The Awards Program is an annual event that honors communities, individuals, groups, and agencies for their dedication to protecting, enhancing and restoring the natural resources and water quality of the Hood Canal watershed.
Hood Canal Environmental Achievement Award Program
The program was started in 1988 by Donna Simmons, Hood Canal Coordinating Council.
PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS BELOW
1988
Celia and Gary Parrott, in 1985 founded the Hood Canal Land Trust
1989
Al Adams, leadership of Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
1992
North Mason School District, environmental education at the Hood Canal Project Center
Judy Likkel, founder of the State of the Oyster Study
The Sun Newspaper, Hood Canal - Splendor and Risk publication of the Hood Canal environment.
Skokomish Estuary Management Program, Restore Skokomish River Delta
1993
Al Starcevich, Olympic View Environmental Review Council (OVER-C)
Karen Lippy, Teaching Students to take action in Natural Resources Protection
Union River Basin Protection Association, Water Quality Protection Citizen Volunteers
North Canal Shellfish Coalition, Advocate for Shellfish and Clean Water
Hood Canal Aquanuts, Touch Tank Project for public and youth presentations
1994 - 1995
Guy Parsons, Protecting Water Quality and Natural Resources in the Skokomish Valley
Washington Scuba Alliance, Educational/Interpretive Signage Project for Underwater Preserves
Tom and Irene Davis, Transferred 140 acres of land into a Conservation Easement
Quilcene-Snow Restoration Team, Displaced Timber Workers Restore Salmon Habitat
1996
Lisa Lewis, leadership in projects to restore and protect fish habitat in the Skokomish River Basin
Northwest Renewable Resource Center, improved tribal/county relationships at the HCCC
Jon Day, teaching the values of the natural areas and protecting open spaces in Kitsap County
Kitsap County Surface and Stormwater Management Program, for funding and coordinating strategies for county programs to protect water quality.
Olympic National Forest, implementing the President’s Forest Plan
Brinnon/Quilcene Schools Shellfish Science Club, educating students and community about importance of protecting water quality through shellfish farming.
1997
Michelle Benedict, Poulsbo Marine Science Center, gray whale restoration
Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, Chinook conservation, school education, and Salmon Day Camp.
Hood Canal Salmon Sanctuary, ten year acquisition and stewardship campaign to salmon habitat.
1999
Taylor Shellfish Farms, water quality education and protection measures
Circle and Square Global Car Service, business practices that consider the importance of protecting the environment
Washington St. Dept. of Natural Resources, Students in the Watershed support and development
2000
Washington Sea Grant Program, provided 30 years of education to Hood Canal residents
Ron Gold – RG Forestry, improving the art of conduction restoration
The Palmer Family, salmon recovery with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
WSDOT, Shelton Maintenance Crew, protecting Hood Canal from infiltration from landslides
Bill Wilson/Klahowya Secondary School, involve students in research studies and projects in Hood Canal streams
Laurie Byrd/Hood Canal School, Riparian Enhancement Project in the Skokomish Watershed
2001
Jerry Zumdieck, Alki Salmon Team
Jerry Gorsline, Hood Canal Natural Resource planner/educator
Whitney Gardens Nursery, promote use of native plants, restoration at nursery
Lazelle Nature Photography, beauty of Hood Canal through photos
ESA Contractor, Pat McCullough, volunteer and engineering designs for 40 projects
Lower Hood Canal Watershed Implementation Committee, citizen watershed committee
Madrona Beach, community septic system
Chumsortium, Chimacum, protect and improve salmon and wildlife habitat
2002
Katherine Baril, natural resource educator, facilitator, and planner.
Jefferson County and WA Environmental Council, dedication to improving protections for fish and wildlife habitat
Sara Mall Johani and Tom Jay, creating celebrations, jewelry, sculptures, etc. all for the sake of salmon.
Ron Hirschi and Nick Holm, preservation of 35 acres of 1,000 ft of waterfront at Seabeck Bay
Shannon Kirby, Skokomish Valley landowner restoration and protection program
Lige and Kay Christian, Chimacum Creek landowner dedicated to salmon habitat recovery
2003
Kim Lincoln, building relationships and identifying pollution sources in lower Hood Canal.
Neil Werner, oversees salmon restoration projects in Hood Canal as executive director of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group
U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, championed numerous efforts on behalf of the Hood Canal.
Constance Ibsen, dedicated hours to pollution cleanup program on the Lower Hood Canal Watershed Implementation Committee
Eleanor Stopps, founder of Admiralty Audubon, instrumental in designating Protection Island as a national wildlife refuge.
Jodie Holdcroft, water quality and education expert working in the Union River
Kitsap County Health District, Pollution Identification and Correction program (PIC)
2004
Bob Hager, co-chair of Lower Hood Canal Implementation Committee, coordinating low dissolved oxygen effort
Teri King, University of Washington Sea Grant Program, education and outreach in Hood Canal
Friends of Guillemot Cove, volunteer group maintaining Kitsap County Park’s property
Lynch Cove Community, restoration project on marine shoreline park
Skokomish Tribe, changes harvest practices of chum salmon
2005
Dr. Jan Newton, University of Washington, research on the low dissolved oxygen issue in the Hood Canal.
Arpad Masley, Master Gardener, developed the Theler Wetland Native Plant Demonstration Garden
Laurie Usher, work on Hood Canal Summit and many years providing environmental education
2006
Omroa Bhagwandin and Kelly Heintz, Department of Natural Resources land acquisition at Stavis Natural Resources Conservation Area.
Deborah Peterson, Lisa Lantz, Doug Hinton, Joel Pillers, Troy Fitzsimmons of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission leading by example to protect and restore fish and wildlife habitats.
Janis McNeal, Washington Sea Grant Program and Teri King kayaked Hood Canal on weekends to distribute sink screens.
Fred Seminara, Volunteer, member and help support the Hood Canal Pledge Program at the Alderbrook Pro-Shop and community events.
2007
Ginna Correa, Washington Department of Wildlife, secured nearly 4 million federal dollars of stewardship funding through the Washington Landowner Incentive Program.
Patty Stone and Terry Mills chose to rebuild their home with great consideration for the environment.
Chris Drivdahl At the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, she has worked with partners to help complete the Hood Canal Summer chum salmon recovery plan.
Jefferson County Public Health, They have taken an active role to improve the conditions of the Canal’s watersheds and marine environments with new solid waste ordinance and much more.
2008
Duane Fagergren has consistently gone well above and beyond the call of duty to protect and restore Hood Canal as with the “Pollution Assessment and Corrective Actions” document.
Chris Daniel working at the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group developed outstanding educational events including Environmental Explorations and the Adventure Salmon Camps.
Water Resource Inventory Area 16 Planning Unit began its work in 1999, under the state’s new Watershed Planning Act (RCW 90.82). The group attended approximately 150 meetings, while contributing about 8,000 hours of donated time.
David Nash has contributed to a variety of projects that have allowed regulators, the public, elected officials and non-profit groups to better understand their place within the landscapes and waterscapes of Hood Canal.
Ann and Raymond Morris, has protected 1,600 feet of pristine beach and harvested its oysters and invest in an upgrade of their own older system through the Shorebanks program.
Larry and Arlene Schinke of Quilcene Bay are honored for their extraordinary efforts for the restoration of their land.
Randy Johnson is recognized for his contributions to the protection and restoration of natural resources of Hood Canal.
Gary Cunningham is another founding member of Great Peninsula Conservancy’s Board of Directors and GPC’s first president. Previously, he was a founder of the Kitsap Land Trust and its last president. Gary was instrumental in negotiating the merger of the four land trusts that formed Great Peninsula Conservancy in 2000.
Leslie Banigan, Kitsap County Health Distric, has been leading the Kitsap County Health District, pollution identification and correction project very successfully along the Hood Canal shoreline.
Phil Best is a long time member of the Great Peninsula Conservancy’s Board, was a founder and first president of the Kitsap Land Trust, a founding member of Hood Canal Environmental Council in 1969.
Bruce Macdonald was an active member and leader of Peninsula Heritage Land Trust – one of the four predecessors of Great Peninsula Conservancy.
Rick Fackler (posthumous) Rick passed away unexpectedly on May 23rd of this year. Rick served on Great Peninsula Conservancy’s Board since July 2007. He was chair of GPC’s Conservation Committee and was scheduled to become president of GPC in July 2009. Rick was immensely respected by his colleagues at GPC and will be missed.
Jefferson Land Trust has established numerous conservation easements and protections to the watershed of the Hood Canal like protecting the waters of Tarboo Bay.
Washington Onsite Sewage Association has been educating homeowners with their popular community outreach radio talk show—“Septic Solutions.”
Robin Stoddard, Olympic National Forest, exceptional skill, creativity, and determination, the Forest Service has successfully accomplished – on schedule and within budget – a phenomenal amount of restoration work in the South Fork Skokomish River watershed.
Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands, approved the proposal for expanding the Dabob Bay Natural Area Preserve from 350 acres to over 3,600 acres. This is the largest marine shoreline protected area in Hood Canal and a flagship project for Puget Sound.
Dean Renner, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, has vast and competent experience in river engineering and his attention to details during the design review process by NRCS is admirable.