CCEDC Announces New Environmental Steward Awards Program

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County (CCEDC) announces Dutchess County Environmental Steward Award Winners for 2012

Millbrook, NY - At the Dutchess County Earth Day Event held on April 18th at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the CCEDC Environment and Energy Program announced the first annual Environmental Steward Award Winners for 2012 for outstanding local environmental stewardship.  The awards were presented by Dutchess County Planning Commissioner Kealy Salomon, along with Dutchess County Legislators Marge Horton and Ben Traudt; the Chair of our Environment Program Advisory Committee, Gary Lovett from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies; and CCEDC Executive Director, Linda Keech. Click here for more information.

According to the county’s Natural Resource Inventory, “Dutchess County, New York has a rich natural heritage that has enabled its communities to prosper and grow, and has contributed to a high quality of life for its residents.  Diverse habitats, productive farmland, abundant water resources, and scenic landscapes are all distinctive characteristics of the region that have attracted new residents and have helped foster a strong sense of place.” Allison Chatrchyan, Environment and Energy Program Leader, notes that “Dutchess County has long been the home to very committed volunteers working with their local municipal conservation advisory committees, the county Environmental Management Council, and municipal boards to ensure that local land use decisions take vital natural resources into account.  The award acknowledges that "local citizens and their lawmakers have the most immediate stake in protecting natural resources and must be given a meaningful role in protecting their quality of life", as John Nolan of the Pace Land Use Law Center points out.

Nominations are being sought for the most outstanding municipal effort to protect local natural resources, and the most outstanding local environmental steward volunteer for the year.  All nominations/applications will be due on Friday, March 23, 2012.  The narrative summary should briefly describe why the municipal group or individual deserves the Dutchess County Environmental Steward Award based on criteria outlined in the nomination form.  Components of the criteria include the success of the project, the natural resources that were protected as a result of the effort, and the community engagement in the effort.

Any municipal group or individual from Dutchess County, NY that aims to improve or protect the natural resources or sustainability of local land use planning is eligible for the award.  This includes the local municipal boards, conservation advisory councils, the Environmental Management Council or a local volunteer of such a group that resides in Dutchess County, NY.  All applications will be reviewed by the elected members of CCEDC’s Environment and Energy Program Advisory Committee. Nomination forms should be submitted to CCEDC’s Environment and Energy Program in Millbrook, NY.  The awards will be presented at a Dutchess County Earth Day in April 2012 to be announced.

For more information on CCEDC’s new Dutchess County Environmental Steward Awards Program, call the Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Environment and Energy Program at 845-677-8223 x 136, or see the organization’s website at www.ccedutchess.org.