San Diego - Tim Anderson, a long-time volunteer with the Friends of Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was selected as 2006 Volunteer of the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Anderson was chosen from among a nationwide group of nominees for their work on Refuges across the country in support of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Much of the critical conservation work and public outreach at the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge is done by volunteers from the Friends of the Seal Beach NWR, led by Anderson. The overlay refuge is managed in a unique partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Navy to conserve and protect several endangered and threatened species, including light-footed clapper rail, California least tern and California brown pelican. "Tim is a one-man environmental tour-de-force," said Capt. Robert Fowler, Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station Commanding Officer. "His infectious zeal, encyclopedic knowledge and can-do spirit have made a dramatic and long-lasting difference here at Seal Beach. He is a remarkable asset to the Refuge and our Navy environmental staff".
Andersons many gifts as an artist, naturalist, photographer, birder, boat builder, and fisherman reveal themselves in the innovative stewardship programs he has spearheaded as a refuge volunteer. When faced with the security challenges of a refuge whose boundaries are completely enclosed within a military installation, he took the refuge to the people by developing a National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial project with the Friends of Seal Beach NWR that enabled members to deliver environmental education all along the Pacific Flyway via a unique "Pelican Van.The Pelican Van continues to carry a conservation message to thousands of participants each year by visiting schools, libraries, museums, and other events. Last year, refuge programs were delivered to over 6,500 students in Orange and Los Angeles counties and offered environmental education to a range of other special audiences in the region. To further the reach of the Systems conservation message, Anderson created websites such as www.centennialcaravan.org and www.birdingbyboat.org . These unique web creations enable visitors to explore the refuge and experience the awe of nature through live action video. Many of his wildlife photographs have also been donated to the Service and appear in refuge brochures.
"Tim has given over 10,000 hours of stewardship, as well as his passion for education and for the natural world to the San Diego NWR Complex and to Seal Beach," said Andrew Yuen, San Diego Refuge Complex Project Leader. "Tim is in the office and out on the refuge almost daily to assist Fish and Wildlife Service staff with activities from monitoring species and restoring habitat, to leading tours of the refuge and delivering education programs. He and other members of the Seal Beach Friends are always there when we need them."
Raised on the Texas Gulf Coast, Anderson learned early in his life the connection between healthy ecosystems and his own survival, commenting that, "a broken system doesnt feed you.A self-made naturalist, he understands the rhythms of the tides, the interdependence of its saltwater organisms, and the value of protecting the natural areas which inspire and sustain him. Today, he tells a new generation that "they can make a difference by becoming educated in environmental issues."
Tim Anderson will be presented with the award at the NFWF/U.S. FWS Directors Reception on March 23 during the 71st North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Columbus, OH.
