10 Jul 2010
We have been busy here at the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research (SWCHR) this summer implementing some major changes. As of June 19, 2010 the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research became an unincorporated non-profit association under the provisions of the Texas Uniform Unincorporated Non-profit Association Act, Chapter 252 of the Texas Business Organizations Code (BOC) and is now governed by a Board of Directors.
Our new Board Members are:
President - Tom Lott
Vice-President - Todd Hughes
Secretary - Diego Ortiz
Board Member - Hans Koenig
Board Member - Toby Brock
Board Member - Riley Campbell
With this change, our mission has actually changed very little. Our purpose and objectives continue to be:
1) To promote education of SWCHR members and the general public relating to the natural history, biology, taxonomy, conservation and preservation needs, field research, and captive propagation of the herpetofauna indigenous to the American Southwest;
2) To promote and support research and scientific study of herpetological species native to the American Southwest as a means to broaden professional knowledge of the various taxa and their ecological role throughout the American Southwest;
3) To disseminate scientific information and knowledge relating to the herpetofauna of the American Southwest to SWCHR members and the general public via the SWCHR web site and by other means;
4) To provide the best possible science concerning herpetological issues to regulatory and legislative bodies at the local, state and federal levels of government;
5) To promote and support legitimate and responsible herpetocultural activities throughout the American Southwest by hobbyists and naturalists as a means to increase the body of knowledge of native species, and to maintain genetic repositories of imperiled wild populations, as well as to provide assistance and expertise necessary for the continued survival and proliferation of species native to the region;
6) To stimulate collaboration and encourage cooperation between all herpetologists (including academic, professional, wildlife agency, avocational, and hobbyist) throughout the American Southwest.
SWCHR will now rely almost totally upon membership dues and donations to support our web site operations, photography awards, and other programs. The main part of the SWCHR web site will still be accessible to the general public and the vast majority of the SWCHR Discussion Forums will continue to be accessible by free registration as they always have been. There will be a few sections of the forums that will be available only to full members of SWCHR.
We invite and encourage those of you who regularly use the SWCHR web site and forums to join SWCHR as full members and support our efforts. You may click here for additional membership information and to download a membership application.
Gerald Keown
Executive Director
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
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