Boulder County Audubon recognizes community members for their commitment to conservation, education, and community action. Awards are typically awarded during the May meeting with a longer article on the awardees in the fall edition of the On The Wing newsletter.
2020
No awards were presented.
2019
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2019 newsletter.
Environmental Conservation Award – Scott Rashid for his outstanding research on local raptors and the founding of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute.
Leadership Award – Ann Tagawa for her founding and dedication to the Boulder County Audubon Birds and Brews MeetUp field trips.
Leadership Award – Pam Piombino for her longtime dedication to and leadership of Boulder County Audubon Society.
2018
Read complete awardee descriptions in the April 2019 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Ruth Wright for leadership in keeping Boulder County livable – from the open space tax amendment to building height requirements to representing Boulder in the State Assembly.
Community Conservation Award — Ann Cooper for her longtime commitment to conservation and education while being a OSMP volunteer for over 40 years and for her commitment to the conservation and study of many taxa from bats to insects.
2017
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2017 newsletter.
Community Conservation Award — Karen Hollweg for long being a stalwart of the Boulder environmental community, from early work in the BioBlitz and other citizen science projects to ensuring that Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks continues to fulfill its charter purpose of preserving functioning ecosystems.
Environmental Conservation Champion — Tim Hogan for being an advocate for protection of native plant communities and wildlife in Boulder County for more than 30 years while serving as Collection Manager for the University of Colorado Herbarium.
2016
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2016 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Bill Kaempfer for long being a pillar in the ornithological community.
Community Conservation Award — Boulder County Parks and Open Space wildlife biologists Michelle Durant, David Hoerath, and Mac Kobza, and senior wildlife biologist Susan Spaulding for being dedicated and knowledgeable wildlife biologists while working across the Boulder County Parks and Open Space.
Junior Conservation Activist Award — Annika Sherrill for her dedication to local owl research and conservation efforts including banding young and raising over $800 from cookie sales.
2015
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2015 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Jan Chu for her long dedication to science and environmental education and butterfly monitoring in Boulder County.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Steve Jones for being a lifelong naturalist, for sharing his passion in others, and for being a face for many of Boulder County’s nature-related organizations.
Community Conservation Award — Carol McCasland for exceptional volunteerism at many Boulder County and Front Range organizations.
2014
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2014 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Paula Hansley for carrying out bird studies and leading field trips in Boulder County and beyond for close to 50 years.
Environmental Conservation Champion — Sue Cass for being an unflinching advocate for the environment while building consensus among diverse individuals and groups while working with the Boulder County Nature Association, Boulder County Parks and Open Space Advisory Council, and more.
Community Conservation Award — Joy Master and Matt Clausen for led the effort to protect and enhance habitat for native wildlife populations on Boulder Parks and Recreation Department lands.
2013
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2013 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award —William A. Weber for chronicling Colorado Flora and educating young naturalists for nearly 70 years.
Environmental Conservation Champion — J.D. Birchmeier for building and installing built and installed over 500 bluebird boxes in and around Boulder County.
Community Conservation Award — Pam Wanek her work on research and conservation on Prairie Dogs and their habitat.
2012
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2012 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Joyce Gellhorn for a lifetime as an educator, researcher, field trip leader, and an author specializing in Colorado alpine areas.
Environmental Conservation Champion — Ray Bridge for serving as the Boulder County Audubon Conservation Committee Chair and for attending hearings on widespread issues to ensure that conservation and wildlife always have an advocate.
Community Conservation Connections Award — Topher Downham for his diligent efforts making our open spaces open for all. As an OSMP volunteer and advocate for the disabled, Topher has authored a trail accessibility guide for disabled, and leads field trips focused on accessibility for BCAS.
2011
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2011 newsletter.
Lifetime Achievement Award — George Oetzel for his long dedication to our chapter. His volunteering includes newsletter editor for 38 issues, board member, President, Membership Chair, and many smaller roles. George and his wife, Marti, also resurrected our bluebird nestbox program.
Environmental Conservation Award — Laura Osborne for her work as eco-steward and conservation activist for Walker Ranch County Open Space.
Community Conservation Award — Ray Bridge, Gwen Dooley, James Gallo, Beverly Gholson, Karen Hollweg, Linda Jourgensen and Petrea Mah, members of the Community Collaboration Group, for their work on the City’s West-Trail study area policy design for 18 months.
Special Recognition for Education Programming — Maureen Lawry and Mary Balzer for their revitalization of our public outreach and education program over the last five years and as developers and co-presenters of the Prairie Ecosystem Puppet Show for elementary school children.
2010
Leadership Award — Steve Jones for his leadership while being a Boulder Audubon chapter leader for over two decades, a Boulder County Nature Association leader for longer, a teacher and field trip leader and a voice for county and state environmental stewardship.
Community Conservation Award — Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, a local non-profit restoration organization, for their work on habitat restoration.
Conservation Award — Chris and Debbie Abrahamson for their work as initiators and coordinators of the Boulder County burrowing owl study.
Volunteer of the Year Award — Amy Schlotthauer for her work on the Boulder County Audubon website designer and maintainer.
Lifetime Achievement Award — Ken Strom for his work as the state and regional coordinator for Audubon.
2009
Environmental Conservation Award — Bill Schmoker for his unrelenting dedication as the Christmas Bird Count coordinator.
Leadership Award — Bob Turner for his longtime leadership at the national, state and chapter levels.
Community Conservation Award — Leslie Glustrom for her work as a green energy activist and for work on clean energy and carbon reduction goals.
Special Recognition — Gary Graham for his work as State Audubon director over 6 years and for work as a conservationist and researcher for decades.
2008
Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2008 newsletter.
Conservation Award — Marti and George Oetzel for their work restoring and expanding the Walker Ranch bluebird trail and for continued work as the monitoring coordinators.
Community Conservation Award — Dave Hallock for 30 years of studying and protecting local ecosystems.
Leadership Award — Linda Andes-Georges for her longtime contributions to the chapter while serving as secretary, president, and conservation chair and for activities as an active chapter member as a 12-year participant in the Coal Creek Riparian Renaissance Project, a 15-year volunteer for the Indian Peaks Four Season Bird Counts, an eco-steward, a frequent contributor to On The Wing, and a leading force in outreach and fundraising.
2007
Environmental Conservation Award — Connie Holsinger for her work as a longtime OSMP supporter and donator to local and national conservation through the Terra Foundation. Connie is also an originator of the Coal Creek Renaissance concept.
Leadership Award — Marge Foland in recognition of her leadership since being a charter member of the chapter.
Leadership Award — Gillian and Alex Brown in recognition of being originators and caretakers of the Wildlife Inventory program since 1985.
Community Conservation — Kirk Cunningham for his work as a longtime local activist and leader of the conservation core of the Indian Peaks Sierra Club chapter.