Laney Recognized for Decades of Dedication to Wildlife Conservation

Fisheries biologist Reid Wilson Laney, fondly known by friends and colleagues as Wilson, has been a part of NC State University since he earned his master’s and subsequent Ph.D. in zoology more than 40 years ago. “I really appreciate my long affiliation with NC State University,” Laney shares. “I’ve spent over half my life on this campus, and I love being here.”

Laney is the 2024 recipient of the Thomas L. Quay Wildlife Diversity Award, presented by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Named after NC State professor emeritus of zoology and environmentalist Thomas L. Quay, this prestigious award recognizes Laney’s lifelong commitment to the conservation of North Carolina wildlife.

As Kyle Briggs, executive director of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, presented the award, he stated, “Wilson is a kind, intelligent and energetic force for conservation. He has worked and continues to work tirelessly for the conservation of North Carolina’s biological communities. He is a great teacher and provides a stellar example for young conservationists.”

Laney, an adjunct professor in the Department of Applied Ecology, has contributed to the conservation of many taxa, but specializes in migratory fish. “If you’re supporting fish conservation, you’re helping the birds and all the other things that rely on the fish and the water,” Laney explains.

Laney has worked for or with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1981 when he reviewed and evaluated proposed highway projects and hydropower dams for the Division of Ecological Services. “We would look at the proposal and determine if that proposal was going to affect fish or wildlife or their habitats,” Laney explains. “Then we would, under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services mitigation policy, try to come up with a way to either avoid or minimize those impacts.” 

This work led to the restoration of American eels in the upper Roanoke River, with Dominion Energy installing eel ladders on the Roanoke Rapids Dam and Gaston Dam to allow eels passage. This is one of Laney’s proudest team accomplishments. 

“Historically, the American eel was the dominant species in all of our rivers and streams from a biomass standpoint,” Laney explains. “The Native Americans ate them, and they perform a whole lot of other ecosystem services. Just about everything you can think of eats American eels. So it was extremely gratifying to be able to restore them to the Roanoke River, above Roanoke Rapids Dam and above Gaston Dam, where they had not been present for 50 years.” 

In 1991, Laney transitioned to a more hands-on fisheries role with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Fishery Resources Program as the assistant South Atlantic fisheries coordinator. He contributed to an offshore winter tagging program for striped bass. “We were trying to learn what [striped bass] fishing mortality was,” Laney says. Anglers who caught tagged fish reported the tag number. “We estimated their natural mortality as well, and we also learned where they went and how fast they grew.”

Technology has evolved in recent years from plastic external tags to sophisticated acoustic transmitters, which are used by Applied Ecology faculty and students studying fisheries ecology at the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology. 

Laney has been involved with numerous conservation groups, volunteering his time and expertise. He began assisting with research collections at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in 1982 and continues to volunteer as a field associate, supporting the documentation of fish, mussel, crustacean, reptile and amphibian specimens. Laney was a founding member of the North Carolina Herpetological Society and served on the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council for 12 years.

“They liked having someone from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” Laney says of the Council. “We speak up for the fish. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has resources for the public to benefit from and enjoy, they have no vested interest in the commercial or recreational side of things. We can argue in favor of the fish, and we think of ourselves as the voice for the voiceless.” 

After retiring from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2019, Laney continues to be involved in advisory boards and working groups for various state and regional environmental organizations. “I didn’t want to lose the connectivity that I had with the conservation community,” Laney says. When organizations approached him and asked him to participate, he happily agreed because he likes doing the work. 

Laney still frequents campus, collaborating with colleagues as an adjunct professor in the Department of Applied Ecology in David Clark Labs and attending NC State sporting events. Laney and his wife, Gail, particularly love to attend women’s basketball games in Reynolds Coliseum with friends. 

Reflecting on his career at NC State, Laney expressed his fondness for working with the people on campus. “I just really, really enjoy working with the graduate students, especially, and sharing the benefits of what little I’ve learned during the course of my career.”