Rollie Sparrowe Oral History Transcript

Rollie describes his early conservation influences - his grandfather who introduced him to the outdoors while growing up in California and also the importance of books that opened up new worlds to him. He decided to pursue a wildlife management degree and describes his decision, after getting a master’s degree, to pursue a PhD because of his interest in research. He describes working at the Missouri Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit and getting involved in some major controversies over Army Corps of Engineer projects. He moved to Washington DC, which is where he spent the last 18 years of his career with the FWS, working in high level administrative positions in the Cooperative Wildlife Research Office, the Office of Migratory Birds, and in Refuges and Wildlife. Rollie describes some of the controversial issues he was involved in including setting season bag limits when the waterfowl populations in the US were at their lowest level and banning lead shot for waterfowl hunting. He also describes instances where some of his work aligned with that of his wife, Bettina, who also worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service. Rollie ended his career working at the WMI. He explains why he left the Service to work for the WMI and the highlights of his career there.