The Bob and Phyllis Mace Watchable Wildlife Chair

In 1979, the late Bob Mace, then deputy director of the Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (ODFW), coined the phrase "watchable wildlife" and permanently changed the way many people think of small animals and birds, from robins and raccoons to salamanders and frogs. Until that time, the only term available to describe wildlife not sought after by hunters was "non-game." Mace, a 1942 OSU graduate in fish and wildlife management, felt there should be a more positive term for these species whose appeal to nature lovers and photographers seemed to call for greater respect. Now, "watchable wildlife" has become an almost universal phrase, employed by federal and state agencies and university departments around the country.

Starting in 1997, Mace and his wife Phyllis, a 1943 graduate of OSU's College of Science, made annual gifts to support a faculty position and scholarships in watchable wildlife. Their estate gift expanded that support creating an endowment for the Watchable Wildlife Chair and an annual scholarship fund for students majoring in fish and wildlife. Appointed for a five-year term, the faculty member receives flexible resources to use for research and outreach.

Preceded in death by his wife, Bob Mace passed away in November 2006.

"It does my heart good to know that this endowment and scholarship fund are having a real impact and that they are carrying on our father's legacy," said Richard Mace, who is also an OSU graduate.

Bruce Dugger

Assistant Professor Bruce Dugger is the current holder of the Bob and Phyllis Mace Watchable Wildlife Chair. Joining the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in 2002, Dr. Dugger has studied the ecology, conservation, and management of water birds and their wetland habitats.

As the Mace endowed professor, Dr. Dugger conducts research at the agriculture/wildlife interface, working to understand the role of private lands in meeting the habitat needs of wetland birds and the impacts of introduced species on wetland ecosystems. In addition to presenting his research results through scientific publications, Dr. Dugger plans workshops for land managers that focus on wetland restoration and management with a special consideration for “watchable wildlife” species.

A native of Huntington Beach, California, Dugger earned his bachelor’s degree in fisheries and wildlife from the University of California at Davis, and a master’s and doctorate in wildlife ecology from the University of Missouri at Columbia.

After graduating, he held a post-doctoral position at the Archbold Biological Station’s MacArthur Agro-Ecology Research Center, studying wetland birds related to the restoration of Florida's Kissimmee River, the most comprehensive river restoration ever attempted.

Prior to his arrival at OSU, Dr. Dugger was on the faculty at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. His research has included work here in Oregon as well as nationally and internationally in such places as Brazil and Latvia. Dr. Dugger is currently serving on board of the Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society, a 600-member professional organization.