DEC biologist launching spring seminar series at Paul Smith's College - 2008-02-06

Paul Jensen to discuss American martens on Friday, Feb. 15

CONTACT: Kenneth Aaron, director of communications, (518) 327-6297

Paul Jensen, a furbearer biologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), will kick off this spring's Fisheries and Wildlife Seminar Series at Paul Smith's College.

He will deliver a lecture called "Ecology and Management of American Martens in New York State" on Friday, Feb. 15, at 10:10 a.m. in the Pine Room of the college's Joan Weill Student Center.

Jensen's research interests include the ecology and harvest management of mesocarnivores, or medium-sized mammalian meat-eaters. Before joining the DEC in 2003, he was a research specialist at the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University. He has also been wildlife biologist for a private consulting firm in Alaska, where he was responsible for a caribou monitoring program.

This is the second semester for the seminar series, which is sponsored by the college's Division of Science, Liberal Arts and Business. Dates for sessions in March and April will be announced at a later date.

All seminars are free and open to the public. The college is located at the intersection of Rts. 30 and 86 in Paul Smiths.

Paul Smith's College is the only four-year institution of higher education in the Adirondack Park. The school, on the shores of Lower St. Regis Lake, encompasses 14,200 acres of forests, streams, lakes and mountains that are available for students to explore and study. The College offers both bachelor¹s and associate degree programs which focus on experiential learning in a variety of majors including biology; fish and wildlife sciences; natural resources; environmental science; forestry; surveying; recreation, adventure travel and ecotourism; hospitality, resort and culinary management; liberal arts; and business.