RS 9/10/4
Iowa State University

Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Records, 1930-[ongoing]

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140


Descriptive summary

creator:

Iowa State University. Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

title:

Records

dates:

 1930-[ongoing]

extent:

13.34 linear ft. (4 records center cartons, 16 document boxes, 3 oversize boxes, and 1 map case folder)

collection number :

RS 9/10/4

repository:

University Archives , Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Iowa State University, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Records, RS 9/10/4, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Historical note


The nation’s first Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit was established at Iowa State College (University) due primarily to the efforts of J. N. “Ding” Darling, acclaimed political cartoonist for The Des Moines Register. In January 1932, Darling proposed to Raymond Hughes, President (1927-1936) of Iowa State, that the institution should join with the Iowa Fish and Game Commission (Iowa Department of Natural Resources) in establishing a cooperative wildlife research program. The three-year agreement created a program that was funded by the State of Iowa, Iowa State College, and private contributions from Darling. Dr. Paul L. Errington, who had studied under Professor Aldo Leopold at the University of Wisconsin, joined the staff at Iowa State College (University) as Leader of the Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit on July 1, 1932. A similar unit to study the state’s fish populations was established in 1941.

In 1934 Darling was appointed Chief of the U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey (now the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service). Darling convinced the American Game Association (now the Wildlife Management Institute) to help fund a federal program of cooperative wildlife research units. In 1935 the Iowa unit and similar units at eight other land grant institutions were organized with financial support from the federal government and cooperating state and private organizations.

Congress officially recognized the Cooperative Research Unit program by passing Public Law 86-686 in 1960. The same year, the federal government established a national program of cooperative fishery units similar to the wildlife units under the administration of the former Division of Fishery Services. The fishery and wildlife units were combined under a single Research Division in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1973. The units are now administered by the Biological Resources Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit supports research and educational programs related to natural resource conservation and management. Members of the Unit supervise graduate student research and education and also provide public support and education through lectures, workshops, conferences, and publications. Unit scientists are members of the Graduate Faculty of Iowa State University and teach courses in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Interdepartmental Graduate Program. The Unit is administratively associated with Iowa State University’s Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management and the College of Agriculture.
 

 

Collection description


The collection (1930-[ongoing]) contains administrative records as well as records related to the research activities of the Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.  The records include biographical information, grant proposals, meeting minutes, projects, publications, reports, research materials, studies, and workshops that have been sponsored by the Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.  The collection also contains a set of lantern slides which are housed in the vault.

 

 

Organization


The collection is organized into four series:
Series 1, Administrative Records, 1935-[ongoing] (chronological)
Series 2, Research Records, 1930-[ongoing] (alphabetical)
Series 3, Publications, 1931-1968, n.d. (alphabetical)
Series 4, Lantern Slides, 1949-1950, n.d. (alphabetical)

 

 

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 1

Administrative Records

1935-[ongoing]

extent:

6.30 linear ft. (14 document boxes and 1 oversized box)

description:

The series contains meeting materials and annual reports on projects sponsored by the Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.   Historical information, 50th anniversary materials, scrapbooks, and administrative correspondence are also included in the series.  The series is arranged chronologically.

 

Container list

 

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Memoranda of Understanding

1935-1952

1

2

Budgets and Financial Reports

1935-1971

1

3

Annual Report

1936-1937

1

4-5

Monthly Reports: Iowa Wildlife Research and Demonstration Project (2-5x7 B&W, 25-3x5 B&W photographs)

1936-1937

1

6

Annual Reports

1937-1957

1

7

Monthly Reports: Iowa Wildlife Research Program (7-3x5 B&W photographs)

1938

1

8

Memorandum of Understanding: Transfer of U.S. Biological Survey from U.S. Department of Agriculture to U.S. Department of Interior

1939

1

9

Monthly Reports: Iowa Wildlife Research Program (1 of 2) (39-3x5 B&W photographs)

1939

2

1

Monthly Reports: Iowa Wildlife Research Program (2 of 2)  (10-3x5 B&W photographs)

1939

2

2-3

Monthly Reports: Iowa Wildlife Research Program

1940

2

4

Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Midwest Wildlife Conference, Des Moines, Iowa

1941

2

5

Quarterly Reports

1941

2

6

Quarterly Reports

1941-1942

2

7

Memoranda of Understanding: Fish Research

1941-1945

2

8

Quarterly Reports

1942-1943

3

1

Quarterly Reports

1943-1944

3

2

Quarterly Reports

1944-1945

3

3

Memoranda of Understanding

1947-1952

3

4-5

Scrapbook: Correspondence, News Clippings, and Photographs (6-3x5 B&W, 3-5x7 B&W, 3-8x10 B&W photographs)

1947-1963

3

6

Budgets: Fisheries and Wildlife Research Programs

1948-1954

3

7

Proceedings of the 14th Annual Midwest Wildlife Conference, Des Moines, Iowa

1952

4

1

Budgets and Financial Reports

1954-1962

20

5

Unit History and Listings of Graduates

1954-1965, n.d.

4

2

Biographical Information: Arnold O. Haugen (1-2x3 B&W photograph)

1957-1973

4

3-4

Annual Reports

1958-1980

4

5

Wildlife and Fisheries Research Seminar: Proceedings

1959

4

6

Guest Book of Unit Visitors

1959-1971

20

6

J. N. “Ding” Darling Foundation, Inc.: Information and Scholarship Winners

1960-1965

4

7

Iowa’s County Conservation Board Program: Historical Information

1961

4

8

Biographical Information: Milton W. Weller

1962

4

9

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Memoranda and Reports

1962-1979

4

10

Scrapbook: Correspondence, News Clippings, and Photographs (1 of 2) (3-8x10 B&W photographs)

1964-1977

5

1

Scrapbook: Correspondence, News Clippings, and Photographs (2 of 2) (5-8x10 B&W photographs)

1964-1977

5

2

Cooperative Agreement for the Establishment and Operation of a Cooperative Sport Fishery Unit

1965-1967

5

3

“History of the Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit,” Arnold O. Haugen

1966

5

4

Quarterly Reports: Fishery Research Unit

1966-1970

5

5

Nature Conservancy, Iowa Chapter: Bylaws, Information Bulletins, and News Clippings

1968-1972

5

6

History: News Clippings and Writings

ca. 1968-2007

5

7

Roadside Habitat Management: Correspondence and Report

1969, n.d.

5

8

Lists of Theses from the Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, 1932-1979

1969-1979

5

9

Index of Publications of Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit and Cooperating University Staff

1970

5

10

Memoranda of Understanding: Wildlife Research Unit

1970-1971

5

11

Coordinating Committee Meetings: Wildlife and Fishery Research Units

1970-1972

5

12

Quarterly Reports: Fishery Research Unit

1970-1973

5

13

Correspondence: Capital Equipment Request and Increasing Visual Image of Units

1971-1976

6

1

Guest Book of Unit Visitors

1972-1978

6

2

Coordinating Committee Meetings: Wildlife and Fishery Research Units

1973

6

3

Employment Status of Unit 1957-1973 Graduates

1973

6

4

Correspondence

1973-1974

6

5

Policies and Statement of Direction

1973-1980, n.d.

6

6

“Results of a Questionnaire Pertaining to Admission Procedures of Graduate Students into Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Programs”

ca. 1973

6

7

Coordinating Committee Meetings: Wildlife and Fishery Research Units

1974

6

8

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1975

6

9

Memoranda Establishing Revolving Mileage Account

1975

6

10

Coordinating Committee Meetings: Wildlife and Fishery Research Units

1975-1979

6

11

Memorandum of Agreement: Fish Research Unit

1975-1980

6

12

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting (2 audiotapes)

1976

7

1-2

Fish Research Unit: Correspondence, Meeting Minutes, and Reports

1976-1981

7

3

Wildlife Research Unit: Meetings and Reports

1976-1984

7

4-5

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting (2 audiotapes)

1977

20

7

Scrapbook: Correspondence, News Clippings, and Photographs (2-3x5 color, 7-5x7 B&W, 1-8x10 color, 3-8x10 B&W photographs)

1977

7

6

Annual Reports: Wildlife Research Unit

1977-1983

7

7

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1978

8

1

Annual Reports: Fish and Wildlife Research Units

1978-1986

8

2

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1979

8

3

Annual Report: Fishery Research Unit

1979

8

4

Guest Book of Unit Visitors

1979-1980

8

5

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1980

8

6

Annual Reports

1980

8

7

Annual Work Plan for FY 1981

1980

8

8

Correspondence and Memoranda

1980-1981

8

9

United Leaders Meeting, New Orleans: Correspondence and Meeting Materials

1980-1981

9

1

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1981

9

2

Annual Report

1981

9

3

Annual Work Plan for FY 1982

1981

9

4

Conservation Research Funding: Correspondence

1981

9

5-6

Conservation Research Funding: Correspondence and Clippings

1981-1984

9

7

Bio Farm Figures

1981-1986

9

8-9

50th Anniversary: Audiotapes (7 audiotapes)

1982

9

10

50th Anniversary: Correspondence and Notes

1982

10

1

50th Anniversary: Distinguished Graduates

1982

10

2

50th Anniversary: Information on Past Graduates

1982

10

3

50th Anniversary: Pictures (38-5x7 B&W, 1-3x5 B&W, 2-8x10 B&W photographs)

1982

10

4

50th Anniversary: Programs and Meeting Materials

1982

10

5

50th Anniversary: Publications

1982

10

6

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting (1-8x10 B&W photograph)

1982

10

7

Annual Report: Fish Research Unit

1982

10

8

Annual Work Plan FY 1983

1982

10

9

Midwest Agriculture Interfaces with Fish and Wildlife Resources Workshop: Correspondence and Planning Notes

1982

10

10

Midwest Agriculture Interfaces with Fish and Wildlife Resources Workshop: Programs and Proceedings

1982

10

11

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1983

10

12

Annual Report

1983

11

1

Annual Work Plan FY 1984

1983

11

2

Management Alternatives for Biological Farming Workshop

1983

11

3

Wildlife Research Unit Semiannual Report

1983

11

4

Unit Cooperative Agreements

1983-1985

11

5

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1984

11

6

Annual Report

1984

11

7

Annual Work Plan FY 1985

1984

11

8

National Unit Programs 50th Anniversary Publication: 50 Years of Achievement

1984

11

9

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1985

11

10

United Leaders Meetings at Bethesda, Maryland

1985

11

11-12

Annual Work Plan FY 1986

1985-1986

11

13

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1986

12

1

Annual Work Plan FY 1987

1986-1987

12

2

Annual Evaluation Procedures and Information Summaries

1986-1988

12

3

Management Alternatives for Biological Farming III Workshop: Papers

1987

12

4-5

Management Alternatives for Biological Farming III Workshop: Transcripts

1987

12

6

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1988

12

7

Annual Report

1988

12

8

Unit Handbook and Guidelines

1988

12

9

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1989

12

10

Unit Meeting at Raleigh, NC

1990

12

11

Coordinating Committee Meeting

1991

12

12

Unit Affairs

1992-1993

13

1

Weekly Activity Reports

1992-1994

13

2

National Biological Survey

1993

13

3

Revision of Program Direction Statement of Cooperative Unit

1993-1994

13

4

Unit Reports

1993-1995

13

5

National Biological Services Weekly Highlights

1994

13

6

Unit Affairs

1994

13

7

Unit Cooperative Agreements

1994

13

8

National Biological Service

1994-1995

20

8-9

National Biological Service: Correspondence and Reports

1994-1995

13

9

State Partnerships

1994-1995

20

10

National Biological Service: National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)

1995

13

10

Unit Affairs

1995

20

11

Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting

1997

20

12

Unit National Meeting Notes

1999

21

 

Card File: Author File and Project File

n.d.

20

13

“Conservation Leaders and Iowa’s Influence in Their Development,” Dennis D. Wigal

n.d.

20

14

Notes and References on Coyote and Wolf Records for Iowa as Found in National Museum Files

n.d.

 

 

Description of series

 

 

 

Series 2:

Research Records

1930-[ongoing]

extent:

5.2 linear ft. (4 records center cartons)

description:

The series contains research reports and files as well as numerous grant proposals highlighting the field and area in which research was done.  There are also numerous photographs documenting the research. Subjects covered in the files encompass a broad range of wildlife including fish, deer, raccoons, geese, and bison.  The series is arranged alphabetically..

 

Container list

 

Box

Folder

Title