Nominations due for Leopold awards

The Friends of the Arboretum will give three new awards this year to honor those who have restored natural communities in Wisconsin. Collectively called the Leopold awards, they are named after UW pioneering conservationist Aldo Leopold. Nominations of individuals and groups should be made by Monday, April 1.

Awards of $2,000 will be made in three categories and presented at a dinner Thursday, Oct. 10, at the UW-Arboretum in Madison. The three categories are: career excellence, community-based restoration and innovative approaches in restoration. Each award honors a University of Wisconsin faculty member who made a major mark in restoring lands at the Arboretum.

For career excellence in ecological restoration the John T. Curtis Award recognizes the author of the standard reference “The Vegetation of Wisconsin.” Curtis’ long work studying prairies resulted in the Arboretum’s 50-acre Curtis Prairie. The Curtis award is for individuals whose work has shown better ways to do restoration and make the public aware of it.

For innovative approaches in restoration, the Henry C. Greene Award honors the UW–Madison botanist who almost single-handedly restored the 40-acre portion of the Arboretum now known as Greene Prairie. The Greene award recognizes creative methods that reverse human effects and restore natural systems.

For excellence in community-based restoration, the Virginia M. Kine Award recognizes the first UW–Madison ecologist. The Kline award will go to a group that has dedicated efforts to bringing back natural communities.

“More and more individuals, corporations and communities are hearing Aldo Leopold’s message about the land ethic,” says Friends of the Arboretum president Linda Bochert. “He said each question about the land should be examined ‘in terms of what is ethically and esthetically right, as well as what is economically expedient.’ We think he would approve of these new awards which reward those whose land ethic has been outstanding.”

For nomination forms, contact Friends of the Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WI 53711. Or call (608) 263-7760, sminkoff@facstaff.wisc.edu.