The Black Hills Conservation Committee is very pleased to announce that Anne Van Sweringen has been chosen for the Jack Davis Conservationist of the Year Award for 2022. Her untiring and lengthy service in pursuit of environmental protections makes her an outstanding choice. It isn’t practical to list everything Anne has accomplished in her years with Black Hills Audubon and other organizations. Here are the highlights:
- For the past three plus years, Anne has represented five environmental non-profit organizations in Thurston County as an advocate for environmentally-sensitive updates to the Shoreline Master Program in Thurston County. This included the development of extensive scientifically-based comments advocating for no net loss of shoreline functions and the protection of fish and wildlife. At many Thurston County Planning Commission hearings, Anne either testified or helped others with their testimony.
- She has been a member of the Wildlife Diversity Advisory Council which advises the WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife on how to achieve conservation of wildlife diversity in Washington. This involves advising on proposed regulations and management plans as well as advocating for diverse, urban and under-served human communities to benefit from wildlife and nature.
- Anne is an advisor and committee member of the Recreation and Conservation Office of the WA Wildlife and Recreation Program. This work includes revising funding policies and evaluation criteria, as well as reviewing grant proposals for Urban Wildlife Habitat and Salmon Recovery Funding Board projects.
- In addition, Anne has been on the Board of Capitol Land Trust and the CLT Lands Committee.
- With Black Hills Audubon, Anne was previously the editor of our newsletter and is currently, and has been for many years, a member of our very active Conservation Committee.
All in all, Anne’s recognition by BHAS as Conservationist of the Year is a “slam dunk”. The local environmental community owes a debt of gratitude to Anne for her years of passionate advocacy. Our heartfelt thanks are extended to her.
Photo by Randall Marshall
