Honor Missouri conservationists with MDC awards

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News from the region

Statewide

By

Joe Jerek

Published Date

10/25/2024

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Conservation Commission and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) are seeking nominations for their Master Conservationist award and Missouri Conservation Hall of Fame award. The awards honor Missourians who make or have made outstanding contributions to conservation in Missouri. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 31.

Master Conservationist Award

The Master Conservationist Award was created in 1941 to honor living or deceased citizen conservationists, former MDC commissioners and staff, and employees of other conservation-related agencies, universities, or organizations who made substantial and lasting contributions to the fisheries, forestry, or wildlife resources, including conservation law enforcement and conservation education-related activities in the state. The award has been given to 70 individuals since its creation.

To be eligible for consideration of recognition, the individual nominated must have been a member of the Missouri conservation community who meets at least one of the following criteria:

1. Performed an outstanding act or developed an innovative idea or technique which advanced conservation in Missouri;
2. Whose dedicated service over an extended period contributed to major progress in conservation in Missouri, and/or;
3. Whose contributions to conservation resulted in lasting significance at a local, regional, or statewide scale.

Candidates may be nominated by any person and nominations should be submitted on the designated form and include a brief biography and detailed information pertaining to the individuals' contributions to conservation. If confirming documentation is available, it should be included.

Get more information including a list of award winners, criteria, and nomination form from the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/about-us/awards-honors/master-conservationist-award-nomination

Missouri Conservation Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame honors living or deceased citizen conservationists, former employees of MDC, and other conservation-related government agencies, universities, or organizations (including conservation law enforcement and conservation education-related activities) who changed the landscape of conservation in the state of Missouri in the field of fisheries, forestry, or wildlife resource management.

The Missouri Conservation Hall of Fame is located in Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City. Established in 1988, the Hall of Fame is Missouri's top honor for individuals - past and present - who have made significant contributions to preserving and protecting the state's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.The award has been given to 48 individuals since its creation.

To be eligible for consideration for recognition, the individual nominated must have been a member of the Missouri conservation community whose career in conservation significantly changed the dynamic of managing and protecting the fish, forest, or wildlife resources of the state and whose contributions were of paramount impact.

Candidates may be nominated by any person. Nominations should be submitted on the designated form and include a brief biography and detailed information pertaining to the individuals' contributions to conservation. If confirming documentation is available, it should be included.

Get more information including a list of award winners, criteria, and nomination form from the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/about-us/awards-honors/hall-fame.

Submit nominations online using the provided links by Dec. 31. Contact MDC Executive Assistant Julie Love with questions at [email protected].

A screening committee appointed by the MDC director meets annually to consider nominees with the Conservation Commission conveying final approval.