Interview with Stanley Temple

Partial Transcript: Q: "We called a mini-audible here...we're going to start with childhood and growing up..." A: "Sure, my parents, my father was also Stanley Temple..."

Segment Synopsis: Stanley "Stan" Temple (ST) offered an brief overview of his mother's and father's life, noting that his father passed away when ST was still young. That led ST's mother to pursue a career. Both his parents insisted that ST go onto college. It, too, was part of the reason that ST moved several times during his childhood.

Keywords: Britain; Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland, Ohio; Houston, Texas; Howard Johnson's; Revlon; Texas Instruments; Washington D.C.

Partial Transcript: Q: "I'm glad you ended with that...you ended up meeting Rachel Carson..." A: "My interest in nature and the out of doors goes back even further than the experiences in Washington..."

Segment Synopsis: ST knew Rachel Carson; here he explained how they met, how they reconnected late in Carson's life, and what influence she had on him.

Keywords: Audubon Society; Boy Scouts; Cleveland Museum of Natural History; DDT; Rachel Carson; Silent Spring; The Sea Around Us; birds of prey; falconry; pesticides

Partial Transcript: Q: "Stan, I know you want to talk about your time at the museum in Cleveland...but I need to know...how does a young man, or a young boy, become a falconer?" A: "Well, it's interesting, there may be some heredity in it..."

Segment Synopsis: ST explained how he became interested in falconry and talked about two of his birds, who were related. He also noted here about how his falcons were "imprinted" to him, which made breeding impossible without outside assistance.

Keywords: Cornell University; Nature (journal); birds of prey; crane; kestrel; nestling; peregrine falcon; red-tailed hawk

Partial Transcript: Q: "So lets now, it's not necessarily backing up...lets talk about how you became involved in the museum in Cleveland..." A: "After we moved to Cleveland my interest in nature and birds was, by that time, irreversible..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses time as a teenager being mentored at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and its impact on his future career.

Keywords: Bill Scheele; Cleveland Metropolitan Parks; Jared Potter Kirtland; Kirtland's warbler; merlin (falcon); sharp-shinned hawk

Partial Transcript: Q: "So lets move into your college experience, then...where were you deciding to go as applying to college rolled around?" A: "Well I set my sights very early on on going to Cornell..."

Segment Synopsis: ST wanted to matriculate at Cornell University because they served as a world center on the study of ornithology. ST said his job at CMNH helped him earn money to help pay for it. In this section ST returned to his high school academic career, including why truancy became a problem for him and why one teacher called him a "impudent psuedo-intellectual."

Keywords: Arthur Allen; Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Cornell University

Partial Transcript: Q: "Lets move on to college then...how's the adjustment academically to college?" A: "I think because I had a little more control over the course that I would take, Cornell gave students quite a bit of freedom..."

Segment Synopsis: ST could control his courses much more at Cornell, taking courses that interested him. He talked about the conservation of natural resources class and the ornithology lab, including how he secured a student job there.

Keywords: A Sand County Almanac; Aldo Leopold; Arthur Allen; Charles Sibley; Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Cornell University; Daniel Thompson; University of Wisconsin

Partial Transcript: Q: "Stan, lets back up four years from there...I wonder if you wouldn't mind talking about the first time you read 'A Sand County Almanac'" A: "Yeah, the first encounter was while I was working at the Cleveland Museum..."

Segment Synopsis: In his previous answer, ST noted he had read Sand County Almanac before college. He offered a detailed anecdote about his first reading of it, how he found a used copy, and the excitement while in college when Sand County Almanac came back into print.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Cornell University; Daniel Thompson; Kelleys Island; Oxford University Press

Partial Transcript: Q: "So now we're back at Cornell...being in a place, living by yourself. Adjusting to that part of college, how did that go? A: "It didn't have any major problems that I can recall..."

Segment Synopsis: ST found kindred spirits, took interesting classes, always earned money doing interesting, applicable work. Eventually, he became an undergraduate teaching assistant. He couldn't recall any major problems while at Cornell.

Keywords: Carl Sagan; Charles Sibley; Cortland, New York; John Emlen; Steve Emlen

Partial Transcript: Q: "So, you know, Junior year, Senior year, as you're approaching graduation what's the next - what're you thinking of at that point?" A: "Well, I'm planning ahead..."

Segment Synopsis: ST had planned ahead; he would work with Tom Cade at his lab. But Cade was hired by Cornell to run their ornithology lab, and Cornell usually did not accept undergraduate from Cornell. ST explained how he called in his "chips" and was able to matriculate into Cornell's graduate school.

Keywords: Charles Sibley; Syracuse University; Tom Cade

Partial Transcript: Q: "Obviously not much of a transition physically...How was the transition then, undergraduate to graduate, in terms of the education?" A: "I would say fairly easy for me..."

Segment Synopsis: ST called it a "fairly easy" transition and explained why. He also spoke here about Cade's work with graduate students, about the circumstances leading other graduate students to look for him for leadership, and about how working the lab leading him to meet major players in his field, including UW-Madison's Joe Hickey.

Keywords: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Cornell University; Joe Hickey; Tom Cade; University of Wisconsin

Partial Transcript: A: "But, something remarkable happened when I was a grad student..."

Segment Synopsis: More on graduate school. ST furnished his thoughts about going to graduate school during the rise of the modern environmental movement. He noted how seeing faculty engage the public regarding their research served as a model for the rest of his career. He also spoke more about Tom Cade and his creation of the Peregrine Fund.

Keywords: Cornell University; E.O. Wilson; Joe Hickey; Paul Ehrlich; Peregrine Fund; Tom Cade; University of Wisconsin; conservation; environmental activism

Partial Transcript: Q: "Stan can we back up, because I think I remember reading one of the documents you gave me...would you speak out against DDT?" A: "Yeah, that was in high school, that was when I was a Sophomore..."

Segment Synopsis: ST did speak as a high schooler about issues important to him, such as the use of DDT and its effect on birds. He returned to his time at Cornell, underlining the idea that scientists could do good work and promote it.

Keywords: Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Cornell University; Rachel Carson; Silent Spring

Partial Transcript: Q: "Stan, maybe one more thing today...what was your research as a grad student?" A: "Well my graduate career got interrupted by the Vietnam War..."

Segment Synopsis: ST talked about his first research project and why the Vietnam War stopped it before he could get his doctorate on it. He did earn a master's degree for that work, on Merlins. ST also worked with Cade in Alaska one summer, which earned the wrath of his local draft board.

Keywords: Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland; Tom Cade; Vietnam War; draft; merlin (falcon)

Partial Transcript: A: "But I wasn't making any progress, of course, on my own Ph.D..."

Segment Synopsis: More on graduate school research. ST's work in Alaska did not advance his degree work. Because of Vietnam, he looked for a project close to home that he could use to get his Ph.D quickly. ST then explained how a remark made by a professor in a class led him to document the annual cycle of the European Starling. But he initially did not use this work to get his Ph.D. He said why.

Keywords: Ari van Tienhoven; European starling; International Council for Bird Preservation; S. Dillon Ripley; Tom Cade; World Wildlife Fund

Partial Transcript: Q: "When we left off the first interview, you had received what essentially became sort of like a postdoc to travel and do some research..." A: "It was, I guess you could say, the equivalent somewhat of a postdoc experience working for some international wildlife conservation groups..."

Segment Synopsis: Talks about postdoc with wildlife conservation groups like International Council for Bird Preservation and The World Wildlife Fund and NY Zoological Society. Goes to Indian Ocean to visit the island homes of world's rarest birds. Verifies status of animals and tries to encourage conservation activities locally. First experience with international conservation.

Keywords: Indian Ocean; International Council for Bird Preservation; New York Zoological Society; World Wildlife Fund; conservation

Partial Transcript: A: "But the bird that was the primary focus of my work was the Mauritius Kestrel..."

Segment Synopsis: Primary focus of work was Mauritius Kestrel. Worked on Seychelles. Challenging to work places w/o conservation infrastructure. Citizen support, even on small islands. Mauritius Kestrel was rarest bird in the world.

Keywords: Aldabra; Dodo; Mauritius; Mauritius Kestrel; Seychelles

Partial Transcript: A: "Given the experiences that I brought from Cornell, where we had quite recently begun the experiments to breed birds of prey in captivity..."

Segment Synopsis: Influenced by Cornell experiments in which American Kestrels were bred in captivity ST starts captive breeding program for local species. Great risk if program didn't work. Lists species for which they started captive breeding programs. Local government unhappy with ST's prescriptions for conservation, including criticism of deforestation and World Bank development projects. ST telephones Dylan Ripley, President of WWF, who gets in touch with Robert Macnamara, President of World Bank. Accused of causing an international incident. Taints relationship with government.

Keywords: American Kestrel; Dylan Ripley; Mauritius Kestrel; Mauritius echo parrot; Mauritius pink pigeon; Robert McNamara; World Bank; World Wildlife Fund

Partial Transcript: A: "I had other conflicts while I was there..."

Segment Synopsis: ST discusses a story from his proposal to save the endemic species of Round Island by poisoning invasive species, and the international reaction to his proposal.

Keywords: Round Island; World Wildlife Fund; animal rights activism

Partial Transcript: A: "The Mauritius Kestrel story, because it was the rarest bird in the world, it made headlines of course..."

Segment Synopsis: Rarity of Mauritius Kestrel garners attention for ST. Cites it as key factor in establishing international reputation. Taught important lessons and placed ST within international conservation network. Helped him decide to focus primarily on conservation of rare and endangered birds.

Keywords: Indian Ocean; Mauritius Kestrel; World Wildlife Fund

Partial Transcript: A: "But, in the years that I was away in the Indian Ocean, back home at Cornell..."

Segment Synopsis: Tom Cade and Peregrine Fund developing at Cornell during the years ST was away. Upon ST's return Peregrine Fund was ready to do initial trials releasing captive birds. ST hired to oversee the project using strategies and techniques he'd developed. Many critics thought project was a boondoggle.

Keywords: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Cornell University; Peregrine Fund; Tom Cade

Partial Transcript: A: "But there were some unexpected wrinkles in all of this that, again, brought me back into the realm of politics..."

Segment Synopsis: Unexpected wrinkles which draw ST back into politics. Spent a semester in Washington as graduate student working on Endangered Species Act. Difficulties with Fish and Wildlife who thought he was selling the birds. Discusses approach to conservation projects.

Keywords: Endangered Species Act; Peregrine Fund; United State Fish and Wildlife Service; Washington D.C.

Partial Transcript: A: "So, now we have to back up a little as we make the transition toward UW-Madison..."

Segment Synopsis: Professor Joe Hickey, successor of Aldo Leopold, a father figure to ST within the field. ST named as a potential replacement for Hickey as Hickey begins to plan for retirement. Describes interview process. Revealed tension in wildlife field between game and non-game management. Offered the job.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Bob McCabe; Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology; Joe Hickey; Tom Cade; University of Wisconsin; peregrine falcon; wildlife conservation

Partial Transcript: Q: "You had been here before the job interview...Did you feel like you had to wrap up what you were doing at Cornell before -" A: "It was actually a good time..."

Segment Synopsis: Transitioning to Madison. Good time to wrap up at Cornell. Describes job offer--Joe Hickey model--50% research 50% teaching. Leaned on to teach because of reputation. Also a good fit because of ST's international experience.

Keywords: Cornell University; Joe Hickey; Peregrine Fund

Partial Transcript: Q: "I think you've alluded to this when you talked about the tension that you overheard...What are your memories of coming and getting acquainted and acclimated to the department?" A: "Yeah, well maybe even before I actually arrived..."

Segment Synopsis: Getting settled with the assistance of Joe Hickey. Hickey encourages ST to remember department's place in College of Agriculture and subsequent outsider status. Hickey recalls fights against DDT and the associated difficulties with the college. UW system and expectation of outreach work. Salary shockingly uncompetitive. Moves to Madison Summer of 1976.

Keywords: College of Agriculture; DDT; Joe Hickey; University of Wisconsin; Wisconsin Idea

Partial Transcript: Q: "Do you have memories or anecdotes about that first year then, things that stand out as you transition from what you were doing at Cornell to coming here?" A: "I was like a kid in a candy shop..."

Segment Synopsis: Recollections of first year and transition. Large list of projects. Focus on Wisconsin projects. Large number of graduate students. Example given: captive breeding and reintroduction programs, esp those related to Condors. Ironic partnership with Fish and Wildlife department.

Keywords: Andean condor; California condor; Mauritius kestrel; United States Fish and Wildlife Service; black vulture; turkey vulture

Partial Transcript: A: "The other thing that I did hitting the ground was that, the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973..."

Segment Synopsis: Starts working on recovery standards and management techniques for endangered species under 1973 Endangered Species Act.

Keywords: National Audubon Society; United States Fish and Wildlife Service; World Wildlife Fund

Partial Transcript: Q: "If you don't mind, can we talk about that first year and the teaching responsibilities? so what were you teaching, and then of course sort of how comfortable you felt teaching it?" A: "Yeah, well fortunately what I was asked to do I felt very comfortable doing..."

Segment Synopsis: First year teaching. Two requirements. First was to take over introductory wildlife ecology course, but bring back standard of rigor for those in the major. Course had evolved to large lecture capturing many non-majors, often those looking for "easier" credits.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Joe Hickey

Partial Transcript: Q: "So, you're teaching that course, and then what's the other -" A: "The second was to develop a course..."

Segment Synopsis: Second task is to create a course. ST creates two new courses: avian ecology, and associated lab course techniques in avian ecology. Utilized the special topics course heading to create new courses. Move away from avian ecology after conflict with zoology dept and strengthening of ornithology course in zoology dept. Took on more courses of personal interest, subjects like conservation biology, extinction, ecotoxicology, and human-animal relationships. Eventually takes on and updates Leopold's second course, Principles of Wildlife Management.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Department of Zoology; Patricia McConnell

Partial Transcript: Q: "Maybe a bit more, a couple more things on teaching...is there a way to characterize your style of teaching?" A: "Well, I mean, I could describe it myself, but I could also sort of repeat the things students have said on course evaluations over the years..."

Segment Synopsis: Teaching style: highly organized, informed by and reflective of personal experience, rigorous. Received teaching awards. Enjoys teaching component of appointments, unlike other research-driven professors. Discusses exam approaches. Discusses problem-solving framework for questions.

Keywords: Mauritius kestrel; Round Island

Partial Transcript: Q: "Well maybe lets finish now on...is that the second Aldo Leopold course?" A: "Well, Wildlife Management, when I took over the course Principles of Wildlife management, that was a real vote of confidence, I guess you might say, from my colleagues..."

Segment Synopsis: Further discusses Principles of Wildlife Management course. Changes were unpopular w/ previous professor, but the changes ST brought were eventually nationally recognized. Only on job three years before Fish and Wildlife service recruit ST. Offer serves to galvanize UW interest and ST is made full-professor, awarded a raise, and promised the fast track for a named chair.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Bob McCabe; The Wildlife Society; United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Partial Transcript: Q: "When we last left off...you were tenured, it was the early '80s, and we're just going to continue on chronologically...in the early '80s what sort of things were you doing? A: "When I arrived, my reputation at that point was primarily focused on endangered species recovery..."

Segment Synopsis: Research focused on discerning human impacts on species and forming conservation and management recommendations. Learned it is not only endangered species that were controversial. Working on non-endangered species opened other opportunities though. Gives an example among migratory birds which changed some conventions in management.

Keywords: bird migration; conservation; endangered species; environmental politics

Partial Transcript: A: "But there were also instances of research questions that had very broad implications..."

Segment Synopsis: Also research questions with broad implications. Discussions application of island biogeographic theory to management of habitats for wildlife. Discusses how the work was conducted in SC Wisconsin and also talks about the broader implications.

Keywords: Baraboo; brown-headed cowbird; island biogeographic theory

Partial Transcript: A: "There were a few other things that we did during the 80s..."

Segment Synopsis: Describes other work that tried to clarify implications of people's actions on birds. Example is the impact of winter bird feeding.

Keywords: Rick Knight; hook-billed kite; nest defense; parental investment theory; red-winged blackbirds

Partial Transcript: A: "There were other papers like that that -- one that was early, it was actual in the late 70s that I published a paper that appeared in 'Science'..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses other papers, including one published in Science in 1970 about a Mauritian tree which was relatively popular. A simple story about mutualism. Somewhat controversial among scholars, but eventually vindicated.

Keywords: Mauritius; Science (journal); Stephen Jay Gould; dodo bird

Partial Transcript: Q: "Can I jump in, sort of work backwards from this...You mentioned Science, but what other sort of types of places would your research get published?" A: "Yeah, it sort of depended on the nature of the research..."

Segment Synopsis: Publishing process and forums for publication. Publishes in a number of fields, causing peers to view him as intellectually schizophrenic. Doing studies at home. Designs an experiment using his falcon and background in falconry to determine predator/sub-standard prey relationship. Ends up being one of ST's most-cited articles.

Keywords: Dane County; Ecological Applications; Ecology (journal); Journal of Wildlife Management; University of Wisconsin Arboretum; falconry; red-tailed hawk

Partial Transcript: Q: "So you talk about this project that you did by yourself, without grad students..." A: "Well I think I learned a lot from Tom Cade as my mentor..."

Segment Synopsis: Relationship to graduate students and graduate student research. Works heavily with students in the beginning and final stages of research process. Helped secure research funding and co-authored projects. Very few papers emerging from ST's lab were rejected.

Keywords: Tom Cade

Partial Transcript: Q: "Stan, we talk a lot about diversity on this campus, so I'm wondering in this time period...what was the gender breakdown of your graduate students? You know, I don't expect a specific count, but a rough count." A: "Well, I do sort of know exactly what it was..."

Segment Synopsis: Graduate student demographics. Overwhelmingly male until late-70s. As conservation broadens away from game species more women enter the field. By the end of ST's career the balance has tipped and women constitute the majority of undergrads. Leopold had one female grad student, Fran Hamerstrom, whom ST discusses, but then the university went almost 40 years without a female graduate student in the department. ST accepts women as graduate students immediately, and some eyebrows are raised. ST supervises first female PhD in department, Margaret Brittingham.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Fran Hamerstrom; Margaret Brittingham

Partial Transcript: Q: "So, you talk about how this effort for you to bring in, accept, women raised some eyebrows...if you want to talk a little bit broader, your relationship within the department." A: "Well, yeah, the department has always, since Aldo Leopold's time, been viewed as if not the top, then one of the top programs in the country..."

Segment Synopsis: Program considered a perennial powerhouse, and because of that ST indicates there was some discomfort with changes during his time. These include the shift to non-game species. Colleagues' displeasure piqued when ST's work branched out into other areas. Early proponent of conservation biology. Interdisciplinarity of ST's approach bothered individuals in wildlife department but welcomed at Institute of Environmental Studies. Partnership with IES, later Nelson Institute, highly unpopular with Wildlife Department. ST describes in terms of Kuhnian paradigm shift. Peaks when ST elected president for newly-emerged Society for Conservation Biology. No support from department.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Institute for Environmental Studies; Nelson Institute; Society for Conservation Biology; Thomas Kuhn; conservation biology; game species; non-game species

Partial Transcript: A: "You, well the emergence of conservation biology was very exciting..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses excitement during emerging years of conservation biology. Species loss and the "sixth mass extinction." Discusses research on habitat fragmentation. Rising awareness of biodiversity crisis among academics in 70s and 80s.

Keywords: habitat fragmentation; mass extinction

Partial Transcript: A: "So, it was an interesting time, a kind of a difficult time for me personally..."

Segment Synopsis: An interesting and difficult time for ST personally. Attacked by by traditional members of the wildlife field when he was president of society for conservation biology. Wanted to bridge rift between fields. Discusses perception and accusation of being anti-hunting. Eventually paradigm shifts.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Sand County Almanac

Partial Transcript: Q: "Do you, this sort of brings it into the present, but do you feel it important to be able to provide the context, when younger people say 'What was the big deal about that'?" A: "Yeah, absolutely..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses value of history of conservation thought. Tensions come to a head on campus when ST starts a new degree program. One of the most disappointing aspects of ST's interaction with administrators. Conflict between departments leads to rough relationship with an administrator. Fell out of line with general principles of faculty governance.

Keywords: Donna Shalala; Institute for Environmental Studies; Joe Hickey

Partial Transcript: A: "This really was, I mean, a very sad episode for me, and it was during this time that I actually came as close as I ever came to leaving campus..."

Segment Synopsis: Time made more difficult by offer of endowed-chairship by Cornell. UW offers retention package. Retention package also affected by administrator. Complications with Beers-Bascom professorship, as ST is compelled to supervise farm endowed to the University by Beers.

Keywords: Beers-Bascom Professorship in Conservation; Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Cornell University; Kraft Foods; William Beers

Partial Transcript: A: "But that brings us up to the '90s now..."

Segment Synopsis: ST continued to publish with regularity in the 90s. Had opportunities to explore understudied subjects. In Wisconsin he receives money from USDA through Hatch Fund program. Discusses one such project involving grassland birds and predation by free-ranging cats.

Keywords: Hatch Fund Program; United States Department of Agriculture; Wildlife Society; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; cats

Partial Transcript: Q: "Stan, we ended up with...the lead up to and then sort of the initial aftermath of the research you were doing on feral cats...I wonder if we can jump in there and go from there?" A: "Sure, well, the 'cat study,' as I think I explained last time, got me somewhat naively and innocently into yet another controversy..."

Segment Synopsis: Continues discussing the implications of the cat study. Highlights longstanding conflict over how to deal with invasive species threatening native animals. Tensions run especially high after citizen from La Crosse uses data to attempt to push to make feral cats unprotected animal. Media mischaracterizes ST's involvement. Threats become significant enough that ST contacts University Police. Subsequent broad opposition to lethal control of invasive species.

Keywords: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; cats

Partial Transcript: Q: "This takes us to the present, but I want to ask one more thing about this while it's on my mind. I've never been threatened...How have you tried to deal with that?" A: "Well, many colleagues have said I'm a fool for doing this, but I've responded to virtually every one..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses the impact of unpopularity among the public. ST's method has been to respond to his critics. Has considered it part of his responsibility. Some respond to inform ST he changed their mind. Still gets yearly requests to talk about cats and cat ecology. Discusses effort to get municipalities to adopt trap, neuter, release programs and then discusses the shortcomings of such approaches. ST has advocated only for a small number of solutions, and only those that pass his "three-way test."

Keywords: controversy; euthanasia; feral cats; neuter

Partial Transcript: A: "I've promoted a couple of things..."

Segment Synopsis: ST discusses efforts he has promoted over the years. Cats indoors program. Discusses how the feral cat research became surprisingly significant part of ST's life.

Keywords: American Bird Conservancy; Cats Indoors Program

Partial Transcript: Q: "Thank you for all that...I think, chronologically...we were in the early '90s...I'm not sure we've talked a lot about your service on campus..."A: "I must say that I was always very impressed with the Wisconsin Idea..."

Segment Synopsis: ST talks about his appreciation of the Wisconsin Idea, and the outreach he engaged in throughout his career.

Keywords: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Society of Conservation Biology; Society of Conservation Ecology; The Nature Conservancy; Wisconsin Bird Checklist; Wisconsin Idea; eBird

Partial Transcript: Q: "So that was, I think, three major groups you were involved in...I'm wondering, whether it be the '90s or whenever, what, if any, involvement you've had with the Arboretum." A: "Over the years, I have had a lot to do with the Arboretum..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses involvement with arboretum. Something that goes back to ST's job interview. Talks about early initiative to reintroduce native wildlife species. Didn't go far. Recruited to committee for arboretum. Long serving chair. Arboretum has always been a challenge, and its roles have changed and been renegotiated over time. Discusses difficult decisions made during time as chair. Partnership with Audubon society. Eventually there is a conflict between seed collectors and researchers. Discusses becoming an arboretum legend while doing falconry-based research. ST drawn onto map.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Faville Prairie; Madison Audubon Society; University of Wisconsin Arboretum

Partial Transcript: A: "So yeah, that was one of the big on campus things..."

Segment Synopsis: Talks about William Beers farm being gifted to the University. Ends up being a considerable liability after animal abuse issues surface. Discusses launching a new degree program in (now Nelson institute) Conservation department. One of first interdisciplinary conservation biology graduate programs in nation. Discusses other committee assignments.

Keywords: Donald Waller; Green County; Nelson Institute; Tim Moermond; University of Wisconsin Arboretum; William Beers; conservation biology; sustainable development

Partial Transcript: Q: "There's something I want to ask, and we asked it in the first interview and you've alluded to him off and on throughout, and that's Aldo Leopold...When is it, is it just a constant that your interest in Leopold is here?" A: "Well, from the beginning, Bob McCabe, who was chairman of the department, and Joe Hickey..."

Segment Synopsis: Interest in and relationship to the work of Aldo Leopold. Didn't make much of the fact that he had Aldo Leopold's old position until the 1990s. Has since tried to incorporate Leopold's work into his public speaking engagements. Becomes science advisor for Leopold Family Foundation. After retirement becomes senior fellow of Leopold Foundation.

Keywords: A Sand County Almanac; Aldo Leopold; Aldo Leopold Foundation; Curt Meine; Joe Hickey; Robert McCabe

Partial Transcript: A: "So, you know, Aldo Leopold has been there pretty much through my career..."

Segment Synopsis: Continues talking about the influence of Aldo Leopold on his career. Discusses "Leopold Weekend." ST has been involved with organizations that have sponsored the weekend. Has often given talks. ST talks about research that has been done on Leopold and some of the works that have been produced. Discusses the value of increased access to Leopold's materials.

Keywords: "Green Fire"; "Leopold Weekend"; A Sand County Almanac; Curt Meine; Institute for Environmental Studies; Joe Hickey; Leopold Foundation; Lodi, Wisconsin; Robert McCabe; University of Wisconsin Arboretum

Partial Transcript: Q: "So, Stan, you just mentioned that even though the archival holdings are now available online, there are still people who want to come and see it...Several times a year either your class, or you, bring people in to look at it...Why?" A: "Well, 'why' is because there is an impact..."

Segment Synopsis: Why ST brought students to see the Leopold collections. Discusses graduate seminar on Leopold and history of conservation thought. An attempt at remedying student obliviousness after ST discovers it during prelims and finals. Discusses power of the physical artifacts for students.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Curt Meine; University of Wisconsin Archives

Partial Transcript: Q: "I think we have a little bit -- well, we do have a little bit more time. So, so we've talked about your--" A: "Maybe we continue with the '90s and one of the things that I did that was not technically research, and I suppose would be more considered to be in the realm of outreach...

Segment Synopsis: Discusses international work with students in the 1990s. Dissatisfaction with handing work over. Decides to invest sabbatical year in investing long-term relationship with a country in the world non-reliant on funding cycle. Discusses criteria for selecting a country. Trinidad and Tobago rises to the top of ST's list. Conveniently UW had just established an exchange program. Fulbright professorship at University of West Indies. Busier than at any other point in his career. ST becomes central figure in Caribbean biodiversity/conservation movement. Organizes a course on Caribbean island ecology which became immensely popular.

Keywords: Fulbright Professorship; Trinidad and Tobago; University of the West Indies; sabbatical

Partial Transcript: A: "The other thing that I did while I was down there was to work closely with the then small, demoralized, impotent wildlife agency.."

Segment Synopsis: Works to revive a nearly-dead wildlife organization. Work the agency did was remnant of colonialism. ST ends up teaching a course to organization members on wildlife management. Combines lecture and strategic planning. Extremely threatening to forestry companies. ST recalls moving story about work with a local conservation official. Unexpected acknowledgment of ST's contributions.

Keywords: Trinidad and Tobago; wildlife management

Partial Transcript: Q: "We have, I'd say, six to eight things here that we want to talk about...what I want to start with is awards...are there awards that stand out in your mind, and why?" A: "My wife reminds me that there's quite a bit of shelf space in a closet that's piled up with all the awards that have accumulated over time."

Segment Synopsis: Early teaching awards. Beers-Bascom chair in conservation. Unexpected Spitz Land Grant award later in ST's career. Conservation awards. Election as fellow of WI Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters.

Keywords: Beers-Bascom Chair in Conversation; Society for Conservation Biology; Spitz Land Grant Award; Wildlife Society; William Beers; Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters

Partial Transcript: Q: "My next question is based on some documents we have here in our collection..." A: "Well yes, you're right, I have served in a number of organizations in that capacity..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses editorial roles and positions. Second associate editor of the journal Conservation Biology. Helped start journal Bird Conservation. Editorial responsibility to Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. Worked to revive Society's journal, The Passenger Pigeon. Eventually recognized as nation's best state bird journal.

Keywords: Conservation Biology (journal); Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; International Journal of Bird Conservation; The Passenger Pigeon (journal); Wisconsin Society for Ornithology

Partial Transcript: Q: "I want to move on now to a couple of questions that have been addressed previously...Do you feel that you have mentored folks here, and if so how would you describe your mentoring of them?" A: "Well I definitely considered mentoring students, both undergrads and graduate students, to be a very primary part of my responsibility..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses work as a mentor for students. Increases student diversity by breaking from tradition and taking on female graduate students. Very close relationship with graduate students. Reflects on his candor which was sometimes unsettling to graduate students.

Keywords: diversity

Partial Transcript: Q: "Just a follow up to that...How long, on average were graduate students working with you to get their degrees?" A: "My students tended to get through fairly quickly..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses length of time students spent in the program. Generally very timely. Discusses one notable exception. Talks about students' teaching obligations and research assistantships.

Keywords: Department of Natural Resources

Partial Transcript: Q: "You touched on something I wanted to follow up with, too, and that's the idea of diversity..." A: "The very small wildlife department that I initially joined had no diversity..."

Segment Synopsis: Discusses campus-level diversification during his tenure. State and federal agencies hiring UW graduates. Discusses disappointing conflicts with other faculty members later in his career. Accusations of anti-female discrimination. Subsequent reviews and responses contested the validity of the accusations.

Keywords: diversity; gender

Partial Transcript: Q: "At this point, my questions are now 'why retire when you do?' So, I want to make sure if there are things that you're thinking of that happen pre-emeritus status that you want to make sure we talk about, if not...Why choose to retire when you did?" A: "Yeah, it was actually I think the formal was 2008, is when I finally closed the door..."

Segment Synopsis: Talks about retirement and continuing work. Felt he had little left to prove with his research. Shift more toward teaching and outreach. Discusses public speaking. Uses engagement with Aldo Leopold Foundation to continue his work. Continues research work with data from others, including Bill (Arlie W.) Schorger and Aldo Leopold himself. Published paper ecological consequences of climate change. Has tried to wrap up projects that didn't take off at other times.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold; Aldo Leopold Foundation; Bill Schorger; Buddy Huffaker; climate change

Partial Transcript: A: "So I've continued to teach, and occasionally, in retirement, I've been able to take the lead role in a fairly major national conservation effort..."

Segment Synopsis: Has been able to take leadership roles in national conservation effort. Discusses the anniversary of the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon and Bill Schorger's research. Formation of Project Passenger Pigeon, making a film, getting a beer branded, and an exhausting year (2014) of over 100 public speaking engagements. Talks about an A.P. Heinrich symphony inspired by the Passenger Pigeon and an attempt to undermine UW's performance of it by Yale. Restates some organizational engagements.

Keywords: A.P. Heinrich; Bill Schorger; Jim Smith; Nature Conservancy; Project Passenger Pigeon; Society for Conservation Biology; Yale University; passenger pigeon

Partial Transcript: Q: "So Stan, the question now is, it's really the final question about legacy, it's a two parter...it's 'What do you think you'll be remembered for?' and 'Is that the same thing that you'd like to be remembered for?'" A: "Yeah, those are things that, I will have to be honest, that I have not reached the point where I'm thinking necessarily about what my legacy is going to be..."

Segment Synopsis: Contemplating a "tentative" legacy and what might be included. None of the species upon which ST has worked have gone extinct. ST associated closely with Peregrine Falcon, which is now de-listed as endangered species. Also the California Condor and the Mauritius Kestrel. Also work in Trinidad and Tobago. Discusses legacy in terms his students' work. Talks about the role of public speaking in building a broader reputation.

Keywords: California condor; Mauritius kestrel; Trinidad and Tobago; peregrine falcon

Partial Transcript: Q: "I want to make sure that you have space, because we have a few more minutes, if there's anything else that you want to say in this oral history before we wrap it up." A: "Well I think the one thing that, now, as I look back on my career and am increasingly being asked to reflect on my career..."

Segment Synopsis: Reflecting on the good fortune experienced throughout his career. Discusses experiences and opportunities throughout his life. An opportunity for reflection following a seminar invitation from a former grad student. Talks about a book project with the Aldo Leopold Foundation.

Keywords: Aldo Leopold Foundation; Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Cornell University; Rachel Carson