In 1947, newlyweds Wiley and Isabel Dunn Hill moved to Lanark, a 350 acre estate located in Millbrook.  Over the next fifty years they cared for and nurtured Lanark into one of the most diverse and beautiful places found anywhere.  Abundant and striking forests, fields, streams, and lakes were enhanced by the creation of more than 30 acres of wooded and formal gardens featuring both native and ornamental flowering plants. Lanark truly represents the life work of Isabel and Wiley Hill.

Around 2000, Isabel Dunn Hill, along with her daughter Isabel Thigpen Hill, began thinking and planning for the future.  Knowing that she would one day need to leave Lanark in the caring hands of others, she began to make plans.  Both of them wanted to insure that Lanark would live on, would be taken care of, and would be shared in the right way.  She wanted to share it with others and wanted them to see the same natural resource beauty that had inspired her for so many years and had given her the motivation to work with the land on a daily basis.

The Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF) had a desire to share the outdoors with others as well and this common thread brought the Hill Family and AWF together.  In 2002 right before Mrs. Hill passed away, AWF and the Hill Family joined forces to create the AWF Isabel and Wiley Hill Conservation Education Center, a non-profit entity composed of AWF representatives, Isabel Thigpen Hill, and her husband David Sweeney.  Through this partnership and with the help of AWF and its supporters, the plan was put in place to provide for the long-term stewardship of Lanark and development of a world-class outdoor education facility that is now known as the Alabama Nature Center.

On April 20, 2007, the first step in this vision became a reality with the Grand Opening of Phase I at the Alabama Nature Center.  Five miles of trails and boardwalks now traverse the beautiful and diverse natural resources found at Lanark.  In addition, a new 7,300 square-foot outdoor pavilion serves as a welcome center and outdoor education facility.  Since April 20, over 5,000 youth and adult visitors have visited the Alabama Nature Center for outdoor learning and enjoyment.

Beyond scenic vistas, this natural resource legacy provides an abundance of tools that enhance learning for students and people of all ages and through the Alabama Nature Center, Lanark will be will be utilized for learning, discovery, and inspiration.

This joint project of AWF and the Hill Family is a testament to sharing and a testament to the power of the outdoors.  Through their foresight and generosity thousands of children will learn the importance of conserving our wildlife and natural resources.  Their gift to Alabama is second to none.

For their personal commitment and unselfish generosity, we present the 2007 Conservationist of the Year, the Isabel and Wiley Hill Family.

Forrest Ford is a young man who has a winning and dedicated attitude, possesses outstanding morals and character, and serves as a role model for others to follow. He has always had a keen interest and admiration for conservation and has participated in numerous activities that are directly related to conservation throughout his 16 years. Forrest has been actively involved in the Tuscaloosa County 4-H Forestry Team and the County 4-H Wildlife Judging Team for years and has won many honors due to his leadership and knowledge in these two 4-H activities.

In July 2006, Forrest was elected captain of the 4-H team by his teammates and led them in representing the State of Alabama in the National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Invitational in Wisconsin. Applying himself to the task at hand and working diligently, Forrest was instrumental in helping his team win the National 4-H Wildlife Judging Team Championship – 23 points ahead of the second place team. Because of his writing skills, he also won a special Aldo Leopold Essay Award.
In addition to these accomplishments, Forest was a charter member in implementing the Tuscaloosa County 4-H American Liberty Elm Restoration project in 1998. He has also presented programs on natural resource activities to local civic clubs and scout camps. Most recently, he conducted a lesson on Wildlife Management Practices for youth and adults attending the Alabama Power Company 4-H Wildlife Camp.

He has served as the president of the Tuscaloosa County 4-H Natural Resource Club for the past three years, served for four years as a 4-H Junior Leader at the Tuscaloosa County 4-H Natural Resource Shortcourse, is an honor student at Tuscaloosa County High and is very involved as a member of the Student Government Association.

For these outstanding accomplishments, we present the 2007 Youth Conservationist of the Year, Mr. Forrest Ford.

With over 25 years of field experience as a wildlife biologist in the Southeast, Mark Bailey has made significant contributions to the conservation and enhancement of Alabama’s diverse and unique wildlife heritage.  As co-founder and Senior Biologist for Conservation Southeast, Inc., Mark works hand-in-hand with private landowners, state and federal agencies, and conservation organizations on a wide variety of wildlife management and research projects.  His extensive experience with rare, threatened, and endangered amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals has provided valuable expertise for projects specifically related to the Gopher Tortoise Recovery Plan, Safe Harbor Program for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Ivory-billed Woodpecker research in the Choctawhatchee River Basin, black bear conservation efforts through the Alabama Black Bear Alliance, and biologically sensitive conservation easements with the Alabama Forest Resources Center. 

In addition to Mark’s field expertise, he is a distinguished author and editor.  Mark’s comprehensive knowledge regarding game and non-game species greatly assisted the development of Alabama’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy in 2005, which helped identify and manage “species in greatest need of conservation.” 

Subsequently, Mark helped edit the four-volume publication called Alabama Wildlife that provides detailed information and conservation plans for all of Alabama’s non-game species. He was also the lead author for the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservations’ Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Southeastern United States, published in 2006.  For nearly ten years, he has served on the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s Editorial Board for the Alabama Wildlife magazine, writing and editing numerous feature articles related to wildlife conservation.

Mark is currently president of the Alabama Chapter of The Wildlife Society and serves on the board of directors of the Alabama Wildlife Federation.  He and his wife Karan live in Covington County with their daughter Ava on a 71-acre preserve called Gator Pond.  Located adjacent to the Conecuh National Forest, they are working to restore native habitat including longleaf pine habitat for the endangered gopher tortoise, wetlands for the gopher frog, and rare bat roosting habitat to benefit the Rafinesque’s big-eared bat and southeastern myotis.

For his dedication and commitment to wildlife conservation in Alabama, we present the 2007 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year, Mr. Mark A. Bailey.

Jack and Mary McQuinn are the owners of “Little Nashville Farm”, which is located in the Paint Rock Valley of Jackson County. With the assistance of various landowner programs and over twenty years of hard work, the McQuinns have converted their property from a badly eroded crop farm to a highly diversified TREASURE Forest that is considered one of the most diverse forest acreages in Alabama.

Through their passionate attention, Jack and Mary have worked carefully to display the natural beauty of the extremely diverse landscape, which consists of a scenic cave, rock outcrops and benches, open fields, river bottom floodplains, wet weather waterfalls and upland hardwood slopes, typifying the best of the Tennessee Valley Region of Alabama.

They have developed and executed a truly outstanding plan of forest and wildlife habitat improvements since purchasing this property and now have a very healthy and thriving population of deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl, and non-game species. Tree establishment was accomplished using the advice of professional foresters and biologists to determine the best species to establish, and has included both pine and hardwood stands that are well managed.  Through the application of conservation and land management practices, the McQuinns made a positive impact on the landscape and produced an extraordinary range of habitat.

They eagerly share their experiences and results with others by hosting informative and educational tours on their property and use it extensively as a demonstration and teaching farm. Organizations such as the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and various school groups have taken advantage of the McQuinns generosity and used the property for training and public events. The Paint Rock Valley School has visited the farm many times to hike the trails and hear from professional wildlife biologists, foresters, and conservationists.

In recognition of their commitment to forest conservation, we present the 2007 Forest Conservationist of the Year, Mr. and Mrs. Jack McQuinn.

Since 2001, Doug Fears has been a key leader in the effort to restore and preserve the Paint Rock River Watershed in north Alabama. Committed to conserving our natural resources, Doug has worked tirelessly on this project and through his efforts he has helped preserve one of the state's most valuable watersheds while also creating a striking example of effective voluntary conservation.

Doug’s tremendous leadership is exemplified through his success in coordinating efforts by government agencies, private conservation groups, and most importantly, local citizens in implementing programs that manage and preserve the wildlife, waters and lands of northeast Alabama.   His work has produced positive achievements for the Paint Rock River Project and for the fish and wildlife resources located in the watershed. 

Specific to water conservation efforts, Doug was instrumental in forging a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to establish and implement a Wetland Reserve Program project located on the Roy B. Whitaker Preserve near Gurley. At the same time, Doug has worked proactively with private landowners to address water quality in the Paint Rock River, encouraging those who have steams flowing through their properties to utilize riparian buffers along stream channels. Thanks to Doug’s efforts and the diligent involvement of project partners, the future of the Paint Rock River Watershed looks bright, and a legacy of conservation now exists for future generations who visit this unique, historic and biologically-rich watershed.

For his exemplary efforts on behalf of Alabama’s water resources in the Paint Rock River Watershed, we present the 2007 Water Conservationist of the Year, Mr. Doug Fears.

Founded in the late 1800s, Jenkins Brick Company manufactures and distributes brick and associated products, employing approximately 500 people across the Southeast. Now in its fifth generation of family-owned leadership, Jenkins Brick Company has operation facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina, with corporate headquarters in Montgomery, Ala.

Almost 10 years ago, the Alabama Wildlife Federation recognized Jenkins Brick Company as Air Conservationist of the Year.  At that time, Jenkins Brick was stepping out on faith by undertaking a test to utilize landfill gas from the Montgomery municipal solid waster facility to power their pre-existing brick kilns.  It was cutting edge and provided both environmental benefits and the promise of economic efficiency.

Today, Jenkins Brick Company stands as an example of a company who took a test and turned it into a critical decision factor for making fundamental business decisions.  Earlier this year, Jenkins Brick Company opened their newest plant, the Jordan Plant in St. Clair County, located 6.5 miles from the Veolia Environmental Services landfill.  Connected by a pipeline from the landfill to the Jordan Plant, the plant utilizes landfill gas to fire its kilns and represents the first facility in the United States located specifically to take advantage of local landfill gas.

Currently, Jenkins Brick Company’s use of landfill gas at its Montgomery and Jordan plants produces a total annual greenhouse gas reduction equivalent to planting 45,600 acres of forest. By harnessing landfill gas as an alternative fuel, Jenkins Brick Company is able to control their energy costs and improve the air quality in the communities where they live and work.

In recognition of their exemplary commitment and efforts on behalf of Alabama’s air quality, we present the 2007 Air Conservationist of the Year, The Jenkins Brick Company.

Craig Sizemore has distinguished himself as a vital part of the soil conservation effort in Alabama by serving as Chairman for the Lamar County Soil and Water Conservation District Board since 1991. Working continually to keep abreast of current soil conservation issues, Craig uses his knowledge to provide leadership in promoting good soil erosion, water quality and forestry practices.

He is an active farmer and rancher whose operation is well managed with attention to detail and the environment. Recently, he participated in a First Acre Ceremony in Lamar County to celebrate the beginning of the field work for the new Lamar County soil survey project. In a news release he explained how the soil survey would benefit the district in completing various projects. He believes that with the soil data, Lamar County landowners will have the information needed to make good management decisions.

Real conservation begins at home, and Craig has put that ideal into practice by installing numerous conservation practices over the years for erosion control and water quality. In recent years, improvements to his land have included a well, pipeline, trough system, grass planting, timber stand improvement, pasture renovation and pest management. To eliminate fuel load to the family forest after Hurricane Katrina, he participated in the Emergency Watershed downed timber initiative program. By burning off portions of the property they were able to reduce fuel load and create new vegetation for area wildlife.

Craig currently serves as the President of the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts and works diligently to promote soil conservation throughout the state of Alabama. In addition, he is a member of the Tombigbee RC&D Council, the Alabama RC&D Council and the Lamar County Cattleman’s Association.

In recognition of his efforts to promote and practice soil conservation at the local and state levels, we present the 2007 Soil Conservationist of the Year, Mr. Craig Sizemore.

The Alabama River Clean Water Partnership (ARCWP) is a River Basin Steering Committee of the Alabama Clean Water Partnership, a coordinated statewide stakeholder effort to restore and protect the state’s river basins. Their mission is to improve, maintain, and promote the protection of water quality in the Alabama River Basin while fostering wise economic development through public-private basin wide partnerships.

A key component of the ARCWP is to bring people together from across the basin. To that end, the ARCWP has provided quarterly forums since 2000 for interested stakeholders, including citizens, property owners, businesses, industry, and other public and private interests, to network on water quality issues in the Alabama River Basin. The meetings provide a forum for discussing current activities within the basin, allow parties to work together in a watershed approach to implementation of restoration strategies, and provide educational sessions to inform the stakeholder group of issues of local, statewide or national importance.

Most recently, the ARCWP has launched an educational and promotional campaign called “Hooked on the Alabama River” to bring attention to the Alabama River and the role of citizens and business in protecting water quality within the Alabama River Basin.  Key elements of the campaign include the upcoming “Festival of Fishing Lures” and the “Lure Tour” which will feature larger than life fishing lure sculptures decorated by local artisans and art students.

Ultimately, the success of the ARCWP can be attributed directly to the partners involved, each contributing their particular expertise and knowledge of water related issues, as well as resources, to the process.

In recognition of their commitment to water conservation in the Alabama River Basin, we present the 2007 Conservation Organization of the Year, Alabama River Clean Water Partnership.

Judge Carlton Teel has served in the District Court of Coosa County for the past four years.  He is an outstanding advocate for Alabama’s wildlife and, through his work on the bench, has proven to be a man dedicated to conserving our natural resources and sternly punishing those who abuse them. Placing a high value on wildlife and conservation efforts, Judge Teel’s attitude sets the tone for everyone in his jurisdiction.

He is serious about prosecuting poachers, night hunters and other violators of our game and fish laws who appear before him. He makes it clear that natural resource protection and conservation is of great importance and vital to maintaining our hunting and fishing traditions.

In addition to hunting and fishing cases, Judge Teel has been extremely supportive of an effort to curtail illegal off road vehicle use on the Coosa Wildlife Management Area, and he has regularly convicted individuals charged with management area regulation violations.
Judge Teel’s door is always open to the local land owner. He is truly concerned when there are conservation violations and makes that evident in his rulings. Judge Teel’s devotion to the law and dedication to conserving wildlife displays his strong conservation ethic.

Going above and beyond the call of duty, Judge Teel has been known to patrol the Coosa Wildlife Management Area on his off time and report back any violations he may have witnessed. The law-abiding citizens of Coosa County have been well served by the actions of Judge Teel in his position as District Court Judge.

In appreciation of his commitment to conservation from the bench, we present the 2007 Judicial Conservationist of the Year, Judge Carlton Teel.

On the last day of the 2007 Legislative Session, three critical funding bills for our wildlife and fisheries programs were still waiting for their final vote on the Senate floor.  Thanks to Rep. Seth Hammett, Rep. Thomas Jackson, Rep. Barry Mask, Rep. John Robinson, Lt. Governor Jim Folsom, Sen. Hinton Mitchem, Sen. Lowell Barron, Sen. Kim Benefield, Sen. Jimmy Holly and Sen. J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner the Conservation Package was passed and in turn secured a bright future for Alabama’s Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Marine Police programs.

Rep. Jackson sponsored all three of the bills, known as the Conservation Package, and worked diligently to have them passed by his committee early in the session. Once out of committee, Rep. Hammett worked diligently to help free them up for a vote on the House floor. During debate on the House floor, Rep. Mask and Robinson provided significant support. After the bills left the House, Sen. Benefield made sure the bills came through Senate committee in a single day. Sen. Barron, with help from Sen. Mitchem and other members of the Rules Committee, made sure the Conservation Package was placed on the Special Order Calendar on each of the last two days of the session. On the final day, Senators Barron and Mitchem along with Lt. Governor Folsom and Sen. Holly worked tirelessly with the other Senators in the waning hours to arrange for the bills to be entertained before the clock struck midnight. When the opportunity presented itself, Sen. Benefield took to the floor and presented HB254 and HB255.  Both bills passed and shortly thereafter, Sen. Waggoner presented and secured passage of HB256 and the Conservation Package was put to rest with little time to spare.

Alabama’s hunters, anglers, boaters, landowners, and wildlife enthusiasts will benefit from these legislators who took action to ensure these bills passed.  Thanks to their combined efforts, all who enjoy the outdoors can be assured of effective law enforcement protection and the biological services necessary for responsible management of fish and wildlife populations and habitats.
          
In recognition of their efforts on behalf of the wildlife and natural resources of our state, we present the 2007 Legislative Conservationist of the Year, Rep. Seth Hammett, Rep. Thomas Jackson, Rep. Barry Mask, Rep. John Robinson, Lt. Governor Jim Folsom, Sen. Hinton Mitchem, Sen. Lowell Barron, Sen. Kim Benefield, Sen. Jimmy Holly and Sen. J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner.

Maron McConnell has been actively involved in teaching hunter safety for over twelve years.  He is an avid outdoorsman who has an unselfish desire to help young hunters and has dedicated countless hours to the program.

Alabama has one of the best hunter safety records in the Southeast, and Maron’s leadership is partly responsible for that accomplishment. In 2004, Maron became certified as a Hunter Education Instructor Trainer and in 2006 he worked tirelessly throughout the summer to construct a new shooting range for use by the Tallapoosa Hunter Education program. The range added greatly to overall safety and increased the overall effectiveness of the course.

Always looking for improvement, he has been involved in numerous activities to advance youth and women participation in outdoor education and shooting sports and has helped plan and conduct a firearm safety program and live fire exercise for disabled youngsters during special deer hunts held at Camp ASCCA.

He continually goes above and beyond what is required to give attendees of his hunter safety classes a first rate experience. While live fire exercises are not mandatory in today’s hunter safety classes, Maron and his fellow instructors insist on giving their students this opportunity so that they feel comfortable and competent when heading to the woods. In addition, they have one of the only classes in the state with stimulated hunting exercises featuring shoot/don’t shoot scenarios.

Maron has given of this time and wisdom to the Alabama Hunter Education Association, a state-wide association for volunteer instructors, by serving on the board of directors for his district. Furthermore, he has volunteered countless hours manning Hunter Education booths at Conservation expos, working at the Archery in the Schools State Championships and coaching youth at skeet ranges.

For his outstanding commitment to Hunter Safety Education we present the 2007 Hunter Safety Instructor of the Year, Mr. Maron McConnell.