n November, NPCA honored three of the park system's greatest advocates. Martin Hanson, the Wisconsin conservationist whose advocacy for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Saint Croix National Scenic River inspired Congress to create the two parks, received the prestigious Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award. Hanson's lifelong efforts range from guiding President Kennedy during his 1963 visit to the islands to the creation of Friends of the Apostle Islands last year.
NPCA bestowed the Stephen T. Mather Award on former Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve superintendent Gary Candelaria for his dedication to the park, commitment to staff and volunteers, and efforts to ensure that thousands of park visitors enjoy a memorable experience. Candelaria is now deputy manager of the Harpers Ferry Service Center. At more than 13 million acres, Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest site in the National Park System.
Sue Fischer, a park ranger and exhibits specialist at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Flagstaff, Arizona, received the National Freeman Tilden Award from NPCA and the National Park Service for her commitment to education and fostering stewardship of the national parks. Fischer's interactive educational exhibit about Sunset Crater Volcano engages visitors by inviting them to "make their own earthquake," learn about native species, and even see the volcano's crater up close thanks to a computer tour.
NPCA was also on the receiving end of an award itself: The first-ever Association of National Park Rangers (ANPR) Partner Award. The award was created to recognize an organization or individual that has worked alongside ANPR to accomplish a goal or complete a project that furthers the missions of ANPR and the National Park Service.
GREAT LAKES RESTORATION
A portion of a $5 million, five-year grant will be used to explore the feasibility of additional National Park Service designation within the Great Lakes Basin.
The grant, announced in the fall by Peter Wege of the Wege Foundation, will also be used to form a coalition of national, regional, and state organizations dedicated to Great Lakes restoration. Along with the National Wildlife Federation, which already operates the Great Lakes Natural Resources Center in Michigan, NPCA will take the lead in coordinating Great Lakes protection, especially in restoring water quality, preventing and controlling non-native aquatic invasive species, and cleaning-up areas of concentrated toxic pollution. NPCA will also hire staff to lay the groundwork for re-opening a Great Lakes "Heartland" office in the next two to three years.
Peter Wege created the Wege Foundation in 1967, part of his personal dream to provide for the future needs of Michigan communities.
Chattahoochee River, Ga.-The Fall 2004 issue of National Parks magazine highlighted budget cuts that put the Chattahoochee River in danger of losing funding for much-needed testing. Fortunately, a new partnership has preserved the testing program for another year.
Following severe rain, bacteria levels in the river often soar, increasing the chance of illness for those who come in contact with the water. For years, the Bacteri-ALERT website was the only source of information about water quality available to area residents. When the Georgia Environmental Protection Division made budget cuts and withdrew its $30,000 in funding, the program was in jeopardy. But Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management has joined the Cobb-Marietta Water Authority and the Cobb County Water System to make up the difference. For more information, visit www.chattahoochee.org.
