On Wednesday, May 14 the NorthWoods Stewardship Center’s Conservation Corps was presented with the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence at a ceremony at the University of Vermont’s Davis Center in Burlington, Vermont. The Corps was recognized for providing hands-on conservation based education, employment and job skills to Northeast Kingdom youth for 20 years. 2014 marks the Corps’ 20th Anniversary.
“The Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence is a real honor and a great way to recognize the important work our youth Corps members have accomplished over the past 20 years” said Ross Stevens, Director of the NorthWoods Conservation Corps.
Since 1995, the Corps has worked with over 1200 young people to complete over 245,000 hours of environmental education, employment training, and conservation service in their home communities.
This year, NorthWoods crews will be working on some of the region’s favorite trails and natural areas, including Willoughby State Forest in Westmore, Eagle Point Wildlife Management Area in Derby, the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge-Nulhegan Basin Division, and the Middle Mountain Trail in Avery’s Gore – a partnership effort to develop hiking trails on the former Champion International Paper Co. lands.
Since 1993, the Governor’s Award has been given to recognize the efforts of Vermonters to conserve and protect natural resources, prevent pollution, and promote environmental sustainability. “These projects contribute significantly to Vermont’s environmental quality and encourage others to take similar actions to protect our resources” said Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources Deb Markowitz. To date more than 200 efforts have been recognized.