Blythe, chairman of the Indiana Grand Kankakee Marsh Restoration Project, is a co-winner of the NWCA in the individual category for his voluntary leadership associated with that project. Selection was based on Blythes role in and support of wetland conservation.
In addition to Blythe, the other national co-winner is Michael St. Martin of Houma, Louisiana.
A ceremony to honor the national individual co-winners is Friday, June 30, in conjunction with the First Day of Sale and signing ceremony for Adam Grimm, who designed the 2000-2001 Federal duck stamp. The ceremony is in the Smithsonian Institutes National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.
The Service also announced Martin Hanson of Mellen, Wisconsin, as a regional award winner. Mr. Hanson is a leading advocate of the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), and will be recognized July 25 by the Services Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region for his volunteer wetland conservation efforts.
The NWCA program was established by the Service in 1990 to honor individuals and groups or corporations for significant contributions to the restoration, enhancement and protection of wetlands in the United States. The Service presents the NWCA awards annually, on the national level and within the Services geographic regions. All national and regional recipients receive a framed and matted certificate. They also receive a framed and matted 1999-2000 Federal Duck Stamp print painted by Grimm, 21, the Elyria, Ohio, wildlife artist who last November became the youngest person ever to win that federal competition.
"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region are appreciative of the national winners and the regional winners -- respectively and collectively -- for their many accomplishments," acknowledged Bill Hartwig, Director of the Twin Cities Regional Office.
"We are especially proud of the award recipients from our Region. Not only have they shown a commitment to restore and protect important wetlands, they have admirably provided outreach to promote wetland conservation and emphasize wetland values to the public."
Richard Blythe
Nominated by the Bloomington (Indiana) Field Office, Blythe was recognized for his leadership role in the Grand Kankakee Marsh project that began in 1994. This project, of which Blythe has served as a major catalyst, is a partnership effort coordinated through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
In its entirety, the project will acquire, restore and enhance at least 26,500 acres of wetlands and associated uplands within the Kankakee River Basin of northwest Indiana. To date, the project has acquired more than 4,300 acres of wetlands and associated uplands, restored nearly 2,000 acres of wetlands and enhanced more than 3,300 acres of important habitats.
Many of the acquired habitats are within the floodplain of the Kankakee River and include emergent marsh, bottomland hardwood forest, wet and mesic prairie, sedge meadow and oak savanna. The marsh component includes moist-soil units that are actively managed for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds.
The Grand Kankakee Marsh at one time spread over 500,000 acres and was considered one of the most extensive wetland systems in North America. In the late 1800s, however, the Kankakee River was channelized. This reduced the Indiana portion of the river from 250 to 85 miles, resulting in almost complete drainage and conversion to agriculture.
Under the leadership of Blythe, conservation partners have contributed more than $9 million to the project and the North American Wetland Conservation Act has awarded matching grants totaling more than $3.5 million.
Blythe was previously honored by the State of Indiana when he was named a "Sagamore of the Wabash". The award, presented in January 2000 by Governor Frank OBannon, is the highest award presented by the state to one of its citizens.
He also received the Upper Mississippi River/Great Lakes Joint Venture Partnership Award in 1996 for his dedication and commitment to wetland conservation in northeast Indiana.
Martin Hanson
As recipient of the Regional NWCA award, Hanson was nominated by the Ashland Fishery Resources Office for voluntarily playing a major role in the development of the Whittlesey Creek NWR. His effort opened the door to a $650,000 appropriation from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the new refuge being established along Lake Superior near Ashland.
While wetlands and uplands on the new refuge will be restored to protect habitats that sustain a diversity of fish and wildlife species, Whittlesey Creek NWR will also restore important coastal habitat in the local ecosystem. This coastal habitat is essential for the reintroduction of coaster brook trout, one of two trout species native to Lake Superior. Once the refuges watershed is fully established, approximately 540 acres of coastal wetlands and another 1,200 acres of wetlands will be protected.
One of Hansons innovative efforts was the development of a 12-minute video entitled "Whittlesey Creek: A Coastal Wetland Initiative." This video was distributed to the general public, legislators and special interest groups to promote the restoration and protection of the unique area.
Hansons vision in producing the video was vital to the success of the project, stated his nomination. He further displayed his leadership by working with Congressman David Obey (DFL-WI) and informing the congressman of the need for adequate funding to protect this unique coastal area.
NWCA Winners
The Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region has successfully nominated a number of partners for the National Wetland Conservation Award. Winners honored from this Region include:
1991: Ray McCormick, Vincennes, Indiana, Regional Individual Winner; Citizens Committee to Save the Cache River, Inc., Perks, Illinois, Regional Group Winner.
1992: Waterfowl USA, Northwest Indiana Chapter, Griffith, Indiana, Regional Group Winner.
1993: Minnesota Waterfowl Association, Minneapolis, National Group Runner up; Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Regional Group Winner.
1994: Pheasants Forever, St. Paul, National Group Winner; Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Milwaukee, Regional Group Winner.
1995: Wildlife Forever, Minneapolis, National Group Winner; Northern Indiana Public Service Company Industries (NIPSCO), Hammond, Indiana, Regional Group Winner; Heartland Gobblers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Regional Group Runner-up.
1996: Red Lake Nation, Red Lake, Minnesota, National Group Runner-up; Chuck Bauer, Evansville, Indiana, Regional Individual Winner; and Dr. Roger Strand, New London, Minnesota, Regional Individual Runner-up.
1997: Fergus Falls Fish and Game Club, Minnesota, Regional Group WinnerDavid M. Jacobson, Sauk Centre, Minnesota, Regional Individual Winner; and Bill Daub, Hudson, Michigan, Regional Individual Runner-up.
1998: Iowa School for the Deaf, Council Bluffs, Iowa, National Group Winner; Roger and Lois Lanski, Glennie, Michigan, Regional Individual Winners.
1999: Rush Lake Improvement Association, Rush Lake, Minnesota, National Group Winner; The Conservation Fund, Grayslake, Illinois, National Group Runner-up; Kemper Lease, Evansville, Indiana, National Individual Runner-up; and Cinergy Corporation, Plainfield, Indiana, Regional Group Winner.
2000: Richard Blythe, Merrillville, Indiana, National Individual Co-winner; and Martin Hanson, Mellen, Wisconsin, Regional Individual Winner.
Anyone wishing more information on the National Wetlands Conservation Award program should contact Steve Kufrin, Regional Private Funds Coordinator in the Twin Cities, at 612-713-5447. For the hearing disabled, call the Minnesota Relay Service at 1-800-627-3529.
