General Sessions: Keynote – Plenary – Capstone

Thursday Plenary Session 

Robert Hansen, Herpetologist

• Thursday, February 6, 2025 — 1:30pm to 3:00pm
• In Person AND Recorded
• Chair – Jeff Alvarez, TWS-WS President-Elect/The Wildlife Project

Title of Talk:  Acts of Nature: Reflections on the Value of Natural History Observations

Abstract: The study of natural history involves the observation (and documentation!) of what I call “acts of nature”—feeding, breeding, predation, defensive or territorial behaviors, and more. Often trivial, but when combined with other such observations, these are important pieces of a puzzle as we seek to understand a species’ life history. Such observations help inform conservation strategies, land use decisions, and mitigation measures. In this talk I’ll provide examples of natural history observations, share recent discoveries of new species, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation of a new California field guide to amphibians and reptiles.

Robert Hansen was the Editor of the journal Herpetological Review from 1991 to 2021, a 30-year tenure. He received the Presidential Award for Lifetime Achievement in Herpetology from the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles in 2015. In 2023  he was the recipient of the Alison Haskell Award for Excellence in Herpetofaunal Conservation from Partners in Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. His research interests include systematics of plethodontid salamanders in California and kingsnakes in Mexico. He also leads a long-running study of a snake community in the Mojave Desert, now in its 45th year. Currently he is a Researcher in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at UC Berkeley. With his colleague Jackson Shedd, he is the author of the Princeton Field Guide to California Amphibians and Reptiles, coming in January 2025.  More on Robert Hansen: https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/items/e903b02a-ff63-4c9f-9d2c-dc475bd0b545

2025 Plenary – A Return to Natural History

The theme of the conference is an urging to slow down the fast-paced life of a biologist, particularly consultants, and consider the species we love and what is still such a mystery about them. Although it is uncommon to find course work at the university level that focuses on the natural history of a species or species group, that does not negate the need for this type of work. Our reliance on modeling and statistical analysis to draw conclusions about potential occupancy of sites, or eDNA to determine if a species is present is reliant upon our understanding for those species. Yet there is a near paucity of information related to many species of terrestrial wildlife, and nearly all invertebrates. For the newer technologies to be effective, we have to return to natural history investigations, and learn the when, where, and how of every species we manage and hope to preserve. Our conference theme is a plea to slow down; become curious; ask questions; and then, critically, write these observations up in a manner that can be published.

This conference is planned in support of the on-going education of biologists. We completely recognize the value of attending a conference for the opportunities to reconnect with colleagues, get to know others, and perhaps learn a few new things about species of interest. This year we hope for one step further; to inspire you, and your colleagues, to remind yourselves and others that biology is the study of life. Whether you are later in your career and administering contracts or staff; or you are mid-career and find yourself managing projects; and especially if you are early in your career, it is never too early or too late to remember that you can do all of the things you hoped you would be doing after you left school.

You can create a study, in collaboration with friends and colleagues, or all on your own, that looks at the behavior, timing, or idiosyncrasies of common or declining species. Each of you has access to huge online databases of observations that reveal many behaviors of wildlife, large and small. These data can be used to look at the seasonality of activity, location information, microhabitat use (backgrounds in photos), and more. Or you can take a small step and look at the foraging choices of small critters in your own backyard or open space near you. Natural history studies are not difficult, and a surprising amount of little bits of information still need to be determined and reported.

You can do this! You don’t think so, just ask someone for a little help or guidance. It may inspire them too. Then take the final step of getting your study published. Don’t know where? Look no farther than the Western Section’s own Journal—Western Wildlife. Still not convinced? Go to the Western Wildlife journal online access and read some natural history notes. That will guide you on the how; you can choose the where; and the when is now. Still unsure, then present your findings at the conference so we can all learn from you.

This year the Conference will be held in Visalia, CA. Not familiar, then you should go. The venue is spacious, the accommodations are great, and the local food scene is abundant. Visalia is a great location for a conference, especially in winter. Many of you know that the popularity and interest in last year’s conference exceeded the capacity of the venue. Plan ahead for this conference, it promises to be a good one with lots of great speakers, opportunities to connect, and information to be shared.

– Jeff Alvarez,, Meeting Chair and TWS-WS President-Elect
The Wildlife Project