Governor receives Conservationist award

Organization recognizes people, groups that work to ensure the success of state's animals, habitat.

From staff reports
Jackson Hole News&Guide
May 24, 2006

Gov. Dave Freudenthal led the charge at the 2006 Wyoming Wildlife Federation Awards banquet on Friday winning the Conservationist Award. The federation passed out 12 awards and one recognition of special service at the ceremony, which took place at Snow King Resort in Jackson.

Freudenthal, who took office in 2003, helped secure more money for wildlife and habitat in the state and created the Big Game License Coalition, which provides complimentary tags that groups market and auction to raise funding for Wyoming wildlife.

Sen. Craig Thomas won a Special Merit Award for his opposition to a bill that would have allowed the sale of possibly hundreds of thousands of public acres to private companies. In his acceptance
speech via video, Thomas took the opportunity to call for Endangered Species Act reform, saying the act should allow more local input in listing decisions.

In 2005, the governor helped create the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust and found extra funding for sage grouse protection and wildlife disease research and control programs. Freudenthal also signed a bill that mandated the signing of state trust lands and worked to protect public lands from privatization, among other accomplishments.

Scott Smith, with more than 20 years at Wyoming Game and Fish, won the 2006 Wildlife Conservationist Award. Smith's accomplishments include working with state officials, the Bureau of Land Management and industry to protect deer, pronghorn and sage grouse from oil and gas development.

The 2006 Habitat Conservationist Award went to U Lazy U ranch owner Bob Lucas, who, along with his wife, Kate, put a large portion of the ranch under a conservation easement to protect open spaces and public access.

Larry Durante took the 2006 Public Official Award for his role as a Sheridan County commissioner. Among his other achievements, Durante advocated for responsible commercial use and public access of the Bighorn Forest, and helped gain permanent access to Lake DeSmet and Hole-in-the-Wall trail country.

The group's Land Manager Award went to Fred Hopkin, a farmer and landowner along the Shoshone River. Hopkin has helped Wyoming Game and Fish introduce Rio Grand turkeys to some of his parcels and has allowed public hunting access on more than 2,000 acres of his property.

The Jackson chapter of Trout Unlimited won the 2006 Conservation Organization Award for its members' efforts to restore trout habitat through Flat Creek.

For its efforts in modifying electrical lines to protect raptors, the Powder River Energy Corporation won the 2006 Corporation Award.

University of Wyoming zoology and physiology student Erin Hotchkiss earned the 2006 Dennis Jesperson Memorial Scholarship for her studies of aquatic-terrestrial linkages including productivity and
restoration of aquatic ecosystems.

A Wyoming legislator for more than three decades, three-time Wyoming Wildlife Federation Award winner Dick Sadler grabbed the 2006 Lifetime Achievement in Conservation Award for his dedication to the state's wildlife.

Susan Ahalt of Ironside Bird Rescue and Dr. Malcolm Blessing of Blessing Animal Hospital, both in Cody, took another Special Merit Award for their teamwork in rescuing, treating and rehabilitating
wild birds.

The evening ended with a Special Recognition of Service to Wyoming Game and Fish Department fisheries scientist Bill Wichers, who served as the department's liaison with the Wyoming state legislature. During that time, Wichers helped secure both funding and conservation legislation.