Last time, Scott talked about the OWCN membership, member engagement and the responsibility of those of us in Davis to support and engage the other members. It was an important point for each of us to remember. We all become better at what we do when we can learn from each other’s experience and we can best do that when we directly engage with each other. Ideally with a cold drink!
Recently Stephanie Herman and I had the opportunity to attend the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association’s (NWRA) annual symposium in Norman, Oklahoma. The NWRA annual gathering is the meeting of rehabilitators anywhere in the world and while most of the attendees are from North America each one also includes a handful of people from other countries such as Canada, Australia, India, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, etc. It is 5 very full days of lectures, labs, workshops, roundtables and tours on everything from “Baby Bird Basics” and “Diarrhea in Cottontail Rabbits” to “Polypropylene Mesh Implantation for Radioulnar Synostosis in Raptors”, literally something for everyone, from the novice rehabilitator to the wildlife veterinarian. It is also a chance to network with long time colleagues and catch up with old friends and meet tomorrows leaders in a rapidly changing and advancing field.
While it is often hard to find the time or money when you work in the non-profit world, I have managed to attend many of these conferences over the last 20 years, but they never get old. There are always new topics and new teachers and new takes on something you thought you already knew all about. Every presentation contains a nugget for the curious with a thirst for knowledge and everyone involved is more than willing to share what they have learned and why it is important. OWCN member organizations such as International Bird Rescue, Lindsey Wildlife Experience, Bird AllyX, Monterey SPCA, Peninsula Humane Society and others are regularly among the presenters as well the audience.
Our goal of best achievable care is an elusive one. As in Zeno’s Achilles Paradox, it keeps moving away as we approach, so that when we get to where it was yesterday, it has moved further down the path. All of us must keep moving, learning, and improving if we want to avoid falling farther behind than we already are. In the last year the OWCN has provided support to give all OWCN members (affiliated individuals and organizations, as well as others around the world) opportunities to continue to grow as responders and rehabilitators. This has been through our training programs, our outreach/engagement activities, and through a wide variety of meetings of colleagues at NWRA, the California Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators Conference, the Pacific Seabird Group, the World Seabird Group, the Effects of Oil On Wildlife Conference, just to name a few.
I hope you had a chance to participate in one or more of these events. If so, I hope you came away with new knowledge and an increased commitment to chasing best achievable care in both response as well as your day-to-day efforts in your organization. I know I did.
-Curt
Oiled Wildlife Care Network 