RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 21, 2005) — The Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee, supported by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, has been named North Carolina’s Conservation Organization of the Year.

The 18-member committee, comprising wildlife scientists and conservationists from across the state, received the honor at the Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards banquet on Feb. 19 in Raleigh. The awards are sponsored jointly by the Office of the Governor and the state chapter of the National Wildlife Federation.

The committee was recognized for its efforts in helping protect several nongame animals from over-exploitation, including 12 species of freshwater turtles native to North Carolina.

“It came to the attention of the Wildlife Commission that thousands of turtles were being captured, boxed and shipped overseas to consumers at an unsustainable rate,” said Wildlife Commissioner Chuck Bennett, who nominated the group for the honor. “The Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee jumped right in and produced the information needed to support the passage of a new ‘turtle law,’ which prohibits the commercial taking of more than four turtles from the 12 protected species.”

In 2002, more than 23,000 turtles were taken from North Carolina by out-of-state collectors who each paid only $5 for a license. Currently, one-third of the state’s 21 turtle species are in jeopardy, including the Eastern box turtle, the State Reptile of North Carolina.

“North Carolina boasts one of the world’s richest diversity of turtle species and protecting them from further exploitation benefits a broad array of public interests, ranging from educational and scientific to recreational and economical,” Bennett said. “Without this committee’s timely assistance, this protection law would not have become a reality, and our turtle populations would have suffered irrevocable damage.”

Turtles weren’t the only species to benefit from the committee’s steadfast conservation efforts. Other species, such as poisonous snakes, now enjoy protection through the passage of similar laws, which makes it illegal to collect these reptiles without a permit or to harm them without cause.

“Snakes, especially venomous snakes, don’t rate high on the warm-and-fuzzy scale, but they are ecologically important and protecting them has been a priority for committee members,” Bennett said. “The committee’s work to conserve these often-maligned reptiles helped ensure that they remain part of our natural heritage.”

While the committee focused primarily on species-conservation laws over the last two years, it continues to provide expertise and guidance to the Wildlife Commission through its various scientific councils.

The six councils are species-specific with a recognized expert chairing each one to guide the council in its recommendations to the Wildlife Commission on the status of a species as threatened, endangered or special concern. Species falling under one of these listings are protected under North Carolina law.

“For some endangered animals, such as the Carolina heelsplitter mussel and the red wolf, their survival or extinction is contingent on us knowing as much about their habits and habitats as possible,” Bennett said. “With guidance and recommendations from the scientific councils, the committee and the Wildlife Commission are able to identify and protect those species facing immediate peril.”

The Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee, established in 1983, serves as an advisory body to the Wildlife Resources Commission on matters of nongame and endangered wildlife issues. Members are appointed by the Wildlife Commission and serve three-year terms without compensation.

“The committee has been working towards improving habitat and reducing the decline of native species, and the critical issues facing nongame wildlife today are not going away soon,” said Ann Somers, a UNC-Greensboro professor and committee chairperson. “The dedication, commitment and just plain hard work of the committee have been rewarded with great success in fulfilling our mission. It is an honor to lead a group of such highly qualified professionals.”

In addition to Somers, other committee members are:

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