TWRA Recognizes Biologists And Technicians Of The Year In East Tennessee

  • Wednesday, October 26, 2016

TWRA recognized several Region IV employees for being nominated as candidates for statewide biologist or technician of the year awards in wildlife and fisheries.  A longtime employee was also honored with an appreciation award.

Joe Elkins, who serves as the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area Manager, has been nominated as the Region IV candidate for the TWRA Wildlife Biologist of the Year award. Mr. Elkins began his career with TWRA as a wildlife manager 1 in 2001, promoted to wildlife manger 2 in 2008, and has been the NCWMA manager since 2013.

Mr. Elkins manages and coordinates natural resource activities on the NCWMA, which is one of Tennessee’s largest WMAs covering approximately 189,000 acres in Campbell, Scott, Claiborne, Anderson, and Morgan counties. Mr. Elkins is also one of the main forces behind three very successful programs established at North Cumberland including the Off Highway Vehicle, Elk, and Forestry Programs.

 

Mr. Elkins is instrumental in the success of NCWMA’s Elk Restoration Program and coordinates with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in securing funding to create wildlife openings and increase the quality of elk habitat across the area. He also works closely with the elk program coordinator to address landowner concerns of elk on private property and is involved with the annual elk hunt, which is in its eighth year.

 

Mr. Elkins works diligently in eradicating feral hogs on the area, teaches hunter education, writes articles for local media, participates in outdoor events, attends community meetings, and works with local schools and universities among countless other endeavors.  Region IV WMA Coordinator Danny Akins, who supervises Mr. Elkins said, “Joe’s experience, knowledge, and skills in managing wildlife for TWRA are very extensive and impressive, and his contributions to the agency and state’s wildlife resources deserves statewide and regional recognition.” 

Chuck Chandler, a wildlife technician II at the NCWMA, has been nominated as the Region IV candidate for the TWRA Wildlife Technician of the Year award. Mr. Chandler began his service with the state of Tennessee in 1981 as a member of the original crew that blazed the Cumberland Trail through multiple counties across East Tennessee.  In 1999, Chuck joined TWRA as a Wildlife Technician I and quickly promoted to a Wildlife Technician II, due to his leadership abilities, knowledge and skills.

In his 19 years with TWRA, Mr. Chandler has gained extensive knowledge of the NCWMA’s geography and the management requirements to keep the area functioning at an efficient level. Mr. Chandler’s efforts in the NCWMA elk restoration program have been a highlight of his career. Back in 2000, he made the long journey to Canada bringing back the first elk to be released in Tennessee in over 130 years and made the most recent trip to the Land Between the Lakes to get Elk for release in 2008.  His expertise is called upon regularly for elk data collection, immobilization, relocation, tracking, and management strategies on the WMA. 

Mr. Chandler also plays an active role in the community by participating in public events held by organizations such as National Wildlife Turkey Federation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He also volunteers to work at specific events such as the NWTF Jakes Day, Wounded Warrior hunts as well as other educational events held by the agency.  He is always willing to talk with kids about wildlife and provides insight on the knowledge he has gained from working on the management area.

 His supervisor, Wildlife Manager TJ Sexton said, “Chuck’s dependability, willingness to do a great job, and his overall experience of the management area has allowed me to nominate him as technician of the year.”

John Hammonds, Region IV Reservoir coordinator, has been nominated as the regional candidate for the TWRA Fisheries Biologist of the Year award. Mr. Hammonds has been a fisheries biologist for 12 years and is responsible for reservoir fisheries programs focusing on fishing demographics, biological data collection, and habitat improvement. 

He has done an exceptional job in administering and securing reservoir funding opportunities for the agency and addressing habitat permitting for area reservoirs. Recently, Mr. Hammonds played a key role in securing approximately $380,000.00 in funding to assist with cooperative projects regarding reservoir habitat enhancement and shoreline vegetation management. These funds have been specifically targeted at developing long term habitat structures (known as reef balls) that are being placed in reservoirs as well as addressing shoreline vegetation management in Boone Reservoir as a result of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s extended drawdown.

He has been involved with recent efforts to address regulation changes in area reservoirs, particularly for smallmouth bass, as well as gathering angler use information for waters that have never been surveyed.  John also serves as the chair for the Outreach Committee of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.  Region IV Fisheries Program Coordinator Bart Carter, who supervises Mr. Hammonds said, “John is being nominated for this year’s award because of his outstanding efforts in developing and implementing innovative reservoir habitat management projects and assisting with an aquatic nuisance species issue in the region.”

Paul Shaw, a Reservoirs Fisheries technician, has been nominated as the Region IV candidate for the TWRA Fisheries Technician of the Year award. Mr. Shaw joined TWRA in 1987 as a creel clerk on Norris Reservoir and has since accepted additional creel responsibilities on Melton Hill Reservoir and Norris tail water. He possesses a fisheries biology degree from Auburn University, which allows him to communicate technical fisheries management information to the public.                                                                                                                                                                     Throughout his career, he has been an ambassador of the agency to anglers by providing information about rules and regulations, angling opportunities, ramps and marinas, as well as general agency information.In a very professional way, he also regularly engages customers with concerns about fishing regulation changes and other subjects that could be considered controversial.  In fact, many Norris lake anglers have changed their outlook on the agency because of Mr. Shaw’s willingness to explain TWRA’s goals and objectives.

Mr. Shaw's knowledge of wildlife extends beyond fisheries and in the last two years, he initiated a firefly project, which has led to the discovery of a new population of synchronous fireflies.  Noticing what he thought to be synchronous fireflies near his home, he discovered small colonies of them in areas they were not known to inhabit, prompting him to organize a research team to collect fireflies and data on properties within Oak Ridge National Laboratory.  His work has attracted the attention of scientists from around the world who are contacting him for information and he is becoming an expert in the firefly field.

 His supervisor, Fisheries Biologist John Hammonds said, “Paul is an exceptional employee and has been a model creel clerk.  His willingness to step up and engage the public on fisheries issues and other issues has been an asset to the Region IV Reservoir Fisheries Unit and the entire agency.”

Another longtime TWRA employee, Gary Bradley, has been recognized for 29 years of outstanding service to the TWRA. Mr. Bradley started as a Wildlife Technician 1 at Buffalo Springs Trout Hatchery in 1987, and worked at Lick Creek WMA before promoting to a Wildlife Technician 2 at the Forks of the River WMA.

He was the principal employee in establishing sunflowers at Forks of the River WMA, which have been enjoyed by thousands of hunters and non-hunters alike.  He was also instrumental in creating the excellent dove hunting fields there.  

Mr. Bradley is a licensed taxidermist and has mounted numerous wildlife species for TWRA to be utilized for educational purposes.  Throughout his career, he continuously volunteered to assist with big game checking stations across the Region and has also been a hero to many youth hunters by taking them hunting.  Upon his recent retirement, he rejoined the TWRA as a part-time employee with various projects around the Region IV office.

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