Thanks to all of our presenters and participants in the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Bat Working Group. Twenty-eight attendees represented a variety of state and federal government agencies, non-profit organizations, private wildlife consultants, and master naturalists from across the state.
The Mississippi Bat Working Group will meet on March 24, 2022 at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. We’re celebrating our 20th Anniversary with a great lineup of speakers providing research and monitoring updates, planning for our annual mist net event, and recognizing members with awards. Please contact us at msbats@hotmail.com if you would like to be a speaker.
We’ll also be looking back at what the group has accomplished over the past 20 years. We hope to see you there!
The Mississippi Bat Working Group held its annual meeting at the MS Museum of Natural Science in Jackson on February 6, 2020. Thirty-two people attended, representing a diversity of state and federal agencies from Mississippi and Louisiana. Participants included staff from the museum, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, MS Band of Choctaw Indians, Bureau of Land Management, MS Department of Transportation, US Army Corps of Engineers, USDA Wildlife Services, University of Southern Mississippi, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. We also had several bat enthusiasts join us to hear updates from Mississippi and Louisiana’s efforts to monitor bat populations and white-nose syndrome. The BLM and USFS presented on their bat monitoring efforts in Mississippi and neighboring states, and a student from USM shared her research into the history of bat folklore and mythology.
(more…)Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the MBWG will be held at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science on February 6, 2020 from 9 am – 4 pm. The agenda this year includes guest speakers from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the University of Southern Mississippi. We’ll also have updates on MS Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and MBWG ongoing projects and monitoring efforts as well as our business meeting. Continuing education credits will be available through the Wildlife Society.
The Mississippi Bat Working Group had a great turnout for our annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) on March 28. The agenda included research updates from graduate students, the US Army Corp of Engineers, and the MS Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks. We also heard updates on the draft Mississippi bat conservation plan and state-wide monitoring efforts including the annual culvert blitz, cave and bridge surveys, and the annual mist net event. Tami Hudson of Possum Hollow Wildlife Rescue brought live bats, including the Northern yellow bat recovered from Ingall’s ship yard last fall. She provided tips on how to handle reports of injured or stressed bats.
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Twenty-one bat enthusiasts met at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science on March 1, 2018 for the Mississippi Bat Working Group’s annual membership meeting. The agenda included research and monitoring updates along with reporting on the MBWG’s 2017 accomplishments and plans for the coming year.
Founding member Chester Martin recognized six members for their contributions to the MBWG’s mission:
The Mississippi Bat Working Group held its 2017 membership and business meeting at the Museum of Natural Science on Thursday, February 9. Over 40 biologists and land managers from state and federal conservation agencies, natural resource graduate students, wildlife rehabilitators, environmental educators, master gardeners, and other bat enthusiasts attended. There was a full agenda, including research presentations, updates for on-going monitoring within the State, report-outs on the MBWG’s activities and accomplishments in 2016, and planning for the upcoming year.
Tentative plans for outreach events include hosting a booth at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science’s NatureFest on April 1 and the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Wildlife Festival and BioBlitz in Tupelo, MS on April 22. The 2017 mist net event will be held in September and potential locations include Copiah or Adams County. A 2nd Annual Culvert Blitz will be organized for January 2018.
On February 4, 2016, the Mississippi Bat Working Group met at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, MS for their annual membership and business meeting. Research and monitoring updates were presented by Cody Jordan and Dr. Rich Buccholz (University of Mississippi), Scott Veum (Mississippi State University), Kathy Shelton (Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks), Alison McCartney (Deep South Eco Group), Chester Martin, Becky Rosamond (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Kris Godwin (USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services), Shea Staten (US Army Corps of Engineers), and James Austin (US Fish and Wildlife Service).
The MBWG held its 13th annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science on January 12, 2015. The meeting included research updates, outreach and education opportunities, reports from officers, and presentation of awards to active members.
The MBWG met on January 16, 2014 for the 12th Annual Meeting. There was a full agenda including research updates, committee report outs, and a discussion of potential outreach opportunities within the upcoming year.
The MBWG met on January 23, 2013 for the 11th Annual Meeting. Twenty-six people attended the event, representing several research and educational institutions, state and federal agencies, private companies, non-profit organizations, and the general public. There was a full agenda including research updates, committee report outs, and an in-depth discussion of state-level conservation needs that the MBWG can move forward.
The 10th Annual Meeting of the MBWG was held at the Pine Ridge Lodge at Lake Tiak-O’Khata in Louisville, MS on February 23, 2012. Twenty-four members attended this meeting, which was held in conjunction with the 17th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network. In addition to research presentation and updates from committees and partners, the meeting featured a recap of the first 10 years of the MBWG along with presentation of several awards recognizing a range of categories.
The MBWG held its 9th Annual Meeting at the College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University on January 19, 2011. Twenty-seven attendees represented a range of state and federal agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private companies. The meeting focused on committee planning, and featured presentations on MBWG activities and bat conservation and research.
The MBWG met for its eighth annual meeting on April 13, 2010 at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. This meeting featured revisions of the charter, election of new officers and board members, planning for upcoming events, and updates on current issues facing bat conservation.
On January 29, 2009, the Mississippi Bat Working Group held its seventh annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, MS. There were 35 attendees representing eight state and federal agencies along with several non-profit organizations, private companies, and educational institutions.
The Mississippi Bat Working Group held its sixth annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, MS on February 7, 2008. Twenty-nine people representing two states, 6 state and federal agencies, 2 private companies, and 3 educational institutions participated in the meeting, which featured the addition of a poster session this year.
On January 18, 2007, the Mississippi Bat Working Group held its fifth annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, MS. Attendance totaled 42 people from four southeastern states, the largest and most geographically diverse participation since the group originated! At least 16 agencies, organizations, and companies participated, as well as interested members of the general public.
On January 26, 2006, the Mississippi Bat Working Group held its 4th Annual Meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, MS. The meeting was well-attended by 37 personnel representing 16 state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, private companies, and educational institutions.
The MBWG held its 3rd annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, MS on February 10, 2005. Twenty-eight people representing 15 state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations (including Bat Conservation International), and private companies participated in the meeting. The MBWG is currently the largest and most active bat working group in the Southeast, thanks in large part to the dedication of its founding member, Chester Martin. Chester was presented with the first ever Chester O. Martin Award, which will be presented by the MBWG to those members who display outstanding contributions to the MBWG and bat conservation in Mississippi.
The MBWG held its second annual meeting at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) in Jackson, MS on January 28, 2004. Chester Martin (ERDC) and Alison Sherman (MMNS) presided over the meeting, which consisted of ten presentations followed by a business meeting.The meeting was well-attended by 40 participants representing 12 diverse state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and private companies.
The first annual meeting of the Mississippi Bat Working Group was held on January 27, 2003 at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, Mississippi. Thirty-two attendees representing at least 10 agencies and private companies participated in this meeting sponsored by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS). (more…)