Thursday, January 07, 2010 – MFWP
Habitat – Region 6
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks welcomes two new biologists in Region 6 & 7 whose work will primarily involve enhancing upland bird habitats and populations in their respective areas.
Ashley Beyer, 26, will serve as the Miles City-based upland game bird biologist in Region 7, and Drew Henry, also 26, will serve in a similar Region 6 position based in the Plentywood area. Each of the employees started their new jobs on Jan. 4.
Beyer, originally from Ulm, Mont., earned a master’s degree in animal and range science from Montana State University-Bozeman in 2008. Beyer’s area of responsibility primarily includes Dawson, Prairie, Custer and Rosebud counties and parts of Richland County.
Henry, who grew up in Glasgow, Mont., earned a master’s degree in animal ecology from Iowa State University’s Department of Natural Resources, Ecology and Management in 2009. His main area of responsibility includes Daniels, Sheridan and Roosevelt counties, Valley County east of Opheim, and portions of Richland County.
The two new positions – plus another similar position that will be based in Conrad — were created by the 2009 Legislature as part of a broader effort to improve and expand services and accountability in MTFWP’s Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program.
Henry and Beyer’s duties will include working with landowners, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and MTFWP field personnel in promoting, locating, designing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating upland and wetland habitat enhancement and conservation projects — primarily on private land.
Habitat conservation projects will be funded primarily with Upland Game Bird Enhancement and Migratory Bird programs individually or in partnership with existing NRCS programs and the USFWS’ Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program. The biologists will also work cooperatively with Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, National Wild Turkey Federation and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, among others.
Both Beyer and Henry say they plan to establish and expand working relationships with landowners in their areas, as well as maintain regular communication with legislators, county commissioners, the user-public, environmental and sportsperson organizations, and other private groups and public land-managing agencies.
Beyer can be reached at (406) 234-0900 or at abeyer@mt.gov by e-mail; Henry can be contacted at (406) 385-7033 or at dhenry@mt.gov by email.
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