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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 28, 2008
Contact:
Pam Thiel, 608-783-8431
EA 08- 16
Neil Rettig, Emmy Award-Winning Cinematographer and Falconer
to Receive Silver Eagle Award from U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director Robyn Thorson will present Neil Rettig with the Silver Eagle Award – the highest award given to non-Service employees in the Midwest.
The Fish and Wildlife Service’s Midwest Region bestows the Silver Eagle Award on its most treasured friends and partners who have made sustained contributions to conservation.
Rettig will receive his award at the Annual U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Volunteer Banquet, to be held Feb. 29 in La Crosse, Wis. After the award presentation, Rettig will present an educational program, with assistance from his harpy eagle “Cal.”
Members of the media are invited for interviews with Neil Rettig on Feb. 29 at the City Brewery Banquet Hall, 1111 3rd St. South in La Crosse. Interviews can be conducted between 5:15 and 5:45 p.m. with the program beginning at 7 p.m. Contact Pam Thiel at 608-783-8431 for more information.
Neil Rettig is an award winning naturalist and filmmaker who began his career in the mid-1970s after attending the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. He has been involved in making nearly 100 nature documentaries on a variety of wildlife, from grizzly bears to gorillas, in habitats ranging from the artic to the tropical rain forest.
Rettig’s exceptional ability to capture our natural world on film has greatly benefited the wildlife resources of the Upper Mississippi River -- including habitat and species protected by the Fish and Wildlife Service here in the La Crosse area and on down the river.
Rettig has worked with production companies such as National Geographic, IMAX, BBC, Disney, Nature, and the Discovery Channel, and has been recognized with numerous awards including three Emmys. He most recently won an Emmy for “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography” for his contributions to Mississippi: Tales of the Last River Rat, which chronicles the stories and adventures of local legend Kenny Salwey.
Rettig travels the world to exotic and glamorous places and he could live anywhere, but prefers to live near the Mississippi River south of La Crosse in Prairie du Chien. He has a special love for the Midwest and the Mississippi, and he brings his passion together with his skill to record the natural history and beauty that abounds here.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
-FWS-
