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     My name is Brian Flock. I am a research biologist working with the Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Kansas State University. On the following pages you will find information and useful links that relate to my life.



            "There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot....." Aldo Leopold , Sand County Almanac



Background

        I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. Spent my life growing up in Pennsylvania exploring the woods and fields near my parents house as well as my grandparents camp in north central Pennsylvania near Cook Forest State Park . Of course this was all going on long before I could walk as my parents often took me out in a baby backpack.

    So as you can see since long before I would walk I have been enjoying the great outdoors. I have always been fascinated with all things natural. I have always enjoyed studying things in the wild. I have always had a natural curiosity to finding out what something I didn't know was. Long before I began my formal education in Wildlife Biology I had been learning to identify plants, birds, mammals, herps, and insects. In middle school I contemplated the idea of being a wildlife biologist ,but then in my senior year of high school at Hempfield Area Senior High I decided that I wanted to become a wildlife biologist.

        In June of 1993 I graduate form Hempfield Area High School. Then that August I began my bachelors degree in Wildlife Biology at California University of Pennsylvania . While there I became a member of The Wildlife Society in 1994. After 6 months of pestering many of my fellow undergrads I was able to get enough student members of The Wildlife Society to start The California University of Pennsylvania Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society. I learned a lot at CUP and made some good friends there.

        In May of 1997 after graduating from CUP I began work in north central Missouri as a Seasonal Technician for University of Missouri Columbia on grassland nesting bird abundance and nesting success in Conservation Reserve Program lands. There is nothing like getting up at OH MY GOD it is early, to go out and census grassland birds in soaking wet grass and soon to be a hot humid day with no shade. Don't get me wrong I love the field its just that it takes a very unusual person to be a biologist. Normal people don't do this stuff.

        After spending 3 months in Missouri I spent another 2 months looking for another job. One thing you will learn in this field is that for every job in the wildlife field there are a 100 or more other aspiring wildlifers applying for the same job. Finally in November of 1997 I started work as the Project Biologist on a ring-necked pheasant study in north central Kansas. I worked as the Project Biologist for a year and a half before deciding to head back to school and get my Masters degree.

    In August of 1999 I headed to Emporia State University in southeastern Kansas.    With a grant from Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks I am currently examining landscape feature associated with greater prairie-chicken leks in Kansas

After completing my Masters degree in Spring of 2002, I began working on my Ph d. research examining local and landscape level habitat use of northern bobwhite in southeastern Kansas. The research will be conducted through Kansas State University.

Research Interest

        I am interested in the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) in studying landscape scale changes and their effects on vertebrate populations in agricultural ecosystems. I am also interested in the use of radio telemetry in to monitor habitat usage and survival of vertebrate populations. I am interest in various vertebrate species which include birds (grouse, quail, doves, woodcock, pheasants, Neotropical migrants, and waterfowl), mammals (beaver, muskrat, rabbits, opossums, and squirrels),   and herps.

Future Plans

        Once I have finished with my Ph d. I would plan to work in the academic field, continuing my research interest in wildlife and landscape ecology.   As a researcher and mentor I plan to work with aspiring wildlife student and guide them in the use of remote sensing and GIS in wildlife ecology and conservation.

Curriculum vitae

Past Research

Current Research

Photographs
(caution men at work)

Wildlife Links
(caution men at work)

GIS & Remote Sensing Links
(caution men at work)

Contact Info:
Brian Flock
Kansas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66505