History of the Wildlife Division
Prior to 1985, neither the Tribe nor the Northern Idaho Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs retained a wildlife biologist on-staff. The Tribe’s wildlife management efforts began with a small deer and elk trend survey in 1985 conducted by Keith Lawrence, then a technician in the Tribe’s Forestry Division.
Additional staff soon followed. Loren Kronemann was hired in May 1987 to assess the impacts to wildlife and habitat resulting from the construction and operation of Dworshak Dam. Jack Bell, also hired in 1987, launched the Tribe’s Geographic Information System and went on to lead both the Tribe’s Land Services Division and its Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Division. Curt Mack was hired in 1991 to assess the population status, habitat use, and food habits of northern river otters in the Clearwater River corridor. Angela Sondenaa was hired in 1998 to lead what would become the Hetes'wits Wetes program.
On-Reservation wildlife management efforts were led by Jack Bell from 1987 to 1992, Keith Lawrence and Loren Kronemann from 1992 to 2002, Marcie Carter from 2002 to 2008, Kerey Barnowe-Meyer from 2010 to 2016, and Mary Williams from 2016 to 2023. Efforts to protect the Tribe’s treaty-reserved rights and resources specific to wildlife and habitat throughout the Tribe’s usual and accustomed territory have long been supported by all Wildlife Division staff.
Comprehensive direction for the Wildlife Division was first established in 1989 under Nez Perce Tribal Resolution NP 89-137. Keith Lawrence retired as Director of the Wildlife Division in February 2014. Angela Sondenaa served as Wildlife Director (Interim) from March 2014 to April 2015, followed by Neil Thagard from April 2015 to October 2022 and Eric Kash Kash beginning in October 2022.