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Environmental Awards History
sponsored by the Sonoma County Conservation Council, except as noted · managed since 2001 by LITE Initiatives
updated Jan 21, 2013		    
Sonoma County Environmentalist of the Year  
  Initiated in 1975, this award recognizes people who have recently made outstanding efforts to protect regional resources, directly or indirectly, or advanced their better stewardship.
    Nominated:  
2012 Steve Birdlebough Duane DeWitt, Silke Fleischer, Sean Lovett
2011 John Herrick Steve Birdlebough, Duane DeWitt, Craig M. Enyart
2010 Jane Nielson PhD   Anthony Hanrahan, Mary T. Crowley, Tanya Narath, Jay Halcomb, Ken Wells, Janis Grattan Watkins
2009 David Keller   Ann Hancock, Gerald and Mary Edith Moore, Susan Kirks, Dr. Zeno Swijtink, Lynn Houser
2008 Daisy Pistey-Lyhne   Connie Mahoney, David Keller, David Yearsley, Guy Conner, Jenna Brager, Susan Kirks, Veronica Jacobi
2007 Anne Hudgins & Suzanne Doyle   Lynda Nugent
2006 Dave Henson and Keith Kaulum   Tam Smith
2005 Rue Furch Rick Coates, David Yearsley
2004 Peter Ashcroft Caitlin Cornwall, Ken Wells, Jo Benz. David Cook
 
  2003  Pavitra Crimmel
  2002 Margaret Pennington
  2001 Diane Hichwa
  2000 Tongue in cheek - "Look around, there's one within 10 feet."
  1999 Peeter Vilms
  1998 Christa Shaw
  1997 Mark Green
  1996 Sandra Elles
  1995 Krista Rector

"Conservationist of Year"
sponsored and presented by
Californians Organized to
Acquire Access to
State Tidelands
(COAAST)

  1994 Juliana Doms
  1993 Richard Charter
  1992 Dick Day
  1991 Joan Vilms
  1990 Elizabeth Eddins
  1989 Dee Swanhuyser
  1988 Helen Libeu
  1987 Carol Vellutini and Brenda Adelman
  1986 Bill and Lucy Kortum
  1985 David and Shirley Thatcher and Len Swenson
  1984 Clark Nattkemper
  1983 Barbara Meyn
  1982 Joel Hedgpeth
  1981 Ken Stocking
  1980 Ernie Smith, Martha Bentley and Iva Warner
  1979 Virginia Hechtman
  1978 Chuck Rhinehart
  1977 John Crevelli
  1975 Chuck and Jean Hinkle
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Sonoma County Young Environmentalist (may alternate with Ernie Smith Award):  
Initiated in 2011, this award is granted to up and coming younger people who are stepping up to help protect and restore our environment. "Youth" may not be the preferred designator, but serves to focus attention on teens and twenty somethings, until more apt wording develops.
2011 Jessica Jones, Vice President of Santa Rosa Junior College Campus, Students for Sustainable Communities, Associated Students Sustainability Committee and SWS Sustainable Committee
Ernestine I. Smith Lifetime Environmental Commitment Award
Initiated in 1994, this award is granted to persons who are recognized by the SCCC as having devoted a major part of their lives working for the conservation and improvement of the natural environment.
      Also nominated
  2010 & 2011  not awarded  
  2009 Betty Guggolz AND Betty Burridge
  2008 Brenda Adelman  
  2007 Bernie Album
  2006 Peter Leveque, Phyllis Schmitt
2005 Marty Griffin and Ken Stocking
  2004 not awarded  
  2003 Barbara Biebush  
  2002 Martha Bentley  
  2001 George Ellman  
  2000 Dick Day  
  1999 Bill Kortum  
  1998 Chuck Rhinehart  
  1997 Len Swenson  
  1996 Clark Nattkemper  
  1995 Barbara Meyn  
1994 Ernie Smith  
 
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Outstanding Ecucators, Projects, Programs:
Initiated in 1990, these awards are granted to persons, projects and programs recognized by the SCCC as having used special innovation and insight to teach students - young and old, about the environment.
       also Nominated:
  2011 Conservation Corps: North Bay Sonoma County Energy Independence Program
Sonoma Country Day School, Environmental Sciences
          and Sustainability Program
Santa Rosa High School Environmental Programs
Montgomery High Green Tech Pathway
  2010 daily acts, Treathen Heckman Moms for Clean Air (Petaluma), Petaluma Wetlands Alliance
  2009
1) Cotati Creek Critters, Jenny Blaker and Wade Belew
2) Pachamama Alliance
  2008
1)
Cool Schools Program, Climate Protection Campaign, Maitreyi Siruguri, Program Coordinator
--
 Ocean Discovery! Michelle Chow, Executive Director
--
 Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, Norris “Bob” Dyer, Senior docent & “Mayor of Shollenberger Park”
2)
 Leadership Training for a Sustainable Future and Sonoma Academy Youth Program, Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy
  2007
Educator: Michael Teller, Community Bikes / LITE    / SCBC  Lynda Nugent, Windsor High
Children: LandPaths, In Our Own Back Yard and Adventures in the Big Outdoors Programs Windsor HS Enviro Studies Core; Sonoma County 4-H, Wildlife Project; and Voices of the River, West County Community Services/Community Clean Water Inst
Adults: Sonoma County Conservation Action Sonoma Compost Company
  2006
Educators A: Danny Bever, Sonoma Mountain HS Native Plant Habitat, Petaluma;
Jeff Tobes, 6th grade teacher, Helen Lehman Elementary School, Santa Rosa
Educators B: Wendy Losee, Sonoma Ecology Center
Tina Poles, School Garden Teacher Training Program, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center		 Erin Fender, Windsor High School
Martha Lindgren, Cali Calmeca Charter School, Windsor
Pamela Murnan, Marguerite Hahn Elementary School, Rohnert Park
Project a: Analy HS AP Statistics Class: The Student Commute: Realities and Solutions for Analy HS, Sebastopol
Project b:Oak Grove Union School District Environmental Pilot Program, Graton and Santa Rosa		 Sonoma Mountain High School Native Plant Habitat, Petaluma
Valley Vista School Teaching Garden, Petaluma
Program a: Bouverie Preserve Docents, Audubon Canyon Ranch;
Program b:Russian River State Parks Environmental Education Program, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Duncans Mills		 Daily Acts, Sustainability Tours, Petaluma
2005 Bonny Stene, Science Department Chairperson, Creekside Middle School, Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District
  2004
Dave Casey, Analy HS, Sebastopol
John Klobas, Wright School Elementary, SR		 Shannan Johnson, Cali Calmécac Charter School
  2003 Fred Hall, Maintenance Supervisor, Oak Grove School, Graton
  2002 Krista McAtee, Flowery Elementary School, Sonoma Valley Unified School District
  2001 Sharon Janulaw, Marguerite Hahn Elementary School, Cotati–Rohnert Park Unified School District Director North Bay Science Project
  2000 Sharon Mansfield, school ?
  1999 Marci Cook, Mattie Washburn Elementary; David Neubacher, El Verano Elementary
  1998 Kathy Angell, Mattie Washburn Elementary; Mike Heffernan, Salmon Creek School
  1997 Tom Furrer, Casa Grande HS; Jennifer Creeth, Kenwood Elementary; Ron Head, Petaluma Wildlife Museum 
  1996 Chris Peterson, Rancho Cotate HS; Paula Fogarty, Montgomery HS; Kathy Angell, Mattie Washburn Elementary; Anne Harris, Jefferson Elementary; Leslie Supan, Waldo Rohnert Elementary
  1995 Kathy Vyenielo, Ridgway HS

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Special Recognitions:
  2008 Iva Warner
  2007 City of Sebastopol Sustainability Program
  2006 Portia M. Sinnott, Environmental Innovator of the Year, LITE Initiatives
2005 Pat Wiggins, Keith Kaulum, COAAST founders
  2004 Ann Hancock
  2003 Ann Stroberger, SCCC Secretary/Community Network
  1998 Frances Tanti
  1997 Teresa Ramondo, Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce


Environmental Business of Year (on hold):  
Managed by Portia Sinnott from 1999– 2002.  A structured and organized participatory e-process for nomination and determination is in place.But, as with all environmental business award programs, troublesome flaws persist: how green is green, and how well can you judge a business in a few short hours?
2002 Hendricksen Naturlich Flooring & Petaluma Poultry
  2001 Schurter, Inc
  2000 Community Market
  1999 Topolos Russian River Winery
  1998 ZAP Power Systems
  1997 Price Pump
  1996 Food for Thought
  1995 Valley Plastics
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