Augusta, ME – The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) has named its 2018 Conservation Leadership Award winners. The award recipients include a former Republican legislator who crafted several of Maine’s most important environmental laws; a shellfish grower turned climate activist; a couple of fearless advocates for Maine’s natural resources, and this year’s winner of the People’s Choice Award, the creator and manager of the 18,000-member Facebook group, MaineBirds.
The Conservation Leadership Award is given each year to individuals or groups who have made an extraordinary contribution to the protection of Maine’s land, air, waters, or wildlife. The winners are:
- Horace “Hoddy” Hildreth (Falmouth), Lifetime Achievement Award winner, for decades of public service in conservation and as a passionate voice for the environment
- Sandy and Ole Jaeger (Georgetown) for exemplifying an informed and highly engaged citizenry necessary for holding their elected officials accountable (Read Sandy’s remarks upon accepting their award.)
- Bill Mook (Walpole) for putting his real-life experience as a shellfish grower and business owner into advocacy work for clean water and a healthy climate
- Robin Robinson (Brunswick), People’s Choice Award winner, for creating a flourishing online educational community of people who share photos and information about all aspects of Maine’s wild birds, including threats to their habitats and opportunities to make a difference
Pictured from L to R: Front Row: Sandy Jaeger, Bill Mook. Back Row: NRCM CEO Lisa Pohlmann, Robin Robinson, Ole Jaeger, and Daniel Hildreth
The Conservation Leadership Award presentation was held on Wednesday, October 17, at the First Universalist Church in Yarmouth.
“All four of these individuals have gone to extraordinary measures to safeguard Maine’s environment. I could not be more pleased to be presenting them with NRCM’s Conservation Leadership Award,” says Natural Resources Council of Maine Executive Director Lisa Pohlmann. “They set an example for each of us, and across generations, about what it means to take care of the home we treasure: Maine’s land, air, waters, and wildlife. Congratulations to each of them.”
For more than 30 years, NRCM has presented the award to citizens across the state, who work to protect the natural resources that are so important for Maine’s economy and way of life. Past recipients include Senator George Mitchell, natural history author Phyllis Austin, former Baxter State Park Director Buzz Caverly, Olympic champion/clean air activist Joan Benoit Samuelson, and more than a hundred other citizen heroes who have made a difference in their communities and beyond.
NRCM works statewide to improve the quality of Maine’s rivers, lakes, streams, and coastal waters; promote sustainable communities through initiatives that reduce toxic pollution and waste; decrease air and climate-changing pollution through energy efficiency and renewable sources; conserve Maine lands and wildlife habitat, including our treasured North Woods; and defend the federal environmental policies and programs that help protect Maine. We harness the power of science, the law, and the voices of more than 20,000 members across Maine and beyond to protect our air, waters, forests, and way of life. Since 1959, NRCM has led efforts to keep Maine a special place. Together, we are making a difference.
