Maine Audubon Honors Law Firm, Educator, Scientist, and Volunteers for Contributions to Environmental Education and Wildlife Conservation

FALMOUTH, Maine, June 25, 2009—Maine Audubon has awarded a Portland-based law firm and eight Maine residents its 2009 annual awards for outstanding contributions to environmental education and wildlife conservation.

The award recipients are:

• 2009 Maine Audubon Distinguished Contribution Award recipient Richardson, Whitman, Large & Badger, based in Portland;
• 2009 Maine Audubon Wildlife Conservation Award recipient Charlie Todd, of Orrington, wildlife biologist at Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife;
• 2009 Maine Audubon Educator of the Year Anita Bernhardt, of Cumberland, state science and technology specialist for the Maine Department of Education;
• 2009 Maine Audubon Volunteer(s) of the Year: Richard "Andy" Anderson, Hampden; Gladys Ewing, Orrington; Joyce Rumery, Old Town; Bryce Smith, Dedham; and Jim and Kathy Zeman, Bucksport.
  

Honorees were presented with their awards on Wednesday, June 17, at Maine Audubon’s Annual Meeting in Falmouth.

Richardson, Whitman, Large & Badger; 2009 Maine Audubon Distinguished Contribution Award

Maine Audubon presented this award in recognition of the law firm's commitment to conservation in Maine, in tribute to the late Harrison Richardson, and with immense gratitude to partner John Whitman and the firm’s dedicated staff.

Richardson, Whitman, Large & Badger played a major role in helping Maine Audubon win major improvements to Plum Creek’s plan for the Moosehead Lake region, and in advocating for protecting the region’s wildlife and remote character.

Founding partner Harry Richardson, a renowned trial lawyer and former Republican Maine legislator who died in February, was a longtime member of Maine Audubon and an expert advisor and colleague in the organization’s work to protect Maine's Moosehead region and North Woods.

"For Harry, doing legal work to oppose Plum Creek's plan was personal—he was deeply committed to protecting Maine's woods, waters, and wildlife for all of Maine’s people," said Jody Jones, Maine Audubon wildlife ecologist. "His passion for that goal was incredibly clear to all of us working with him. He gave hundreds of hours of his time to opposing Plum Creek’s proposal for development that Harry said was so 'astonishing in size' that he foresaw extensive loss and damage to the region."

Richardson fought for Maine’s environment throughout his professional life, including by helping to establish and shape Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) to set standards for protecting Maine’s natural resources.

Partner John Whitman, a stand-out presence during the Plum Creek hearings, repeatedly revealed numerous details in Plum Creek’s plan that threatened wildlife and wildlife habitat. Whitman also shined a light on the economic risks of the proposal.

Richardson, Whitman, Large & Badger has given much if its exemplary legal work to Maine Audubon pro bono.

Charlie Todd, 2009 Maine Audubon Wildlife Conservation Award

Maine Audubon has selected Charlie Todd, of Orrington, a wildlife biologist at Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, as the recipient of the 2009 Maine Audubon Wildlife Conservation Award. Charlie is recognized by his colleagues throughout New England and nationally as the mastermind of bald eagle recovery in Maine.

"The work that Charlie Todd has done is of historic proportion and significance," said Sally Stockwell, Maine Audubon director of conservation. "His dedication and persistence over 30 years is a key reason we’ve brought the bald eagle back to Maine."

When Charlie started working with bald eagles in the late 70’s, there were fewer than 30 pairs in the state, and only a handful beyond our borders left in New England. Work on nongame species was just beginning, and Endangered Species Acts at the federal and state levels were brand new.

Today, Maine's bald eagle population has recovered to nearly 500 pairs nesting in 2008 and eagles now inhabit every one of Maine’s 16 counties.

That's why Maine Audubon was delighted, earlier this year, to support the Maine Legislature’s decision to remove the bald eagle from Maine's endangered species list. This case showed that state and federal Endangered Species Acts work, because they enable wildlife experts to develop science-based protection strategies, including management guidelines that protect the species' essential habitat.

Charlie's leadership resulted in people working together to restore and protect a species—to study and monitor the population, to protect nesting habitat, and, sometimes, to actually rear eagles and their offspring.

After working for years to rebuild a population that had been devastated by DDT and illegal shooting, Charlie was dissatisfied with the recovery numbers. So he set out to develop new partnerships for improving their breeding success.

He met with landowners and started to win their help, nearly one nest at a time, to protect nesting sites and limit disturbance during the nesting season. With the help of Essential Habitat designation, he worked to reduce conflicts between new development and nesting eagles. Charlie also cared for and trained "Bart" (a debilitated bald eagle from a Hancock County nest) to accompany him on educational visits to classrooms across the state.

Today, because of Charlie, Maine has an incredible network of hundreds of landowners committed to protecting eagles and their habitat.

"You might think that now Charlie’s work is done," Stockwell said. "But no—there’s still ample habitat for bald eagles to continue to spread across the state. . . . And you can bet Charlie will be there to make sure the young birds find a safe home. And as conditions improve for the eagle, they improve for us all."

Anita Bernhardt, 2009 Maine Audubon Educator of the Year

Maine Audubon is delighted to recognize Anita Bernhardt, of Cumberland, the state science and technology specialist for the Maine Department of Education, as our 2009 Educator of the Year.

With the strong support of the department, Anita is reaching out across the state to link educators, school administrators, higher education faculty, informal educators, professional organizations, research organizations, and business partners within the Maine science and technology community.

"Anita is passionate about helping Maine educators draw on the energy and wisdom of these individuals to gain access to the diverse educational resources and expertise available in Maine," said Kara Wooldrik, Maine Audubon education director. "Her work strongly supports Maine Audubon’s goals as a statewide leader of environmental education, because more Maine educators are learning what environmental education really is, how it can be integrated within science education, and where funding may be available to make that happen."

Anita also is dedicated to raising public awareness of how important it is to provide Maine students with science and technology education that will prepare them for post-secondary education and career opportunities.

"Maine Audubon environmental educators are inspired by Anita’s energy and enthusiasm," Wooldrik said. "We also appreciate that she is a champion for building awareness and use of the best educational practices. Anita wants to make sure Maine students really learn."

2009 Maine Audubon Volunteer(s) of the Year

Richard "Andy" Anderson, Hampden; Gladys Ewing, Orrington; Joyce Rumery, Old Town; Bryce Smith, Dedham; and Jim and Kathy Zeman, Bucksport.

Maine Audubon has presented its 2009 Volunteer of the Year award to six volunteers whose longtime commitment to Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden (less than 15 minutes from downtown Bangor) is inspiring. Dedicated community leaders and volunteers made it possible to launch the center in 1998—and "volunteer power" has helped fuel the center’s success ever since.

Richard "Andy" Anderson, of Hampden, started volunteering the Fields Pond Audubon Center the minute it opened, leading nature walks for children, greeting visitors, selling store merchandise, and working on trails.

Gladys Ewing, of Orrington, has volunteered at Fields Pond since 2001, every Thursday morning and some evenings. She registers program and field trip participants, and works in the center’s Nature Store. Gladys also has been a familiar face at the Fields Pond booth during Bangor's Spring Flower Show.

Joyce Rumery, of Old Town, is dean of libraries at the University of Maine. She launched the Fields Pond book-discussion group 10 years ago and continues to guide member’s choice and discussion of nature- and conservation-related books. Joyce also has spearheaded a yearly Maine Audubon Earth Day Cleanup on the banks of the Penjajawoc Stream near the Bangor Mall for 10 years.

Bryce Smith, of Dedham, has been dedicated to Fields Pond Audubon Center since it opened. A retired professor of biology, he’s led children and adults on nature walks, and taught botany classes at the center. His wife Jan is an artist who often donates beautiful work to Fields Pond auctions and sales.

Jim and Kathy Zeman, of Bucksport, also have been stalwart volunteers from the earliest days of Fields Pond Audubon Center. They've led school-group outings and birding trips, and hosted evening programs. Every summer, they manage the center’s bluebird houses and count the new bluebirds that fledge.

By sharing their knowledge, their time, and their resources, these 2009 Maine Audubon Volunteers of the Year have helped create a vibrant fields Pond community that exemplifies the best of an Audubon center.

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MAINE AUDUBON works to protect Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action.

With more than a 160-year history of connecting people with nature, Maine Audubon is the only organization in Maine working to conserve wildlife in three ways: providing hands-on environmental education for people of all ages, conducting research and wildlife conservation projects statewide, and taking action to help shape effective science-based conservation policy.

Support for Maine Audubon comes from its 11,000 members, donors, and volunteers, including individuals, foundations, and corporations. Maine Audubon is an independently funded and operated affiliate of the National Audubon Society and has local chapters statewide (Downeast, Fundy, Merrymeeting, Midcoast, Penobscot Valley, Western Maine, York County).

Maine Audubon’s programs and trips, two year-round visitor centers, and eight wildlife sanctuaries open to the public offer young children through senior citizens wide-ranging opportunities to explore, learn about, and care for Maine’s wildlife throughout the year.

Year-round Programs:

Falmouth: Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, Maine Audubon headquarters

Holden: Fields Pond Audubon Center

Summer-Fall Programs:

Elliotsville: Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary

Freeport: Mast Landing Audubon Sanctuary

Rockland: Project Puffin Visitor Center

Scarborough: Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center

Open to the Public; Group Programs by Arrangement:

Biddeford Pool: East Point Audubon Sanctuary

Georgetown: Josephine Newman Audubon Sanctuary

West Bath: Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary

Find more information about Maine Audubon sanctuaries and centers, as well as a schedule of programs and trips, at www.maineaudubon.org.