Erwin E. Klaas

515-294-7990, Fax 515-294-5468
eklaas@iastate.edu
http://www.ervklaas.org/

B.S., University of Missouri, 1956
M.S., 1963
Ph.D., University of Kansas, 1970

I retired December 31, 1999 after 30 years service with the U.S. Department of Interior’s, Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey as a Wildlife Research Biologist.

I served the last 25 years as Assistant Leader (1975-92) and Leader (1992-1999) of the Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Iowa State University.

In November 2000, I was elected a Commissioner of the Story County Soil and Water Conservation District and was re-elected November 2004. The county soil and water district is a cooperative effort between the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the county, and private conservation organizations such as Pheasants Forever. This position has given me the opportunity to be involved with the administration of conservation practices on farms and advance education on storm water management and urban soil conservation.

In 2001-2003, I served as Co-Chair for Friends of Hallett's Quarry and led a successful city bond issue campaign that provided funds for the establishment of Ada Hayden Heritage Park in Ames, a 430-acre natural area on the north side of Ames.

I am a volunteer water quality monitorer with the IOWATER program, Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

I have served as a volunteer assistant steward of the Richard W. Pohl Memorial Prairie Preserve in Ames. The preserve is managed by The Iowa Nature Conservancy.

I helped organize the Squaw Creek Watershed Coalition in March 2000 and currently serve as a member of the Executive Committee.

Service on Boards and Committees

• Member of Board of Directors of the Prairie Rivers of Iowa RC&D.
• Member of Board of Directors of 1000 Friends of Iowa.
• Member of the Board of Trustees, “Ding” Darling Foundation.
• Member of the technical advisory committee for the Iowa DNR’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan.
• Member of Urban Stewards of Central Iowa.
• Member of The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Pheasants Forever, Iowa Prairie Network, The Wildlife Society, American Rivers, International Crane Foundation, Iowa Ornithologists’ Union, American Ornithologists’ Union, Union of Concerned Scientists

Honors

• Distinguished Iowa Scientist Award from the Iowa Academy of Science (2000)
• Olav Smedal Conservation Award (2000)
• Professional Award of Merit from the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society (2001)
• elected to the Hall of Fame of the Iowa Chapter of The Wildlife Society (2001)
• Outstanding Water Resources Leader by the Iowa State Water Resources Research Institute (2002)
• Ada Hayden Conservation Education Award from the Iowa Association of Naturalists and the Iowa Conservation Council (2003)
• Volunteer of the Year Award, The Iowa Nature Conservancy (2004)
• Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, USDA-NRCS (2005)