The Richland Foundation and ISM were founded by Richard and Linda Poché, the owners of Genesis Laboratories. Former Peace Corp volunteers and employees, the Pochés have lived and worked in numerous countries in Africa and Asia. Richard, a wildlife biologist, has developed and implemented wildlife management and rodent/disease control strategies worldwide. They formed the Richland Foundation and ISM, a Colorado 501(c)(3), to use their expertise and experience to aid and assist those in need and for the conservation and protection of endangered and threatened species and ecosystems that are pressured by the presence of invasive species. ISM is staffed by employees from Genesis Laboratories, and is comprised of wildlife biologists, conservationists, wildlife epidemiologists and rodent control specialists.

We at Richland/ISM are focusing our energies in the ever-changing needs of the always changing environment. We are currently involved in an invasive species eradication program on Horn Island, Mississippi. We have partnered with the National Park Service, Gulf Islands National Seashore to restore Horn Island to a more natural state as the island has been designated as wilderness. The Roof Rat (Rattus rattus), Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), and the Nutria (Myocastor coypus) have been introduced on the island and predate on many of the native flora and fauna, many of which are threatened or endangered. We have completed an initial phase I inventory of the island and are very excited to continue our research on this project.