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2010 KATHERINE D. RILL ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
PRESENTED TO PAUL FOWLER
On April 17, 2010 at the Spring Banquet, Winnebago Audubon Society presented the Katherine D. Rill Environmental Award to Paul Fowler. For Paul, like Katherine Rill, being an environmentalist is a lifetime endeavor. It colors the way he looks at the world. It reveals itself in his land ethic, his community activism, and his every day advocacy.
Land Ethic. Paul is a retired farmer. His farm is located eight miles south of Oshkosh on Highway 45 in the Town of Black Wolf. As young farmers, in 1967 he and his wife Justine were recognized as Outstanding Farmer of the Year by the Oshkosh JC’s, and in 1973 as Farmer of the Year by the Associated Milk Producers, Inc., a three state dairy marketing cooperative. In those days Paul taught a course in soil conservation and his farm was used for field study by the Oshkosh Technical Institute. Over the years Paul and Justine planted more than 40,000 trees and shrubs and placed more than 100 acres of farmland into conservation protection. Paul also formed the Black Wolf Wildlife Association, a group of hunters and outdoor enthusiasts still dedicated to the preservation of natural habitat and wildlife. Visit Paul’s home today and he will point out dozens of recently planted trees, acres of native vegetative prairie, extensive buffered shorelines, and a few of the close to 100 bluebird and wood duck boxes his Wildlife Association has erected.
Community Activism. Paul’s contribution to the local community has spanned 50 years. He has chaired numerous farming and civic organizations. He was a founding member of Pheasants Forever and the Winnebago Lakes Council. In 2006 he was recognized as Conservationist of the Year by Pheasants Forever. Currently he chairs the Beautification Committee of Southwest Rotary. In his 15 years as chair, this committee has contributed thousands of dollars and made over 75 awards to worthy community projects. Among its successes has been initiation and support of several city programs: Adopt a Flower Bed, Memorial Tree and Releaf Oshkosh. Paul was among several civic leaders asked to help kick-off the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation’s recent $500,000 tree planting program: Taking Root. On a personal level, when Justine died in 2006, Paul chose to establish a grove of 20 trees in Menominee Park near Ames Point as a living memorial to his wife of 45 years and the beautification of city parks.
At the state level, Paul has been on the board of Scenic Wisconsin for more than 10 years. In this capacity, he has urged the organization to broaden its activities beyond its mission of billboard control. Scenic Wisconsin now promotes rustic roads, scenic byways, native vegetation along roadsides, preservation of historic barns and proper placement of wind turbines and communication towers to protect wildlife and scenic vistas.
Environmental Advocacy. Paul’s love of the environment has made him many friends. He is not shy about speaking up. He has a willingness to research and share information to educate others about a variety of environmental topics and often takes a leadership role supporting many state and local initiatives. For the past decade, email has helped expand his advocacy. Rarely a day goes by that he does not forward environmental information to a long list of people he believes will benefit from the knowledge.
Paul’s outstanding record of land and water conservation, his active promotion of urban forestry and his long history of environmental advocacy made him an ideal candidate for this award.
Nominations Sought for 2011
Katherine D. Rill Environmental Award
Each year Winnebago Audubon Society recognizes an individual from our community who has worked to achieve the Society’s objectives. The award was named to honor the memory of Katherine D. Rill who dedicated her time, skills and efforts to preserve and restore wildlife habitat, conserve birds, engage in citizen science, and educate others about natural systems.
Katherine played a vital role in establishing our chapter in 1982 and continued to be an integral part of the chapter for over 20 years. In the mid-1960s she was involved in the statewide effort to ban DDT. She was instrumental in the preservation of Cactus Rock, a state scientific area south of New London. Along with her husband, Russ, they helped preserve Tellock’s Hill Woods, a state natural area near Clintonville. The thesis for her master’s degree, “A Flora of Winnebago County,” was published in the transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences. Her own herbarium, donated to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh a few years ago contained over 8,000 sheets of dried, pressed plants. She worked for the Natural Areas Preservation Council, now the Bureau of Endangered Resources, creating an inventory of unique, relatively undisturbed areas in five counties – many are now state natural areas. She never hesitated to take action against ill-conceived projects, often attending permit hearings of the US Army Corps of Engineers and DNR. And she served as secretary and president of the Citizens Natural Resources Board. These are just some of the things Kay was involved in.
Nominees for this award must be from our area. The candidate must have shown a dedication to preservation or restoration of habitat; conservation of birds; engagement in citizen science; or education of others about natural systems. Candidates may not nominate themselves. Please send nominations to Winnebago Audubon Society, PO Box 184, Oshkosh, WI 54903 no later than March 20, 2011. Include your complete contact information along with a letter detailing why your nominee qualifies. The nominee should be able to attend the Spring Banquet (date not yet determined for 2011) when the award will be presented.
2009 KATHERINE D. RILL ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
PRESENTED TO MICHAEL LIZOTTE
On May 2, 2009 at the Spring Banquet, Winnebago Audubon Society presented the Katherine D. Rill Environmental Award to Michael Lizotte for his outstanding work in citizen science, environmental education and habitat protection.
Dr. Michael Lizotte is one of the leading experts on the Lake Winnebago system. He has trained citizens to monitor the lakes, brought in over $200,000 for lake protection, and helped several thousands area individuals gain a better understanding of lake ecology and culture. His work and knowledge as a citizen and as a professor at UW Oshkosh is particularly important in our community as it has created positive perceptions and attitudes toward governmental agencies and sound environmental resource management.
Here are just a few specific examples of why Dr. Lizotte is worthy of this award.
- He initiated volunteer monitoring programs for lakes, rivers and streams in the Winnebago system. More than 120 area citizens have been trained to use a Secchi disk to test for water clarity on the system’s four lakes. He also extended more more complex training to 40 citizens monitoring the 96 streams entering the Winnebago system. Volunteers test bi-weekly during the boating season and enter data into a DNR website. Previously only three DNR stations monitored the entire system. To cover training expenses, Lizotte tapped into the state’s Citizen Monitoring Network grant program. Over 1000 state lakes actively participate in this program.
- Lizotte also initiated the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program on our lakes – a joint project of UWO and the Winnebago Lakes Council. This will be the fourth summer interns will be hired and trained to inspect boats and distribute educational literature at busy boat launches to protect our lakes against the spread of aquatic invasive species.
- He wrote two successful large grants to develop and begin implementation of a regional plan to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in the Winnebago system. This is a citizen-based effort with a 15 member advisory committee and numerous public meetings. Phase I has been completed and Phase II will extend through 2010.
- Lizotte conceived the concept of a Lakes Education Center showcasing the Winnebago Lakes. Community response has been positive, including a site offered by the city in Riverside Park, and a small Oshkosh Area Community Foundation grant for promotion. Tough economic times have slowed this effort.
- He raised the understanding of hundreds of community residents about the importance of the Winnebago lake system. For 2009 he is on course to speak to at least 30 community organizations, possibly reaching several thousand individuals by year end.
Mike Lizotte & Pat Nichols. Janet Wissink & Doug Zelmer.
Doug Zellmer received the Winnebago Audubon Society award for promoting environmental awareness in Winnebago County in 2007. He has written many articles for the Oshkosh Northwestern to educate readers and recognize people invloved with environmental issues. Janet Wissink, president of Winnebago Audubon Society, presented the award at the annual potluck supper.
George Curtis was the 2008 recipient of Winnebago Audubon Society's award for promoting awareness of envirnomental and conservation issues in Winnebago County. Mr. Curtis has hosted the TV program "It's Your Environment" for a number of years covering a variety of topics. The program which highlighted Winnebago Audubon Society and presentation of the award can be seen on the web: www.youtube.com