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

Nebraska Technical Assistance Activities


Angler Survey technician conducting an interview at Standing Bear Lake in Omaha, NE during a warm summer day of blue skies and light clouds. An angler appears to be sitting nearby holding a fishing rod by the shoreline. The angler's wide brim light colored hat contrasts against the line of green full leaved trees in the horizon.

Assistance within NECFWRU occurs frequently in both informal and formal settings, and is meant to provide advice and training on cooperator needs including discussions of their science questions, study-design considerations, and training.

Description and Agency Provider(s) Date
Topeka shiner 5-year review and workshop.
Pope May 2007
Member, Academic Program Review of Cedar Point Biological Station.
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Pope May 2019
Led a workshop on the application of genomic methods in wildlife for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Sonsthagen September 2021
Conservation Leadership workshop designed to increase awareness of hunting and fishing among recently hired employees.
Nebrsaka Game and Parks Commission
Pope March 2011
Coach for Cohort 14, National Conservation Leadership Institute.
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Pope September 2019
Co-developed and co-instructed an 8-hour workshop entitled "Creel Surveys: Designing Complex Solutions to Simple Questions" that was sponsored by Catfish 2020
Catfish 2020: third international catfish symposium
Pope February 2020
Co-developed and co-instructed an 2-hour workshop entitled "Standard Freshwater Fish Sampling" that was presented (virtually) at World Fisheries Congress 2021
World Fisheries Congress
Pope, Bonar September 2021
Role - Description Provider         Start Date        End Date       
Search Committee - RWBJV Science Coordinator Sonsthagen October 2023 November 2023
Search Committee - Office Associate Sonsthagen October 2023 November 2023
Search Committee - Office Associate Sonsthagen May 2022 July 2022
Search Committee - GIS Specialist Sonsthagen February 2024 Present
Search Committee - Business Associate Sonsthagen May 2022 July 2022
Member, Research Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources Pope August 2008 July 2011
Member, Integration Advisory Team Allen November 2007 December 2011
Member, Graduate Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources Pope October 2019 August 2025
Member, Graduate Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources Pope August 2009 July 2013
Graduate Student Committee Sonsthagen March 2024 Present
Chair, Graduate Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources Pope August 2013 July 2015
Applied Ecology Graduate Curriculum Committee Sonsthagen May 2021 Present
Role and Organization Individual         Start Date        End Date       
Session Chair, Resilience 2008 session: Complex systems, resource management and economic development Allen April 2008 April 2008
Reviewer, Wilson Ornithological Society, Student Research Grants Sonsthagen January 2021 Present
Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Technical Committee Fontaine December 2009 December 2011
Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Conservation Planning Workgroup Sonsthagen August 2021 Present
Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation, Scientific Committee Fontaine May 2010 December 2012
Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan, Scientific Committee Fontaine August 2009 December 2012
Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan, Avian Priority Species Expert Panel Fontaine April 2010 April 2010
Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan, Adaptive Management Creative Team Fontaine August 2009 December 2012
Member, Steering Committee, Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2006 Allen December 2005 December 2006
Member, SE NE Flagship Initiative, Research and Evaluation Steering Committee Allen December 2007 December 2008
Member, Novelty Working Group/McDonnell Foundation Allen August 2006 December 2011
Member, Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation Allen October 2006 December 2008
Member, Nebraska Invasive Species Council Pope April 2020 April 2024
Member, Missouri River Mitigation Herpetofauna Monitoring and Evaluation Subcommittee Allen June 2008 December 2010
Member, Federal Agencies Fisheries Summit Team Pope May 2020 June 2024
Member, Aquatic Gap Working Group National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Allen October 2005 December 2007
Outreach Activity Provider(s)        Date       
Talk entitled "Influence of weather on wildlife" that was co-presented with Larkin A. Powell and presented at the Central Plains Severe Weather Symposium hosted by the University of Nebraska--Lincoln. Pope March 2008
Talk entitled "Effects of Catch-and-release Angling on Growth and Survival of Largemouth Bass" that was presented to the Nebraska B.A.S.S. Federation Pope July 2006
Talk entitled "Effects of Catch-and-release Angling on Growth and Survival of Freshwater Fishes" that was presented to the Nebraska Chapter of Trout Unlimited Pope April 2011
Talk entitled "Effects of Catch-and-release Angling on Fish" that was presented to the Isaak Walton League of America, Nebraska Division Pope January 2006
Sportsmen Forum on Climate Change Fontaine December 2009
Informational seminar to the Brisbane Fire Ant Volunteer Watch Group. Allen August 2004
Exhibit (Fish Identification Quiz and Update on Angler Survey Project) at Missouri River Outdoor Expo (hosted by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission) Pope, Knight, Martin, Chizinski September 2011
Blundering Bills and Beaks, UNL Naturepalooza 2010. Fontaine, Jorgensen, Stutzman October 2010
An invited article for the Wildlife Management Institute's Outdoor News Bulletin, and part of the USGS Cooperative Research Unit Corner column. Spurgeon, Spooner, Newkirk, Hart July 2023