Special Presentaions

Saturday, July 27, 2002, 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY- "WOW - WONDERFUL OUTDOOR WORLD"
(Room 160-IW)
WOW is a unique public private partnership that introduces urban youth, ages eight to twelve, to outdoor recreation and environmental education during an overnight camping experience. Unlike other camping and recreation programs, WOW brings the wonders and excitement of camping and the environment directly into the neighborhoods and communities of the children most in need. This innovative new approach reduces the apprehension many young people face when camping outdoors for the first time and provides them with the basic skills, encouragement and information to enjoy further outdoor experiences.

Speaker Biography: Kym Murphy
Senior Vice President, Corporate Environmental Policy,
The Walt Disney Company
Marine biologist, Kym Murphy, has been involved in the design, development and operation of theme parks (e.g., Sea World, Marineland and Walt Disney World) for the past 37 years. In conjunction with these roles, he has also developed in-house and out-of-house environmental education programs for these organizations. He is currently The Walt Disney Company's senior environmental officer.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY - "BRANDING INITIATIVE" (Room 170-IW)
Over the past two years, Nancy Crozier has led The Nature Conservancy's branding initiative to increase visibility and engage critical audiences in its global work. She will discuss how integrated marketing activities-paid advertising, public service announcements (PSAs), earned media, touring photo exhibits, major donor events, direct mail and the Web-were implemented in key U.S cities to re-position the Conservancy as a bold, vibrant, leading conservation organization.

Speaker Biography: Nancy Crozier
Director of Marketing Programs
The Nature Conservancy
A graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in radio, TV and film, Nancy Crozier has been a marketing executive in both for-profit and nonprofit arenas for over 25 years, with a focus in brand positioning of new products, organizations and services. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy, Nancy was responsible for brand positioning the American Red Cross. In March 2000, she joined the Conservancy to launch a brand visibility program designed to double awareness of the organization. Most recently, Nancy was promoted to Director of Marketing Programs with responsibility for research and planning, creative services, publications, media relations, conservation marketing, interactive marketing and brand promotion.

RECREATIONAL BOATING & FISHING FOUNDATION - "WATER WORKS WONDERS" CAMPAIGN (Room 115-IW)
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) will present their Water Works Wonders campaign as an example of Great Ideas in Federal Partnerships. Several state fish and wildlife agencies have successfully put RBFF's campaign materials to work for them and, as a result, have increased in their fishing license sales. Find out how they did it, and how you, too, can increase the number of boaters and anglers in your state using this heartwarming national ad campaign, RBFF's cooperative marketing materials and your own saavy and creative marketing strategy.

Speaker Biography: Bruce Matthews
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation
Bruce Matthews' mission is to carry out a National Strategic Plan for increasing participation in fishing and boating, RBFF's focus is on building a new generation of anglers, boaters and resource stewards.

Most recently, Matthews was Chief of the Office of Information and Education for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He has been a member of the faculty of Cornell University's Department of Natural Resources, and Director of the award-winning New York Sportfishing and Aquatic Resources Education Program. Matthews also served on the Recreation and Leisure Studies faculty at Cortland State College, directing the Adirondack Winter Studies program and the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors.

Matthews' awards include New York State Outdoor Education Association's Outdoor Educator of the Year, and Conservation Educator of the Year by the NYS Conservation Council. Matthews was inducted into the New York State Outdoorsman's Hall of Fame in 1997. He is a three-time first place winner in NYS Outdoor Writer's Association's Excellence in Craft competition. In 1997, Matthews won the First Annual James A.O. Crowe award from the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association. Formerly a licensed U.S. Coast Guard captain and New York licensed guide, Matthews has many years of experience fishing and guiding in the Great Lakes and Adirondack regions.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA - "THE CHALLENGED HUNTER" (Room 140-IW)
Face with a declining numbers of hunters and a declining enrollment in hunter education, the Law Enforcement Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources began searching for additional audiences. One targeted group was the disabled.

A hunter education class designed for the disabled was set up in August 1999, and was a tremendous success. Special materials and adaptive equipment, as well as signers for the hearing impaired were used. After the class was completed, the program progressed to the next step. The first "Special Needs Hunt" was conducted in December of 2000 at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. It was so popular that several more have been held since then, and with the aid of a group of enthusiastic volunteers, every participant has had a successful hunt. The West Virginia Challenged Hunter program has become nationally known and its organizers have traveled to several other states to help set up similar programs.

Speaker Biography: Lt. Tim Coleman,
West Virginia DNR
Tim Coleman has been a conservation officer since 1979. He became the West Virginia Regional Hunter Education Coordinator in 1989, and was chosen Conservation Officer of the Year in 1991 because of his efforts in hunter and boater education. He became state coordinator of both programs in 1996.

Marketing Trail: (Room 160 - IW)

VITALINK: DEVELOPING A PRACTICAL, USEFUL, COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Vitalink will take you through a step-by-step working process, including strategic planning, needs analysis, market and message research, brand identity, media strategy, strategic partnerships, and tips to working on a limited budget. This session will detail case studies from various industries (non-profits) and include a strong Q&A working session.

Speaker Biography: Jeanne Frazer,
President, Vitalink Communications
Jeanne founded Vitalink in 1996 after more than 10 years in marketing, research, sales, and management positions. Jeanne's career includes positions with FOX, NBC, and UPN television stations in both the North Carolina and West Virginia markets, as well as an advertising agency in Florida. During this time, Jeanne gained acclaim for her marketing expertise, which included developing local market partnerships between the NFL and McDonalds, as well as other efforts with professional baseball, football, and hockey teams. She was also nationally recognized for her accomplishments in developing family marketing partnerships. Her expertise has led to numerous speaking engagements with both regional and national organizations.
At Vitalink, Jeanne is responsible for managing the overall direction and performance of the company. She continues to work with blue-chip clients providing strategic direction, planning, and support to them on a day-to-day basis. She also oversees the research, media planning/buying, and public relations functions.
Jeanne's education includes a degree in Journalism with minors in Graphic Design and Business Administration from the University of Florida.

FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS "HOW TO"
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Planning a festival or special event? Join us to see how to effectively combine the best of education and entertainment to inform your public about the importance of natural resources. Special events showcase conservation programs and stimulate local economies with ownership in wildlife resources and habitat. Successful events will be showcased to provide examples of how and where to begin.

Speaker Biographies: Laura Jones,
Education Specialist, NCTC
For the past seven years Laura Jones has worked at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). Before coming to West (by God) Virginia, Laura worked at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery in Leavenworth, Washington. While at Leavenworth, she was marketing director for the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival, conceptualized and designed the Aa-MAZE- ing Salmon Maze@, and developed the first non-profit association at a national fish hatchery.

Laura is the volunteer/intern coordinator for NCTC and sits as an advisor on the NCTC Friends board. She developed the Festivals and Special Events training. Laura is a speaker and planner of community-and wildlife-related special events in conjunction with other federal and state agencies as well the annual Open House at NCTC. She has hosted several distance learning programs, coauthored several accompanying educator's guides and has been a member of the development team for the Refuge systems distance learning broadcast series, Wild Things for the past five years. Laura developed the International Migratory Bird Day broadcasts which are carried live into classrooms across the country.

Nancy Millar,
Director of the McAllen, Texas Convention and Visitor's Bureau
Vice President of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce.
Nancy created and has overseen the implementation of highly successful nature festivals in Texas' Rio Grande Valley in the past eight years. She conceptualized, developed and managed the national acclaimed Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in Harlingen its first three years, and is currently overseeing her sixth Texas Tropics Nature Festival in McAllen.

Nancy's expertise is in marketing, an area in which she has worked for 18 years. She has presented at numerous conferences including the Watchable Wildlife Conferences, the US/Mexico Border Conference on Parks and Wildlife in Monterrey, Mexico, the Southwestern Regional FWS Conference and the National Audubon Conference. Nancy is an instructor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center course, Developing Festivals and Special Events.

Among other tourism related activities, she sits on the boards of the Texas Travel Industry Association and Texas Nature Tourism Council, and is president of both the Rio Grande Valley Nature Coalition and the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, the support group for two local national wildlife refuges.

HARNESSING THE WOW: SUCCESS IN THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
This brand new presentation explores the theory that we are moving from a "service" economy to an "experience" economy, where the WOW is the differential. This spirited presentation examines the move to the experience economy and looks at case studies of its leaders. From these cutting edge ideas, we define "What is WOW" and how can we each energize our events and promotions. Harnessing the WOW is a presentation capturing the latest trends and looking at how each person can stay competitive in this new economy.

Speaker Biography: Betsy Wiersma, CSEP,
Wiersma Experience Marketing
As an international speaker and trainer, Betsy shares her brand of BIG IDEA thinking in energetic and practical seminars for groups such as the International Special Event Society, International Festivals and Events Association, Public Relations Society of America, US Navy, US Air Force, US Army, National Main Street and Club Manager's Association of America. Betsy has spoken in New Zealand, The Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Scotland, Jamaica, Spain, and Australia, as well as cities throughout the United States.

Author of Creative Event Development, a 400-page workbook, Betsy's seminars provide event producers and marketers across the globe with everything from basic tips to complex case studies, that may be directly applied in daily operations.

EMERGING TRENDS IN WILDLIFE AND NATURAL SCIENCE DOCUMENTARIES
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The Washington DC area is home to some of the world's leading providers of wildlife and natural science documentary programming, including National Geographic Television, PBS and Discovery Communications. We've invited a distinguished panel of producers to show and discuss their recent work and answer your questions about programming trends, funding sources, distribution outlets, production challenges, ethical issues and the future of nature-oriented documentary programming.

Moderator Biography: Mark Southern,
Senior Producer/Director, Innovative Technologies, Inc.
Mark manages video production contracts for several federal agencies including the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Prior to joining ITI, Mark spent ten years as a video producer and internal communications manager for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. He's a former ACI board member and awards chairman.

Panelists:

· Holly Stadtler is an award-winning producer and director of wildlife and natural history documentaries and owner of Dream Catcher Films, Inc. of Maryland. She was formerly production manager for NBC Nightly News in Washington and staff producer for the Discovery and Learning Channel networks. She directed and produced The Making of the Leopard Son for Discovery in 1996, which received awards at the International Wildlife Film Festival, the Jackson Hole Film Festival and the Chicago International Television Competition. Since then, she's produced a number of documentaries for Discovery, Animal Planet, TBS and National Geographic including Coma: The Silent Epidemic; Footsteps of a Bear; Buried Alive: Secrets From the Grave; The Multiple Personality Puzzle; and Troubled Waters. Her films have screened at festivals across the country and earned dozens of awards, including three CINE Golden Eagles and a national Emmy nomination. She recently completed Red Wolves, a documentary for National Geographic Television about the recovery of the endangered red wolves which is scheduled to air this summer.

· Kathryn Pasternak is supervising producer for National Geographic Television and Film's natural History Unit in Washington, D.C. She supervises wildlife documentaries made in-house and abroad from development through post-production for all of National Geographic's television venues, including the National Geographic Channels.

Prior to joining the Natural History Unit in 1997, Pasternak was associate director of co-productions for National Geographic's weekly Explorer series, where she specialized in supervision of wildlife films and traveled extensively in search of compelling and dramatic stories. She also served as coordinating producer for the National Geographic Television Specials(the one-hour films presented annually on NBC and PBS) and was a founding employee of National Geographic's Los Angeles office. She was also coordinating producer for three recent National Geographic miniseries for PBS: Heart of Africa, China Beyond the Clouds and The Great Indian Railway.

Pasternak is a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Non-Fiction Programming Peer Group. Before joining National Geographic Television, she worked as a freelancer on documentaries, independent features and commercials in Los Angeles and New York City. Pasternak graduated Magna Cum Laude in Fine Arts at Harvard University. She hails from Canada, and was born in Edmonton, Alberta. She lives in Virginia with her husband and two sons.

Education Trail: (Room 170 - IW)

HOW DO I KNOW IT WORKS?
EVALUATING EDUCATION PROGRAMS: IT'S EASY! (NO, REALLY!)
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Ever wonder if your information and education programs and products:
- meet the needs of your natural resource goals?
- are effective in their delivery method?
- are appropriate for the target audience you have selected?

Come explore the world of evaluation and discover what evaluation really is. Discover what it can and can't do and how you (yes, even you!) can take advantage of evaluation "tools" to design/improve and establish the merit of your information and education initiatives.

Speaker Biography: Lyn Fleming, Ph.D
Research, Evaluation and Development Services
Lyn Fleming has spent more than 25 years designing, facilitating, and evaluating programs and materials for educators. Two of those programs, Project WILD and The Green Scene, received Gold Medals for Education and Communications from the first President George Bush's Environment and Conservation Challenge Award program.

She has run residential environmental education programs, chaired a college Environmental Studies program, led month-long trips to study the ecology of the Virgin Islands, and facilitated Project Learning Tree workshops throughout North America. She has worked with school districts and nature centers; private organizations including The Zoological Society of San Diego, The Wilderness Society, and the National Wildlife Federation; along with governmental agencies, including NASA and the United Nations.

Lyn received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Pennsylvania State University (studying math and environmental sciences), and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado (in Research & Evaluation Methodology, and Science Education.) She operates her consulting business from Tucson, AZ, and is currently president of the Arizona Association for Environmental Education.

WHAT'S WORKED, IN THE PAST?
CONSERVATION EDUCATION: IS WHAT'S PAST, PROLOGUE?
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Great strides in the conservation movement have often been the result of exceptional education and information efforts. Consider the works of Rachel Carson, Ding Darling, Aldo Leopold and other writers and educators. Mark Madison, the first conservation historian for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will explore the many examples of conservation education in our past and what their success, within a historical context, can offer to guide current efforts.

Speaker Biography: Mark Madison, Ph.D,
Conservation Historian, NCTC

Mark Madison is the national historian for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Madison currently teaches environmental history, wildlife conservation, and American conservation history at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. He got his start in conservation by working on tropical reforestation in the Philippines as a Peace Corps volunteer. From there he went on to pursue degrees in the History of Science and Biology at Harvard. He has a taught environmental history at Harvard and the University of Melbourne (Australia) before joining the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999. Madison currently works at a conservation archive and museum at the Conservation Center while still teaching at Shepherd College. He is an avid birder, fly fisherman, and traveler--having traveled from Hong Kong to London by train.

WHAT WORKS, NOW?
FIELD MARKS FOR AN EFFECTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation's Education Program's main goal is to enable aquatic educators to use research and best practices in aquatic education. In this pursuit, they have commissioned the Best Practices in Fishing, Boating and Aquatic Stewardship Education, which were developed by experts across the country and include guidelines in Program Development, Professional Development, Research, and Evaluation. In addition, RBFF recently brought together 40 leaders in the aquatic education community to address ways in increase collaboration, effectiveness, and funding for aquatic education nationally. Patterson will review the results of the Best Practices and the National Aquatic Education Leadership Summit and discuss potential next steps for the aquatic education community.

Speaker Biography: Jen Patterson,
Education Specialist, Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation
Jen Patterson is a program manager for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, overseeing programs in education, market research, and access. With a degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Jen has focused primarily on environmental education and communications. Her work experience includes interpretation in the Badlands National Park, hunting and trapping communications for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and communications specialist for the National Association of State Foresters

WORKING IN NEW WAYS- EDUCATION PROGRAMS "FROM A DISTANCE"
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Satellite broadcasts, electronic field trips, audio-graphic lessons, web based education... so many options exist in the "brave new world" of distance learning technological tools for education programming. Learn what is being done, who you can reach and what media you can use. See some excellent examples, from the simplest to the most complex, from low cost to high cost, learn how to use what's already there, and how to get the most efficient use of your resources.

Speaker Biographies: Randy Robinson,
Education Specialist, NCTC
Randy Robinson works as a FWS education and training specialist at the National Conservation Training Center. In the Division of Education Outreach, he coordinates the "Wild Things" series of distance learning events, which feature a variety of environmental education themes.
Randy holds a bachelor's degree in environmental education and teaching certifications in geography and science. After serving with the US Navy at communications stations in the Philippine Islands and Morocco, he completed the master's degree in secondary education at West Virginia University.

At WVU he worked with the National Science Foundation sponsored RuralNet Project. This distance learning program was designed to enhance K-12 science instruction using of Internet based resources and environmental science content. Robinson's research focused on the classroom use of electronic field trips.

Randy has worked in West Virginia's commercial whitewater industry since 1976 as a professional guide and staff trainer. In 1986 he began a video production business that specializes in outdoor recreation, interpretation and environmental education. He enjoys paddling beautiful rivers and streams in the mountain state.

Nancy Herron,
Education Services Coordinator, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Nancy Herron coordinates the nature, fishing education programs and distance learning at Texas Parks and Wildlife. Her background is in community outreach, teaching and journalism. She also serves as the ACI Webmaster. Nancy has been a speaker at numerous national conferences, and is a leader in distance learning. Nancy produced her first streaming video broadcast in early 1998, and has now served over 165,000 youth with live webcasts for Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Technical Trail: (Room 115 - IW)

ONLINE PRESENTATIONS & EMAIL ACTUALLY WORK… AND WE CAN AFFORD THEM!
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
This roundtable discussion will provide an opportunity to share real-world experiences and plans for using the Internet to distribute publications, including how CD-ROM's and DVD's might be used along with Web sites and printed materials. With assistance from the moderator, the participants will also explore how
E-zines differ from scanned copies of print publication, how to manage e-mail responses and use listservers to advertise Web sites and receive feedback (while minimizing the "spam"), and how chat rooms and "ask-a-biologist" discussions can make a static Web site interactive and dynamic.

Moderator Biography: Tammy Bristow,
Vice President of Communications
National Wild Turkey Federation
Tammy Bristow, Vice President of Communications at one of the nation's largest conservation organizations, is responsible for a large team of writers, editors, artists, videographers and public relations personnel - and an accomplished writer herself. Prior to joining the National Wild Turkey Federation, she worked for more than 10 years for state wildlife agencies in Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

ONLINE VIDEO, IMAGES & MAPS ACTUALLY WORK… AND WE CAN AFFORD THEM!
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
This roundtable discussion will provide an opportunity to share real-world experiences and plans for using Web cams - and how to make them an online highlight rather than a dull-as-dishwater, nothing-ever-happens image. Participants will explore how Webcasting can be cost-effective, and how to digitize and "stream" audio and video to customers who have standard "dial-up" as well as fast "broadband" Internet connections. Sources for free images will be shared, along with tips 'n tricks for making sites visual with online pictures and maps that are worth more than 1,000 words

Moderator Biography: Nancy Herron, Education Services Coordinator,
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Nancy, the ACI Webmaster, has been a speaker at numerous national conferences. She is a leader in distance learning, has been developing Web sites since "the good ol' days" of 1995, and produced her first streaming video broadcast in early 1998.

DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT - BREADWINNER OR BOONDOGGLE?
Tuesday, July 30, 2002, 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
If you're like most I&E shops, you've accumulated mountains of material over the years. Your shelves are sagging with slides, tapes, films, floppies and other detritus of the information age. You know these archives are worth a fortune, but just don't have the time to organize and catalog them. They may be scattered across your agency or filed away in warehouses, collecting dust and slowly disintegrating. You may have trouble finding materials when you need them. You may not even know certain assets exist.

Now, imagine a world where all of this stuff is stored and digitally preserved in a secure, searchable environment. Where anyone with a standard web browser and a password can locate, store, retrieve and share virtually anything-from video and audio clips to photos, news releases, graphics and publications. Where customers can browse and download materials from your website at their convenience, thus spreading your conservation message far and wide and generating new revenues in the process.

Sound too good to be true? Is Digital Asset Management a breadwinner or a boondoggle? Our panelists will examine the promises and pitfalls of this exciting new technology, and demonstrate some ways it's being used in the public sector.

Moderator Biography: Mark Southern,
Senior Producer/Director, Innovative Technologies, Inc.
Mark manages video production contracts for several federal agencies including the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Prior to joining ITI, Mark spent ten years as a video producer and internal communications manager for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. He's a former ACI board member and awards chairman.

Panelists:

· David Lipsey is vice president for media and entertainment at Artesia Technologies of Rockville, MD, a leading provider of digital asset management services for government and corporate clients (including AOL/Time Warner, Discovery Communications, WGBH Boston and HBO). David works with clients in the publishing and media sectors and frequently presents technical papers on digital asset management at industry conferences and forums. Prior to joining Artesia, David worked in the newspaper industry in a variety of positions, beginning with the rollout of the New York Times National Edition. Throughout his career, David has focused on providing database-oriented software solutions and delivering them through a strong partner and technology network. David holds a degree from New College in Sarasota, Florida, and lives in McLean, Virginia.

· Government Representative (to be determined-probably someone from the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress or the National Gallery of Art).

· ACI Representative (to be determined-probably Beth Jackson from NCTC to demonstrate the new National Image Library)

EVALUATE YOUR WEBSITE AND MAKE THAT SUCKER HUM!
Sunday, July 28, 2002, 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
How do we count the number of "eyeballs" attracted to our Web sites? Can we assess if there is a connection to the brain, and has our online content affected the behavior of our virtual visitors - or did we just play with pictures? This session will evaluate when Web sites are the right vehicle to transmit the message, how to know our audience without getting lost in computer-based visitor statistics, why building "portals" may be like putting lipstick on a pig (but still worth doing...), and why making our Web sites accessible for the disabled will prepare us for the next generation of high-tech customers too. In the process, we will decode techno-babble from "architecture" to "Webserver" and share a few horror/success stories.

Speaker Biography: Charlie Grymes,
Web Manager, USFWS
Based in the Division of Public Affairs in the headquarters office, Charlie is solely responsible for overseeing 400+ Web sites with 200,000 pages. He is training hundreds of offices in Web publishing policies and procedures, which he develops almost as fast as he makes mistakes, as people request management direction (also known as "air cover") - or as Web publishers do things on their sites that require creating new guidance.

Dignitary Bios:

Steve Williams
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Steve Williams oversees the operations of the nation's primary wildlife conservation agency with more than 7,500 employees and a 2002 budget of $1.94 billion.

Previously, Williams served as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks from 1995. His other former positions include Deputy Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission from 1992-1995; Assistant Director for Wildlife for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife from 1989-1992; and a wildlife biologist specializing in research and management for white-tailed deer for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife from 1985-1989. He served as a graduate teaching assistant at the Pennsylvania State University from 1981-1985, working on wildlife habitat analysis, and also worked as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of North Dakota from 1979-1981.

Williams earned a doctorate in forest resources at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park; a master of science degree from the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks; and a bachelor's degree in environmental resource management, also from the Pennsylvania State University. He is a member of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Wildlife Society, and other professional and conservation organizations.

Williams, 44, and his wife, Beth, have two children. He was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and grew up in the rural Northeast.

J. Edward Hamrick III
Director, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

After having served as the Division of Natural Resources' Director under Governor Gaston Caperton and as a special assistant to the DNR Director during the Rockefeller Administration, Ed Hamrick was chosen by Governor Bob Wise to again serve as the DNR's Director in 2001. Director Hamrick was Vice President for College Advancement for Glenville State College and also served as the Executive Director of Glenville State College's Foundation. Director Hamrick received his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Marshall University and a Master's of Public Administration from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies, and he has acted as Executive Director for the West Virginia Wildlife Federation and also for the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia. Director Hamrick currently resides in Kanawha County with his wife Lisa and their twin sons Jamie and Hunter.

Field Trips

Monday, July 29, 2002

Biking Through Potomac Valley History
(2-day, morning, trip limit: 18 people)
8:30 a.m. - Noon
Take a leisurely bike ride down the towpath of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, artery of commerce between the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest in the early 1800's. Starting on the Maryland shore opposite Shepherdstown, you=ll bike 11 miles down the Potomac River, stopping en route to examine canal architecture, learn of James Rumsey and America=s first steamboat trials, and discover the route that led John Brown to Harpers Ferry, igniting the Civil War. There=ll be some good birding opportunities en route, as well. You=ll cross the Potomac River bridge and interlude briefly on your own in downtown Harpers Ferry, admiring the view that Thomas Jefferson said was Aworth a trip across the Atlantic.@ Difficulty level: Easy. Return to NCTC for lunch. Bikes and transportation to/from starting/ending points provided.

Ambling Around West Virginia's Oldest Town
(2-day, afternoon, trip limit: 30 people) 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Stroll the streets and back alleys of quaint Shepherdstown, West Virginia=s oldest town, where every house served as a hospital following the nearby battle of Antietam in 1862. Local historian Jim Surkamp will be your guide, taking you along the little-known ABee Line March@ (where Virginia colonists formed for their long trek to fight the British at Lexington and Concord) and introducing you to James Rumsey, 19th Century inventor of the steamboat. If you=re a fan of colonial architecture and hidden backyard gardens, this afternoon=s for you! There=ll be ample time to explore some of Shepherdstown=s unique gift shops and mountain crafts stores. Jim will have some restaurant recommendations for you, too, for individual sampling later. Difficulty level: Easy; some walking over broken pavement. Return to NCTC, with dinner on your own. Transportation to/from NCTC provided.

Caught in the Crossfire: Where North and South Collided
(2-day, morning, trip limit: none) 8:45 a.m. - Noon
Civil War buffs won=t want to miss this in-depth tour of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where abolitionist John Brown and his 21 Kansas followers assaulted the Federal arsenal in 1859, serving to ignite America=s greatest tragedy, the Civil War. With a National Park Service interpreter as your guide, you=ll begin your morning at the new Harpers Ferry National Historical Park visitor=s center, with shuttle service to the historic Adowntown@ district, where you=ll inspect the small firehouse where Brown and his band were fired upon by Colonel Robert E. Lee. Learn of the numerous Civil War battles that raged in the hills around this quaint river town, where three states and two mighty rivers converge. Difficulty level: Easy; some walking up and down moderate hills, on/off shuttle vans. We=ll converge with the C&O Canal bicyclists about 11:15 a.m. and return to NCTC for lunch. Transportation to/from NCTC provided; shuttle service within park provided by National Park Service.

An Afternoon's Reflection on Sacred Ground
(2-day, afternoon, trip limit: 60)
1:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Before September 11, 2001, America=s greatest one-day loss of life occurred here, in the pastoral Maryland countryside, when in October 1862 the Union and the Confederacy clashed in the horrific Battle of Antietam, near the hamlet of Sharpsburg (little changed after 140 years). Starting with a quick history refresher at the Antietam National Battlefield visitor=s center, National Park Service guides will lead us on a combined walking and air-conditioned bus tour of the battlefield, with stops at Bloody Lane and Burnside Bridge. The Blue Ridge vistas that frame this sacred ground make for a meaningful afternoon=s reflection about honor and patriotism. Difficulty level: Easy, some stairs and climbing, some on/off of buses; hot weather. Return to NCTC; dinner on your own. Transportation to/from NCTC and within park, park admission fees provided.

Some Serious Leg-Stretching in the West Virginia Hills
(full-day, trip limit: 22 people) 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Cacapon Resort State Park=s the place for ACI hikers, and park naturalist Kelly Smith will be our guide for a half-day of moderate hiking and Anaturalizing@ in this 6,000-acre retreat along the West Virginia-Maryland border. Cacapon Mountain, at 2,300 feet, is the dominant scenic feature of this long and narrow state park; you=ll be hiking for about 3 miles amid mixed-hardwood forest and blueberry bushes B the occasional black bear and rattlesnake will keep you alert during a modest 350-foot elevation gain. You=ll break for lunch and then caravan to the summit, where large sandstone outcrops provide views of the valley below. En route back to NCTC, we=ll unwind at nearby Berkeley Springs State Park, where you=ll soak your tired feet in outdoor pools of mineral water (yes, George Washington did soak here, too) and enjoy some delicious Hershey ice cream in this delightful West Virginia resort town. Jugs for souvenir drinking water will be provided. Difficulty level: Moderate; heat and humidity a consideration (trip goes rain or shine); take water, day packs, bug spray, and comfortable walking shoes or boots. Return to NCTC; dinner on your own. Transportation to/from NCTC and NCTC box lunches provided.

Trapshooting Practice at Prospect Hill
(3/4-day, trip limit: none)
9:00 a.m. - Mid- Afternoon
Sharpen your trapshooting skills at Prospect Hill in nearby Leetown, West Virginia, where West Virginia DNR marksman Tim Coleman and his crew will put you through the paces at this nearby shooting club, assisted by the club=s range officer and thrower. If you=ve never experienced trapshooting, this is a great, low-key introduction to the sport. Twelve-gauge shotguns and all safety gear will be provided. Difficulty level: Easy ... depending on your own shooting skills! Take sunscreen and dress for the weather. Return to NCTC by early/mid- afternoon; dinner on your own. Transportation to/from NCTC, guns and ammunition, and NCTC box lunches provided.