Dr. Bob Clark was presented with the 2011 Ducks Unlimited Wetland Conservation Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the restoration and protection of North America’s wetlands and waterfowl habitat.

The award recognizes Dr. Clark’s extensive research and technical contributions to the fields of wetland ecology and waterfowl biology. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on diverse topics, with specific insights into duck breeding biology, prairie pothole ecology, and the impacts of botulism and agricultural practices on waterfowl and wetlands.

“I guess one of the main things that interests me the most, is the challenge of discovery and problem solving,” said Dr. Clark. “I’m motivated to try and decipher causes of population declines and learn about how we can best manage our environment to protect it for all wildlife and for people.”

Dr. Clark has consistently linked scientific expertise to continental conservation planning and management actions. He has been a member of the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHJV) Science Committee for more than 20 years. Dr. Clark also co-founded the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Pintail Action Group to help understand and address the threats facing northern pintail populations. Other species in trouble have come to his attention thanks to his research with partners in multiple sectors, including the lesser scaup.

The PHJV is a pivotal program under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, a tri-national partnership among Canada, the United States and Mexico that aims to conserve the continent’s migratory bird populations. The PHJV works across levels of government and with various organizations and stakeholders to ensure that healthy landscapes are able to support sustainable bird populations. To date, PHJV partners have worked with over 17,000 landowners to secure over two million hectares of prairie habitat, which supports an average of 11 duck pairs per square kilometre.

Dr. Clark's recent work has expanded to involve the Golondrinas de las Americas, an international community of biologists studying swallows, which have undergone recent and significant population declines.

But he doesn’t just help birds.

“I just love trying to link up great young people to conservation problems,” he said. “It is very rewarding to train future scientists and help focus their energy, enthusiasm and ideas to discover solutions and apply innovative approaches to deal with conservation problems.”

By supervising undergraduate and post-graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, he is helping to train the next generation of scientists. In recognition for his dedication to student development and mentoring, Dr. Clark was awarded the 2007 Jamie Smith Mentoring Award by the Society of Canadian Ornithologists.

Dr. Clark is based at the Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre in Saskatoon (Saskatchewan), and is adjunct professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Saskatchewan. He is an associate editor for the scientific journals Avian Conservation and Ecology, The Auk, Ibis and WETLANDS.

Contact: Dr. Bob Clark, 306-975-4110, Wildlife Research