BCAS Awardees

Boulder County Audubon recognizes community members for their commitment to conservation, education, and community action. Awards are typically awarded during the May meeting with a longer article on the awardees in the fall edition of the On The Wing newsletter.

2023

Read the complete awardee citation.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award - Dr. Oakleigh Thorne II for his outstanding commitment to conservation and education.

2019

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2019 newsletter.

  • Environmental Conservation Award – Scott Rashid for his outstanding research on local raptors and the founding of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute.

  • Leadership Award – Ann Tagawa for her founding of and dedication to the Boulder County Audubon Birds and Brews MeetUp field trips.

  • Leadership Award – Pam Piombino for her longtime dedication to and leadership of Boulder County Audubon Society.

 2018

Read complete awardee descriptions in the April 2019 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Ruth Wright for leadership in keeping Boulder County livable – from the open space tax amendment to building height requirements to representing Boulder in the State Assembly.

  • Community Conservation Award — Ann Cooper for her longtime commitment to conservation and education while volunteering for Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks for over 40 years and for her commitment to the conservation and study of many taxa from bats to insects.

2017

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2017 newsletter.

  • Community Conservation Award — Karen Hollweg for long being a stalwart of the Boulder environmental community, from early work in the BioBlitz and other citizen science projects to ensuring that Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks continues to fulfill its charter purpose of preserving functioning ecosystems.

  • Environmental Conservation Champion — Tim Hogan for being an advocate for protection of native plant communities and wildlife in Boulder County for more than 30 years while serving as Collection Manager for the University of Colorado Herbarium.

2016

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2016 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Bill Kaempfer for long being a pillar in the ornithological community.

  • Community Conservation Award — Boulder County Parks and Open Space wildlife biologists Michelle Durant, David Hoerath, and Mac Kobza, and senior wildlife biologist Susan Spaulding for being dedicated and knowledgeable wildlife biologists while working across Boulder County Parks and Open Space.

  • Junior Conservation Activist Award — Annika Sherrill for her dedication to local owl research and conservation efforts including banding young and raising over $800 from cookie sales.

2015

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2015 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Jan Chu for her long dedication to science and environmental education and butterfly monitoring in Boulder County.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Steve Jones for being a lifelong naturalist, for sharing his passion in others, and for being a face for many of Boulder County’s nature-related organizations.

  • Community Conservation Award — Carol McCasland for exceptional volunteerism at many Boulder County and Front Range organizations.

2014

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2014 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Paula Hansley for carrying out bird studies and leading field trips in Boulder County and beyond for close to 50 years.

  • Environmental Conservation Champion — Sue Cass for being an unflinching advocate for the environment, building consensus among diverse individuals and groups while working with the Boulder County Nature Association, Boulder County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee, and more.

  • Community Conservation Award — Joy Master and Matt Clausen for leading the effort to protect and enhance habitat for native wildlife populations on Boulder Parks and Recreation Department lands.

2013

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2013 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award —William A. Weber for chronicling Colorado Flora and educating young naturalists for nearly 70 years.

  • Environmental Conservation Champion — J.D. Birchmeier for building and installing over 500 bluebird boxes in and around Boulder County.

  • Community Conservation Award — Pam Wanek for her work on research and conservation of prairie dogs and their habitat.

2012

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2012 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Joyce Gellhorn for a lifetime serving as an educator, researcher, field trip leader, and an author specializing in Colorado alpine areas.

  • Environmental Conservation Champion — Ray Bridge for serving as the Boulder County Audubon Conservation Committee Chair and for attending hearings on widespread issues to ensure that conservation and wildlife always have an advocate.

  • Community Connections Award — Topher Downham for his diligent efforts to make our open spaces open for all. As a Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks volunteer and advocate for the disabled, Topher has authored a trail accessibility guide and leads BCAS field trips focused on accessibility.

2011

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2011 newsletter.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — George Oetzel for his long dedication to our chapter. His volunteering includes newsletter editor for 38 issues, board member, President, Membership Chair, and many smaller roles. George and his wife, Marti, also resurrected our bluebird nestbox program.

  • Environmental Conservation Award — Laura Osborne for her work as ecosteward and conservation activist for Walker Ranch County Open Space.

  • Community Conservation Award — Ray Bridge, Gwen Dooley, James Gallo, Beverly Gholson, Karen Hollweg, Linda Jourgensen and Petrea Mah, members of the Community Collaboration Group, for their work on the City’s West Trail study area policy design for 18 months.

  • Special Recognition for Education Programming — Maureen Lawry and Mary Balzer for their revitalization of our public outreach and education program over the last five years and as developers and co-presenters of the Prairie Ecosystem Puppet Show for elementary school children.

2010

  • Leadership Award — Steve Jones for his leadership as a Boulder Audubon chapter leader for over two decades, a Boulder County Nature Association leader for longer, a teacher and field trip leader, and a voice for county and state environmental stewardship.

  • Community Conservation Award — Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, a local non-profit restoration organization, for their work on habitat restoration.

  • Conservation Award — Chris and Debbie Abrahamson for their work as initiators and coordinators of the Boulder County burrowing owl study.

  • Volunteer of the Year Award — Amy Schlotthauer for her work as Boulder County Audubon website designer and maintainer.

  • Lifetime Achievement Award — Ken Strom for his work as the state and regional coordinator for Audubon.

2009

  • Environmental Conservation Award — Bill Schmoker for his unrelenting dedication as the Boulder circle Christmas Bird Count compiler.

  • Leadership Award — Bob Turner for his longtime leadership at the national, state, and chapter levels.

  • Community Conservation Award — Leslie Glustrom for her work as a green energy activist, including work on clean energy and carbon reduction goals.

  • Special Recognition — Gary Graham for his work as State Audubon director over six years and for decades of work as a conservationist and researcher.

2008

Read complete awardee descriptions in the September 2008 newsletter.

  • Conservation Award — Marti and George Oetzel for their work restoring and expanding the Walker Ranch bluebird trail and for continued work as the monitoring coordinators.

  • Community Conservation Award — Dave Hallock for 30 years of studying and protecting local ecosystems.

  • Leadership Award — Linda Andes-Georges for her longtime contributions to the chapter while serving as secretary, president, and conservation chair, and for activities as an active chapter member as a 12-year participant in the Coal Creek Riparian Renaissance Project, a 15-year volunteer for the Indian Peaks Four Season Bird Counts, an ecosteward, a frequent contributor to On The Wing, and a leading force in outreach and fundraising.

2007

  • Environmental Conservation Award — Connie Holsinger for her work as a longtime Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks supporter and donator to local and national conservation through the Terra Foundation. Connie is also an originator of the Coal Creek Renaissance concept.

  • Leadership Award — Marge Foland in recognition of her leadership since being a charter member of the chapter.

  • Leadership Award — Gillian and Alex Brown for their work as originators and caretakers of the Wildlife Inventory program since 1985.

  • Community Conservation — Kirk Cunningham for his work as a longtime local activist and leader of the conservation core of the Indian Peaks Sierra Club chapter.