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Armstrong honored as Wildlife Biologist of the Year

Armstrong honored as Wildlife Biologist of the Year

Posted: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 9:02 pm

NASHVILLE — Troy resident Larry Armstrong has been honored by being named the 2008 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife Biologist of the Year. He was presented the award at the November meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission in Nashville at the TWRA Region II Ray Bell Office Building. Armstrong serves TWRA as a Region I wildlife manager. He plays a lead role in the management of more than 22,000 acres of TWRA’s public lands in northwest Tennessee, with an emphasis on wetlands habitat and waterfowl management, along with the great diversity of other species that rely on this important habitat type. A 16-year employee of TWRA, Armstrong served nine years as a wildlife officer and the last seven as a wildlife manager. He currently operates three wildlife management areas and three wildlife refuges in the area. Armstrong was referred to at his award presentation as “a professional whose tireless efforts continue to improve the habitat for West Tennessee’s wildlife species,” by Gary Myers, TWRA executive director. Among his accomplishments, Armstrong developed a sandhill crane habitat that has attracted and holds several thousand migrating cranes annually. This development is unique in this region of Tennessee. He has also helped create habitat for migrating spring and fall shorebirds. In addition, he has combined moist-soil management techniques with agricultural rice growing practices to create a diverse waterfowl habitat that produces high seed yield annually. He has helped provide more than 16,000 waterfowl opportunities annually in a quality managed bottomland hardwood area. Armstrong has also maximized the number of roads and walking trails available to the public to allow the opportunity to observe and photograph wildlife. The Area 12 Wildlife Officer of the Year in 1996, he was a member of the TWRA Scuba team and TWRA Swift Water Recovery team from 1995-99. The team worked law enforcement and river rescue during the 1996 Olympic Games on the Ocoee River in the white water events. Armstrong conducts educational programs throughout the year to various student groups on a variety topics, ranging from elementary to college level classes. He has worked with the University of Tennessee at Martin Wildlife Society Chapter and is involved with research on deer movement at Bean Switch Refuge. He also was involved in the TWRA Eastern Wild Turkey Restoration Project. Armstrong is a graduate of Obion County Central High School and UT Martin. Published in The Messenger 11.26.08

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