ChevronTexaco
awards honour environmental heroes
Posted: 1 October 2003
Winners from Africa, Canada and the United States receive
awards at ceremony in Calgary
The founder of the world's first cheetah protection program, the
director of The Nature Conservancy in Utah and the creator of a
unique art education program in Canada are among the six winners
honoured by the 49th annual ChevronTexaco Conservation Awards.
"Any conservation effort -- large or small -- makes a difference.
It is our hope that recognising award-winning conservation efforts
educates and inspires others to preserve natural resources,"
said Rhonda Zygocki, vice president of health, environment and safety
for ChevronTexaco.
Since its founding in 1954 by the late Ed Zern, an acclaimed American
outdoors writer, the ChevronTexaco Conservation Awards have honored
more than 1,000 volunteers, professionals and organisations for
their practical and creative solutions to environmental challenges.
An independent panel of leading conservationists selected the winners.
Award recipients were honored at ceremonies at the Glenbow Museum
in Calgary, Canada, and each received a US$10,000 prize.
The ChevronTexaco Conservation Award honorees for 2003 are:
Robert Bateman, The Robert Bateman National Wildlife
Week Writing and Art Contest. Surprised to learn that most young
people are better at identifying corporate logos than wildlife,
Mr. Bateman launched his unique educational program in Canada to
help young people learn about the country's wildlife heritage, endangered
species, climate change concerns and environmental protection efforts.
Last year more than 42,000 entries were received; 100,000 entries
from all over Canada are expected this year.
Dr. Karen Eckert, Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation
Network (WIDECAST). As executive director of WIDECAST, Dr. Eckert's
remarkable efforts to save the endangered sea turtle have resulted
in an international response involving nearly 40 governments, the
United Nations, fellow scientists and conservationists. Because
of her ability to find collaborative solutions that balance community
needs and marine protection, the decline of sea turtles in the Caribbean
region has been reversed.
David Livermore, The Nature Conservancy of Utah.
During the past two decades under Mr. Livermore's leadership, The
Nature Conservancy of Utah has completed more than 100 conservation
projects which have protected more than 800,000 acres of public
and private land in the state. Using a strategy of collaboration,
not confrontation, it has been able to protect the Great Salt Lake;
the 890-acre Scott M. Matheson Preserve, the largest wetlands area
along the Colorado River in Utah; and, the 255,000 acre Dugout Ranch
near Canyonlands National Park.
Dr. Laurie Marker, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).
Seeing the number of cheetahs in Africa fall from 30,000 to just
15,000 in the last quarter century, Dr. Marker founded CCF in 1990.
It is the first organisation created solely to saving the endangered
cheetah. CCF has launched successful land management practices and
youth educational programs and has established a global network
of cheetah conservationists across Africa. Based in central Namibia,
CCF has become an international model for protecting endangered
species.
Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam, Student Conservation
Association (SCA). Since Ms. Putnam founded SCA 47 years ago, it
has grown into the nation's leading conservation service organisation
for young people. Today, more than 2,700 SCA volunteers are active
each year in national parks, forests and urban green spaces in all
50 states in the U.S. From Alaska's tundra to Yellowstone's geysers
to the Everglade's fragile ecosystem, SCA volunteers restore habitats,
protect wildlife and conduct research. SCA is building the next
generation of conservation leaders and inspiring lifelong stewardship
of our environment and communities.
Susan Seacrest, Groundwater Foundation. Ms. Seacrest
launched the Groundwater Foundation 18 years ago when she became
aware of studies linking groundwater contamination to the alarming
cancer rates in Nebraska. Since then, the foundation has blossomed
into an international model for protecting groundwater. Its Groundwater
Guardian (GG) program has become a vast network of 200 communities
and organisations in 37 states.
In 2002, GG teams implemented protection programs affecting more
than 15 million citizens. Since 1985, more than 35,000 fourth and
fifth graders across the nation have participated in the Children's
Groundwater Festival and other educational programs.
About ChevronTexaco
Based in San Ramon, Calif., ChevronTexaco is the second-largest
U.S.-based energy company and the fifth largest in the world, based
on market capitalisation. More than 53,000 ChevronTexaco employees
work in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing
crude oil and natural gas, and marketing fuels and other energy
products.
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
Information supplied by companies
or PR agencies who are responsible for content. Send press releases
to info@pipelinedubai.com |
