Award recipient Kate Symonds withe Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall (left), Deputy Regional Director Ken McDermond, and Regional Director Steve Thompson. (photo: Scott Flaherty USFWS)

Kate Symonds of the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office received the 2007 Recovery Champion Award for her outstanding work and significant contributions in the recovery of listed species in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2005, when she first came to the Sacramento FWO.  Symonds received the award in June during the regional All Project Leader meeting in Monterey, Calif.

Symonds was instrumental in the purchase of the 27-acre Lower Pitkin Marsh by the Sonoma Land Trust, one of three historic perennial wetlands in southern Sonoma County, which supports the only known remaining location for the federal and state endangered white sedge (Carex albida), as well as other rare plant species. This site is considered to be the only one of its kind in the world, and the preservation of this area will save one of the most vital and valuable habitats in Sonoma County.  Her ability to work collaboratively with local, state and federal partners towards the acquisition of this property, and towards the conservation of this species, is indicative of her ability to excel in the area of collaborative relationships.   

As a representative of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, Symonds is responsible for having completed over 685 acres of restoration directed at the recovery of listed species – often having directed restoration funding toward the habitats of extremely rare and endemic plants.  At least five of Symonds projects are located on private lands which host the last remaining population of each of the five targeted species.  Not only does she utilize all available resources for these priorities, Symonds is active in seeking outside funding and partners to “go the extra mile” and is often successful at drawing attention and funding to these highly endangered landscapes…even when competing in a region dominated by much higher profile (and much more highly funded) natural resource issues (salmon, etc.).  Her persistence and diligence has created local attention and pride in these often overlooked species and are only a few of the traits that make Kate Symonds a Recovery Champion.