Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Virginia
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Dr. Ford received graduate degrees from Mississippi State University and the University of Georgia. Prior to the U.S. Geological Survey, he was a wildlife biologist for the Westvaco Corporation Appalachian Division, a research wildlife biologist for the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station and a research wildlife biologist for the U.S. Army Engineer Research Development Center. He conducts research on distribution, habitat associations and sampling methodologies for threatened, endangered and sensitive species, primarily bats (Indiana bat and northern long-eared bat), the Appalachian northern flying squirrel subspecies, and Allegheny woodrats, Cervids (white-tailed deer and elk)-habitat relationships in managed forest systems, prescribed fire and wildlife, energy production (wind, coal, and natural gas) and wildlife, and high elevation spruce-fir restoration ecology. He serves as a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Indiana and northern long-eared bat monitoring guidance development team assisting with survey level of effort determinations for acoustic and mist-net sampling and automated bat identification software use. His work spans many eco-regions: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Appalachians and Interior Low Plateau. Dr. Ford teaches a course on Wildlife Habitat Relationships in the Appalachians and Piedmont at Virginia Tech and he co-teaches Evaluating Acoustic Bat Surveys for ESA Compliance through the National Conservation Training Center.