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Anheuser-Busch and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Award 11 Conservation Scholarships

Posted on: Thursday, 19 May 2005, 06:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Anheuser-Busch and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced today the winners of the fifth annual Budweiser Conservation Scholarship Program.

The Foundation awarded scholarships based on merit, student's academic achievements and their ability and commitment to developing innovative solutions designed to address real and pressing issues affecting fish, wildlife and plant conservation. Each scholarship winner will receive up to $10,000 to help finance their field research, tuition and other related expenses. Listed below are the scholarship winners and their projects:

* Robin F. Bay of Denver, Colo., University of Denver -- Bay will help determine what most influences the successful revegetation of areas within Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, and will increase knowledge regarding the restoration of lands infested by tamarisk, an invasive plant. This will help land managers determine which methods they should use to manage this critical arid land ecosystem.

* Curtis J. Brown of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, University of Maine -- Brown will assess the current abundance, composition and impact of predators on lobsters in the United States. His hypothesis states that the effect of predators on lobsters is more severe in southern New England, where data suggest predatory fish are more abundant and more diverse.

* Kevin E. Doherty of Annapolis, Md., University of Montana -- Doherty will conduct a population analysis of sage grouse to develop a database that will serve as a tool for land managers to prioritize habitats, predict the effects of energy development and facilitate a scientifically-based management policy for sage grouse in the region. Ultimately, this work will serve as the foundation for a management strategy for state and federal agencies.

* Mitchell D. Haustein of Red Wing, Minn., University of St. Thomas -- Haustein will assess the influence of fish on aquatic invertebrates -- a primary component in the diet of waterfowl and amphibians -- in western Minnesota wetlands. The results will aid in developing strategies for managing wetland ecosystems. The research is being conducted as part of a large-scale project funded by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

* Jennifer L. Hopwood of Roeland Park, Kan., University of Kansas -- Hopwood will assess the potential for sustaining native bees by examining the effects that roadside management has on bee populations. Bee abundance and richness will be measured at six roadside sites in Northeastern Kansas, which have been restored to native vegetation, and at six roadside sites dominated by weeds.

* Matthew E. Kimball of Charlotte, N.C., Rutgers University -- Kimball will use underwater video technology to determine if removing invasive phragmites plants will help successfully restore marshes. This technology will provide valuable information that is otherwise unobservable. Knowledge gained from this project will promote more effective habitat conservation and will guide marsh restoration.

* Sarah C. Lee of Libertyville, Ill., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill -- Lee will explore how increased habitat fragmentation affects the richness and abundance of some Pacific coral reef species. She will test the hypothesis that increased isolation decreases species' richness, alters their abundance and decreases their ability to co-exist.

* Daniel J. McGarvey of Columbus, Ohio, University of Alabama -- McGarvey will conduct a study of North American stream fishes, a joint project with multiple management agencies and universities. He will use fish data from Pacific Northwest, southwest and southeast streams and rivers. This study will help advance the conservation of North American freshwater fishes and will serve as a model for future interagency collaborations.

* Danielle M. Mitchell of Santa Maria, Calif., University of Washington -- Mitchell will use fish scales to perform genetic analysis and determine long- term changes in genetic diversity within and between stocks of Pacific herring. This study will help develop proper management processes for the fish.

* Sarah E. Reed of Oakland, Calif., University of California, Berkeley -- Reed will look at how recreational and land uses surrounding a protected land area may affect wildlife populations. The results of this research will help identify recreational uses that are incompatible with the conservation of carnivore species, and will aid in specific conservation planning and management decisions.

* Susan R. Salafsky of Glencoe, Ill., Colorado State University -- Salafsky will study the reproductive responses of goshawks to the availability of resources and the changes in forest structure and composition. Previous conservation efforts have focused primarily on single-species management. This research focuses on methods that identify critical management priorities at the ecosystem scale.

"The Budweiser Conservation Scholarship Program gives students an opportunity to research and address conservation issues in innovative ways," said Mary Alice Ramirez, director for environmental outreach at Anheuser- Busch. "This is a great opportunity for Anheuser-Busch to demonstrate its commitment to the environment by supporting the ground-breaking research of tomorrow's leaders. For more than 150 years, Anheuser-Busch has upheld a tradition of the highest quality products and services -- we apply the same quality standard to protecting the environment."

Anheuser-Busch began the scholarship program, for students 21 years of age and older, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as a way to support higher education programs that address challenges facing fish, wildlife and their habitats. The Bureau of Land Management is providing partial funding for this year's program.

"One of the most important investments we can make on behalf of conservation is to develop the next generation of leaders," said John Berry, executive director of the Foundation. "Today's scholarship winners may influence the direction of future conservation efforts, and also lead the way in preserving fish, wildlife and their habitats. Thanks to Anheuser-Busch, these students are being given the opportunity to make a significant difference."

For more information on the scholarship program, visit http://www.nfwf.org/budscholarship/index.htm .

St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has been committed to supporting the environment and conserving natural resources. The company has been the recipient of numerous environmental awards over the years for its programs and stewardship. In 1995, the leading U.S. brewer bolstered its support by creating the "Budweiser Outdoors" program. To learn more about Anheuser- Busch's environmental programs, visit http://www.abenvironment.com/ . Budweiser, the world's best-selling beer, is brewed by Anheuser-Busch Inc.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a nonprofit organization established by Congress in 1984 and dedicated to the conservation of fish, wildlife and plants, and the habitat on which they depend. The Foundation creates partnerships between the public and private sectors to strategically invest in conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. The Foundation awarded over 7,000 grants to more than 2,600 organizations in the United States and abroad and has leveraged -- with its partners -- more than $305 million in federal funds since its establishment, for a total of more than $918 million in on-the-ground conservation. For more information, visit http://www.nfwf.org/ .

Reference: 05-14

EDITOR'S NOTE: Interviews with students may be available upon request

Anheuser-Busch

CONTACT: Thuy Luu-Beams of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,+1-202-857-5675, or Sara Ralston of Anheuser-Busch, +1-314-765-6790

Web site: http://www.abenvironment.com/http://www.nfwf.org/http://www.nfwf.org/budscholarship/index.htm

Source: PRNewswire

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