The American Fisheries Society and the National Fish Habitat Partnership have recognized Tim Birdsong, branch chief of habitat conservation for Inland Fisheries, for his roles in the conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Executive Director Carter Smith presented the award to Birdsong at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting January 21, in Austin.

As chairman of the multi-state Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership and coordinator of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Native Black Bass Initiative, Birdsong played a lead role in developing and implementing a 10 year, $30 million dollar business plan focused on reversing the declines of native black bass populations in the southern United States.

Since 2010, this decade-long business plan has resulted in improved land management practices on over 100,000 acres of public and private lands in focal watersheds, including nearly 9,000 acres of one-the-ground habitat restoration projects.

These actions have directly benefited native largemouth bass populations of 11 rivers in the southern U.S. In Texas, this project resulted in the successful reestablishment of Guadalupe Bass to the Blanco River, and contributed to the preservation of genetically-secure, self-sustaining populations of Guadalupe Bass in the Pedernales, Llano, and Colorado Rivers.

For more information, visit: fishhabitat.org/news/2014-national-fish-habitat-award-winners-honored