.Sc. on migratory patterns of humpback whales and “divorce” in alpine marmots. She had a keen interest for science-based wildlife management and conservation of large mammals, so she moved to Canada to pursue a Ph.D. on gene flow patterns of American black bears at Trent University. After teaching university biology courses and developing an environmental consulting business in Winnipeg, she is now working as a wildlife biologist for the provincial government in Northeast BC.
Alexia Constantinou - Director
Alexia is a MSc student in the Wildlife Coexistence and Belowground Ecology Labs in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her work focuses on the relationship between forest harvesting and wildlife – she operates camera traps in the Kootenays, Cariboo and Nechako regions for medium- to large-sized mammals, and is also pairing camera traps with the live trapping of small mammals at her most northern site. Alexia is collaborating with First Nations in the Interior who are also interested in exploring camera traps and the effects of different partial retention forest harvesting methods on wildlife. Her interests include improving sustainable forest harvesting via holistic ecosystem management and consideration for wildlife, particularly with First Nations partnerships and perspectives. Alexia has worked in research, as a forest tech and as a wilderness canoe tripping guide. When she is not working on her project, you can find her with skis on or a paddle in hand.
Alexia is a MSc student in the Wildlife Coexistence and Belowground Ecology Labs in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her work focuses on the relationship between forest harvesting and wildlife – she operates camera traps in the Kootenays, Cariboo and Nechako regions for medium- to large-sized mammals, and is also pairing camera traps with the live trapping of small mammals at her most northern site. Alexia is collaborating with First Nations in the Interior who are also interested in exploring camera traps and the effects of different partial retention forest harvesting methods on wildlife. Her interests include improving sustainable forest harvesting via holistic ecosystem management and consideration for wildlife, particularly with First Nations partnerships and perspectives. Alexia has worked in research, as a forest tech and as a wilderness canoe tripping guide. When she is not working on her project, you can find her with skis on or a paddle in hand.
Larry Davis - Secretary-Treasurer
Larry joined the BC-TWS in 2019 and has been our Treasurer-Secretary since January 2020. He completed his BSc in 1994 and a MSc in 2009, both at Simon Fraser University. Over the last 25 years, he has worked for the Research section in the Cariboo Region, followed by 8 years employed in a consulting company working primarily for the forest industry. Since 2004, he has been self employed with a diverse portfolio that includes wildlife research, fish inventory, environmental monitoring, environmental impact assessment, and remediation prescriptions. His clients include industry, government, NGOs, and First Nations.
Over the last 15 years, improving habitat management for moose and research on fishers (Pekania pennanti) has dominated his interests. Moose populations have generally been declining across North America, and Larry has developed forest retention standards to improve moose habitat that have been incorporated into Forest Stewardship Plans in the Cariboo Region. Fishers are among the largest obligate cavity users in North America, and his most recent project has focussed on designing an artificial reproductive den box for this red-listed species. Videos on the fisher denbox project can be found on his Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSCwl2j1AJxbzMbD7-6XJHQ
Larry joined the BC-TWS in 2019 and has been our Treasurer-Secretary since January 2020. He completed his BSc in 1994 and a MSc in 2009, both at Simon Fraser University. Over the last 25 years, he has worked for the Research section in the Cariboo Region, followed by 8 years employed in a consulting company working primarily for the forest industry. Since 2004, he has been self employed with a diverse portfolio that includes wildlife research, fish inventory, environmental monitoring, environmental impact assessment, and remediation prescriptions. His clients include industry, government, NGOs, and First Nations.
Over the last 15 years, improving habitat management for moose and research on fishers (Pekania pennanti) has dominated his interests. Moose populations have generally been declining across North America, and Larry has developed forest retention standards to improve moose habitat that have been incorporated into Forest Stewardship Plans in the Cariboo Region. Fishers are among the largest obligate cavity users in North America, and his most recent project has focussed on designing an artificial reproductive den box for this red-listed species. Videos on the fisher denbox project can be found on his Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSCwl2j1AJxbzMbD7-6XJHQ
Julie Kanya - Director
Julie has been involved with the BC Chapter of TWS since 2017 and has served as the newsletter editor and communications lead since 2018. She graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley with a BSc in 2014 and majored in ecology with a minor in physical geography. Since that time she has worked as a public servant for both the City of Abbotsford and City of Coquitlam in various roles related to environmental protection and sustainability. Currently Julie leads the City of Coquitlam's urban wildlife program which focuses on reducing human-wildlife conflicts for residents, businesses and visitors to the City through a combination of community engagement, bylaw enforcement, and partnerships with a variety of stakeholders. Julie's work contributed to Coquitlam becoming the 8th municipality to receive Bear Smart Community Status from the Province in 2017 and a compliance rate of 99% to bear smart garbage bylaws.
She is passionate about local wildlife and particularly in inspiring community members to enhance their lifestyles in manner that benefits both themselves, their families and the local ecosystem (e.g. through stewardship activities, wildlife attractant management, etc.). In addition to wildlife conflict management Julie's skillset also encompasses media relations, conflict resolution, public consultation, research, reporting and data analysis. Outside of the office she's most often biking, trail running, skiing, hiking, camping and generally enjoying the great outdoors followed by a visit to a local brewery!
Julie has been involved with the BC Chapter of TWS since 2017 and has served as the newsletter editor and communications lead since 2018. She graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley with a BSc in 2014 and majored in ecology with a minor in physical geography. Since that time she has worked as a public servant for both the City of Abbotsford and City of Coquitlam in various roles related to environmental protection and sustainability. Currently Julie leads the City of Coquitlam's urban wildlife program which focuses on reducing human-wildlife conflicts for residents, businesses and visitors to the City through a combination of community engagement, bylaw enforcement, and partnerships with a variety of stakeholders. Julie's work contributed to Coquitlam becoming the 8th municipality to receive Bear Smart Community Status from the Province in 2017 and a compliance rate of 99% to bear smart garbage bylaws.
She is passionate about local wildlife and particularly in inspiring community members to enhance their lifestyles in manner that benefits both themselves, their families and the local ecosystem (e.g. through stewardship activities, wildlife attractant management, etc.). In addition to wildlife conflict management Julie's skillset also encompasses media relations, conflict resolution, public consultation, research, reporting and data analysis. Outside of the office she's most often biking, trail running, skiing, hiking, camping and generally enjoying the great outdoors followed by a visit to a local brewery!