Page 4 - 2019 JAN/FEB Outdoor Oklahoma

Off the Beaten Path

NOT ES ON WILDLIFE • OU T DOOR TI PS • R EA DERS’ LET T ERS • EN V I RON MEN TA L NEWS
C OM PILED BY DON P. BROW N

ODWC’S MELYNDA HICKMAN NAMED BIOLOGIST OF YEAR

Wildlife biologist Melynda agement Area bat watch
Hickman with the Oklaho- program, which has enabled
ma Department of Wildlife more than 10,000 people the
Conservation was named unique opportunity to expe-
2018 Wildlife Biologist of rience the nightly emergence
the Year by the Southeast- of a million Mexican free-
ern Association of Fish and tailed bats.
Wildlife Agencies (SEA- Hickman was a driving
FWA) during the organi- force in developing a state-
zation’s annual meeting in of-the-art multipurpose edu-
Mobile, Ala., last week. cational facility at Hackberry
Hickman works in the Flat Wildlife Management
Department’s Wildlife Area in southwestern Okla-
Diversity Program. She homa. The center and its pro-
began her career with the grams have given countless
Department 28 years ago. students the opportunity to
Oklahoma’s Wildlife immerse themselves in wet-
Department Director J.D. land education. She organiz-
Strong said there is no one es seasonal events hosted by
more deserving of this honor. the Hackberry Flat Center,
“Melynda is a tireless worker, including a monarch butter-
a tremendous ambassador for fly watch and tagging pro-
Melynda Hickman
the ODWC and well respect- gram; shorebird, raptor and
ed among her peers and the public we serve,” Strong said. “In grassland bird-viewing events; and an annual Hackberry
a profession that’s often focused on the hook-and-bullet Flat Day.
crowd, Melynda has a unique ability to energize folks about Hickman earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Appa-
bats, bluebirds, butterflies and the importance of conserving lachian State University. She was an educator in Norman
ecosystems as a whole.” schools and worked with the Oklahoma Museum of Natural
SEAFWA President Chuck Sykes said Hickman was History before beginning her Wildlife Department career.
selected by her peers for her “clear dedication to promoting Each year, SEAFWA presents Biologist of the Year Awards
and conserving Oklahoma’s natural resources. Her engage- to two career biologists of state wildlife agencies, one each in
ment in public education events and programs establish con- wildlife and fisheries, who in the opinion of the SEAFWA
nections with future generations that all of our state agencies Awards Committee have made outstanding contributions to
and the wildlife we manage depend upon.” fish and wildlife conservation.
Hickman is the Department’s Watchable Wildlife Pro- Oklahoma’s Wildlife Department is among the fish and
gram leader. She has started and continues to lead several wildlife agencies of 15 southeastern states and two U.S. ter-
important conservation education efforts. One of those, ritories that make up SEAFWA’s membership.
now it its 23rd year, is the Selman Bat Cave Wildlife Man- (Andi Cooper, SEAFWA, assisted with this article.)

2 Off the Beaten Path

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