47th Annual
Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet
6:00 P.M. Saturday Evening, September 18, 2010
Hilton RTP, Durham, NC
Registration Form (DOC)
2009 Governor Conservation Achievement Award Winners Awards
CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • GEORGE GIVENS • As the principal legislative analyst and attorney for the General Assembly concerning environmental and natural resources law and policy, Givens has played a leading role in crafting most of the environmental legislation that has moved through the General Assembly for more than two decades.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONISTS of the Year • GUY AND JUDY GARDNER • Guy serves as president of the Cape Fear River Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), and Judy is president of the North Carolina chapter of QDMA. This husband-and-wife team has played a huge role in educating thousands of North Carolina hunters.
SPORTSMAN of the Year • JIMMY GRAY • West Iredell dairy farmer Jimmy Gray has opened his 1,400-acre farm to wildlife managers, landowners, and youth, showcasing the best wildlife-friendly farming practices while working to ensure the future of hunting.
LAND CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • BLUE RIDGE FOREVER• Since its 2003 formation as a coalition of 10 local land trusts, Blue Ridge Forever has led a campaign to raise public awareness and financial resources to safeguard land and water in the Southern Blue Ridge.
WATER CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • CHRIS GOUDREAU • As special projects coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Chris Goudreau was a critical player in the five-year effort to renegotiate the hydropower licensing agreements along the Catawba. His leadership in stakeholder collaboration resulted in a major improvements to wildlife habitat in the region.
FOREST CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • JAMES E. FOSCUE JR. AND FAMILY • Managing for longleaf pines and oaks are hallmarks of Foscue’s forest conservation and utilization program, while the Foscue Wildlife Club has reached out to the community with youth hunts and a Wounded Warrior hunting program.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR of the Year • JODI SONGER RIEDEL • An agriculture and horticulture teacher at Wakefield High School, Riedel spent two years developing a forestry curriculum through which she has taught more than 700 students. She has also given training workshops to other teachers through the North Carolina Science Teachers Association Conference.
CONSERVATION COMMUNICATOR of the Year • BRUCE HENDERSON • The environmental reporter for The Charlotte Observer, Henderson has brought focus and clarity to an enormous range of issues facing North Carolina. At a time when many newspapers are shedding environmental reporters, Henderson is proving the value of dedicated, insightful, science-based journalism.
MUNICIPAL CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • STANLY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS • Its three-year fight for the future of the Yadkin River has pitted Stanly County against enormous corporate entities, but the Board of Commissioners has remained steadfast in support of environmental excellence for its citizens.
BUSINESS CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • NORTH STATE ENVIRONMENTAL INC. • One of the leaders in stream restoration, erosion control, and wetlands mitigation, North State Environmental has helped bring back N.C. streams across the Piedmont region.
HUNTER SAFETY EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR/ORGANIZATION of the Year • LANNY COWAN • For 16 years, Lanny Cowan has volunteered as a Hunter Safety Instructor. He has taught every Hertford County Hunter Education Course since 1999, and has taught the Hunter Safety Course at Ridgecroft School for six years.
AFFILIATE of the Year • CAPE FEAR GARDEN CLUB • From taking care of the Battery Island ibis roost to funding for wildlife gardens as far away as Peru, the Cape Fear Garden Club acts locally and globally in its mission to support wildlife habitat.
NCWF CHAPTER of the Year • HABITAT AND WILDLIFE KEEPERS • Based in the Mecklenburg County/Matthews area, HAWK supports wildlife habitats at schools and municipal grounds, volunteers for scouting programs, and provides outreach at community gatherings. HAWK has been particularly active in supporting the N.C. Wildlife Action Plan.
WILDLIFE VOLUNTEER of the Year • JENNIFER GORDON • Jennifer Gordon’s Carolina Waterfowl Rescue group provided care to approximately 1,500 injured birds in 2009 alone. Since its founding in 2003, the group has rescued nearly 10,000 birds, and works with organizations such as the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and with law enforcement agencies.
YOUTH CONSERVATIONIST of the Year • DAVIDSON DAY SCHOOL 6TH GRADE SCIENCE CLASS • Led by teacher Vicki Carbone, who shepherds the Davidson Day School “Trout in the Classroom” program, young conservationists work with trout from the egg stage to adults, learning about water quality and the importance of habitat.
LEGISLATOR of the Year • PRICEY HARRISON • Harrison has served in the North Carolina House since 2005, representing her hometown of Greensboro, but her efforts on behalf of natural resources and public health have impacted every North Carolinian. She has introduced bills to protect the Appalachians from mountaintop mining, defended the state’s natural resources trust funds, and fought to clean up Jordan and Falls lakes.
NATURAL RESOURCES SCIENTIST • LISA SCHIAVINATO • Schiavinato is North Carolina Sea Grant’s coastal law, policy, and community development specialist. She has worked tirelessly to bring coastal policy issues to a wide range of citizens, from local communities to the General Assembly to academic institutions.
WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER of theYear • CHAD STARBUCK • Patrolling Alexander County, Master Officer Starbuck has pursued wildlife violators across lakes and through big woods, and worked to educate citizens about the need for wildlife conservation.
MARINE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER of theYear • CURTIS WOOLSTON • Woolston grew up in Pamlico County, and fell in love with North Carolina’s salt marshes and nearshore waters. He now works to protect fish, fisheries, and fishermen in Craven County.
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