The Iowa Association of
Naturalists (IAN) and the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition (ICEC) are proud
to announce this year’s recipients of their Conservation and Environmental
Education Excellence Awards Program. The winners are as follows:
Bohumil Shimek Environmental Educator Award: Michael
Havlik, Des Moines Y-Camp near Boone.
This award commends outstanding efforts by an environmental educator. Michael
Havlik has proven himself to be an innovator of residential environmental
education programs in the state. His enthusiasm and creativity with his programs
has made a positive impact on students, teachers, and parents. “He has the
uncanny ability of making everything about the outdoors fun.” – Steve Molitor.
“Mike Marsh changed my life from the first time I met him.” – Grace
Chris Holt Youth Environmental Education Award: Mahaska
County Youth Outdoor Field Day.
This award commends an outstanding EE program for or by youth. In September of
2007 the 4th Annual Youth Outdoor Field Day was held at the MCCB's Russell
Wildlife Area. In four years the program has grown from serving 45 children to
over 200. In 2007 nearly 200 parents and grandparents of the participating youth
attended as well. The programs and activities are designed to be hands on,
taught by experts with a passion for their outdoor sport. Members from numerous
organizations volunteer to make this program a success.
”Ding” Darling Environmental Education Award:
Katie Knight’s Going Green bag program.
This award commends an outstanding environmental education program or event
which educates the general public. Katie Knight, a senior at Sheldon High
School, researched paper and plastic bags and was astonished that neither was
better for the environment. She explored other options and found a non-woven
polypropylene bag that could be recycled. She purchased the “Going Green” bags
and set up a booth at her hometown’s Celebration Days to market the bags. She
developed a brochure with this information and other environmentally friendly
tips to be passed out. She also approached grocery stores in the county and they
are currently being sold in four locations. Proceeds from the project will go to
the Trails System in Sheldon and to the Prairie Heritage Center in Peterson.
Ada Hayden Conservation Education Award: Iowa Natural
Heritage Foundation’s Landowner’s Options Booklet.
This award commends outstanding efforts to educate about preservation, land
management, or natural resource conservation. In April 2007, the Iowa Natural
Heritage Foundation published the 6th edition of Landowner’s Options:
Safeguarding Iowa’s Natural Resources for the Future. This 52 page booklet
is targeted to landowners, their families, and their professional advisors. Its
goal is to help landowners understand, and hopefully implement, permanent land
protection options.
Frederic Leopold Environmental Education Award:
Cargill Corn Milling Facility in Cedar Rapids and Cargill, Inc.
This award commends outstanding efforts by business, industry, or labor.
Employees of Cargill Corn Milling facility in Cedar Rapids promote a small
awards program annually. The program promotes water quality improvement to
junior and senior high school student scientists taking part in the Eastern Iowa
Science Fair. Cargill employees serve as judges and view projects with a
water focus. The top three students receive a small monetary award through a
grant program the company has called “Water Matters.” Water Matters also
provides funding for select community service projects and programs and gives
Cargill employees, retirees and their family’s opportunities to become
stakeholders in water education, quality and management in their communities.
Outstanding County Conservation Board EE Program (< 35,000):
Floyd County Conservation.
This award commends excellence in a county conservation board’s environmental
education program of counties with a population of less than 35,000. Floyd CCB
has a goal that every elementary class in Floyd County receives a Naturalist led
program or field trip at least once during the school year. Over the last eight
years, programming in the elementary schools has or nearly reached 100% of the
students in the county. The Fossil and Prairie Park Preserve has drawn people
worldwide for the chance to collect Devonian aged fossils and view rolling
hillsides of native prairie. Outstanding County
Conservation Board EE Program (> 35,000): Clinton County
Conservation Board.
This award commends excellence in a county conservation board’s environmental
education program of counties with a population of more than 35,000. Clinton
County had one of the first EE programs in the state and has provided quality EE
programs for the last 30 years. Operating three nature centers, Clinton County
interpreters have presented programs to over 50,000 people. Clinton CCB offers
numerous environmental education opportunities for the citizens of Clinton
County.
2007 Award Winning Applications: |
