Consultants

Pat Merkord, President, Founder, Wildlife Biologist & Educator

B.S. Texas A & M University-Kingsville; M.A. Biology (Wildlife Management), Texas State University.
Bluestem Environmental Consultants, founder and president (two years)
29-year award-winning science educator
Intel Excellence in Science Teaching Award - 2001
Consultant and monitoring of prairie restoration projects and easements
Current Secretary and Board Director of Native Prairies Association of Texas
Four years experience with Wildlife Management for Agricultural Tax Exemptions
Food research study of endangered species using fecal analysis (Texas State University thesis)
Over 20 years of experience creating and presenting workshops on plant identification, endangered species, invasive species, water quality, wildlife restoration, wildlife management, pond management, integrated pest management, aquatic science and marine science
Over 20 years of experience writing curriculum and textbooks for biology, chemistry and environmental science
Water quality project study of Rio Hondo for water discharge permit and presentation of findings at Texas Academy of Science (teacher/student 1 yr research project with TPWD)
Over 30 years of experience in bird identification and bird survey techniques
Small mammal trapping projects and studies (Texas A&M Kingsville)
Entomological Curator and related projects (Texas A & M Kingsville)
Herbarium curator and plant ID for education (all areas of Texas)

Ph.D. Biology, University of Missouri, 2010. B.S. Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M Univesity, 2002.
Waterway mapping and characterization of 300+ miles of oil and natural gas pipelines for risk analyses, logging thousands of hours with Trimble XPS unit. Assistant project leader, Fenchurch Environmental Services.
Experience designing and implementing Animal Care and Use Committee-approved field and lab research protocols, hiring and supervising technicians, collaborating with government, univeristy, and private entities, obtaining permits for local and international research (including USDA APHIS imports), and working in bilingual settings (Mexico and Peru).
Research experience with birds: mist-netting, banding, morphometric measurement, visual/aural surveys of forest and grassland birds, colonial waterbird surveys, audio playback, and specimen preparation in Texas, Missouri, Minnesota, Mexico, and Peru.
Research experience with mammals: small mammal live trapping, morphometric measurement, and specimen prepartation in Texas and Mexico
Tour leading experience with Victor Emanual Nature Tours (4 years) and Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival (4 years)
20+ years experience identifying birds, mammals, herps, and insects