| Office of the Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2008 |
Contacts: Joan Moody (202) 208-6416 |
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Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne Presents Cooperative Conservation Award for Earth Day To the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee For Protecting Arizona's Bald Eagles |
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WASHINGTON, D.C.— At a ceremony in the nation's capital today, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne recognized The Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee and its Nestwatch program in Arizona as one of 21 recipients nationwide of the Department of the Interior's Cooperative Conservation Award. Nominated for the award by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is part of the Interior Department, the partnership is composed of two dozen federal, state and tribal organizations. (See list at end of release.) The 21 awards recognized the work of more than 700 groups and individuals who achieved excellence in conservation through collaboration and partnerships. "These outstanding partnerships and cooperative efforts represent a fundamental way in which our Department provides stewardship for America with integrity and excellence," Secretary Kempthorne said. "They embody a broad spectrum of conservation work from restoring wetlands, rangelands and mine lands to protecting wildlife, conserving water and fighting invasive species to teaching conservation values to the next generation." The Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee was created in 1984 specifically to address the needs of the bald eagle and its habitat in Arizona. This long-term collaborative partnership has proven very successful. In particular, the committee's Arizona Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program has been instrumental in directly saving the lives of numerous individual bald eagles and protecting more than 50 breeding and nesting areas in the state. "The program has achieved a high level of public support through efforts to educate thousands of recreationists in heavily used recreation areas that encompass bald eagle breeding areas," the award noted. The Department of the Interior's Cooperative Conservation Award recognizes conservation achievements resulting from the cooperation and participation of individual landowners, citizen groups, private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and federal, state, local, and/or tribal governments. "This is a fitting start to a week of Earth Day activities," the Secretary told the crowd at the main Interior auditorium. "If anyone were to ask me why America is the world leader in conservation of natural resources, I would simply point to the people in this auditorium. You are the spirit and you are the hands of cooperative conservation."
Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee
Arizona Dept. of Transportation |
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