The Center for Wildlife Law is the only national center dedicated to education, research and analysis of state, national and international wildlife laws. Established at the Institute of Public Law, University of New Mexico School of Law in 1990, the Center's mission is to raise the level of understanding and discussion about wildlife issues through interdisciplinary education, training, analysis and publication on wildlife law and policy issues.

Programs and Services: Publications:

Projects

These are current projects at the Center:

Law-Related Education: Wild Friends

With funds provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the New Mexico state legislature, CWL piloted Wild Friends, a wildlife education program for rural and semi-rural youth. At-risk and other middle school students and senior citizens are brought together for hands-on learning about wildlife issues and the legislative process. A network of dozens of local and national organizations have collaborated to make this program a success since 1992. Wild Friends was nominated for a 1994 Generations United Leadership Award.

Other Center projects have included:

  • producing training sessions on natural resources law for the USFW National Conservation Training Center
  • a special issue of the Natural Resources Journal Law Review, featuring articles on wildlife law and policy
  • research for an Office of Technology Assessment report to Congress regarding exotic species regulations of various states
  • consulting on exotic species control in Hawaii; participation in wildlife and biodiversity law conferences
  • teaching Wildlife Law and Biodiversity and the Law at the University of New Mexico School of Law, and
  • analysis and reports on legislation and case law regarding issues such as poaching and hunter harassment statutes.

About Us

Ruth S. Musgrave, Center for Wildlife Law Founder and Director

Ruth Musgrave is the founder and director of the Center for Wildlife Law at the Institute of Public Law. Since founding the Center in 1990, she has managed many projects concerning wildlife and biodiversity law, including training, youth education, facilitation, drafting legislation, research and publication.

Ms. Musgrave is editor of the Wildlife Law News Quarterly and the online “Wildlife Law News Weekly Alerts.” She has been an Adjunct Professor and a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Musgrave serves on the board of trustees of national and international wildlife nonprofit organizations. She is the trustee of the Frances V.R. Seebe Charitable Trust.

Ms. Musgrave holds an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from The Colorado College, Colorado Springs. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1979, where she was lead articles editor for the Natural Resources Journal. She was law clerk to Chief Judge Oliver Seth of the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals; was an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico; and was in private practice for almost ten years before founding the Center for Wildlife Law.

Carolyn Byers, Wild Friends Program Director

Carolyn Byers co-founded the Wild Friends Program with Ruth Musgrave, director of the Center for Wildlife Law. Carolyn is a co-author of Wild Friends:  Kids Bringing People Together on Wildlife Issues (Center for Wildlife Law, 1992 and 1999).  She works with educators, policymakers and professionals, oversees the program budget, supervises staff, contractors, and volunteers; provides direction to participating teachers and students; and guides development of educational projects, materials and the website.  In 2004, she served on the New Mexico Blue Ribbon Panel for Parks Education which reviewed the New Mexico State Parks’ outdoor education program.

Judy A. Flynn-O'Brien, Wild Friends Program Legal Educator

Judy is currently the director of the Children’s Law Center.  She has practiced environmental and natural resource law for twenty years, and has conducted training seminars for wildlife professionals on natural resource law.  She was project manager for the environmental impact statement on critical habitat designation for the Rio Grande silvery minnow, facilitated the New Mexico Biodiversity Strategy project, and has co-authored two books on wildlife law and a handbook on New Mexico biodiversity law. 

Susan George, Senior Staff Attorney

Susan George is a Senior Staff Attorney with the Institute of Public Law, where she works on public interest issues such as wildlife protection and biodiversity conservation.  Prior to this, she served as Senior Counsel for Defenders of Wildlife for twelve years, where she co-authored numerous publications state wildlife law issues, including "Saving Biodiversity:  State Laws, Policies and Programs" and "Protecting New Mexico's Natural Heritage:  Recommendations on Steps Toward a Comprehensive Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for New Mexico." 

Ms. George also worked for the Western Environmental Law Center, as well as in a private firm where she focused on civil litigation and environmental issues, and has been an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she taught Wildlife Law.  Susan is a 1988 graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she was a Lead Articles Editor for the Natural Resources Journal and earned a Natural Resources certificate.  She is a native of New Mexico, and is active in the Albuquerque community, having served on several boards and committees such as the East Mountain Open Space Committee and the Albuquerque Preschool Cooperative Board. 

Funders

Find out about our Past and Present Funders
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University of New Mexico School of Law
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131