CHAPTER 1I: APPROACH AND METHODS 17
Part 1. Organizational Structure
The primary responsibility for developing the CWCS was given to the Mississippi MMNS which
functions as MDWFP’s non-game wildlife program and includes the Natural Heritage Program (NHP).
Over the past two years the MDWFP Conservation Resources Director, Charles Knight, managed all
aspects of the CWCS development in concert with a contract CWCS Coordinator, Elizabeth Rooks-
Barber. Early in the process, three committees (Technical, Steering and Advisory Committees) and a
group of wildlife experts (Expert Team) were established to guide this effort and develop the first
version of this CWCS for the State of Mississippi. For a list of committee members, see Appendix II.
Each committee is described below.
The Technical Committee was composed of wildlife, fisheries and museum biologists. They gathered
and analyzed information needed to identify Mississippi’s species and habitats of greatest conservation
need, threats/limiting factors and potential conservation actions. They met every three to four weeks
over a period of two years, and significant correspondence and work occurred between meetings. They
also coordinated their efforts with an Expert Team composed of 46 biologists in the state and region
with expertise on the SGCN who provided additional input on species, habitats, threats and conservation
actions via an extensive survey distributed in late 2003 (see Appendix III for a copy of the survey
Evaluation of SGCN in Mississippi). These experts also gave feedback individually to members of the