Breaux Act Newsflash - Atchafalaya Advocate Heads Cast of Top Conservation Award Winners
***********************************************************************Atchafalaya Advocate Heads Cast of Top Conservation Award Winners
Lafayette businessman and icon in the decades-long effort to preserve the
Atchafalaya Basin, B. E. M. "Ben" Skerrett, III was honored posthumously
Saturday evening (March 4) with the Governor's Award for conservation
achievement. The award is presented annually to the person or
organization deemed to have made the most outstanding contribution toward
the protection and wise use of the state's natural resources - air, soil
and minerals, forests, waters, fish and wildlife during the previous year
from among nominations submitted by the public. The selection for this
and 8 other awards was made by a panel of independent judges with
expertise in a wide range of conservation fields.
The award, a handsome statuette of a bald eagle, was presented at the 42nd
Conservation Achievement Recognition Banquet held at the Holiday Inn in
Alexandria where the Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) convened for its
67th Annual Meeting. The awards were presented by Dwight Landreneau,
Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
representing Governor Blanco and Dr. Earl Matthew, Region 8 Director of
the National of the National Wildlife Federation.
Skerrett was cited for his decades-long crusade to preserve the
Atchafalaya Basin, and particularly, his efforts to implement the Buffalo
Cove Water Management Unit as a means of restoring the water quality and
productivity to that popular fishing ground in the Basin. The ground
breaking for the project was December 2nd, only a few short weeks after
his death.
Five other individuals, an organization and a business were also
recognized for their outstanding conservation achievements in 2005. They
are:
(Professional Category) Noel W. Kinler of New Iberia, Biologist Program
Manager, Fur & Refuge Division of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries for leading the state's alligator management program and
maintaining its status as one of the top wildlife conservation programs in
the world;
(Volunteer Category) Thad Bellow of St. Amant for mentoring youth of the
community in hunter education, serving as Greenwing and Jakes Chairman of
the local Ducks Unlimited and National Wild Turkey Federation chapters and
providing leadership and service to the East Ascension Sportsman's
League;(Youth) Kellon Lee of St. Joseph for stepping up to help wildlife
battered
by the hurricanes;
(Business) Architecture + of Monroe for volunteering architectural
services for the development of the Conservation Learning Center at Black
Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge;
(Educator) Rex H. Caffey, PhD of Baton Rouge, Director and Associate
Professor, Center for Natural Resource Economics and Policy, LSU
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness for helping citizens
to understand the opportunities and realities of coastal land loss and
restoration;
(Elected Official) Louisiana District 60 Representative Karen St. Germain
of Pierre Part for providing key support for projects to improve the water
quality and fisheries productivity of the Atchafalaya Basin;
(Communicator) C. C. Lockwood of Baton Rouge for informing the public
through his photography and writings of the crisis of coastal land loss
and particularly for his Marsh Mission Project and subsequent publication
of Marsh Mission - Capturing the Vanishing Wetlands, a collaboration
between photographer Lockwood and painter Rhea Gary depicting dramatic
images of Louisiana's fading coast;
(Organization) Ducks Unlimited for its commitment to enhancing waterfowl
habitat and restoring Louisiana's wetlands, particularly along the coast
where it commenced or completed 3 projects last year that will restore or
improve the quality of almost 50,000 acres of wetland habitat.
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation is a statewide conservation education
and advocacy organization with over 10,000 members and 27 affiliate
groups. Established in 1940, it is affiliated with the National Wildlife
Federation and represents a broad constituency of conservationists
including hunters, fishers, campers, birders, boaters, and other outdoor
enthusiasts.
For more information, contact
Randy P. Lanctot
Executive Director
Louisiana Wildlife Federation
225/344-6707
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