RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 10, 2024) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) welcomes two new members to its Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee (NWAC). David G. Cooper, a senior environmental scientist at VHB Engineering, Inc., and Todd Ewing, program coordinator for Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership/Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, have joined the 15-member committee, created in 1987 via statute. NWAC’s purpose is to advise the agency on matters related to conservation of nongame wildlife in North Carolina.     

Cooper, who resides in Cary, served as president of the N.C. Herpetological Society from 2011 to 2014, is chairman of the steering committee for N.C. Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and is a member of the N.C. Wildlife Action Plan’s Herp Taxa Team.   

Ewing is a familiar face to NCWRC, having served as the assistant chief of Aquatic Wildlife Diversity for the agency. He is a member of the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee and resides in Fuquay-Varina. Cooper and Ewing take seats held previously by Marquette Crockett of Weaverville and Dr. David Webster of Wilmington. Webster served on NWAC since 1998 and was instrumental to the work of its Scientific Councils from 2004 to 2023. Crockett served on this committee from 2018 to 2023.   

“We have benefited greatly from David Webster and Marquette Crockett and thank them for their contributions to NWAC,” said Dr. Sara Schweitzer, NCWRC’s Wildlife Management Division assistant chief for the Wildlife Diversity Program. “The new members will bring valuable perspectives to NWAC, and we look forward to working with them.”  

NWAC offers recommendations to NCWRC about the most vulnerable wildlife populations in this state, including the creation of protected species lists and development of conservation programs for endangered, threatened and special concern species.                  

NWAC committee members obligate to a three-year term. Each year, five seats are open for nominations, and a current member may request reappointment. The committee meets four times per year, and public notices of the NWAC meetings are posted to the NCWRC's website.