Wildlife Biologist: Drew Arnold
Drew G. Arnold was born and raised in the pine-belt region of south Mississippi, just south of Hattiesburg, MS. His father, a biology teacher, and grandfather introduced him to the outdoors at an early age, instilling a love for the outdoors and conservation. Drew graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in biology in 2011. After, undergrad he pursued a Master’s in Wildlife, Aquatic, and Wildlands Science and Management at Texas Tech University. Drew’s thesis work focused on factors that might affect or modulate the immune system of Northern bobwhite quail and their survival in the Rolling Plains of Texas.
Drew joined The Alabama Wildlife Federation in January 2016 as their South Assistance Region Resource Stewardship Biologist. Drew is responsible for implementing AWF’s Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program project “Alabama Gulf Coast Conservation through Land Stewardship Assistance and Landowner Networking”. This project is designed to efficiently and effectively provide on-the-ground land stewardship technical assistance to private landowners in south and coastal Alabama. Project focus is centered on the establishment, promotion, or enhancement of 4 primary habitat conservation issues on private lands:
- Migratory shorebird and waterfowl habitat
- NWSG grass habitat
- Longleaf pine ecosystem habitat with a gopher tortoise emphasis
- Invasive/exotic species control.
Although, Drew just recently joined the scene of wildlife management in Alabama where his experience dealing with private landowners in west Texas, love for the outdoors, and dedication to science based conservation lends the necessary adaptability and collaborative skills needed to assess and manage the countless habitats found across Alabama. Drew takes pride in assisting landowners in making sound decisions regarding conservation and finding creative solutions to incorporate wildlife habitat into management regimes.