2025 ORTWS/OSAF Joint Meeting
Thriving together: Fostering Resilient Forests and Flourishing Wildlife
February 5-7, 2025 || Salem, Oregon
2025 ORTWS/OSAF Joint Meeting
Schedule-at-a-Glance
We will have a limited number of printed copies of our schedule-at-a-glance available for joint meeting attendees. Please print your own copy of this schedule
if you want to ensure you have a printed copy at the joint meeting.
2025 ORTWS/OSAF Joint Meeting
Full Program Schedule (coming soon)
We will not have a printed copy of our full program schedule available for all joint meeting attendees. Please print your own copy of this schedule if you would like one at the joint meeting -- we will not have them available.
2025 Sponsorship Pledge and Display Space Information
The Joint Meeting is a three-day event on wildlife and forestry science and management which includes technical presentations, focused symposia, professional interaction forums, plenary sessions, and student mentoring events. These events provide opportunities for forestry and wildlife students and professionals to learn about, discuss, and potentially influence diverse aspects of forestry and wildlife conservation and management. Ready to sponsor the 2025 Joint Meeting in Salem, OR? Please click the form here for more sponsorship details and display space information.
Call for 2025 Abstracts, Posters and Presentations
2025 Abstract Submission Deadline: December 31, 2024
Click here for Google Form
View our call for abstracts here to find details on talk lengths, poster guidelines, special sessions, and more!
Interested in presenting your research at the 2025 ORTWS/OSAF Joint Meeting? Submit your scientific abstract today! At this joint meeting we'll have standard length oral presentations (20 min), IGNITE talks (10 min), and a poster session. We also encourage you to share your ideas for special sessions devoted to a single topic or theme. These could include moderated panel discussions, collaborative discussions, point-counterpoint panels, or conversation starter panels.
We frequently hear the phrase “best available science” in the context of making policy decisions. But, what exactly is the process for incorporating science into wildlife management? Building upon last year’s theme of integrating research into management, this year we are exploring how research informs policy. If your research has informed past/current policy, or if your research could inform future policy, we’d love for you to share it at the annual meeting. Similarly, if policy informs how you apply wildlife management, please consider sharing your knowledge with us.
Questions regarding abstract submission? Or do you have an idea for a special session? Contact Jeremy Thompson at jeremy@ortws.org
2025 Joint Meeting Registration
General cancellation: Cancel by Jan 15 and forfeit 25% of registration; cancel after Jan 15 and forfeit 75% of registration fee.
Early-bird Member Meeting Registration Rates
*Available to ORTWS & OSAF Members through December 31, 2024
Member (Early-bird): $375
Grad Student/Early Career Professional† Member (Early-bird): $175
Undergraduate Student (Early-bird): $65
Meeting Registration Rates (past Early-bird deadline)
*Available to ORTWS & OSAF Members from Jan 1 – Feb 7, 2025
Member: $425
Grad Student/Early Career Professional† Member: $225
Undergraduate Student: $100
Non-Member Meeting Registration Rates
We encourage all joint meeting attendees to become ORTWS or OSAF members, to receive reduced registration rates! You can become a member during registration. Learn more about the different levels of ORTWS membership here and OSAF membership here.
Non-member: $525
*Vendor Table Only
Contact kimmccune@ortws.org for *vendor display table: $750 for 3 days
* Vendor table is 8' x 8' or 10' x 10' piped and draped booth, 8' table linen & skirting, chairs & waist basket, electrical hookups and incudes one (1) registration
† Grad student/Early Career: Students currently in a graduate-level wildlife- or forestry-related program, or recent graduates with < 3 years employment experience in the wildlife or forestry professions.
During registration, we encourage you to Opt-In to the Joint Meeting Mentorship Program! See details lower on this page.
Photo Release: I hereby give the Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ORTWS) and Oregon Society of American Foresters (OSAF) permission to take photographs and or/video. I understand that photographs/video may be used, without charge, in ORTWS & OSAF publications, presentations, website and/or other communication channels.
Accommodations
The Grand Hotel in Salem
201 Liberty Street, SE
Salem, OR
Call the Toll Free Reservations: (877) 540-7800 and identify yourself as with the Wildlife Society
or click HERE to book room reservations
Negotiated rates are $189 for Deluxe Double Queen, $179 for Deluxe King.
NOTE: The Grand Hotel Block Expires January 5, 2025
2025 Undergraduate Volunteer Program & Student Lodging
Student Lodging: We offer several pathways for undergraduate students to find free hotel lodging:
- Forestry-focused students at Oregon State University can seek funding for lodging by contacting Hunter Holeman (hunter.holeman@oregonstate.edu), the OSAF OSU Student Chapter Chair
- Forestry-focused students at any other institution can seek funding for lodging by contacting Dan.Stark@oregonstate.edu, the OSAF 2024 Delegate-at-Large
- Wildlife-focused students can apply to volunteer in exchange for free, shared hotel lodging. Read on for details!
Volunteer Program: Undergraduates are encouraged to apply to volunteer for the 2025 joint meeting! In exchange for 4 hours of volunteering at the Joint Meeting, we offer student volunteers free, shared lodging for 3 nights (February 4, 5 & 6, 2025) at The Grand Hotel, Salem, Oregon.
As a volunteer you will help the ORTWS and OSAF Boards ensure that the meeting runs smoothly. This could include helping with running the registration desk, computer assistance in the presentation rooms and selling raffle tickets, and more. You will be asked to sign up for volunteer slots once your application has been accepted.
Please note that the hotel rooms will be shared, with four volunteers to a room; volunteers will be able to state any room preferences or special needs in their application.
If a student wants to volunteer, but does not need lodging, they can still apply to volunteer! Volunteering is a great way to engage in the conference and build your network.
How to Apply to Volunteer: Apply via the google form by the stated deadline. Volunteers must:
- Attend the ORTWS/OSAF 2025 Joint Meeting. (We recommend you purchase society membership and register early, so that you can access the lowest registration rate of Early-Bird Student Member)
- Must be an undergraduate or community college student currently enrolled in a biological, forestry, or natural resources program (e.g., wildlife, forestry, fisheries, conservation biology, zoology, environmental communication)
2025 Joint Meeting Mentorship Program
When you are registering online for the Annual Joint Meeting, you will see an option to “Opt In” to the Mentorship Program, either as a Mentor (for professionals) or a Mentee (for students and early-career professionals).
We encourage you to opt-in to this opportunity, which entails < 2 hours of time at the meeting! Anyone is welcome to participate, whether from a wildlife or forestry background.
This program is simple – before the joint meeting, we connect each Mentor with a Mentee, and then that pair takes the reins and starts communicating with each other, emailing or talking at least once before the joint meeting. Then at the joint meeting, the Mentor-Mentee pair should meet at least twice.
Conversation topics could include questions or advice related to: current career or field of study, personal and professional interests, goals for the joint meeting, career pathways, graduate study, wildlife employers and culture, to name a few.
After the joint meeting, we’d encourage you to stay in contact with your Mentor or Mentee! We hope that Mentees will contact their Mentor within a month after the joint meeting to follow up.
We hope that these conversations and connections can extend beyond the joint meeting and help our Mentees establish a network in the wildlife profession. And remember, Mentees can learn a lot from their Mentees, as well!
2024 Plenary Speakers (2025 Speakers willl be announced soon)
Samara Group
ODFW
USFWS
Univ. of Washington
2025 Workshops and Field Tours
Strategies and Tools for Wildlife Conservation and Management
in a Changing Climate Workshop
Friday, February 7: 8:30am - 12:00pm
Leaders: Katherine Hegewisch (UC Merced); Elise Elliott-Smith, Lindsey Thurman, and Betsy Glenn – Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC)
This workshop will provide an introduction for wildlife researchers and managers about how climate systems work, how to access and interpret different future climate projections, and hands-on training with The Climate Toolbox – an online resource of web tools for visualizing past and projected climate and hydrology of the U.S. We plan to cover the following topics during the workshop:
- Introduction to climate change in the Pacific Northwest
- Climate adaptation analysis tools and management strategies
- Introduction to species vulnerability assessments and adaptive capacity - Introduction to climate modeling and The Climate Toolbox
- A hands-on exercise using The Climate Toolbox
Considerations: Laptops suggested for workshop participants
Registration Fee: Professionals - $25, Students - $10
Participant Limit: 30 (can be flexible, depending on room capacity)
Birding at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge Field Tour
Friday, February 7: 8:30am - 12:00pm
(Meet in front of the Grand Hotel - 8:30 AM)
Field tour is FULL
Leaders: Jim Hartmann and Jeff Dillon, USFWS
We will explore Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge and the unique habitats there, including a 3/4 mile boardwalk through a wetland ash forest. We will travel by vehicle between stops, with minimal hiking required, mostly flat surfaces. Restrooms available at Refuge Headquarters. Jeff Dillon, USFWS, has a deep knowledge of the National Wildlife Refuges of the Willamette Valley and will provide information about management strategies as well as expert bird identification.
Considerations: Bring binoculars (we will have some to share) and we will carpool a few miles to the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge! They have a MOTUS antenna and a variety of outstanding bird habitats
Registration Fee: Free of charge
Participant Limit: 25
The Value of TWS Certification and How to Get There Workshop
Friday, February 7: 8:30am - 12:00pm
Leaders: Jenniffer Bakke, CWB and Fran Cafferata, CWB
Join us for a short information session to learn about TWS certification and then a work session with two Certified Wildlife Biologists to help you develop a path for certification. Think you're short on required experience or education? Probably not! Bring your questions and let's work on your application together.
Considerations: Participants should bring a laptop or tablet, copy of their college transcript(s), and a current resume
Registration Fee: Professionals - $15
Participant Limit: 15
Wildfire impacts and Forest Recovery in the Santiam Forest Field Tour
Friday, February 7: 9:00am - 2:00pm (van tour)
Field Tour is FULL
Leaders: Glenn Ahrens, OSU Extension Forester; Kyle Kaupp, ODF Santiam Unit Forester
The Beachie Creek Fire of 2020 covered 182,700 acres, with 67% of it at medium to high severity. More than half was on private and State lands in the North Fork Santiam watershed. Join this tour to learn about the impacts and see how foresters have helped the forests and people of the Santiam recover from wildfire.
Considerations: Field tour, transportation and supporting materials provided by OSU, ODF, and OSAF.
Registration Fee: Professionals - $40, Students - $0 (no charge for first 10 students)
Participant Limit: 30
2025 Photo Contest
We are excited to continue the photography contest tradition as part of the joint meeting between the Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society and the Oregon Society for American Foresters. Join us in celebrating the beauty of our natural world and the important work we do by submitting your photos! Click HERE for all details.
CATEGORIES
- Mammals
- Birds
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Other Wildlife (e.g., fishes, invertebrates)
- Plants & Fungi
- Landscape & Habitats
2024 Photo Contest Winners
A big Shout Out and congratulations to the winners of the 2024 photo contest held in Hood River, Oregon this year! We had one of the largest number of entries in many years with 56 photos submitted. Thanks to all who participated and especially those of you who took the time to vote! There is even talk about including trail camera shots for next year. Keep that camera with you wherever you may go until next February and enter the photo contest!!
Mammals & Best of Show
Emily Weidner - Lynx
Birds
Emily Weidner - Hummingbird in Nest
Inverts/Other
Emily Weidner – Bug in Sand
Landscapes/Habitat
Alyson Yates - Cholla & Mountains
Thank you to our 2025 Sponsorships
