The Center for Conservation Biology mourns the passing of our friend, teacher, scholar, conservation biologist, inspiration and role model Dr. Mitchell Agee Byrd. Dr. Byrd passed away on March 31 2026. He was 97 years old. Considered by many to be the father of nongame conservation in Virginia, Dr. Byrd was a modest man who was known widely for his work throughout Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay region with threatened and endangered birds including the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey, red-cockaded woodpecker and piping plover. Read More Here

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗪𝗦 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?
"By its very nature and history, TWS facilitates development of a stronger than usual work ethic. This ethic is transferable to one’s day-to-day professional activities, and it is expected to be applied to research, knowledge transfer, and outreach to tribes, stakeholders and all other wildlife constituents. The TWS work ethic is expected to be applied to our work with fish and wildlife habitats, communities and species. This is only part of the story, however. The standards and expectations implicitly and explicitly demand that TWS members work for the perpetual benefit of the people and the resources." Read More Here

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Executive Deputy Director Becky Gwynn was awarded a North American Wetlands Conservation Achievement Award by Ducks Unlimited at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference this week. In addition, last week Becky received the Captain Ronald A. Erchul Environmental Leadership Award at the Environment Virginia Symposium. Both prestigious awards highlight Becky’s 38 years of service to the Commonwealth and to DWR, publicly celebrating her dedication to local and international wildlife conservation and the habitats critical to their success. Read More Here

Legendary Roanoke outdoors writer Bill Cochran passed away but left a legacy of passion for wildlife. "Even in his mid-70s, Cochran had no trouble setting the pace and catching the most fish. He was more than fine out there on the water, doing what he loved."

“Bill and I spent a lot of time together many years ago, and he was the epitome of professionalism,” David Whitehurst said. “To my knowledge, he provided the most comprehensive coverage of the department and outdoor activities for the longest period of time of any journalist.” Read More Here