The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) recently selected Mark Whitney as the new Assistant Chief for the Game Management Section. He fills the position that was left vacant by Bill Fletcher, who was promoted to Chief of Game Management. Whitney previously held the position of Game Management Regional Supervisor for Northeast Georgia.

“Mark will be a great asset to the operations of the Game Management Section and the Headquarters Office,” says WRD Chief of Game Management Bill Fletcher. “His extensive work with both statewide and regional projects and his eight years of experience with the agency will be a tremendous benefit as we move ahead.”

Mark Whitney will supervise programs that are statewide or multi-regional in nature, including the Private Lands Program and the Bobwhite Quail Initiative. He coordinates sectional research and survey efforts and technical assistance on wildlife issues. He also assists the State Supervisor with the wildlife program budget. Some of his other duties include drafting regulations and laws related to wildlife and hunting, preparing impact statements and justifications as appropriate and supervising office personnel.

Mark Whitney began working for WRD in 1997 as a Wildlife Biologist. Whitney most recently held the position of Regional Supervisor for the Game Management Section in Northeast Georgia where he supervised a professional and technical staff of 24 people, managed 13 Wildlife Management Areas totaling over 200,000 acres and managed a 1.4 million dollar budget in support of regional activities and has been extensively involved with the Private Lands Program where he served as Program Manager for four years. He has a master’s degree in Forest Resources from the University of Georgia. Whitney lives in Oxford with his wife, Shawn.

For more information, contact the WRD Game Management Headquarters Office at (770) 918-6406.

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