Chris Simpson has been named the 2009 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife Biologist of the Year. Simpson, a resident of Cookeville, serves TWRA as Region III Nongame Inventory Manager.

Simpson received his award at the recently-held meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission in Knoxville. A 16-year veteran of TWRA, the Nashville native is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University.

“Chris is a model professional biologist and is always willing to apply his time and talents to wildlife resource conservation and management,” said Kirk Miles, TWRA Region III Wildlife Diversity Coordinator. “His tireless work ethic, professionalism, and overall enthusiasm for his work make him an invaluable asset to TWRA. He deserves recognition for going that extra mile, not just this year, but throughout his career with TWRA.”

Simpson has been at the forefront of innovative nongame wildlife survey techniques. He has designed and implemented nongame wildlife inventory projects on four TWRA Wildlife Management Areas. The knowledge gained from these projects has significantly enhanced TWRA’s knowledge of rare species present on agency lands. The projects are ongoing and will influence TWRA lands management decisions for years to come.

In 2008, Simpson volunteered to attend a week-long training session on a new thermal imaging camera and software system designed to count endangered gray bats as they emerge from roost caves. This training has resulted in a multi-agency effort to survey priority gray bat caves in Tennessee. Thus far, Simpson has led TWRA efforts to survey 16 priority gray bat caves in Middle and East Tennessee. This year several caves were surveyed twice to provide baseline data that may be critical should White Nose Syndrome begin to affect endangered Tennessee bat populations. He has also provided training using thermal imaging techniques for personnel with other agencies involved in bat cave surveys. Overall, data from these surveys will be invaluable in providing population estimates and to develop population trends for gray bat populations in Tennessee.

Simpson has worked to pool resources and establish partnerships to accomplish wildlife conservation and management objectives. In 2008, as part of a two-person team, he was charged with developing management projects to enhance quail and small game habitat on select Region III Wildlife Management Areas. The team coordinated and developed projects on five WMAs. In 2009, project implementation focused on the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness. His two-man team developed a comprehensive prescribed fire plan and working with lands management personnel were able to make initial controlled burns on 700 acres.

An advocate of wildlife conservation, Simpson has spent significant time with school programs, public/media events, and professional meetings to encourage wildlife conservation and management. For the past two years, he has served on the Organizing Committee for Cookeville’s Annual Nature Fest, one of the largest conservation focused events in the Upper Cumberland region.

Simpson worked as a wildlife fisheries technician prior to moving into his current position in 2004. He works out of the Region III office in Crossville. Region III includes the Upper Cumberland region down to the southeastern portion of the state.