Joe Kath

Joseph A. Kath - Mr. Kath has served as the Endangered & Threatened Species Manager with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources-Division of Natural Heritage for over 15 years.  He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Environmental Biology from the University of Illinois.  Mr. Kath’s primary job responsibilities include the development and implementation of endangered and threatened species management and recovery plans and the issuance of endangered species possession and research permits throughout Illinois.  In addition to facilitating the management and recovery of Illinois’ greater than 430 threatened and endangered species, Joe coordinates much of IDNR’s bat related field studies. 

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Bat Working Group (MBWG), which is comprised of various Midwestern and Eastern states involved in bat conservation.  Mr. Kath also served on the executive steering committee for the North American Bat Conservation Partnership (NABCP), and is a former steering committee member of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Monitoring Trends in U.S. Bat Populations project.  In addition, he is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Zoology with Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Joe is currently a member of the Illinois Chapter of the Wildlife Society and the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee.  Personal interests include mammalian predator ecology and behavior, Celtic music performance, wildlife art, World War II history, and waterfowl hunting.

llinois Department of Natural Resources
Division of Natural Heritage
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, Illinois  62702-1271

joe.kath at illinois.gov
Phone: (217)785-8764
Fax: (217)785-2438