Dale James is Chief Executive Officer of the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation where he is responsible for leading the Foundation’s staff and volunteers toward achieving a mission of enhancing and sustaining working lands through wildlife conservation education, research, and management. The Welder Wildlife Foundation’s 7,800 acres of South Texas ranchlands are utilized as a “natural laboratory” by conservation scientists, land managers, and teachers to learn and provide education around range and wildlife habitat conservation and management within the context of a working livestock production system. The Foundation’s activities are aimed to benefit wildlife and people and leave a legacy for future generations.
Prior to joining the Welder Wildlife Foundation, Dale was employed by Ducks Unlimited for 18 years providing conservation services throughout the southeastern U.S. in various roles, including regional biologist, land conservation manager, and director of science and planning. He also briefly worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in eastern Montana at Medicine Lake NWR. His primary conservation focus has been in the areas of wildlife habitat management, wetland and waterfowl conservation, and ecosystem service science.
Dale holds a Ph.D. in Wildlife Science through a joint program between Texas A&M-College Station and Texas A&M-Kingsville, an M.Sc. in Range and Wildlife Management from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Texas A&M University.
He and his wife Michelle have two adult children Ben and Erin.
welderwildlife.org 