John Dawes Wins 2006 Karl Mason Environmental Award

On Thursday, May 18, 2006, during the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals (PAEP) Annual Conference in State College, the association presented its 2006 Karl Mason Awards to John Dawes, an Angus cattle farmer and conservationist from Huntington County and the DCNR Wild Resource Conservation Program.

John Dawes

PAEP recognized John Dawes as an individual who exemplifies the vision of Karl Mason that environmental protection and enhancement starts with committed environmental professionals who understand the complexities of Mother Nature, who embrace a positive environmental ethic, and who through a life long commitment to get things done. John fulfills his environmental ethic both in the organizations he supports and leads and in the wise management of his farm in Huntington County. Among his many professional accomplishments are:

• He established the Western Pa Watershed Program, an arm of the Heinz Endowments, with a mission of protecting, preserving, and restoring the Commonwealth’s water resources.

• He administers the Western PA Watershed Grant Program, which fosters local environmental groups at the grassroots level to organize and carry out site-specific remediation projects. The $3 million dollars in project funding granted by the program has leveraged over $26 million dollars in matching funds.

• He has been active in local, state, and national level conservation efforts and served on the Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, the Governor’s 21st Century Environment Commission, the Pennsylvania Angus Association, the Juniata Clean Water Partnership, the Penn State Center for Watershed Stewardship, and Preservation Pennsylvania.

• He has been active in conservation farming using practices such as rotational grazing, stream bank fencing, riparian buffer enhancement, enhanced cattle crossings, converting pastures back to wetlands, and wind power generation.

Wild Resource Conservation Program

PAEP recognized the DCNR Wild Resource Conservation Program as a statewide program that strongly supports research and protection efforts for the states natural heritage through it educational and grant programs. In partnership with agencies, organizations and concerned citizens, the program strives to maintain, manage, enhance and restore Pennsylvania’s native wild plants and non-game animals and their habitats.

The program’s current Executive Director, Sara Nicholas, and former Executive Director, Frank Felbaum, were recognized for the program’s valuable contributions.

The grant monies provided by the Wild Resource Conservation Fund enables the Wild Resource Conservation Program to produce a wide variety of environmental education materials, such as posters, activity books, Keytstone Wild Notes (a free quarterly newsletter) and videos. The educational materials used by many of the state’s conservation agencies, the Department of Education, and private groups were developed to educate the general public about species and habitat issues.

The Wild Resource Conservation Fund and the Environmental Stewardship Fund provide dollars for applied research projects (Pa. native wild plants, mosses, fungi, land snails, grasshoppers, butterflies, non-game fish, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic organisms, non-game birds and mammals). These projects collect valuable information and promote active recovery of the Commonwealth’s wild plant and animal resources.

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From left to right, 2006 Karl Mason Award recipients John Dawes, current DCNR Wild Resource Conservation Program Executive Director, Sara Nicholas, and former Executive Director, Frank Felbaum.

Wayne Kober, Conservation Committee Chair, shown with the group recipient of the 2006 Karl Mason Award (DCNR Wild Resource Conservation Program current director Sara Nicholas (left) and former executive director Frank Felbaum (right).